The Roots
Encyclopedia
The Roots is an American hip hop
/neo soul
band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter
and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals. Malik B.
, Leonard "Hub
" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots.
The Roots released an independently produced debut album, Organix
, in 1993. In 1995, with the label DGC Records
, the band released Do You Want More?!!!??!
. Two guest performers on Do You Want More?!!!??!, Rahzel
and Scott Storch
joined the group. Soon after, however, Storch left the band and was replaced by Kamal Gray
. Their next album, Illadelph Halflife
, was released in 1996. With Illadelph Halflife the band again gained members in Scratch
and Dice Raw
. The band's next album, Things Fall Apart
, was a breakthrough album in that it was their first album to break the top 10 of the Billboard 200
(peaking at 4). Also in 1999, the band released an EP
, The Legendary
, and a live album titled The Roots Come Alive
. Rahzel, Dice Raw, and Malik B. all parted from the band for differing reasons. In 2000, guitarist Ben Kenney
joined The Roots and would stay with the band through their next album, Phrenology
, before leaving to join rock band Incubus
. After Phrenology, guest performer F. Knuckles became a permanent member and Captain Kirk Douglas
replaced Kenney, while Scratch also decided to leave the group. The next album was 2004's The Tipping Point
followed by Game Theory
in 2006. During 2007, longtime member Leonard Hubbard decided to retire. He was replaced by Owen Biddle
. Rising Down
, the eighth studio album from The Roots, was released in 2008. Their next album, How I Got Over
, was released on June 21, 2010. They announced in October 2011 that their next album (and first concept album), Undun, would be released on December 6, 2011.
They have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres, including John Legend, Roy Ayers
and Cody Chesnutt
. The Roots have generated a great deal of critical acclaim and influenced numerous rap and R&B acts. On March 2, 2009, The Roots became the house band
on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
.
(Ahmir Thompson) became friends at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts around 1987. They began to do shows around Philadelphia and New York City with bassist Leonard "Hub" Hubbard and rapper Malik B. By 1991, Black Thought began attending Millersville University and established the line-up, under the collective name The Square Roots. In 1993, the Roots recorded an album Organix
to promote at European concerts.
is an EP released by The Roots in 1994. It was the group's first release on a major label, having recently been signed with Geffen Records.
, was released in 1995. It was a moderate hit among alternative music fans due in part to the group's appearance at Lollapalooza
. The band also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival
that year. Touring guests, beatboxer Rahzel
and producer Scott Storch
, joined the Roots.
was the group's first album to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard 200
chart, spurred in part by MTV
's airplay of the video for "What They Do" (a parody of rap video clichés) and "Clones," which was their first single to reach the top five on the rap charts. "What They Do" was also the group's first single to hit the Top 40 of Billboard's
charts, reaching a peak of #34. While continuing on the path of live instrumentation, the album's sound was somewhat darker.
in 1999 (named after Things Fall Apart
, a novel
by Chinua Achebe
, which in turn was named after a line from The Second Coming
by W.B. Yeats). This was their breakthrough album, peaking at #4 on the Billboard 200
charts and earning a gold record, signifying U.S. sales of at least 500,000 units. Mos Def contributed to the track entitled "Double Trouble." The track "Act Two" features Afropean singer Zap Mama
and Common. The track "You Got Me", a duet with R&B
singer Erykah Badu
and Eve
and Jill Scott intended by Black Thought for the "unconscious" population, peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100
charts. At the 42nd Grammy Awards "You Got Me" won the award for Best Performance By A Duo Or Group and the album was nominated for Best Rap Album.
Steve Huey of the website allmusic perceived "a strong affinity for the neo-soul movement" in the album. First-time cameos on TFA for Philly natives Beanie Sigel
and Eve
helped to earn them major record deals later (with Roc-A-Fella and Ruff Ryders
, respectively). After this album, Dice Raw
left the collective to record his solo debut album Reclaiming the Dead. In the summer, the band performed at the Woodstock '99 concert in New York state.
for his MTV Unplugged
concert. With heightened popularity came mounting pressure. The Roots released Phrenology
(named after the pseudoscience
of Phrenology
) in 2002. Despite not charting as high as Things Fall Apart, reaching a peak of #28 on the charts, Phrenology was commercially successful, eventually going 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.
During this time the band also backed Jay-Z for his 2003 farewell concert in Madison Square Garden, and appeared in the accompanying "Fade to Black" DVD.
