'It's not a downer': The Roots getting political on new album

Student hip-hop faves The Roots return with a new album, their tenth, next month.

The collective release what’s “probably our most political album to date” on April 29th in the US, Rising Down dealing with “ addiction, nihilism, hypocritical double standards in the prison system, and overall life in Philadelphia”. Looks like someone’s finger’s been looking for the pulse in more promising places than their ‘ass’, then.

It’s “not a downer”, though, according to the press release.

Everyone’s a winner!

‘The Pow Wow’
‘Rising Down’ [ft. Mos Def and Styles P]
‘Get Busy’ [ft. Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk and DJ Jazzy Jeff]
‘@15’
‘75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)’
‘(Time Up)’
‘Criminal’ [ft. Saigon and Truck North]
‘I Will Not Apologize’ [ft. P.O.R.N. and Dice Raw]
‘I Can't Help It’ [ft. Malik B and P.O.R.N.]
‘Singing Man’ [ft. Truck North and P.O.R.N.]
‘Up There (Unwritten)’ [ft. Mercedes Martinez]
‘Lost Desire’ [ft. Talib Kweli and Malik B]
‘The Show’ [ft. Common]
‘Rising Up’ [ft. Chrisette Michele and Wale]
‘Birthday Girl’ [ft. Patrick Stump]

Rising Down’s US release date is the 16th anniversary of the LA riots that exploded after police officers accused of being brutal to Rodney King were acquitted at trial, but it also features Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump on lead single ‘Birthday Girl’.