The Roots | |
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.jpg) The Roots performing in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Radio Activity Black to the Future The Square Roots The Legendary Roots Crew The Fifth Dynasty The Square Roots The Tonight Show Band |
| Origin | Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Works | The Roots discography |
| Years active | 1987 (1987)–present |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | |
| Members | |
| Past members |
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| Website | theroots |
The Roots are an Americanhip hop band formed in 1987 by singerTariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummerAhmir "Questlove" Thompson inPhiladelphia. The Roots serve as thehouse band onNBC'sThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, having served in the same role onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014. The regular members of The Roots onThe Tonight Show areCaptain Kirk Douglas (guitar), Mark Kelley (bass),James Poyser (keyboards),Ian Hendrickson-Smith (saxophone), Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson (sousaphone),Stro Elliot (keyboards and drums),Dave Guy (trumpet),Kamal Gray (keyboards), andRaymond Angry (keyboards).
The Roots are known for ajazzy and eclectic approach to hip hop featuring live musical instruments[6] and the group's work has consistently been met with critical acclaim.ThoughtCo ranked the band number 7 on its list of the 25 Best Hip-Hop Groups of All-Time, calling them "Hip-hop's first legitimate band."[7]
In addition to the band's music, several members of the Roots are involved in side projects, includingrecord production, acting, and regularly serving as guests on other musicians' albums and live shows.
The Roots originated inPhiladelphia with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter while they were both attending thePhiladelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.[8] They wouldbusk out on the street corners with Questlove playing bucket drums and Black Thought rapping over his rhythms. Their first organized gig was a talent show in 1989 at the school where they used the name Radio Activity, which began a series of name changes that progressed through Black to the Future and then The Square Roots.[9] Another MC, Malik B., and a permanent bass player, Leonard "Hub" Hubbard, were added to the band before the release of their first album. In 1992, they dropped the "Square" from "Square Roots" because a local folk group had claim to the name.
Unable to break through in their native Philadelphia, the band briefly moved to London, where they would release their 1993 debut,Organix. The album was released and sold independently. In the span of a year, the band developed a cult following in Europe, boosted by touring. The Roots would receive offers from music labels, and the band eventually signed with DGC/Geffen.
The Roots' first album for DGC,Do You Want More?!!!??!, was released in the United States the year following the signing. During the recording process, beatboxerRahzel and keyboardistScott Storch joined the band.[10] The addition of the two members provided additional depth to the band's sound, and energized the Roots' Philadelphia jam sessions, which the band would later sample for songs onDo You Want More?!!!??!. The album's opening track features Black Thought introducing the band's sound as "organic hip hop jazz"; the album is characterized by a combination of contemporaryEast Coast hip hop andjazz influences, with a heavy reliance on Storch'sFender Rhodes and the occasional saxophone of guest musicianSteve Coleman. The album spawned three singles with accompanying videos: "Proceed", "Distortion to Static", and "Silent Treatment". The album was a moderate hit amongalternative music fans, boosted by the group's appearance atLollapalooza. In 1995, the band performed at theMontreux Jazz Festival. In the years since its release,Do You Want More?!!!??! has come to be considered to be a classicjazz rap album.[11]
The 1996 releaseIlladelph Halflife was the group's third album and their first to break the Top 40 on theBillboard 200 chart,[10] spurred in part by MTV's airplay of the video for "What They Do" (a parody of rap video clichés)[12] and "Clones", which was their first single to reach the top five on the rap charts. The band added "What They Do" was also the group's first single to hit theTop 40 ofBillboard's charts, reaching a peak of No. 34. Scott Storch left the band and was replaced by a new keyboardist,Kamal Gray. The band's sound would take a darker turn during this period, heavily influenced bythe Wu-Tang Clan and theRZA's grimy and haunting production style, replete with samples from old jazz and classical music. The album is also notable for its many guests and collaborators, includingCommon,D'Angelo,Q-Tip, and others. These collaborations would provide the foundation for the creation of theSoulquarians and forged the Roots' association with theneo-soul subgenre.