. This culminated with the release of 2004's The Tipping Point
, the byproduct of several jam sessions. 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'." The Tipping Point peaked at #4 on the Billboard 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 film Dave Chappelle's Block Party
, whose event took place on September 18, 2004 and was released on film two years later.
was released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam records. Questlove describes the album as being very dark and reflective of the political state in America. 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 web sites. Various guest appearances had been rumored, but Scratch magazine
confirmed only two: Peedi Peedi
and Malik B.
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 2 Grammy Nominations.
The late J 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 totally devoted to his persona, the first part being an edited version of a track ("Time : The Donut of the Heart") of his Donuts 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.
, was released on April 29, 2008, the 16-year anniversary of the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
In the weeks before the album's release, the original first single "Birthday Girl", a radio-friendly collaboration with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump
was removed from the album reportedly because it didn't fit in with the album's tone. It remained as a digital download
available from iTunes
as a bonus track, as well as on international releases.
Picking up where Game Theory left off, the album maintains a dark and political tone, with Black Thought
and several guests venting about the ills of society today. The album's guests include Chrisette Michele
, Common, Mos Def
, Saigon
, Styles P
, Talib Kweli
, and Wale
; it also features Philly favorites Dice Raw
, DJ Jazzy Jeff
, Peedi Crakk, P.O.R.N., and Truck North, as well as former member Malik B.
Rising Down features the Roots incorporating a more electronic and synth
-heavy feel into their sound. Rising Down was released to critical acclaim, garnering an overall score of 80 on Metacritic
.
The album's first single was "Rising Up" featuring Chrisette Michele
and D.C. rapper Wale
.
administration and the beginning of the Obama
presidency. Guests include L.A. rapper Blu
, Phonte
of Little Brother and Patty Crash, whose song Serve This Royalty is covered on the album. 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. 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 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
. The song features longtime Roots collaborator Dice Raw
.
on the album Wake 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
and Jennifer Hudson
that was streamed on YouTube
. On October 30, 2010 The Roots and John Legend played live at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
On February 10, 2011 The "Wake Up Radio" Mixtape was released. The mixtape is mixed by J.Period in conjunction with The Roots & John Legend. The mixtape features remixes of classic soul and R&B song, as well using different takes from songs used on "Wake Up" and "How I Got Over". The mixtape has new and old verses from hip hop legends such as Common, Blu, Dead Prez, Q-Tip, Rakim, Pete Rock, Kanye and (of course), Black Thought. Some classic soul artists used on mixtapes includes: James Brown, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, Isaac Hayes, Sam Cooke, and Aretha Franklin.
, releasing via Def Jam Records on December 6th, 2011 http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.16169/title.the-roots-announce-new-album-undun-due-late-2011.
The first single "Make My" leaked on October 17, 2011.
" Trotter (MC
) and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (drums
), who were classmates at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts
. As they began to play at school and on the streets, they added bassist Josh "The Rubberband" Abrams, who went on to form the jazz
group The Josh Abrams Quartet. They later added another MC Malik Abdul Basit-Smart
("Malik B."), a new bassist, Leonard Nelson Hubbard
("Hub"), and keyboardist Scott Storch
. MC Kenyatta "Kid Crumbs" Warren, was a part of the group for their first album, Organix, but did not appear on any later albums.Another MC, Dice Raw
, joined on for cameos in later albums. The Roots filled Storch's position with keyboardist, Kamal Gray
, who continues to be a member.
Beatboxer
Rahzel
was a member of the group from 1995 to 1999. Alongside Rahzel was vocal turntablist Scratch
, who DJ'd for them during live concerts. However, he abruptly left in 2003.
Malik B. left the group in 1999 due to drug problems but continued to record, making occasional cameos on future albums. Guitarist Ben Kenney
, had a short stint with the group and contributed to their Phrenology album, but left to join Incubus
as their bassist. A percussionist, F Knuckles, was added in 2002 and guitarist, Kirk Douglas
(a.k.a. "Captain Kirk"), replaced Kenney. Martin Luther
, a vocalist, toured with The Roots in 2003 and 2004 and contributed to the Tipping Point album. The group announced in August 2007, to the dismay of fans, that longtime bassist, Leonard Hubbard, was leaving the group. "One of our partners is leaving us tonight, ladies and gentlemen, Leonard Hubbard" (Black Thought @ moe.down 8/31/07).
The current members of The Roots are Black Thought (MC), Questlove (drums), Kamal (keyboard), Frank Knuckles (percussion) (also a former Protégé of Questlove), and Cap'n Kirk (guitar). Recently, they have toured with sousaphonist Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson and Game Theory producer and current bassist Owen Biddle. For their performances on the Jimmy Fallon show, keyboardist James Poyser
contributes additional keyboards.
The band announced on August 25th, 2011 that Owen has left the band and will be replaced by Mark Kelley.
