The RH Factor Hard Groove (2003) Jazz musicians aren't always welcome in hip-hop's hood. But trumpeter Hargrove plays regularly with the likes of D'Angelo, Common, and Erykah Badu. Hence, the all-star… Roy Hargrove Presents Erykah Badu D'Angelo Hip-Hop/Rap Jazz
EW's GRADE
B

Details Release Date: May 20, 2003; Lead Performance: Roy Hargrove Presents; Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap, Jazz

Jazz musicians aren't always welcome in hip-hop's hood. But trumpeter Hargrove plays regularly with the likes of D'Angelo, Common, and Erykah Badu. Hence, the all-star cast and a mix that stresses thick bass, heavy backbeats, and danceable grooves. Forgive the back-patting wordplay of ''Common Free Style'' (''Roy Hargrove/Stars rove in the sky''), and listen to the horn-and-voice riff: It echoes P-Funk, as does D'Angelo's simmering take on George Clinton's ''I'll Stay.'' Badu haunts on ''Poetry,'' and Hargrove's savvy playing lights up even the cuts that miss.

Originally posted May 23, 2003 Published in issue #714 Jun 13, 2003 Order article reprints