Up to here: Roots have had their fill  The Roots The Tipping
Point  (Geffen Records)  Never ones to settle, The Roots have
continually explored the depths of what it is to be a live hip-
hop band. Not only that, they're the only group of its kind to
survive for longer than a one-album deal.  Maybe it's because
The Roots have constantly changed their formula. Or maybe it's
because the formula has always been the same, and they've just
always been ahead of their time. No one knows, but that "keep
'em guessing" mentality appeals to a have-it-your-way generation
that needs a new fix every six months.  By the same token, their
lack of a consistent identity has been what has kept the
mainstream from truly embracing them. Rap cats don't get them
'cause sometimes they rock, rock cats don't get them 'cause
sometimes they're jazzy, jazz cats don't get them 'cause
sometimes they're electronic.  Which leaves The Roots stuck
trying to please that small demographic of the Generation X/Y
that embraces all genres. Unfortunate