Most members have worked with PETA
to promote compassion for animals and the vegetarian lifestyle.
Because the band members hail from Philadelphia and its surrounding area, they showed their support for the Phillies during the 2009 World Series against the Yankees, displaying Phillies memorabilia when performing on Late 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 the Flyers during their run to the Stanley Cup Final by having the team logo on their drumset.
, Nas
, Talib Kweli
and Big Daddy Kane
. They also backed Jay-Z
a third time, for his Reasonable Doubt Concert, a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the release of his first album.
In 1994, the Roots appeared on the Red 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" by Time
magazine. They have been highly involved in many other Red Hot Organization
productions, including the 1998 album, Red Hot + Rhapsody and the 2001 album Red Hot + Indigo
, a tribute to Duke 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
's Bamboozled
; Marc Levin
's Brooklyn Babylon, in which Black Thought
plays the protagonist, Solomon, and former band member Rahzel
narrates; and Chasing Liberty
, starring Mandy Moore
. Black Thought and Questlove were both featured in the movie Brown Sugar. Black Thought also made an appearance in the film Love Rome as Tariq Trotter, and Questlove currently appears in the recent documentary movie about TBC Brass Band called From the Mouthpiece on Back, which lists The Roots as one of the executive producers of the movie.
The band guest performed on August 25 and 26 with the Dave 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 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre
in East Troy, Wisconsin
. In 2007 the band also performed at an NAACP tribute to Bono
, covering U2
's "Sunday Bloody Sunday
" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)
". Black Thought mixed in lines form the band's own "False Media."
The group hosts a highly-anticipated Jam Session every year the night before the Grammys. The Roots Jam Session, produced by Okayplayer
, Goodtime Girl Entertainment and Keldof, has been attended by everyone from Jay-Z
, Beyoncé Knowles
and Tom Cruise
to Don Cheadle
, Jeremy Piven
and Prince
with impromptu performances from Snoop Dogg
and Corrine Bailey Rae to Queen Latifah
, Matisyahu
, Fall Out Boy
and Dave Chappelle
.
Billed as The Roots, Questlove, Kirk and Owen made an appearance on The Colbert Report on April 15, 2008 when Stephen Colbert
spent a week in Philadelphia prior to the 2008 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.
The song "Here I Come" was featured in the movies Superbad and Hancock
. "Here I Come" is also featured in many video games including Project Gotham Racing 4
.
The song "The Seed 2.0" featuring Cody ChesnuTT
was featured in the movies Collateral
and I Think I Love My Wife
.
The song "Don't Say Nuthin" was featured in the first season episode, "Busey And The Beach" of HBO's Entourage
.
They have also performed on the popular kids show Yo Gabba Gabba, performing "Lovely, Love My Family" in 2008.
In March 2009, The Roots became the new official house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
, with "Here I Come" as the show's theme.
The Roots host an annual all day music festival in Philadelphia, PA every June.
The Roots are also featured on the Men in Black
Original Soundtrack (1997) with the song "The Notic" with neo-soul singer D'Angelo
.
The Roots recently collaborated with John Legend on an album entitled Wake Up, which was released in September 2010. Inspired initially by the historic Presidential election campaign of 2008, 'Wake Up!' primarily revives soul and funk tracks from the late-Sixties and early-Seventies that boasted lyrical themes of change, hope and activism.
The Roots and John Legend opened the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
on October 30, 2010.
The Roots, Stephen Colbert
, Jimmy Fallon
, and Taylor Hicks
performed Rebecca Black
's viral hit "Friday
" on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
show on April Fool's Day, 2011.
On Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 United States Congresswoman and Presidential Candidate Michele Bachman was a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. For her entrance, The Roots played a snippet from Fishbone’s 1985 song, “Lying Ass Bitch.”
The Roots are currently working on their 13th studio album, Undun, which will be released on December 6, 2011.
Former members
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals. Malik B.
Malik B.
Malik Abdul Basit is a hip-hop artist who was a member of The Roots from the early 1990s to their 2000-2001 tour. He has released one EP, entitled Psychological on emcee Haak Blast's publishing company "Future Blast Publishing"....
, Leonard "Hub
Hub (bassist)
Leonard "Hub" Hubbard is a former band member of The Roots and played bass for the Philadelphia outfit from 1992 to 2007. He played on all of their records until his departure from the group, including 1999's Things Fall Apart and 2004's The Tipping Point. He is known for always having a chew stick...
" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots.
The Roots released an independently produced debut album, Organix
Organix
-External links:* at Discogs...
