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Roots of Evil

{{about||the game|Roots of Evil (Ravenloft)|the book|The Roots of Evil|disambiguation|Root of all evil (disambiguation){{!}}Root of All Evil}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Roots of Evil

| type = Album

| artist = Kool G Rap

| cover = Rootsofevil.jpg

| alt =

| released = October 20, 1998

| recorded = {{hlist|1995 (Track 13 & 15)|1997–1998}}

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Mafioso rap

| length =

| label = Illstreet

| producer = {{hlist|Dr. Butcher|CJ Moore{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2013/05/10-underrated-albums-by-great-rappers/|title=10 Underrated Albums by Great Rappers|website=Complex}}}}

| prev_title = 4,5,6

| prev_year = 1995

| next_title = The Giancana Story

| next_year = 2002

}}

Roots of Evil is the second solo album by Mafioso rap artist Kool G Rap, released in 1998 by Kool G's record label, Illstreet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kool-g-rap-mn0000110847/biography|title=Kool G Rap | Biography & History|website=AllMusic}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/450204/kool-g-rap-poised-to-reclaim-throne/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102091431/http://www.mtv.com/news/450204/kool-g-rap-poised-to-reclaim-throne/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 2, 2020|title=Kool G Rap Poised To Reclaim Throne|website=MTV News}} It boasts two singles, "Foul Cats" and "Can't Stop the Shine", and reached No. 43 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album contains the first recorded appearance of Papoose.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5iYEAAAAMBAJ&q=roots+of+evil+kool+g+rap+1998&pg=PA94|title=Next|work=Vibe|date=July 29, 2006|publisher=Vibe Media Group|via=Google Books}}

Production and release

{{More citations needed section|date=May 2025}}

The album was recorded in Arizona, during a period of time where G. Rap was purposely avoiding New York. It was promoted with two singles, "Foul Cats" and "Can't Stop the Shine". "Foul Cats" tells the story of Kool G Rap being set up and his friend murdered by a rival gang. Seeking revenge, G Rap and his crew kidnap the girlfriend of one of the rival gangsters at gunpoint and force her to reveal her boyfriend's place of residence. They go to his home in Jackson Heights, Queens, where they find him sleeping on the sofa and awaken him by throwing a glass of whisky in his face. They then discover his heroin stash and kill him by giving him a fatal heroin overdose. When his girlfriend reaches for the phone and attempts to call for help, G Rap is forced to pistol-whip her and shoot her dead before he and his crew flee the premises.

"Can't Stop the Shine" features a chorus sung by R&B singer Miss Jones. The music video shows Kool G Rap and Miss Jones partying on a lavish yacht, and Kool G Rap surviving as assassination attempt by two hitmen in his villa.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|last=Conaway|first=Matt|class=album|id=r381978}}

|rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=5 |page=8}}

| rev3 = RapReviews

| rev3Score = 8.0/10{{cite web |last=Juon |first=Steve 'Flash' | access-date=2019-09-25 | url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/1998_09_rootsofevil.html | title=Kool G. Rap :: Roots of Evil :: Down Low | website=RapReviews}}

| rev5 = The Source

| rev5Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|author=Copeademus|date=January 1999|issue=112|title=Record Report: Kool G Rap – Roots Of Evil|magazine=The Source|pages=182, 184|location=New York}}

|rev4 = The New Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev4Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite book | first1=Nathan | first2=Christian David | last1=Brackett | url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac | url-access=registration | title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | publisher=Simon and Schuster | last2=Hoard | year=2004 | page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n479 466] | isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8}}

}}

Complex wrote that "G. Rap's rhymes are so richly detailed that they put you right there in the heart of the action."

Track listing

class="wikitable"
align="center" |#

!align="center" |Title

!align="center" |Producer(s)

!align="center" |Performer (s)

!align="center" |Length

1

|"Intro"

|

|*Interlude*

|1:43

2

|"Hitman's Diary"

|Dr. Butcher

|Kool G Rap

|3:43

3

|"One Dark Night"

|Fade For Underworld Productions

|Kool G Rap

|1:45

4

|"Foul Cats"

| {{hlist|CJ Moore|Dr. Butcher}}

|Kool G Rap

|3:23

5

|"Tekilla Sunrise"

| {{hlist|CJ Moore|Dr. Butcher}}

|Kool G Rap

|4:31

6

|"At Da Wake"

|

|*Interlude*

|1:10

7

|"Home Sweet Funeral Home"

|Haji A.

| {{hlist|Jinx|Kool G Rap|Papoose}}

|2:51

8

|"Mobsta's"

|Fade For Underworld Productions

|Kool G Rap

|3:18

9

|"Let the Games Begin"

|Rich 5

|Kool G Rap

|3:28

10

|"A Thugs Love Story (Chapter I, II, III)"

| {{hlist|CJ Moore|Dr. Butcher}}

|Kool G Rap

|9:33

11

|"Da Bosses Lady"

|A. Evans

| {{hlist|Camileone|Kool G Rap}}

|3:54

12

|"Mafioso"

|Rich 5

|Kool G Rap

|2:51

13

|"Thug's Anthem"

|E. Thompson

| {{hlist|Johnny 2 Gunz|Kool G Rap|Pokaface}}

|3:46

14

|"Da Heat"

| {{hlist|CJ Moore|Dr. Butcher}}

|Kool G Rap

|3:34

15

|"Can't Stop the Shine"

|Kool G Rap

| {{hlist|Kool G Rap|Miss Jones}}

|3:58

16

|"Cannon Fire"

|Kool G Rap

|Kool G Rap

|4:11

17

|"Outro"

|

|*Interlude*

|1:05

18

|"Daddy Figure"

| {{hlist|Fade For Underworld Productions|J. Stank}}

|Kool G Rap

|5:06

Samples

  • "Cannon Fire"
  • "Ballad for the Fallen Soldier" by the Isley Brothers
  • "Can't Stop the Shine"
  • "What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" by Stephanie Mills
  • "Da Bosses Lady"
  • "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge
  • "Foul Cats"
  • "Poor Abbey Walsh" by Marvin Gaye
  • "Hitman's Diary"
  • "You Light Up My Life" by Jean Carne
  • "Let the Games Begin"
  • "Have Mercy on Me" by the East St. Louis Gospelettes
  • "Mobsta's"
  • "Ain't No Sunshine" by Tom Jones
  • "A Thug's Love Story (Chapter I, II, III)"
  • "Mellow Mood (Part I)" by Barry White

Album singles

class="wikitable"

! Single information

"Foul Cats"

  • Released: September 1, 1998
  • B-Side:
"Can't Stop the Shine"
  • Released: 1998
  • B-Side: "Thugs Anthem"

    • Charts

    class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
    scope="col"| Chart (1998)

    ! scope="col"| Peak
    position

    {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|43|artist=Kool G Rap|rowheader=true}}

    References

    {{reflist}}

    {{Kool G Rap}}

    {{Authority control}}

    Category:Kool G Rap albums

    Category:1998 albums

    Category:Gangsta rap albums by American artists

    Category:Mafioso rap albums