I am also a huge huge fan of the Roots. I was jamming out to Phrenology earlier this week at work and then it dawned one me. This album is over 15 years old. My co-worker friend thought I was joking, but then he started to think about how old Seed 2.0 was and he was like “NO WAY!”
It still sounds fresh as anything out today. There’s something timeless about the music The Roots do. I think it’s just how organic and dynamic their music is.
They also rock it live.
At the beginning of this topic,Taron said that Rap may not be a Genre of Music. Most respectfully,I dissent and say that Rap is indeed a Genre. In fact,Rap may even be equal to so-called “Pop-Music” as a mover-driver in the most commercial aspects of music-radio play,streaming etc. In general,I actually like Rap. More so when I have had a shot or two and somewhere out on a Friday/Saturday night-matbe with some break-dancing included(hmm…I just showed my age)… However,listening at home, I find that Rap can become repetitive and fatiguing. I find the same thing with Country Music. In both Genres,I like the fact that the lyrics are important but the musical foundation just is not varied enough. Actually,the lyrics can be repetitive as well.
Bringing back a zombie post here and the notion of rap & country. I once saw Bubba Sparxxx open for Korn. He nearly got booed off the stage, and to make matters worse he kept arguing with the audience when they called out for NuMetal instead of Country Hip-Hop. His best way out would have been to play hard and stay focused…but he didn’t…and said “I agreed to play due to a last minute cancellation” between responding to the hecklers.
My vote for the oddest country/folk rap in recent years is jolt of “The Angel of Doubt” on The Punch Brothers recent album:
It’s well into Steve 'n Seagulls territory, but not into campy Cotton Eyed Joe silliness.
I like Buck 65 as a good rapper/folk/country thingy.
Also really love Punch Brothers, nickelcreek, chris thile, watkins, etc
Def jux is legendary.
Guess I’ll get this somewhat restarted again. 
Wow, how have I missed this thread for so long now. haha.
The Roots are certainly one of my favorites and “Double Trouble” off the Things Fall Apart album is on my sound test playlist (The position of where Mos and Black Thought are throughout the track is pretty different with a good imaging setup).
A more recent artist I’m starting to take notice of is Bishop Nehru … young buck with some 90’s NY hip hop flare.