AMG Review of R.O.O.T.S. (Route of Overcoming the Struggle)

David Jeffries
All Music Guide

Standing for "Route of Overcoming the Struggle," R.O.O.T.S. is Flo Rida's follow-up to Mail on Sunday, the album featuring megahit "Low." The autobiographical opener, "Finally Here," seems bemused by life's journey, and closer "Rewind" centers around a "turn back time" metaphor supported by Wyclef's pathos for hire. Of course, the reason you're here is for the numerous poptastic club tracks, all delivered in true ringtone rapper style. The Dead or Alive interpolating "Right Round" is "Low"'s heir apparent, an infectious single created by producer Doctor Luke (who previously worked for Lily Allen) plus Koool Kojak (who previously worked for Andy Milonakis). "Sugar" is shameless enough to "incorporate elements" of Eiffel 65's Euro-trash earworm "Blue (Da Ba Dee)." The upbeat call-and-response hook of "Jump" is delivered by an Auto-Tuned Nelly Furtado, and if you're expecting Fergie or Gwen Stefani to show up during this pop-rap spectacular, you instead get decent shots from Ne-Yo and Akon. R.O.O.T.S. is hip-hop like Nas never happened, an album owing more to Lady GaGa than to Public Enemy. If you enjoy the hook, you enjoy the song, and if you're headed to the club in a fine ride on a Friday night, you'll likely fall for some of what's on offer here.