The group releasedThings Fall Apart in 1999 (named afterThings Fall Apart, a novel byChinua Achebe, which in turn was named after a line from "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats). This was their breakthrough album, peaking at No. 4 on theBillboard 200 charts and earning agold record, signifying U.S. sales of at least 500,000 units.[13] The album was eventually certifiedplatinum in April 2013. Mos Def contributed to the track entitled "Double Trouble". The track "Act Too" featuresCommon. The track "You Got Me", a duet withR&B singerErykah Badu andEve andJill Scott intended by Black Thought for the "unconscious" population,[14] peaked at No. 39 on theBillboard Hot 100 charts. At the42nd Grammy Awards "You Got Me" won the award for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group[15] and the album was nominated for Best Rap Album.[16]
Steve Huey of the website allmusic.com perceived "a strong affinity for the neo-soul movement" in the album.[17] First-time cameos onThings Fall Apart for Philadelphia nativesBeanie Sigel and Eve helped to earn them major record deals later (withRoc-A-Fella andRuff Ryders, respectively). After this album,Dice Raw left the collective to record his solo debut albumReclaiming the Dead. In the summer, the band performed at theWoodstock '99 concert in New York state.[18]
Several members, including longtime member Malik B., left the group. In December 2001, the Roots backedJay-Z for hisMTV Unplugged concert.[19] With heightened popularity came mounting pressure. The Roots releasedPhrenology (named after thepseudoscience of the same name) in 2002. Despite not charting as high asThings Fall Apart, reaching a peak of No. 28 on the charts,Phrenology was commercially successful, being certified gold, and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. At the time, however, there came rumors that the Roots were losing interest in their signing with MCA.[10] During this time, the band backed Jay-Z for his 2003 farewell concert in Madison Square Garden and appeared in the accompanyingFade to Black concert film.
AfterPhrenology, Ben Kenney and Scratch both left the group; Kenney joined the rock bandIncubus.[20] This culminated with the release of 2004'sThe Tipping Point, the byproduct of several jam sessions.[10] The album earned two more Grammy nominations: one for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Star/Pointro" and another for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for the track "Don't Say Nuthin'."[21]The Tipping Point peaked at No. 4 on theBillboard album chart. In 2005,Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide to Understanding the Roots, Volumes 1 & 2, a two-disc compilation album, was released. The Roots were among several performers on the 2006 filmDave Chappelle's Block Party, whose event took place on September 18, 2004,[22] and was released on film two years later.[23]
Game Theory was released August 29, 2006, onDef Jam Recordings. Questlove describes the album as being very dark and reflective of the political state in America.[24] The first single from the album, "Don't Feel Right", appeared on the internet in May 2006, and is available for free download on several websites. The album's first video, titled "The Don't Feel Right Trilogy", premiered on August 21, 2006, and features three songs, "In the Music", "Here I Come", and "Don't Feel Right". It earned an 83 on Metacritic and two Grammy Nominations. The lateJ Dilla is honoured on different occasions throughout the album. Track 1 is credited to be "Supervised by J Dilla". Track 13 "Can't Stop This" is devoted to his persona, the first part being an edited version of a track ("Time: The Donut of the Heart") of hisDonuts album, released three days before his death. This version comprises vocals by Black Thought. Secondly, a string of kindred artists reminisce about J Dilla in the form of answering machine messages.
The Roots' eighth studio album,Rising Down, was released on April 29, 2008, the 16-year anniversary of the1992 Los Angeles riots. In the weeks before the album's release, the original first single "Birthday Girl", a radio-friendly collaboration with Fall Out Boy'sPatrick Stump was removed from the album reportedly because it did not fit in with the album's tone.[25] It remained as a digital download available fromiTunes as a bonus track, as well as on international releases. Picking up whereGame Theory left off, the album maintains a dark and political tone, with Black Thought and several guests venting about the ills of society. The album's guests includeChrisette Michele, Common,Mos Def,Saigon,Styles P,Talib Kweli, andWale; it also features Philadelphia artists Dice Raw,DJ Jazzy Jeff,Peedi Crakk, Greg Porn, and Truck North, as well as former member Malik B.Rising Down features the Roots incorporating a more electronic andsynth-heavy feel into their sound.Rising Down was released to critical acclaim, garnering an overall score of 80 onMetacritic. The album's first single was "Rising Up" featuring Chrisette Michele and Wale.
The Roots was among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the2008 Universal Studios fire.[26] Responding to an earlierTimes report, Questlove confirmed that the masters forDo You Want More?!!!??! andIlladelph Halflife were among those lost in the fire.[27]
How I Got Over reflects the relief the band felt at the end of theBush administration and the beginning of theObama presidency. Guests includeBlu,Phonte, andPatty Crash. A cover ofCody Chesnutt's song "Serve This Royalty" was expected to be covered on the album, similar to the group's reworking of his single for "The Seed 2.0" onPhrenology.[28] Rather than relying on samples, the album was recorded live, with covers (including "Celestial Blues", featuring the song's original artist,Andy Bey) being reinterpreted by the band.[29] The album was released on June 22, 2010.
