This is my first impression of The Roots and my god was it a good one. I am not a hip hop/rap girl and most likely never will be but I really enjoyed this album. I personally find that most of the genre sounds the exact same with incoherent mumbling over a decent beat, but that absolutely does not apply to these guys. These guys are amazing and there is no doubting that. Comparing this to other mainstream hip hop acts and albums of the early 2000s, The Roots sound very experimental, which instantly made them stand out in the crowd. Although they do take on some of the more 'typical' elements of the mainstream music, mainly being very conscious socially, it's their individual style that makes them so different. Every track sounds so experimental, and in a way they sound very unconventional. Some tracks stay true to the traditional sound of the genre, while others take on more of a rock, soulful sound, making them one of the diverse groups of the time. These guys really push the boundary and the demonstrate what rap could be like if acts didn't stay true to the traditional conventions of the genre.