That's a good way to put it. I'm still trying to really really FEEL the album, but I can't. Some good stuff, it's true...but it's getting more...ORDINARY.

when i did my scan through of it the other day i was thinking how good the music sounded and how annoyed i was that black thought was rhyming over it - a more in depth listen from me is needed, but so far - i'm not moved.

Personally, though the album is not amazing, blazing it's a good listen in the car speeding down the Belt Parkway with the the moonroof open and the AC on full blast.

It's nothing stellar but you know what: My brother loves it and digs it and he's the biggest Roots fan I know. It's not a retreat as O-Dub ponders, this IS the Blackthought solo LP. His rhymes are a quantum leap over much of his past work. To me he's come into his own and is on the level of a Common (pre Like Water For Chocolate). Very sharp lyrically.

Stay Cool by the way is a favorite. Track two with the bubble gum Nelly chorus is a low point for me.

My ears must be failing me.

Because I LOVE the Roots CD The Tipping Point. I don't think its 100 percent wack. It's not a stellar CD and it's not a classic. (I think the Philadelphia Inquirer called it a classic, I'm not quite sure.)

But I just enjoyed the ride. I wasn't expecting too much or too little. To me, the album sounds like a jam session through hip-hop history. And hip-hop is very much about history.

There are some wack joints on the disc. Even the "din-da-da" joint at the end left me empty. But joints like "Star," "Boom," "Why?," "Melting Pot" and others showcased Black Thought's sharp lyrical skills/observations and the band's on-time musicianship. I totally loved it.

I wasn't expecting another Phrenology from the Roots crew. What I got -- at least to my ears -- was an enjoyable Roots CD.

I wanted more songs from them -- I mean 12 songs in 35-40 minutes is just too short for a Roots CD.

O-Dub's review is on-point and it's a fair assessment.

But I didn't feel cheated because the Roots -- twisting a quote from Shaq -- are like toilet paper, they have proven to be effective and useful.

ok let's put it more like this - felt like work in progress - as opposed to completed work

As a major Roots fan I must concur. When I first heard about The Tipping Point it was advertised as a studio jam session with multiple guest stars. Immediately my mind thought back to The Brand New Heavies' Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1. I said to myself, "Yeah. I could see the Almighty Crew pulling this off." I envisioned Jill Scott and Cody Chestnut taking the place of Kool G Rap and Grand Puba. Alas, it was not meant to be. The album isn't a total failure. I think "Star" is one of their better tracks since the days of Illadelph Halflife and Things Fall Apart but, as a whole, it's not their best effort.

Man, I don't know. Maybe it's just because I'm a hip-hop purist, but I love the album.

I did a review for Westword (New Times paper) and I mentioned that the good thing about the album is that it's not on the Neo-soul tip (which is mad played right now), and it's not on some experimental rock stuff (even though I loved the The Seed 2.0) it's on some straight up hardcore hip-hop. Period. Songs like "Boom!", Web" "Star", "Guns Are Drawn" is just dope hip-hop period.

I really can't stop listening to this album... and I'm the type of Roots fan that thought "Do You Want More!?!" would be the only album that I really cherished from this crew, but Tipping Point is making its way up there.

I agree with Q. This is straight boom bap.

ummm...
i'm not sure which version the tipping point some of you have listened to..but it's damn for sure not mine.

the objective here is to spend more time creating good music because you can, rather than creating music to gain new fans.... focus tends to get lost in the shuffle of all the in's and out's.

i love this group beyond a shadow of a doubt...but i don't think TTP would be listed as one of my fav buys this summer. some songs i find rather boring..then there are others:

i really like the outcome of "star/pointro", "BOOM!", "web"....i can groove to "duck down's more commercial flav....or ride to "somebody's gotta do it"(DEVIN THE DUDE is the TRUTH!..lol)...

overall, i'm not impressed. well i wasn't really feeling phrenology either...but i thinking there's that missing something...something rather inconsistant or incomplete going on with this album..

but hell who am i...just a long time appreciating music lover/critic....blah!

oh yeah lynne. from a fellow okp...most of those cats there are dick riders anyway..if u disagree your casted out....they have no real knowledge/sense of what muscianship really is.