One of the cornerstone albums of alternative rap's second wave, Things Fall Apart was the point where the Roots' tremendous potential finally coalesced into a structured album that maintained its focus from top to bottom. If the group sacrifices a little of the unpredictability of its jam sessions, the resulting consistency more than makes up for it, since the record flows from track to track so effortlessly. Taking its title from the Chinua Achebe novel credited with revitalizing African fiction, Things Fall Apart announces its ambition right upfront, and reinforces it in the opening sound collage. Dialogue sampled from Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues implies a comparison to abstract modern jazz that lost its audience, and there's another quote about hip-hop records being treated as disposable, that they aren't maximized as product or as art. That's the framework in which the album operates, and while there's a definite unity counteracting the second observation, the artistic ambition actually helped gain the Roots a whole new audience ("coffeehouse chicks and white dudes," as Common puts it in the liner notes). The backing tracks are jazzy and reflective, filled with subtly unpredictable instrumental lines, and the band also shows a strong affinity for the neo-soul movement, which they actually had a hand in kick-starting via their supporting work on Erykah Badu's Baduizm. Badu returns the favor by guesting on the album's breakthrough single, "You Got Me," an involved love story that also features a rap from Eve, co-writing from Jill Scott, and an unexpected drum'n'bass breakbeat in the outro. Other notables include Mos Defon the playful old-school rhymefest "Double Trouble," Slum Village superproducer Jay Dee on "Dynamite!," and Philly native DJ Jazzy Jeff on "The Next Movement." But the real stars are Black Thought and Malik B, who drop such consistently nimble rhymes throughout the record that picking highlights is extremely difficult. Along with works by Lauryn Hill, Common, and Black Star, Things Fall Apart is essential listening for anyone interested in the new breed of mainstream conscious rap. AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Tracklist
A1 | Act Won (Things Fall Apart)
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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A2 | Table Of Content (Parts 1 & 2)
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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A3 | The Next Movement
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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A4 | Step Into The Relm
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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A5 | The Spark
Featuring – D'AngeloProducer – The Grand Wizzards |
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B1 | Dynamite!
Producer [Original] – Jay Dee |
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B2 | Without A Doubt
Featuring – Lady B (2)Producer – Chaos (2) |
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B3 | Ain't Saying Nothin' New
Co-producer – Scott StorchFeaturing – Dice RawProducer – The Grand WizzardsVocals [Additional] – Eve Of Destruction* |
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B4 | Double Trouble
Co-producer – James PoyserFeaturing – Mos DefProducer – The Grand Wizzards |
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C1 | Act Too (The Love Of My Life)
Featuring – CommonProducer – The Grand Wizzards |
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C2 | 100% Dundee
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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C3 | Diedre Vs. Dice
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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C4 | Adrenaline!
Co-producer – Scott StorchFeaturing – Beanie SigelProducer – The Grand Wizzards |
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C5 | 3rd Acts: ? Vs. Scratch 2...Electric Boogaloo
Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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D1 | You Got Me
Co-producer – Scott StorchFeaturing – Erykah Badu, Eve Of Destruction*Producer – The Grand Wizzards |
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D2 | Don't See Us
Featuring – Dice RawProducer – The Grand Wizzards |
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D3 | The Return To Innocence Lost
Producer – The Grand WizzardsVocals [Spoken Word] – Ursula Rucker |
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D4 | Act Fore... The End? |