Studio Album · No. 5
Phrenology Songwriting Credits by The Roots
Produced by Cody Chesnutt, DJ Scratch, Kamal Gray, Kamiah Gray, Karriem Riggins, Kelo Saunders, Omar the Scholar, Questlove, Scott Storch, Tahir Jamal, The Grand Wizzards, Zoukhan Bey · Engineered by Jim Bottari, Jeff Chestek, Tom Coyne, Robert "LB" Dorsey
MCA
Alternative Hip HopNeo SoulExperimental Hip Hop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 14 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 14 / 14 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Roots carries a lyricist or composer credit.
14 trackswritten by The Roots
0 tracksoutside writers
The Roots's roles on this album
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer50%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
14
Tracks
18
Lyricists
12
Producers
2002
Released
Data Insight
The record where they push into punk, drum and bass and soul on the same disc, and five of the 14 tracks are written entirely in house. Malik B. is gone and Dice Raw picks up the slack. It is the first album where the band writes more of itself than its guests do.
Phrenology came out on MCA in November 2002, reached number 28 on the Billboard 200 and is certified gold. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Phrentrow
|
QuestloveUrsula RuckerOmar Edwards | Ahmir ThompsonUrsula RuckerOmar Edwards | QuestloveOmar the Scholar | The Roots (Performer)Ursula Rucker (Featured Vocals) |
| 2 |
Rock You
|
Black ThoughtDJ Scratch | Tariq TrotterGeorge Spivey | DJ ScratchThe Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer) |
| 3 |
!!!!!!!
|
QuestloveBen KenneyHub | Ahmir ThompsonBen KenneyLeonard Hubbard | The Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer) |
| 4 |
Sacrifice
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveKamal GrayHub | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonJames GrayLeonard Hubbard | Kamiah GrayKamal Gray | The Roots (Performer)Nelly Furtado (Featured Vocals) |
| 5 |
Rolling with Heat
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveKamal GrayScratchTalib KweliDice Raw | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonJames GrayKyle JonesTalib GreeneKarl Jenkins | The Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer)Talib Kweli (Featured Vocals) |
| 6 |
WAOK (Ay) Rollcall
|
QuestloveKamal GrayHub | Ahmir ThompsonJames GrayLeonard Hubbard | The Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer)Ursula Rucker (Featured Vocals) |
| 7 |
Thought @ Work
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveHubKamal GrayBen Kenney | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonLeonard HubbardJames GrayBen Kenney | Questlove | The Roots (Performer) |
| 8 |
The Seed (2.0)
|
Black ThoughtAntonious Bernard Thomas | Tariq TrotterAntonious Bernard Thomas | QuestloveCody ChesnuTT | The Roots (Performer)Cody ChesnuTT (Featured Vocals) |
| 9 |
Break You Off
#99
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveHubKamal GrayScratchBen KenneyDice RawMusiq SoulchildJill Scott | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonLeonard HubbardJames GrayKyle JonesBen KenneyKarl JenkinsTaalib JohnsonJill Scott | Kamal Gray | The Roots (Performer)Musiq (Featured Vocals) |
| 10 |
Water
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveHubKamal GrayBen KenneyTahir Williams | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonLeonard HubbardJames GrayBen KenneyTahir Williams | Tahir JamalKelo SaundersThe Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer) |
| 11 |
Quills
|
Black ThoughtKarriem Riggins | Tariq TrotterKarriem Riggins | Karriem RigginsThe Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer) |
| 12 |
Pussy Galore
|
Black ThoughtScott Storch | Tariq TrotterScott Storch | Scott StorchZoukhan Bey | The Roots (Performer) |
| 13 |
Complexity
|
Black ThoughtQuestloveHubKamal GrayJill ScottOmar Edwards | Tariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonLeonard HubbardJames GrayJill ScottOmar Edwards | The Grand WizzardsQuestloveOmar the Scholar | The Roots (Performer)Jill Scott (Featured Vocals) |
| 14 |
Something in the Way of Things (In Town)
|
QuestloveBen KenneyBaraka | Ahmir ThompsonBen KenneyBaraka | The Grand Wizzards | The Roots (Performer)Amiri Baraka (Featured Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 38 contributors
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Frequently Asked Questions Phrenology
Who wrote Phrenology?
Band members are credited on all 14 tracks and five of those carry nobody from outside the group.
Which single charted?
"Break You Off" with Musiq Soulchild reached number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100.
How did it sell?
It is certified gold by the RIAA and silver by the BPI. No sales figure is published on the cited pages.
Why is it so varied?
It runs from a 25 second hardcore punk track to drum and bass and neo soul, which is the widest stretch on any of their albums.
Was it nominated for anything?
Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards. It did not win.
Who engineered it?
Jim Bottari, Jeff Chestek and Robert "LB" Dorsey, with Tom Coyne mastering.
How long is the album?
70:17 across 14 tracks.