Studio Album · No. 8

Rising Down Songwriting Credits by The Roots

2008 Def Jam 14 tracks 47:14

Produced by L.A. Reid, Richard Nichols, also exec., the Roots, Black Thought, James Poyser, Khari Mateen, Pedro Martinez, Questlove, Radji Mateen, Ritz Reynolds, Shane Clark, Tahir Jamal  ·  Engineered by Jan Fairchild, Jason Goldstein, Anthony Kilhoffer, David Kutch, Steve Mandel

Def Jam Alternative Hip HopPolitical 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.

100%
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%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

14
Tracks
28
Lyricists
13
Producers
2008
Released
Data Insight

All 14 tracks carry a member and Black Thought is on every one. Two are written entirely in house. Questlove drops to eight, the lowest share of any album where he is credited at all, so the band's writing sits further from the drums than it ever had.

Rising Down came out on Def Jam in April 2008 and takes its title from a book about violence. Mos Def, Styles P, Talib Kweli and Common all appear on it.

Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Pow Wow
Joe SimmonsRichard NicholsBlack ThoughtQuestlove Joe SimmonsRichard NicholsTariq TrotterAhmir Thompson L.A. ReidRichard Nicholsalso exec.The RootsBlack ThoughtJames PoyserKhari MateenPedro MartinezQuestloveRadji MateenRitz ReynoldsShane ClarkTahir Jamal The Roots (Performer)
2
Rising Down
Black ThoughtDice RawQuestloveMos DefStyles PMark Farner Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsAhmir ThompsonDante SmithDavid StylesMark Farner Questlove The Roots (Performer)Mos Def (Featured Vocals)Styles P (Featured Vocals)
3
Get Busy
Brent ReynoldsDice RawPeedi PeediBlack ThoughtCharlie PatiernoBarney McKennaVincent DavisJoel RoperDanny Flores Brent ReynoldsKarl JenkinsPedro ZayasTariq TrotterCharlie PatiernoBarney McKennaVincent DavisJoel RoperChuck Rio The RootsRitz Reynolds The Roots (Performer)Dice Raw (Featured Vocals)Peedi Peedi (Featured Vocals)
4
@15
Black Thought Tariq Trotter Black Thought The Roots (Performer)
5
75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
Black ThoughtQuestlove Tariq TrotterAhmir Thompson Questlove The Roots (Performer)
6
Becoming Unwritten
Black ThoughtDice RawQuestloveTahir JamalRadji MateenKhari MateenRadhwan Mateen Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsAhmir ThompsonTahir JamalRadji MateenKhari MateenRadhwan Mateen The RootsTahir JamalRadji MateenKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)
7
Criminal
Black ThoughtRadji MateenDice RawJamal MillerSaigon Tariq TrotterRadji MateenKarl JenkinsJamal MillerBrian Carenard The RootsKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)Truck North (Featured Vocals)Saigon (Featured Vocals)
8
I Will Not Apologize
Black ThoughtDice RawGreg SpearmanRichard NicholsFela Kuti Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsGreg SpearmanRichard NicholsFela Kuti The RootsRichard Nichols The Roots (Performer)P.O.R.N. (Featured Vocals)Talib Kweli (Featured Vocals)
9
I Can't Help It
Black ThoughtDice RawMalik B.Greg SpearmanRichard NicholsQuestlovePedro Martinez Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsMalik Abdul-BasitGreg SpearmanRichard NicholsAhmir ThompsonPedro Martinez The RootsRichard Nichols The Roots (Performer)Malik B (Featured Vocals)P.O.R.N. (Featured Vocals)Jazzyfatnastees (Featured Vocals)
10
Singing Man
Black ThoughtDice RawJamal MillerGreg SpearmanRadji MateenQuestlove Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsJamal MillerGreg SpearmanRadji MateenAhmir Thompson The RootsKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)P.O.R.N. (Featured Vocals)Truck North & Dice Raw (Featured Vocals)
11
Unwritten
Black ThoughtDice RawQuestloveTahir JamalRadji Mateen Tariq TrotterKarl JenkinsAhmir ThompsonTahir JamalRadji Mateen The RootsTahir JamalRadji MateenKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)Mercedes Martinez (Featured Vocals)
12
Lost Desire
Black ThoughtMalik B.Talib KweliDice RawRadji Mateen Tariq TrotterMalik Abdul-BasitTalib Kweli GreeneKarl JenkinsRadji Mateen The RootsKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)Malik B & Talib Kweli (Featured Vocals)
13
The Show
Black ThoughtCommonTahir JamalQuestloveDice Raw Tariq TrotterLonnie Lynn Jr.Tahir JamalAhmir ThompsonKarl Jenkins The RootsTahir Jamal The Roots (Performer)Common (Featured Vocals)
14
Rising Up
Black ThoughtWaleDice Raw Tariq TrotterOlubowale FolarinKarl Jenkins QuestloveJames Poyser The Roots (Performer)Wale (Featured Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 53 contributors

BT
Black Thought
Writer · Producer
On this album14 written
TT
Tariq Trotter
Writer
On this album14 written
DR
Dice Raw
Writer · Vocals
On this album11 written
KJ
Karl Jenkins
Writer
On this album11 written
Q
Questlove
Writer · Producer
On this album8 written
AT
Ahmir Thompson
Writer
On this album8 written
RM
Radji Mateen
Writer · Producer
On this album5 written
TJ
Tahir Jamal
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
RN
Richard Nichols
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
GS
Greg Spearman
Writer
On this album3 written
JM
Jamal Miller
Writer
On this album2 written
MA
Malik Abdul-Basit
Writer
On this album2 written

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1993 100%
Organix
Remedy
17 tracksProd. The Roots
1995 n/a
Do You Want More?!!!??!
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1996 100%
Illadelph Halflife
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20 tracksProd. Black Thought
1999 100%
Things Fall Apart
MCA
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2002 100%
Phrenology
MCA
14 tracksProd. Cody Chesnutt
2004 100%
The Tipping Point
Okayplayer / Geffen
10 tracksProd. Anthony Tidd
2006 92%
Game Theory
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13 tracksProd. The Roots
2010 100%
How I Got Over
Def Jam
14 tracksProd. The Roots
2011 100%
Undun
Def Jam
10 tracksProd. Questlove
2014 64%
...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Def Jam
11 tracksProd. Black Thought

Frequently Asked Questions Rising Down

Who wrote Rising Down?
Band members are credited on all 14 tracks. Black Thought is on all of them and two carry nobody from outside the group.
Where does the title come from?
A book by William T. Vollmann about the justification of violence.
Did any single chart?
No single from the album entered the Billboard Hot 100.
Who guests on it?
Mos Def, Styles P, Talib Kweli, Common, Dice Raw and Malik B., who returns after nine years away.
How did it sell?
The discography's certification column is blank for this album and no sales figure is published.
Who engineered it?
Jan Fairchild, Jason Goldstein, Anthony Kilhoffer and Steve Mandel, with David Kutch mastering.
How long is the album?
47:14 across 14 tracks.

Sources

Wikipedia: Rising Down Wikipedia: The Roots discography Cover Art Archive: Rising Down by The Roots