If two decades in the music business dropping Hip Hop classics like “Silent Treatment,” “Clones” and “Adrenaline” and bringing substance to the Top 40 charts with bonafide hits like “What They Do” and “You Got Me” wasn’t enough to put you onto Philadelphia’s Roots crew, you’ve undoubtedly caught them performing on NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, where they’ve quickly claimed the title of “Greatest Band in Late Night Television” and given night owls a reason to suffer through an hour of Jimmy Fallon’s attempts at comedy. No doubt, The Roots have come a long way since their highly slept on but critically acclaimed 1993 debut Organix introduced listeners to their unique blend of razor sharp lyricism over soulful, funky live instrumentation. While the lineup of the group has changed several times since then, The Roots have managed to maintain a consistent sound behind the vision of founding members emcee Black Thought and drummer ?uestlove. How I Got Over, their ninth full-length studio album, stays true to form as The Roots once again deliver their signature brand of organic soulful Hip Hop.

Longtime affiliate Dice Raw once again appears on several tracks, the most notable being “Walk Alone,” in which he is joined by fellow Philly natives P.O.R.N. and Truck North over a melancholy, piano-driven beat, and “Now Or Never,” an uptempo Curtis Mayfield-inspired jam that also features guest vocals from Phonte of Little Brother. Another Philly product, Peedi Crakk, gets gully on the sparse boom-bap street jam “Web 20-20,” arguably the hardest track on the album. The most recognizable name on the guest list, however, isn’t from Philly, but Ohio native John Legend, who lends vocals to the uplifting soundscape of “The Fire,” which will grow on you if you’re not careful. Perhaps the most surprisingly unique track, “Hustla,” is the last on the CD. Featuring guest vocals by STS and production by Diplo, “Hustla” is a slow rolling banger fuelled by a West Coast g-funk style bassline and a creatively chopped sample of a baby crying filtered through autotune, lifted from a viral YouTube clip that made its rounds last year. Overall, How I Got Over is another solid album from The Roots that manages to maintain consistency while staying relevant. Even the title track, the album’s lone miss and a clear attempt to pander to the band’s newer mainstream audience, doesn’t detract from the coherence and composition of the entire album. Fans should be able to pop this tape into the boombox, sit back, light up, and let The Roots’ latest offering ride straight through.