How I Got Over | ||||
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Studio album by The Roots | ||||
Released | June 22, 2010 | |||
Recorded | A House Called Quest, Fruity Loops, The Boom Room, The Studio; Philadelphia MSR Studios, New York City |
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Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 42:25 | |||
Label | Def Jam | |||
Producer | Richard Nichols (exec.), Black Thought, Questlove, Dice Raw, Rick Friedrich | |||
The Roots chronology | ||||
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Singles from How I Got Over | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.6/10 |
Metacritic | 86/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The A.V. Club | A− |
Chicago Tribune | |
Entertainment Weekly | A− |
The Guardian | |
MSN Music | A |
Pitchfork | 8.1/10 |
Rolling Stone | |
Spin | 8/10 |
USA Today |
How I Got Over is the ninth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released June 22, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. It was produced primarily by band members Black Thought, Questlove, Dice Raw, and Rick Friedrich. The album has a subtle, somber sound and features lyrics concerning themes of existentialism, perseverance, and modern society. A hip hop album, its music also draws on indie rock, soul, funk,gospel, and neo soul styles.
The album debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 51,000 copies in its first week. How I Got Over received universal acclaim from music critics, several of whom named it one of the best albums of 2010.
In 2008, The Roots stated that their final album would be Rising Down (2008), until drummer and producer for The Roots, Questlove, stated via his Twitter account that the band would release an album called How I Got Over in the summer.How I Got Over was recorded during The Roots' tenure as the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It was recorded in sessions at several Philadelphia studios—A House Called Quest, Fruity Loops, The Boom Room, and The Studio—and at MSR Studios in New York City.
The album was set to be released in February 2010, but was subsequently pushed back to June 8, 2010. Their ninth album, it was released June 22, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings.
From the tracks initially expected to make the album, only 'The Day', 'Walk Alone' and the title song 'How I Got Over' made the final track listing. Similar to the previous The Roots full-length, 2008's Rising Down the album features a wide array of guest singers and rappers. John Legend appears on the single 'The Fire' and alternative rock group Monsters of Folk help The Roots remake their own song, 'Dear God' into an updated '...2.0' version which was released as the most promoted single. The album also feature a track that samples Joanna Newsom's "Book of Right-On," a track featured on her 2004 release The Milk-Eyed Mender, as well as new overdubs for the track, The Roots' version appears under the title 'Right On' here.