For many artists it is often their first album or their second album that puts them on the map and becomes their career's finest work. But for longtime Philly crew The Roots their breakthrough album came a dozen years after they had first formed (and gone through some personnel changes in the interim) in the form of their fourth album, Things Fall Apart. The album, which was released in 1999 by MCA, was as much of a critical as a commercial success for the group. Additionally its recording overlapped with several others by members of the extended Soulquarians collective that included Erykah Badu and Common - both of whom made memorable contributions to Things, as did others such as Mos Def, Ursula Rucker, and J-Dilla (a.k.a. Jay Dee). See the music video for the Erykah Badu featured album track "You Got Me" below.

        

While Things Fall Apart was unmistakably The Roots' breakthrough album, it is just one of many must-have releases by the ever-prolific group whose many late night TV viewers have come to know as the Jimmy Fallon house band. Others include The Roots Come Alive and all the ones released just over the past couple of years by the group. These include 2010's How I Got Over (Island/Def Jam) and the excellent concept album released late in 2011, Undun. The Roots also collaborated with both John Legend on Wake Up and with Betty Wright for Betty Wright and the Roots: The Movie.  Additionally, there is great compilation of the Roots' tracks that dropped four months ago -- the J. Period & Black Thought presented Best Of The Roots.

Yesterday Stones Throw Records unveiled the brand new Aloe Blacc video, "You Make Me Smile" - the latest music video from the SoCal neo-soul artist's ever-popular album Good Things. Although the album was originally released back in the Fall of 2010, when the Orange County native celebrated its release with a record release party/in-store performance at Amoeba Hollywood, it continues to sell well due to the popularity of such tracks as "Green Lights,"  "Hey Brother," "Loving You Is Killing Me," his version of the Velvet Underground & Nico's "Femme Fatale," and of course the album's standout soul-stirring track "I Need A Dollar," which many people discovered as the theme music for the HBO television series How To Make It In America. That song, which immediately confirms why Aloe Blacc has been heralded as a modern day Marvin Gaye, sounds like classic '60's/'70's soul but simultaneously acts as the perfect soundtrack to these economically challenging times for many in America.

1) Drake Take Care (Cash Money/Universal)

2) Kanye West & Jay Z Watch The Throne (Def Jam)

3) Gangrene Vodka & Ayahuasca (Decon)

4) Busdriver Beaus $ Eros  (Fake Four Inc.)

5) Blu & Exile  Below The Heavens (Fat Beats)

This week's hip-hop chart from the Hollywood Amoeba store reflects the state of the current hip-hop market - one in which many titles have a long shelf life including the most recent releases from both Drake (Take Care on Cash Money/Universal) and Kanye West & Jay Z (Watch The Throne on Def Jam) - two major label releases that were originally released in early November and August respectively but have been steadily selling/charting ever since. Meantime another steady seller is  Blu & Exile's  Below The Heavens on Fat Beats which is technically a five year old album but, due to public demand, was reissued recently. The other two album entrants on the new hip-hop chart are the 2012 releases from both LA alt hip-hop talent  Busdriver (Beaus $ Eros on Fake Four Inc. featuring the Loden produced track below "Kiss Me Back To Life") and Gangrene's Vodka & Ayahuasca on Decon.  Featuring Oh No and Alchemist Gangrene are pretty darn good and this is one recommended album; one of those records that you hear something new in every time you play it. 

Maybe it's because this is a leap year that Black History Month 2012, which ended two days ago, seemed a little out of whack. Or maybe it was because it was a Black History Month that started on a really bad note when, on the morning of Feb 1st, the tragic news that Don Cornelius of Soul Train fame had taken his own life was the first thing we were to read about. That was bad enough but this tragic news came hot on the heels of the world losing a string of other black music/cultural icons, including in just the preceding two weeks both Etta James and JImmy Castor.  And then, of course, ten days later, on the eve of the Grammys, the whole world was taken aback with the shocking news that Whitney Houston had died at age 48. Not exactly a great time to joyously celebrate black history!

        

According to the TMZ website The Monkees singer Davy Jones has died at the age of 66 in Martin County, Florida. So far no cause of death has been released for the singer who is survived by his wife Jessica and four daughters from previous marriages. Above is the English born Jones and the Monkees doing  lead vocals on their 1967 number one Billboard hit single "Daydream Believer." Mike Nesmith, fellow Monkee, made this announcement today upon learning the sad news of Jones' passing: "While it is jarring, and sometimes seems unjust, or strange, this transition we call dying and death is a constant in the mortal experience that we know almost nothing about. I am of the mind that it is a transition and I carry with me a certainty of the continuity of existence. While I don’t exactly know what happens in these times, there is an ongoing sense of life that reaches in my mind out far beyond the near horizons of mortality and into the reaches of infinity. That David has stepped beyond my view causes me the sadness that it does many of you. I will miss him, but I won’t abandon him to mortality. I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane. David’s spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us. I have fond memories. I wish him safe travels."