On June 24, 2009, the Roots debuted the first single and title track from the album live onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon. The song features longtime Roots collaborator Dice Raw.[30] The Roots collaborated with R&B singerJohn Legend on the albumWake Up!. The album was released on September 21, 2010, and was publicized two days later with a live concert at Terminal 5 in New York City with John Legend andJennifer Hudson that was streamed on YouTube. On October 30, 2010, the Roots and John Legend played live at theRally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
The Roots released their 13th albumUndun via Def Jam Records on December 6, 2011.[31] The first single "Make My" leaked on October 17, 2011.Undun tells the story of their semifictional character, Redford Stephens, who struggles unsuccessfully to avoid a life of crime and fast money. The album's name is inspired byThe Guess Who's song "Undun", and the character was named after theSufjan Stevens song "Redford".[32] The album features artists includingAaron Livingston,Big K.R.I.T.,Phonte,Dice Raw, Greg Porn, Truck North,Bilal, andSufjan Stevens. The Roots also collaborated with R&B singerBetty Wright on the 2011 albumBetty Wright: The Movie, credited to Betty Wright and the Roots. The album, co-produced by Wright and Questlove, was nominated for a 2012Grammy in the "Best Traditional R&B Performance."
The Roots andElvis Costello releasedWise Up Ghost on September 17, 2013, viaBlue Note Records.[33] On July 22, 2013, they released a music video for the first single, "Walk Us Uptown".[34] The Roots released...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin on May 19, 2014. The first single, "When the People Cheer", was released on April 7, 2014. Black Thought described the album as a satirical look at violence in hip-hop and American society overall.[35]
In an interview withFuse TV, Questlove said he also had "two or three secret, major musical projects that I'm working on that I can't really talk about."[36] In September 2016 The Roots backed upUsher at a Global Citizen benefit concert in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, launching speculation of a major collaboration between the two acts. In October 2016, the group announced their 17th studio album,End Game.[37]Black Thought in June 2017 further revealed that producers9th Wonder andSalaam Remi will contribute to the album,[38] and in March 2019, Questlove revealed there will be an unreleased J Dilla beat on it as well.[39] Updates referencing the album in August 2025 made note of potentialBenny the Butcher and Syd fromThe Internet features and speculated a release date of early 2026.[40]
The Roots' original lineup included Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter (MC) and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (drums), classmates at thePhiladelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.[10] As they began to play at school and on local streets, they added bassistJosh "The Rubberband" Abrams, who went on to form thejazz group The Josh Abrams Quartet. They later added another MC,Malik Abdul Basit-Smart ("Malik B."),Leonard Nelson "Hub" Hubbard (bass), andScott Storch (keyboards). Kenyatta "Kid Crumbs" Warren (MC) was in the band forOrganix, the Roots' first album release. Another MC,Dice Raw, joined the band in cameo appearances on later albums. The band filled Storch's position withKamal Gray (keyboards), who continues in that capacity. Kamal Gray did not play with the Roots onLate Night With Jimmy Fallon between April or May and early September 2012. His absence was not publicly explained, however on the September 17, 2012 (NBC's 'Late Night' 700th) episode, Gray returned to the group.BeatboxerRahzel was a band member from 1995 to 2001. Alongside Rahzel was turntablist/vocalistScratch, who also DJ'd in live concerts. However Scratch left abruptly in 2003. Malik B. left the group in 1999 for personal reasons but continued to record, making occasional cameos on some albums. GuitaristBen Kenney had a brief stint with the group and contributed to thePhrenology album, but left to joinIncubus as bassist. Percussionist Frank Knuckles joined the lineup in 2002 and guitarist"Captain" Kirk Douglas replaced Kenney. VocalistMartin Luther toured with the Roots in 2003 and 2004 and contributed to theTipping Point album. The group announced in August 2007 that its longtime bassist Leonard Hubbard was leaving. Owen Biddle was the band's bassist in 2007–2011.Sousaphone playerDamon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson joined the band in 2007.
The band announced on August 25, 2011 that Owen Biddle had left, replaced by Mark Kelley.[41][42] OnThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,James Poyser plays keyboards.Raymond Angry also regularly sits in on keyboards.
