It's rare to see the work of Radiohead sampled in hip-hop, though many are quick to cite their artistic brilliance as a means of inspiration. So the story goes, Questlove was tasked with securing a sample of "You And Whose Army," the fourth track off Radiohead's Amnesiac album. Though lawyers were hellbent on throwing roadblocks in front of the process, Jay-Z ultimately managed to finesse the situation with a simple call to Thom Yorke. The rest was history, and one of the greatest bands of all time was further entrenched in the annals of hip-hop history.
Enter "Atonement," a brooding and brief reflection, driven by the always-stellar lyricism of Black Thought. "With tension runnin deep as the ocean, many are called, but so few are chosen," he spits, navigating the faint ghostly wails of Thom Yorke. "As I go through the motions, of medication uppin my dosage, bangin Earth, Wind & Fire 'Devotion' as I admire the focus." In honor of The Roots' Game Theory anniversary, be sure to give this one a spin - bonus points for all the fellow Radiohead fans out there.
Quotable Lyrics
With tension runnin deep as the ocean
Many are called, but so few are chosen
As I go through the motions, of medication uppin my dosage
Bangin Earth, Wind & Fire "Devotion" as I admire the focus
