Silk normally does not get associated with hip hop. Rather rough edged surfaces, dirt, steal, sewers do. And if people go and use silk as a word of descriptions for a hip hop project, all us hardknocks are fast to yell "pop shit", or "get that Big Daddy Kane suit outta here". Well, in the case of this album, we will actually yell "turn this sucker up, this is nice".

Aight, Da Grassroots are outta Canada. They are signed to the US label Conception, they are three guys by the name of Mr. Attic, Swiff and Mr. Murray and they rather produce a track by themselves, than as a three people tag team. However, their output is, as said, silky, smooth, very jazzy, and simply candy to your ears.

And although the cover lists the tracks in an all messed up order, that makes it hard for this reviewer to follow the course of the album. But that's only a small damper to the enjoyment this album brings. Like the (aight, I will use the word again) jazzy guitar on "Thematics" featuring Arcee. This sounds like anything that would get mad props down south to their coordinates (and of course I'm speaking about the USA). Things get a little dark, but not menacing on "Eternal" feat. K-Os and Canadian legend Thrust. While "Last Days" feat. Marvel & G-Knight comes sparkling, melancholic, but even the sung chorus doesn't sound cheesy.

Another great exploration of the jazz smoothness is on "Price Of Livin'" feat. Mr Roam from The Plant and even he goes "man I move too smooth, too smooth". Two of T.O.'s (Toronto) better known emcees team up on the story telling "Body Language" that features Saukrates and Choclaire. This female status reporting track, rides another cool guitar, with some vibing chords in the background. While on the Schizm featured "Black Dove", spiritual rhymes guides us directly to the instrumental, multi layers, restrained, but later fulfilling "Melancholy Blue", that isn't even mentioned in the liner notes anymore. However, the dope unattached drums, the sprinkle of a piano, as well as several stages of vibing atmospheric chords prepare us kindly for "Political Proverbs" feat. Chryp2nite, and him talking about growing up in an environment not too kind on a persons life.

Roam returns on another summer night vibeish track called "Born II Roam". While the time gets turned back to some old schoolish vibe on "Revival (Three Rhyme Superstars)", namely Arcee, Schizm and Faski do their best to sound like the cats in the old days. The fake live audience atmosphere, the 'hand me the mic' flavor, gives this a nice feel, although in quite shocking contrast to the usually butter smooth tracks on here. Add to this a disappeared "Outro", two bonus tracks, both featuring Elemental, both in a style that would make a "The Main Ingredient" Pete Rock minus the horns, proud, subtract the not really wack, "Pylar Sanchez" although the latin vibe of was uncalled for. As well as "Postal Work" feat. Roam that can not live up to the high standard of the rest of the album, and you got about 22 reasons why to get this album.