“Illadelph Halflife” is a behemoth, a statement, an evolution, and a crossroads. If one conceptualizes the group’s moniker literally, Illadelph represents the moment in which The Roots emerged from the soil to permanently leave their imprint upon the rap scene, to become the moment. Every beat is packed wall to wall with sonic nuggets and melodic flourishes, and at times the group even outdoes the ethos of their previous record, like on D’Angelo collab “The Hypnotic”, the downtempo “Episodes”, or the spellbinding instrumental “One Shine”. Despite the rapid fire presentation of the tracklist and the vibe occasionally changing on a dime, Thought and the late Malik B are more than up to the task. It’s Thought who really shines, delivering some of the most jaw-dropping verses of his career on tracks like “Concerto of the Desperado” and the already legendary “No Alibi”. The Roots entered the studio aiming to leave an impression that would fully cement them in the minds of hip hop listeners everywhere. On that front, “Illadelph Halflife” is an unquestionable success, and it remains an enduring entry into the hip-hop canon several years after the fact.