Behind the seemingly anonymous doorway at Legacy Studios on New York City’s famous music business row, The Roots celebrated their soon-to-be released album Rising Down (Def Jam Recordings) on March 26th, 2008.

The Roots co-founder ?uestlove  describes Rising Down as “probably our most political album to date dealing with addiction, nihilism, hypocritical double standards in the prison system and overall life in Philadelphia…”

With a title derived from Rising Up and Rising Down, William T. Vollmann’s treatise on violence, the album release date also cleverly falls on the 16th anniversary of the Rodney King Uprising Los Angeles riots (sparked when the police officers accused of beating King were acquitted).

Some special guests on Rising Down include Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli,  Saigon, Dice Raw, Wale, Chrisette Michele and others to be announced.

Two stand-out tracks currently in heavy rotation on The Roots’ Myspace page are : “75 Bars(Reparations)”, which gives a strong nod to the heaviness of the original Philly Sound (with Black Thought rapping 75 bars straight), and “Get Busy” (featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff ), whose crisp  and upbeat mood dances between  vintage hip hop sprinkled with subtle synth sounds.

You can catch a glimpse of videos for these track by award-winning director Rik Cordero here:
“75 Bars(Reparations)”  “Get Busy”

And if you find yourself on the East Coast in June, The Roots are hosting an outdoor festival, appropriately titled  The Roots Picnic, in Philadelphia on June 7th. The line-up will include The Roots, Gnarles Barkley, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Deerhoof, Santogold, and  Diplo.

For more info on Rising Down and The Roots 

Images by Ed Marshall