“Dreary,” “dark,” “moody,” these are just some of the adjectives that have been used in recent reviews to describe The Roots 10th offering, Rising Down.

But while some have panned the Bush-era inspired apocalypitc-sounding album, there are those that know Roots releases aren’t always best judged upon initial listen and that “Rising Down joins Things Fall Apart nine years ago for its acquired taste and timeless relevance” [click to read].

An album devoted to addressing the ills of contemporary American society will always appeal to some while simultaneously alienating others, but the unofficial leader of The Roots crew, ?uestlove, believes the time is now for Hip Hop’s most acclaimed live band to get their Public Enemy on.

Along with sharing his thoughts on issues of the day, including the Sean Bell verdict [click to read], in a recent conversation with HipHopDX, ?uest also offered up his theory on why ‘80s babies seem indifferent to socially conscious content in Hip Hop, and explained why he knocks on doors for Barack Obama.

When not discussing the heavier stuff, ?uest took time to praise intelligent porn stars, explain why Wayne just can’t compare to Kane, and reveal that Mariah Carey controls The Roots destiny and may actually decide whether the group will ever rise again on a major-label.

HipHopDX: Your good friend Byron Crawford wrote of Rising Down, “A strong contender, along with Game Theory, for worst Roots album to date…They might just consider finally hanging it up.” Would you like to use this interview as an opportunity to formally challenge him to a fair one?
?uestlove: [Laughs]. Oh no dude, like I know Byron. I already pulled his card. The more he insults us, that’s his trick ya know. Actually I’d be disappointed if he liked the record.

DX: [Laughs]. Well his chief complaint seems to be that the album is too dark, which is a complaint I’ve heard from others, who also ironically think “Birthday Girl” was an abortion. You can’t fuckin’ win ?uest, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
?uest: It’s like, have they looked outside the window? Hip Hop as an apolitical tool, that just doesn’t make sense to me.

DX: You don’t wanna “Get Silly” and just scream “Yahhh!”?
?uest: I’m a grown man. “Yahhh!” is cool for a 19-year-old, but there’s too much going on in the world right now for people not to be informed of [it].

I’m asking [people], “Yo, did you vote today?” [During Pennsylvania’s presidential primary] I’m asking them like, “Did you even bother to vote?” It’s like, “Nah man, ain’t shit gonna happen different than the past. Voting don’t matter.” I understand the indifference [and why] people don’t wanna hear the message. They’re coming from a place where they’re just so bogged down with the seriousness of the world that it gets too depressing to even focus on. And I can understand that! No one wants to look at a pile of shit everyday. But then again, I complain a lot about the state of the world, and the state of Philadelphia, and for us to complain about it and absolutely not do anything about it, then that makes us just as guilty as the government that we say we’re against.

DX: Well I think the darker tone of the album is definitely a barrier for some people. Is it selfish of me to just want a whole Roots album of up-tempo "Clones”-esque, “Next Movement”-like tracks that Black Thought just spits shit over?
?uest: But that’s exactly what this record is. [Laughs].

DX: Well, yeah…I guess.
?uest: Assuming you heard the record.

DX: That’s not what I took away from it, but…
?uest: You didn’t think “Get Busy” [click to listen] sounds as hard as “Clones?”

DX: I mean, it’s just I guess the more melancholy moodiness [of the album that was a turn off].
?uest: You think “Get Busy” doesn’t sound like “Clones?”

DX: Oh yeah, that’s hard, but I’m saying the whole album…
?uest: It can’t be a whole album of nut busts. Like, you gotta work your way up to the climax. That’s like just getting with a girl and being done in like three minutes.

To me, Rising Down is full of bangers. “Rising Down” bangs to me. “75 Bars” bangs to me. “Get Busy” bangs to me. I definitely feel as though “Rising Up” bangs as hard [as those tracks]. “Lost Desire” bangs. Like, I could name seven or eight bangers. I don’t think the album should be 100% bangers. It has to have some moments of reflection. I dunno dude, to each his own. I think you gotta live with [the album] a little bit more.

DX: No Rhodes this time out, you think that element is kind of [missing]? ‘Cause I noticed that [missing]. That was kind of a shock to the senses a little bit.
?uest: Why was it a shock?

DX: I don’t know, I’m just so used to it.
?uest: Well you know, change is good. I think we’re in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. And I think that because there’s absolutely no precedent or standard for a group still being here 10 albums after they first came out… I mean, we could've definitely made the follow-up [to] Things Fall Apart, and then people woulda said these cats are on some derivative shit, trying to re-live their Hip Hop past. Continued on page 2 »