Description
The Roots – Rising Down – Double Vinyl Record
The Roots’ Rising Down, released on April 29, 2008, is one of the band’s most urgent, politically charged, and sonically intense albums. Often described as a dark, dystopian sequel to their 2006 record Game Theory, Rising Down dives deeper into themes of social decay, inner-city violence, systemic oppression, and existential frustration. With its dense lyricism, menacing production, and a host of notable guest appearances, the album captures The Roots at their most fiercely focused and unflinchingly confrontational.
Named after William T. Vollmann’s book Rising Up and Rising Down, the album channels that same spirit of moral investigation, questioning the value and consequence of violence in a broken society. From the opening audio clip—a tense exchange about gun violence—to the closing moments, Rising Down paints a bleak yet honest portrait of urban life in America, particularly post-9/11, post-Katrina Black America.
Rising Down is defined by a heavy, industrial sound palette. Drummer/producer Questlove and co-producer James Poyser deliver beats that are gritty, claustrophobic, and layered with distorted synths, echoing snares, and dark textures. The result is a sonic landscape that feels like it’s closing in—perfectly aligning with the album’s themes of chaos and constraint.
Black Thought, as always, serves as the band’s lyrical anchor. His verses are razor-sharp, loaded with wordplay and political insight. But Rising Down is also one of The Roots’ most collaborative efforts. Frequent and first-time guests alike—including Mos Def (Yasiin Bey), Talib Kweli, Styles P, Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk, Wale, and Malik B—deliver verses that expand the scope of the project without diluting its power. Each feature adds weight to the album’s messages about poverty, corruption, policing, climate anxiety, and mental health.
Standout tracks include:
“Rising Down” – A booming title track featuring Mos Def and Styles P, layered with sirens and chaos.
“75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)” – A solo showcase for Black Thought’s lyrical firepower; relentless, unapologetic, and brilliant.
“I Will Not Apologize” – Fuses Afrobeat energy with hard-hitting commentary.
“Criminal” – A haunting closer that examines the criminal justice system with eerie calm and steady anger.
Despite its heavy tone, Rising Down received critical acclaim for its boldness, musicality, and thematic cohesion. While it didn’t top charts like some of their earlier or later work (Things Fall Apart, Undun), it is revered as one of their most artistically fearless albums, offering no easy answers but demanding engagement from its listeners.
In the broader scope of hip-hop, Rising Down stands as a crucial document of pre-recession, post-9/11 America, capturing the pressure points of a society unraveling—years before that unraveling would become mainstream discourse.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
The Pow Wow
Rising Down
Get Busy
@15
75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)
Becoming Unwritten
Criminal
I Will Not Apologize
I Can’t Help It
Singing Man
Unwritten
Lost Desire
The Show
Rising Up
Untitled
