Studio Album · No. 10

Undun Songwriting Credits by The Roots

2011 Def Jam 10 tracks 38:08

Produced by Questlove, Raymond Angry, Brent "Ritz" Reynolds, D.D. Jackson, Hot Sugar, James Poyser, Khari Mateen, Richard Nichols, executive producer, Rick Friedrich, Sean C, Sufjan Stevens  ·  Engineered by Mark Bengston, Robert "LB" Dorsey, Rick Friedrich, Jason Goldstein

Def Jam Alternative Hip HopConcept Album
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Roots carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by The Roots 0 tracksoutside writers
The Roots's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer90%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
21
Lyricists
9
Producers
2011
Released
Data Insight

Ten tracks, all of them carrying a member, and one written entirely in house. A concept album told in reverse needs a single voice, so Black Thought is on nine and the guest writers are kept to a handful. It closes with a four part instrumental suite written with Sufjan Stevens.

Undun came out on Def Jam in December 2011 and tells the story of one fictional character backwards, from his death to his childhood. It runs 38 minutes across ten tracks.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Dun
Raymond AngryQuestlove Raymond AngryAhmir Thompson QuestloveRaymond Angry The Roots (Performer)
2
Sleep
Hot SugarQuestloveBlack ThoughtAaron Livingston Nicolas Koenig-DzialowskiAhmir ThompsonTariq TrotterAaron Livingston QuestloveHot Sugar The Roots (Performer)
3
Make My
Khari MateenBlack ThoughtQuestloveRaymond AngryBig K.R.I.T.Dice Raw Khari MateenTariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonRaymond AngryJustin ScottKarl Jenkins QuestloveKhari MateenRaymond Angry The Roots (Performer)Big K.R.I.T. (Featured Vocals)
4
One Time
Brent ReynoldsDice RawBlack ThoughtQuestlovePhonte Brent ReynoldsKarl JenkinsTariq TrotterAhmir ThompsonPhonte Coleman QuestloveBrent "Ritz" Reynolds The Roots (Performer)Phonte (Featured Vocals)
5
Kool On
Gregory SpearmanJamal MillerBlack ThoughtDewayne Julius Rogers Sr. Gregory SpearmanJamal MillerTariq TrotterDewayne Julius Rogers Sr. Questlove The Roots (Performer)Greg Porn & Truck North (Featured Vocals)
6
The OtherSide
QuestloveBetty WrightDice RawBlack ThoughtGregory SpearmanJames PoyserAngelo MorrisSean McMillionRalph Jeanty Ahmir ThompsonBetty WrightKarl JenkinsTariq TrotterGregory SpearmanJames PoyserAngelo MorrisSean McMillionRalph Jeanty QuestloveJames PoyserRichard Nichols The Roots (Performer)Bilal (Featured Vocals)
7
Stomp
Black ThoughtGregory SpearmanSean CLevar Coppin Tariq TrotterGregory SpearmanDeleno MatthewsLevar Coppin Sean C The Roots (Performer)Greg Porn (Featured Vocals)
8
Lighthouse
Richard FriedrichQuestloveDice RawBlack Thought Richard FriedrichAhmir ThompsonKarl JenkinsTariq Trotter QuestloveRick Friedrich The Roots (Performer)Dice Raw (Featured Vocals)
9
I Remember
Khari MateenBlack ThoughtQuestlove Khari MateenTariq TrotterAhmir Thompson QuestloveKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)
10
Tip the Scale
QuestloveRaymond AngryBetty WrightDice RawBlack ThoughtAngelo Morris Ahmir ThompsonRaymond AngryBetty WrightKarl JenkinsTariq TrotterAngelo Morris QuestloveRaymond AngryRichard NicholsKhari Mateen The Roots (Performer)Dice Raw (Featured Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 35 contributors

BT
Black Thought
Writer
On this album9 written
TT
Tariq Trotter
Writer
On this album9 written
Q
Questlove
Writer · Producer
On this album8 written
AT
Ahmir Thompson
Writer
On this album8 written
DR
Dice Raw
Writer · Vocals
On this album5 written
KJ
Karl Jenkins
Writer
On this album5 written
RA
Raymond Angry
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
GS
Gregory Spearman
Writer
On this album3 written
KM
Khari Mateen
Writer · Producer
On this album2 written
AM
Angelo Morris
Writer
On this album2 written
BW
Betty Wright
Writer
On this album2 written
HS
Hot Sugar
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written

More from The Roots

1993 100%
Organix
Remedy
17 tracksProd. The Roots
1995 n/a
Do You Want More?!!!??!
DGC / Geffen
16 tracksProd. A.J. Shine
1996 100%
Illadelph Halflife
DGC / Geffen
20 tracksProd. Black Thought
1999 100%
Things Fall Apart
MCA
18 tracksProd. Chaos
2002 100%
Phrenology
MCA
14 tracksProd. Cody Chesnutt
2004 100%
The Tipping Point
Okayplayer / Geffen
10 tracksProd. Anthony Tidd
2006 92%
Game Theory
Def Jam
13 tracksProd. The Roots
2008 100%
Rising Down
Def Jam
14 tracksProd. L.A. Reid
2010 100%
How I Got Over
Def Jam
14 tracksProd. The Roots
2014 64%
...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Def Jam
11 tracksProd. Black Thought

Frequently Asked Questions Undun

Who wrote Undun?
Band members are credited on all ten tracks. Black Thought is on nine of them.
What is the story?
The life of a fictional character named Redford Stephens, told backwards from his death.
Is Sufjan Stevens on it?
The closing instrumental suite takes its name from one of his songs and he is credited on it.
Did any single chart?
No single from the album entered the Billboard Hot 100.
How did it sell?
The discography's certification column is blank for this album and no sales figure is published.
Who engineered it?
Mark Bengston, Robert "LB" Dorsey, Rick Friedrich and Jason Goldstein.
How long is the album?
38:08 across ten tracks.

Sources

Wikipedia: Undun Wikipedia: The Roots discography Cover Art Archive: Undun by The Roots