On this day in Hip Hop history, The Roots released their fourth studio album, Things Fall Apart. Widely regarded as the group’s breakthrough project, the album elevated them to mainstream recognition, earning critical acclaim and expanding their fan base. Its release coincided with a golden era for the Soulquarians—a collective that included D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Common, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and J Dilla—who were redefining the sound of neo-soul and conscious hip-hop with a string of classic releases, including Mama’s Gun, Like Water for Chocolate, and Voodoo.

Things Fall Apart marked a commercial milestone for The Roots, becoming their first album to sell 500,000 copies. Its impact was further solidified at the 2000 Grammy Awards, where the album’s standout single, “You Got Me” featuring Erykah Badu and Eve (then known as Eve of Destruction), won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The album was also nominated for Best Rap Album, but ultimately lost to Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP, which, in a remarkable coincidence, was released on the same day.

The album’s title is inspired by Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, a fitting parallel as the project explores themes of struggle, societal decay, and resilience, particularly through the lens of Black American life. The Roots seamlessly blend poetic lyricism with the raw realities of urban existence, mirroring the introspective depth of Harlem Renaissance-era poetry while staying rooted in the street narratives of Philadelphia Hip Hop.

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