This weekend we lost one of the most talented producers in music. I can't explain how monumental a blow we in the hip hop community have just taken. I met James Yancey, or Jay Dee as we affectionately referred to him, in 1994 at battery studios nyc. From that day, hes never ceased to amaze me with his vast knowledge of good music and his nack for manipulating sounds and making them his own. I am an mc. I've been doing what I do for a long time. I've sat in many a basement, studio, tourbus, and livingroom watching and waiting as beats were being conceived for me to rock and I can honestly say, I've never seen anyone with a better understanding of sampling and re-inventing sound... More

The prophetic Lauryn Hill once said, “Seasons change, mad things rearrange, but it all stays the same.” This is true for the Philadelphia-based collective The Roots. Having survived more than a decade in a harsh music industry that has allowed them an almost infinite amount of critical success, but a criminal lack of mainstream success, the group has gone through countless changes in sound and membership. And never is this more apparent than in their legendary live performances. The Roots are considered one of the twenty best live acts in the world by Rolling Stone magazine. Despite their ever-evolving status, the common goal has remained constant throughout: “Infinitely go against the grain.” Consider this the beginner’s guide to understanding The Roots’ live show. More