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Album reviews Music

True Notes

Rating: NNNN


It seemed like a very strange move for the Roots to mount a North American tour months prior to the release of their highly anticipated new disc, but it all made sense once word spread that they had a comp disc on their own label to sell, which, of course, could be much more profitable for them. The debut release on the Okayplayer label, True Notes, Vol. 1, is a waste-free collection of above-average non-jiggy joints from the righteous rap alternative, including the Hieroglyphics, Little Brother, Jean Grae, Blackalicious, Aceyalone, Dilated Peoples and others. But it’s actually rising star Skillz who steals the show with the sharp Take It Back – brilliantly flipping a sample of Frank Stallone’s Take You Back from the Rocky soundtrack – and the hilarious mock-sermon Pastor Skillz. Tight.

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