TAGS : Eminem

1. The Roots - How I Got Over

Tentative Release Date:  Spring/2010

Producers/Collaborators: Phonte (of Little Brother), Blu, Cody Chesnutt

What We Know: The Roots are set to release their ninth studio album How I Got Over. The album title comes from a Mahalia Jackson gospel song of the same name. The band has described the new LP as upbeat, funky with political influences. The title track was first premiered on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in June 2009. According to ?uestlove, Phonte recorded three to five tracks for the album. Here’s hoping the live version of “How I Got Over” makes the final cut it because its clearly superior to the studio version.

It’s no secret that hip-hop is in constant motion – it changes year to year. Emerging technologies combined with the fickle needs and wants of the industry, the artists, and the fans, all play a role in shaping our musical world. Some of the changes to the hip-hop scene have been, well, less than desirable (see: the decline of radio rap). However, the past ten years, 2000-2009, still held releases of some of the most creative and unique hip-hop albums of all time, with an ever-expanding range of sub-genres. Traditional hip-hop rooted in the golden age of the ’90s was certainly alive and well, but it was sharing chart space with newer, progressive styles. That said, we have compiled a list of our 25 favorite hip-hop albums from the past ten years, as a form of celebrating the musical diversity in hip-hop from the decade that was.

Hip-hop has been around for nearly thirty years now. However, its still feels very young at its core. Whiles many emcees have graduated to have success some are just college dropouts with no plan for what’s next. In a genre of music that has no set rules it also seems to be void of maturity in the process. The idea of hip-hop and “growing up” feels like something of an oxymoron when you look at the current music landscape and its future. Very few emcees are willing to take that music past frivolous beefs/feuding, actually becoming successful as artists and making music that doesn’t compromise who they are. In hip-hop for some reason that feels unrealistic? Music is supposed to inspire, how come we ain’t getting no higher? © Lauryn Hill