10. The Roots

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Things Fall Apart

• MCA

In contrast to so many flavor-of-the-week hip-hop acts, Philadelphia's Roots throw down mind-spinning rhymes and a real musical vision that sets them apart from the crowd. Things Fall Apart — the title is derived from a Chinua Achebe novel and Yeats' poem “The Second Coming” — casts the Roots as progressive idealists. The soul-stirring collaboration with Erykah Badu on the magnificent lead single “You Got Me” speaks volumes about The Roots ability to break down musical barriers.