Hip-Hop, a genre of canned beats and laboratory samples, has been broken out of its test-tube origins to explore the worlds of live jazz and funk. On the Brand New Heavies' 1992 breakthrough Heavy Rhyme Experience, guest rapper Grand Puba heralded the dawn of a new hip-hop era with the memorable declaration, "The bass player's real and the drummer's real." Philly-based rap-jazz ensemble the Roots continue this move from laid to played grooves on their debut offering, Do You Want More?!?, a mellow new recording that cockily celebrates its lack of synthesized sound. Inventively backed by bassist Hub, drummer B.R.O. THE R.?, and guest instrumentalists Steve Coleman on sax, Rufus Harley on jazz bagpipes, and Rahzel the Human Beatbox, rappers Malik B. and Black Thought spin rapid rhymes of self-aggrandizement over original bass-heavy jazz compositions guaranteed to set heads nodding... The group shines on funky tracks like "I Remain Calm," a laid-back groove with an addictive bassline, and on more haunting offerings such as "Swept Away," a breathy hip-hop neo-ballad, to firmly establish themselves as daring and highly capable pioneers of the new live hip-hop. - CMJ New Music Monthly, 1/95. The review argues that the lyrics are "predictably empty" on the album, and I disagree, but you can read that in the full review, and listen below...
Cassette, sticker and full review in CMJ are below...