Because most of the band members hail from Philadelphia and its surrounding area, they showed their support for thePhiladelphia Phillies during the2009 World Series against theNew York Yankees, displaying Phillies memorabilia when performing onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon. On the episode which aired the day after the Yankees clinched the title,Questlove stated "No comment!" on the show's intro (when he usually states the episode number), and had a Yankees logo purposely displayed upside-down on his drumset. In 2010, the group showed support for thePhiladelphia Flyers during their run to the2010 Stanley Cup Finals by having the team logo on their drumset, and again in 2014 when the Flyers faced theNew York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
In April 2017, Frank Knuckles left the Roots due to family issues, and has not appeared onThe Tonight Show since then. Later in August 2017, Knuckles sued Questlove, Black Thought, and the band manager Shawn Gee over unpaid royalties.[43]
In June 2017, Questlove announced in an interview that producer and performerStro Elliot is an official member of the Roots.[44]
On July 29, 2020, founding memberMalik B. died at the age of 47.[45]
The band tours extensively, and their live sets are frequently hailed as the best in the genre.[46][47][48][49] TheBlack Eyed Peas opened for The Roots in a performance atRochester Institute of Technology in May 2001. In 2006, the band played a concert in NYC's Radio City Music Hall withCommon,Nas,Talib Kweli, andBig Daddy Kane.[50] The same year, they backedJay-Z for his Reasonable Doubt Concert, a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the release of his first album.[51][52]
In 1994, the Roots appeared on theRed Hot Organization's compilation album,Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" byTime magazine. They have been highly involved in many other Red Hot Organization productions, including the 1998 albumRed Hot + Rhapsody and the 2001 albumRed Hot + Indigo, a tribute toDuke Ellington.
The Roots have been featured in four movies:Dave Chappelle's Block Party, both performing album songs and playing as a backing band for other artists;Spike Lee'sBamboozled;Marc Levin'sBrooklyn Babylon, in whichBlack Thought plays the protagonist, Solomon, and former band memberRahzel narrates; andChasing Liberty, starringMandy Moore. Black Thought and Questlove were both featured in the movieBrown Sugar. Black Thought made an appearance in the filmLove Rome as Tariq Trotter, and Questlove currently appears in the recent documentary movie aboutTBC Brass Band calledFrom the Mouthpiece on Back, which lists the Roots as one of the executive producers of the movie.
The Roots were featured on the albumTrue Love byToots and the Maytals, which won theGrammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians includingWillie Nelson,Eric Clapton,Jeff Beck,Trey Anastasio,Gwen Stefani /No Doubt,Ben Harper,Bonnie Raitt,Manu Chao,Ryan Adams,Keith Richards,Toots Hibbert,Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson,Ken Boothe, andThe Skatalites.[53]
The band guest-performed with theDave Matthews Band during their 2007 summer tour. Members of the Roots played in various forms as well as a whole band on DMB's back to back concerts atAlpine Valley Music Theatre inEast Troy,Wisconsin. In 2007, the band performed at anNAACP tribute toBono, coveringU2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)." Black Thought mixed in lines from the band's own "False Media."[54]
The group hosts a highly anticipated jam session every year the night before the Grammys.[55] The Roots jam session, produced byOkayplayer, Goodtime Girl Entertainment, andKeldof, has been attended by celebrities ranging from Jay-Z,Beyoncé, andTom Cruise toDon Cheadle,Jeremy Piven, andPrince, with impromptu performances fromSnoop Dogg andCorrine Bailey Rae toQueen Latifah,Matisyahu,Fall Out Boy, andDave Chappelle.
Billed as "The Roots," Questlove, Douglas, and Biddle made an appearance onThe Colbert Report on April 15, 2008, whenStephen Colbert spent a week inPhiladelphia prior to the2008 Pennsylvania Democratic primary. During the appearance, they performed the intro song to the show, and closed the episode with a rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner."[56]
The Roots are featured on theMen in Black Original Soundtrack (1997) with the song "The Notic" with neo-soul singerD'Angelo. The song "Here I Come" was featured in the filmsSuperbad,Hancock, andStep Up 3D. "Here I Come" is also featured in many video games includingProject Gotham Racing 4. The song "The Seed 2.0" featuringCody ChesnuTT was featured in the moviesCollateral andI Think I Love My Wife, as well as theWithout a Trace episode "Candy." The song "Don't Say Nuthin" was featured in the first-season episode, "Busey and the Beach," ofHBO'sEntourage. The song "Guns Are Drawn," featuring Aaron Livingston, was featured in a season six episode of CBS'Cold Case. The band also collaborated with musicianBT on the song "Tao of the Machine," which was featured in the filmBlade II along with the Japanese bonus disc for the albumEmotional Technology.[57]
In 2008, the band (then consisting of Black Thought, Questlove, Douglas, Bryson, Knuckles, Gray, and Biddle) appeared on the popular kids' showYo Gabba Gabba!, performing "Lovely, Love My Family". Three years later, in 2011, the band returned to the show to perform "We Have Fun," with Poyser joining Gray on keyboards, and Kelley (replacing Biddle) playing upright bass.
