A fresh new album, more serious subject matter and a new home at Def Jam, The Roots give us all a taste of their forthcoming album ‘Game Theory’ with the cleverly titled ‘Pre-Game’ 12-inch EP.

From their humble beginnings in Philadelphia, The Roots have become one of the most widely-respected groups in the industry. Fusing hip-hop with the organic musicianship of jazz and the energy of a funk band, The Roots pushed the boundaries of hip-hop with every single recording. After seven albums, The Roots have only just begun. "In this day and age, I'm kind of noticing that nobody in urban music really has the balls to just stop partying for one second," remarked drummer and co-founder Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson in a recent Rolling Stone interview. "I really think that 2006 called for a very serious record." The Roots' Game Theory is that serious record that is more mature and darker, if you will. Filled with hard hitting tracks that express their views on the state of the world, Game Theory is The Roots' most thought-provoking album since their 1999 breakthrough Things Fall Apart.

Led by the infectious and-energetic first single "Don't Feel Right," addressing their uneasiness about the state of the world, this 12-inch EP hints at what we can expect from the crew on this album: Challenging, socially conscious, high energy hip-hop. Nowhere is this spirit more evident than in the frantic "Here I Come" featuring Black Thought's searing vocals, alongside Dice Raw of Nouveau Riche & Malik B., one of the original members of the crew. The sampler is rounded off with the bluesy number "Bread & Butter" and "In The Music," a haunting track with a trip-hop beat, only made more poignant with Black Thought's stern vocals. The Roots are still one of the most exciting and innovative bands around and Game Theory clearly proves that. At least that’s our theory. What is yours?