The Roots, Gang Starr Simmer in New York

When it comes to today's music scene, it's often the hype, not the material, that brings an act to the boiling point. Luckily for true music fans, there are those acts that settle for a nice long simmer rather than risk evaporation. This is exactly what made New York's Hammerstein Ballroom so hot on Wednesday night, when the Roots, Gang Starr and Macy Gray stepped into the spotlight.

The evening began with Macy Gray, whose sultry Tina-Turner-meets-Stevie-Nicks singing style set the groove on cruise control. Performing tracks from her debut album, On How Life Is, Macy stood tall with her acid jazz/funk unit behind her, opening the doors wide with her sway-invoking lyrics, which escorted the crowd into a soulful, exotic realm. Numbers like "I Try," "Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak" and her single "Do Something" generated a collective throb, as did "I Can't Wait to Meetchu" and "I've Committed Murder." It was enough to make Chris Rock peek out from backstage to figure out who was drawing such attention. By easing into the energetic night with her bluesy hip-hop poise, Macy Gray reinforced the unwritten proverb that every Gang Starr and Roots fan knows well: Don't sleep on true talent.

Once the audience's sway had been activated, it was time for the momentum to shift over to the infectious bounce of Gang Starr. When the lights blacked out and DJ Premier greeted the crowd with his turntable wizardry, a roar of cheers erupted. Here stood one of the most influential DJs in hip-hop history about to drop beats from his decade-deep arsenal of production. When Guru, the monotone-voiced B-Boy, stepped on the stage to join his right-hand man, Gang Starr was fully loaded and ready to fire. They did so by playing the cuts from their exemplary new double-album, Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr, a compositional testimony to their tremendous contribution to hip-hop. Tracks like "Code of the Streets," "Take It Personal" and "Mass Appeal" were head-bopping flashbacks, while "Full Clip" and "Above the Clouds," which they performed with Wu-Tang's Inspectah Deck, provided a straight-up showcase of microphone skills. Although other guest collaborators, like Freddie Foxxx and Big Shug, helped enhance the feedback, nothing matched the frenzy the crowd lapsed into when the hip-hop duo Nice & Smooth bum rushed the stage. The unanimous pulse during the classic tune "Dwyck" was the peak of the night's insanity, shaking the foundations of the Hammerstein Ballroom. By storming forth with a maelstrom of favorites, Gang Starr delivered the unforgettable set that many in the crowd had been waiting a decade for.

The insanity then downshifted toward mere satisfaction, when the Roots united for a lengthy jam session. Since their jaw-dropping performance at Woodstock '99, it has become indisputable that the Roots are ahead of their time. At the Hammerstein, their innovation was most potent during songs like "The Next Movement," "Adrenaline," "Proceed" and the rare take "Double Trouble," which featured a guest appearance by Mos Def of the intellectual hip-hop group Black Star. Beat-box maestro Rahzel performed his single "All I Know" from his outstanding solo debut, Make the Music 2000, and fellow sound-effects felon Scratch helped astonish all eyes and ears with his vocal percussion. As the other members of the crew shined during their respective instrumental solos, it became clear that these guys are emerging quietly as the Led Zeppelin of hip-hop; their eclecticism appeals to all races and genders. Drummer ?uestlove's invigorating pulses empower the Roots' flow in the same way John Bonham's dynamics intensified Led Zep's emotional whirlwinds. Alternating between the keyboards and rhythm guitar, Kamal enhanced the Roots' sound with euphoric vibes, while Hub, the bassist, tore it up with his low-down and gritty funk. The Roots concluded the night by drifting away in the same manner in which they had arrived -- in unison and with respect, every bit as cool as the chills they gave their fans.

PAT CHARLES
(August 12, 1999)