The band also did a secret jam session at the Oulipo Ballroom in Kentucky in 2009.[citation needed] In 2012, they played during the NHL Winter Classic at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia[58] and atAustin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) in Austin, Texas.[59] In 2013, they performed at theGathering of the Vibes Music Festival at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[60]
The Roots host theRoots Picnic, an annual all-day music festival in Philadelphia, every June.[61] In 2017, they headlined the 2017 NBA All Star game pregame introductions and performed a musical show with various guests titled "The Evolution of Greatness." The Roots Picnic Experience has also taken place in Los Angeles, California.
In March 2009, the Roots became the officialhouse band onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon, with "Here I Come" as the show's theme.[62] WhenJimmy Fallon became the host ofThe Tonight Show in February 2014, the Roots became the house band for that show.[63]
The Roots are featured heavily throughout the show, providing the bumper music in and out of commercials, as well as the opening song "Here I Come" and playing the show off the air. Fallon frequently interacts with the band during the course of the show, and they occasionally provide snippets of music for some monologue running jokes such as Funkin' GoNuts. They also provide music and drum rolls for the games with show guests, along with theme songs for the games and segments like Darts of Insanity, Wheel of Carpet Samples, and Christmas Sweaters.
On November 22, 2011, US Congresswoman and presidential candidateMichele Bachmann was a guest onLate Night. For her entrance, the Roots controversially played a snippet fromFishbone's 1985 song, "Lying Ass Bitch"[64] resulting in apologies from Fallon,[65] Questlove for The Roots,[66] and NBC.[67] The incident nearly resulted in the Roots being dismissed from the show, but the timing of theThanksgiving holiday and a national security gaffe[68] by Bachmann shortly after helped defuse the situation in the media.[69] NBC now approves all walk-on songs prior to the filming of each show.[69]
The founding members of The Roots attended a creative arts school in South Philadelphia called CAPA, and through a donation helped set up the CAPA Foundation, where they now sit on the board.[83] The Roots partnership with the CAPA Foundation also includes opportunities for students to perform on national stages, learn through internships the business side of show business and a master class series.
After watching the 2010 documentaryWaiting for Superman,Questlove was inspired to raise money forHarlem Village Academies, a group of charter schools.[84]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "You Got Me"(withErykah Badu)[85] | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | Won |
| Things Fall Apart | Best Rap Album | Nominated | |
| 2004 | Phrenology | Nominated | |
| 2005 | "Star" | Best Urban/Alternative Performance | Nominated |
| "Don't Say Nuthin'" | Best Rap Performance By a Duo/Group | Nominated | |
| 2007 | "Don't Feel Right" (featuring Maimouna Youssef) | Nominated | |
| Game Theory | Best Rap Album | Nominated | |
| 2011 | "Hang On in There"(withJohn Legend) | Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance | Won |
| Wake Up!(with John Legend) | Best R&B Album | Won | |
| "Shine"(with John Legend) | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated | |
| "Wake Up Everybody"(with John Legend,Melanie Fiona &Common) | Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Nominated | |
| How I Got Over | Best Rap Album | Nominated | |
| 2012 | "Surrender"(withBetty Wright) | Best Traditional R&B Performance | Nominated |
| 2013 | Undun | Best Rap Album | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "The Seed 2.0" | MTV2 Award | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Roots | Road Woodie | Nominated |
| Welcome Back Woodie | Nominated[86] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Roots | Best Group | Nominated |
| 2009 | The Roots | Best Group | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Roots | Outstanding Duo or Group | Nominated |
| 2007 | The Roots | Outstanding Duo or Group | Won[87] |
| 2011 | Wake Up! | Outstanding Collaboration | Won[88] |
| Outstanding Album | Won[88] |
A distinctive feature of the Roots albums is the way tracks are numbered. With the exception of their collaboration albums, the Roots have used continuous track numbering beginning with their first studio albumOrganix through all following albums:[91]
Questlove references this numbering system in his bookMo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove (specifically to the release ofIlladelph Halflife), and explains it was "...our way of saying that it was a continuation of the work we had started onOrganix andDo You Want More?!!!??!."[92]
Similarly, the Roots' 2005 compilation albums,Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 1 andVol. 2, feature a continuous track numbering beginning at negative 29 and counting up to zero. The implication is that this "Beginners Guide" would introduce new fans to the Roots and lead them to consuming the Roots' discography beginning atOrganix.[citation needed]
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