Despite being rap veterans at the time, The Roots maintained a sense of artistic urgency, crafting this conceptual 2011 album with a loose narrative that follows Undun’s imaginary protagonist, Redford Stevens, through a journey of imbalance, self-reflection, and triumph. Couched in an impoverished setting, it’s a moving existential commentary entirely produced by Roots’ drummer Questlove featuring stellar guest features from Big K.R.I.T., Bilal, Phonte, and more.
