Things Fall Apart

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Things Fall Apart was released on 23 February 1999 on MCA Records and is regarded as The Roots' breakthrough. Recording took place between 1997 and 1998 at Electric Lady, alongside the work of the Soulquarians, a collective centred on, among others, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu and Common. According to drummer Questlove they recorded some 145 songs and fourteen remained. The title comes from the novel by Chinua Achebe, who in turn took the phrase from Yeats.

The record opens with a clip from the film Mo' Better Blues. On Act Too (The Love of My Life), Common raps about the development of hip hop. Double Trouble with Mos Def was the last track to be added. You Got Me won a Grammy in 2000. It was the group's first album to sell more than 500,000 copies and was called a cornerstone of alternative rap by AllMusic.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Act Won (Things Fall Apart)0:54Apple Music ↗
2. 2Table of Contents, Pts. 1 & 23:37Apple Music ↗
3. 3The Next Movement (feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff & Jazzyfatnastees)4:10Apple Music ↗
4. 4Step Into The Relm2:49Apple Music ↗
5. 5The Spark3:53Apple Music ↗
6. 6Dynamite! (feat. Rehani Sayed)4:46Apple Music ↗
7. 7Without A Doubt (feat. Lady B)4:15Apple Music ↗
8. 8Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New (feat. Dice Raw)4:34Apple Music ↗
9. 9Double Trouble (feat. Mos Def)5:50Apple Music ↗
10. 10Act Too (The Love Of My Life) [feat. Common]4:55Apple Music ↗
11. 11100% Dundee3:53Apple Music ↗
12. 12Diedre Vs. Dice0:47Apple Music ↗
13. 13Adrenaline! (feat. Dice Raw & Beanie Sigel)4:28Apple Music ↗
14. 143rd Acts: ? Vs. Scratch 2 ... Electric Boogaloo0:51Apple Music ↗
15. 15You Got Me (feat. Erykah Badu & Eve)4:19Apple Music ↗
16. 16Don't See Us (feat. Dice Raw)4:30Apple Music ↗
17. 17The Return To Innocence Lost (feat. Ursula Rucker)5:40Apple Music ↗
18. 18Act Fore...The End?4:45Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