The Roots demonstrate their musical range. Jimmy Fallon dances offbeat.

Tired of pandering to OkayPlayer crowd, the Roots are now vying for support from Yo Gabba Gabba watchers everywhere. Their latest video finds ?uesto and company performing “Lovely, Love My Family” for the Nick Jr. network. It’s funny and pleasant at the same time.

• Watch the video here.

[Thanks, Q]

The Roots’ tour bus was involved in a serious crash on Wednesday on their way to a Paris gig. ?uestlove blogged about the accident right after it happened, because he “just wanted to be the first celeb to twit….from an ambulance.” Glad to hear that Everyone’s OK.

Bun B and The Roots performing Int’l Player’s Anthem live in Houston.

While doing leg extensions at the gym the other day I glanced through the new issue of Rolling Stone and found an excellent Roots feature. It’s well worth your 10 minutes (depending on your reading speed. I’m Flash with mines.) The piece explores the group’s humble beginnings, replete with funny high school anecdotes like this one:
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[spotted @ icedotcom]

The Roots – “Grand Return”

Rising Down could’ve definitely used more bangers like this.

To be fair, much of the problem with Rising Down lies in the production. Riq, Malik B, Dice Raw and the supporting cast came lyrically correct from start to finish, a few menial missteps notwithstanding (”Birthday Girl,” anyone?). Production-wise, it lacks the bite of Things Fall Apart, or even the eccentricity of Phrenology. The music here is mostly claustrophobic, which only enhances the acerbic tone of the album. Thought’s angry phone calls serve to remind us of how hard they worked to get here. We get it. You dudes are angry. The road to rap stardom is littered with broken bottles and shrapnel. Well, so is the road to blog stardom, but you don’t hear me griping. Funny thing is, that’s what made Game Theory my favorite album of 06 — that cautiously confrontational approach. Rising Down, on the other hand, is everything Game Theory isn’t — inexorably extrusive and all over the place. Unless, of course, I’m mistaking the thread for litter.

And what’s up with Kweli only turning in a chorus on “I Will Not Apologize”? It seems to me that they failed to take advantage of his current streak of rewind-worthy execution only to turn around and miscast him on the maudlin “Lost Desire.”

For all its confrontational posturing, though, Rising Down is not devoid of magical moments. I can’t stop playing the aforementioned Fela tribute “I Will Not Apologize,” for instance. The title track ended up being one of my favorite cuts on the album. “Rising Down” should be required listening for all aspiring MCs … folks need to actually memorize all three verses. Thought’s wordplay, Def’s delivery, and P’s scathing commentary all yield a delectable plate of hip-hop gumbo rare in rap collabos these days. With the exception of a couple other joints, the only songs getting the best of my repeat button so far have been the four that leaked prior to official release: “Rising Down,” “Rising Up,” “75 Bars,” and “Get Busy.” As a collection of songs, Rising Down is a solid mix. As an album, it left me unsatisfied. Oh well, there’s always Game Theory.