Nappy Roots article

I was fortunate to meet 5 of the COOLEST guys coming out of Bowling Green, Kentucky...yeah, I'm talking about Nappy Roots. I wrote an article about them for my school newspaper. ENJOY!


What do you get when you mix two suburbans, a DJ, 7 guys, 2 dancers, a GPS system, and a couch? A really great tour! This past Wednesday I was able to get a passenger seat ride into the lives of touring artists. Platinum recording, Grammy nominated rap group Nappy Roots are making their way across the US promoting their upcoming album The Humdinger (in stores August 5) and made a stop in Jackson to reunite with a few friends and do a show. You may remember the group from their catchy country-infused debut single “Aw Naw” or the even more memorable “Po’ Folks” from the album Watermelon, Chicken, and Grits. The album went on to sell over a million copies and they quickly followed up with their second album Wooden Leather, which spawned the single “Round the Globe”, but label politics and the departure of one of its members, led to what became a 4 year hiatus.

Since then they’ve released an internet-only album, started an independent label (Nappy Roots Entertainment Group), and are preparing to release their long-awaited third album. The first single is the infectious “Good Day”, a feel-good record with a catchy chorus. Nappy Roots performed this and other new selections from the upcoming album this past Wednesday at Hal and Mal’s along with special guest Kamikaze, who also promoted the event. Nappy Roots treated Jackson to the type of live show that made them darlings of the music industry a few years ago. On the campus visit here at Millsaps in the Student Center, Big V said this record is a departure from what people know Nappy Roots to be “everybody knows us for the country thing, on this record we’re going to show some maturity”. Other songs on the album include “Flex”, “No Static”, and “Small Town” all of which are available for your listening pleasure on their MySpace page (www.myspace.com/nappyrootsmusic).

My two day “mini-tour” with the group confirms what they say in their songs; they truly are down-home “country boys”, enjoying good laughs and good food. Running around Jackson and Cleveland, Mississippi, giving interviews, and having meet and greets didn’t seem to phase them (other than the occasional yawn, of course). No matter how hectic the day or how mixed up the schedule became, the group was always smiling and in good spirits; doing everything with a distinctive swagger and charm that can only be chalked up to their country upbringing.