The Roots Redeem Themselves With 'Rising Up'

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The Roots Redeem Themselves With 'Rising Up'

ill Mami | 03/28/2008 at 12:15 PM | Comments (9)

After the furor that ensued after the release of the "Birthday Girl" video and its tale of statutory rape, I attempted to try to make sense of it all. With my renewed faith in The Roots, they have redeemed themselves and brought the ruckus like only they can with their recently released track "Rising Up." Featuring a go-go-ish beat provided by Questlove, the editors over at SoulBounce HQ have described it as "crazee!" and remarked that "DC is going to go bananas for this!" Everyone's on their "A" game for this song: Black Thought and Wale flow well and Chrisette Michele sings the hook like only she knows how. We're not sure if this will be the official first single, but it should be. For all of you concerned about "Birthday Girl" being the first single from Rising Down, never fear: Okayplayer confirmed on SoulBounce first that this song would only be on the international release as well as the iTunes exclusive for download. You heard it here first!

The Roots feat. Wale and Chrisette Michele: "Rising Up"

[H/T: NR]

[Photo by Sol-Exposure]

Tags: chrisette michele, questlove, the roots, wale

Comments

FIRE!!!! I love this joint. It makes wanna dance in my cubical. Birthday girl reminds me of The Seed( Phrenology cd) not one of my favorites.

Starbucks | April 15, 2008 5:33 PM | Permalink

Rising Up is banging

BC Planning | March 30, 2008 11:08 PM | Permalink

I take back what I said before about The Roots. I just was NOT feeling Birthday Girl, especially because of the Fall Out Boy connection. I hate them. But everything else off Rising Down sounds great.

Danielle | March 29, 2008 6:39 PM | Permalink

This song is hot. I felt like getting up and shaking something. I might just have to go out and PURCHASE the CD. That B-day girl was garbage but this does make up for it.

jojodancer | March 29, 2008 2:46 PM | Permalink

Doesn't really heat up 'til Wale's part.

nOvaMatic | March 28, 2008 7:40 PM | Permalink

Redemption indeed! I'm really feeling the go-go vibe that they're bringing here. The editors are right, this should get much love here in the DC area (I'm sure we'll also get an actual go-go version in the near future as well). Let's just hope they get some decent radio play on this one across the board though!

Gureala | March 28, 2008 4:47 PM | Permalink

I take back everything (just nobody mention Birthday Girl to me ever ever ever again)! This track is not just fire, it's real vintage Roots with a fresh twist, it's FIIIIIIIIYAAAAAH!! This has got to be one of the best tracks The Legendary ever put out. Love it. People frontin' on *this*? You must be straight out of yo tiny minds...

Manna | March 28, 2008 4:38 PM | Permalink

I have a Cougar Crush on Wale....This song is hot.

Sasha | March 28, 2008 3:02 PM | Permalink

While "Birthday Girl" was universally panned, I'm not so sure that's actually good for the Roots, themselves.
The track was designed to give them some mainstream love -- move some units that probably wouldn't have moved otherwise.
But since Fall Out Boy has declined to help promote the song and it won't be on the final cd -- the group's sales number may not be that great.
Long time fans will buy but 100,000 isn't enough to keep the lights on these days.

I hated the song, but I was sad they got the shaft from FOB over it.

rkj | March 28, 2008 1:47 PM | Permalink