Music / Organix

The Roots is comin'

Yo, I wrote this, basement, Never Never Tunnels type portion
Just to accompany some audio distortion
Bust the popcorn, drop it onto my cassette and
Bust it, Kid Crumbs, how ya feel? (I'm feelin blessed man)

- "Pass the Popcorn"

Organix is the debut studio album by hip hop band The Roots.

After moving to London as a means to break out from being just a local band in their native Philadelphia, they would release Organix independently on Remedy Records. Showcasing their early jazz-influenced sound, it would establish them as a preeminent underground hip hop band and gain them a cult following in Europe.

Tracklist

1. "The Roots Is Comin'" (1:15)
2. "Pass the Popcorn" (5:31)
3. "The Anti-Circle" (3:46)
4. "Writer's Block" (1:42)
5. "Good Music (Prelude)" (1:01)
6. "Good Music" (4:33)
7. "Grits" (6:34)
8. "Leonard I-V" (4:05)
9. "I'm Out Deah" (4:08)
10. "Essawhamah?" (Live at the Soulshack) (4:20)
11. "There's a Riot Going On" (0:11)
12. "Popcorn Revisited" (4:03)
13. "Peace" (1:14)
14. "Common Dust" (5:02)
15. "The Session (Longest Posse Cut in History)" (12:43)
16. "Syreeta's Having My Baby" (0:43)
17. "Carryin' On" (1:28)

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Syreeta's Having My Tropes

• Accent On The Wrong Syllable: On "The Session":
  Yes, I will address the press about my microphone mess-iah
• Album Intro Track: "The Roots Is Comin'"
• Alternative Hip Hop: A noted release in the genre, being considered a classic of the jazz rap Sub-Genre.
• Boastful Rap: Quite a few, "Good Music", "The Anti-Circle", "Pass the Popcorn" and "I'm Out Death" being the most apparent.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: It wouldn't feature the conscious / political lyricism of The Roots later records and although it is jazz-influenced, it still carries a predominantly boom bap-esque sound. There are also in-song references to The Square Roots, the group's previous name before shortening it due to another local music group in Philadelphia having that name.
• Epic Rocking: "Pass the Popcorn" and "Grits" are both exceptionally long tracks breaking the five minute mark. However, they are both practically dwarfed by the length of "The Session" which is twelve minutes.
• Fading into the Next Song: "Good Music (Prelude)" into "Good Music", obviously.
• Instrumentals: "Syreeta's Having My Baby"
• Minimalistic Cover Art: The cover art is just a black cover with the group's name on it (sometimes also the album title).
• Miniscule Rocking: "The Roots Us Comin'", "Writer's Block", "Good Music (Prelude)", "Peace", "Carryin' On"
• Pun: On "Writer's Block":
  Ready ready to go, read-read to go
  Going, going, going, going, going, going, going, GONE
  DAMN!
  I missed my stop.. writer's block
• Record Producer: Besides rapping on the record, Tariq (Black Thought) Trotter and Ahmir (Questlove) Thompson would also do production on this record and further records in the Roots discography.
• Shout-Out: To the Tootsie Roll Pop commercial, Trix cereal and ''Inspector Gadget on "The Anti-Circle":
  How many licks do it take to make a fake
  Realize that he can't shake, bake or penetrate
  This style I demonstrate on a regular
  Basis and face that he ain't no competitor?

  So yo, this trick is for the rabbit
  I grab it and snatch it, inspect it like Gadget
  I works the magic, the mic, I must have it
  • "Leonard I-V" is a reference to Leonard Part 6. A notorious spy parody film featuring Bill Cosby in it's lead role.
  Why'd you ask me that question? (I don't know)
  Where did Leonard Parts One to Five go?
  • "There's Riot Going On" is this but possibly doubly so, as not only could it be a reference to the Sly and the Family Stone record, but also to the track of the same name which is similarly short with the intention of being comical.
• Sequel Song: "Popcorn Revisited" is this to "Pass the Popcorn".
• Siamese Twin Songs: Of a sort. As "Carryin' On" seems to, well, carry on from the instrumental set up of "Syreeta's Having My Baby"
• Step Up to the Microphone: Although he would rap on future records by the group, Organix would feature quite a few rhymes by drummer Questlove.
  • "The Session" is intended this to be this as well featuring various rappers associated with the Roots and/or from the Philadelphia rap scene.

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