While the concept is heavy, the music is phenomenal. Produced primarily by bandleader and drummer , the album incorporates influences from neo-soul, indie music, and classical forms. Musically, it harkens back to storytelling classics by Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway , with understated funk, analog warmth, and a cinematic lushness that has drawn comparisons to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Kanye West's "808s and Heartbreak" .
In December 2011, The Roots released Undun , their thirteenth studio album and first cohesive concept record. Moving away from traditional hip-hop structures, the Legendary Roots Crew crafted a existential narrative told in reverse chronology. The album follows the life and death of Redford Stephens, a fictional young man born into poverty who turns to the streets to survive, ultimately meeting a premature end. the roots undun zip