XXL celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with this moment:
Jan. 17, 1995: Legendary Philadelphia hip-hop group The Roots made their majordebut when they dropped their second album, Do You Want More?!!!??!, on Jan. 17, 1995, via DGC/Geffen Records.
The 16-track LP showcases the Philly crew’s genre-bending musicianship in hip-hop and jazz, thus making it a quintessential fusion album. Prior to the project’s release, The Roots delivered their lead single, “Distortion to Static,” followed by “Proceed,” “Mellow My Man” and “Silent Treatment.”
The heartbeat of the album is the immersive and soulful live instrumentation, which provides the feel of a musical journey. Among the producers assisting the Illadelph band are Scott Storch, Grand Negaz and A.J. Shine, as well as Roots members drummer Questlove, lyricist extraordinaire Black Thought, the late rhymer Malik B and beatboxer Rahzel.
The album flows like one cohesive jam session, complete with a revolving door of friends, musicians and spoken word poets stopping by. In a time when the melding of jazz and hip-hop was considered the new frontier, The Roots conquered the territory like old pros. The album peaked at No. 22 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart during the week of Feb. 4, 1995, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on Nov. 15, 2015.
Now 28 years since its release, The Roots’ Do You Want More?!!!??! is considered a hip-hop classic album that brilliantly pushed the boundaries of lyricism and live musicianship.
Watch The Roots’ “Distortion to Static” Music Video Below
Watch The Roots’ “Proceed II” (Featuring Roy Ayers) Music Video Below
Listen to The Roots’ “Silent Treatment (Black Thought’s ’87 And Yours Mix)” Below
See the Best Album Series in Hip-Hop
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