, in 1993. In 1995, with the label DGC Records
DGC Records
DGC Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and currently operates as an auxiliary label of Interscope Records.-Company history:...
, the band released Do You Want More?!!!??!
Do You Want More?!!!??!
Do You Want More?!!!??! is the second studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released January 17, 1995 on DGC Records. The band's major label-debut, it was released two years after their independent debut album, Organix . Do You Want More?!!!??! has been considered by critics as a classic...
. Two guest performers on Do You Want More?!!!??!, Rahzel
Rahzel
Rahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
and Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
joined the group. Soon after, however, Storch left the band and was replaced by Kamal Gray
Kamal Gray
James "Kamal" Gray is the keyboardist with American hip hop group The Roots. He is from Philadelphia and has relatives in North Carolina. He joined the band as Scott Storch's replacement in 1995, while he was still in high school. He wrote the popular Roots' tracks "The Next Movement", "Sacrifice",...
. Their next album, Illadelph Halflife
Illadelph Halflife
The New York Times writer Neil Strauss called the album "one of the year's best rap offerings" and wrote that "The Roots move indiscriminately from politically conscious lyrics to silly rhymes "...
, was released in 1996. With Illadelph Halflife the band again gained members in Scratch
Scratch (musician)
Kyle Jones , better known as Scratch, is an American hip hop artist. He is a MC who specializes in beatboxing or vocal percussion...
and Dice Raw
Dice Raw
Dice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
. The band's next album, Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart (album)
Things Fall Apart is the fourth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released February 23, 1999 on Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Electric Lady Studios during 1997 to 1999, coinciding with recording for other projects of the Soulquarians collective,...
, was a breakthrough album in that it was their first album to break the top 10 of the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
(peaking at 4). Also in 1999, the band released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, The Legendary
The Legendary
-Track listing:#"intro / jusufckwithis**" 2:14#"Table Of Contents - " 3:05#"The Ultimate**" 4:05#"The Battlestar ?uestacula " 2:12#"The Next Movement**" 3:53...
, and a live album titled The Roots Come Alive
The Roots Come Alive
The Roots Come Alive is a live album from the group The Roots. It was recorded in Zurich, Switzerland; New York City; and other places and released November 2, 1999. An enhanced double-CD edition containing six extra tracks was also released with a limited pressing...
. Rahzel, Dice Raw, and Malik B. all parted from the band for differing reasons. In 2000, guitarist Ben Kenney
Ben Kenney
Benjamin Lee Kenney, Sr. , is a musician from Brielle, NJ, and the bassist for the band Incubus.Ben Kenney played guitar for the hip-hop group The Roots before he joined Incubus in 2003 after the departure of bassist and founding member Alex Katunich aka Dirk Lance...
joined The Roots and would stay with the band through their next album, Phrenology
Phrenology (album)
Phrenology is the fifth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released November 26, 2002, on Geffen Records and MCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 2000 to September 2002...
, before leaving to join rock band Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
. After Phrenology, guest performer F. Knuckles became a permanent member and Captain Kirk Douglas
Captain Kirk Douglas
"Captain" Kirk Douglas is an American guitarist who plays with the hip hop band The Roots. He has also performed with the Dave Matthews Band.-Guitars:...
replaced Kenney, while Scratch also decided to leave the group. The next album was 2004's The Tipping Point
The Tipping Point (album)
The Tipping Point is the sixth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released July 13, 2004 on Geffen Records. It is named after Malcolm Gladwell's book of the same name , and it serves as the follow-up to Phrenology...
followed by Game Theory
Game Theory (album)
Game Theory is the seventh studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. The group's first release for the label after leaving Geffen Records, the album was recorded by the Roots mostly using the Apple-developed software application GarageBand...
in 2006. During 2007, longtime member Leonard Hubbard decided to retire. He was replaced by Owen Biddle
Owen Biddle (musician)
Owen Biddle is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and songwriter from Philadelphia, who has been touring with Grammy-award-winning hip hop group The Roots since the August 31, 2007 departure of 17-year-veteran bassist, "Hub"...
. Rising Down
Rising Down
Rising Down is the eighth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released April 28, 2008 on Def Jam Recordings. The album's title is adapted from William T. Vollmann's book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means...
, the eighth studio album from The Roots, was released in 2008. Their next album, How I Got Over
How I Got Over (album)
How I Got Over is the ninth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released June 22, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album was primarily handled by band members Black Thought, Questlove, Dice Raw, and Rick Friedrich during 2008 to 2009...
, was released on June 21, 2010. They announced in October 2011 that their next album (and first concept album), Undun, would be released on December 6, 2011.
They have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres, including John Legend, Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
and Cody Chesnutt
Cody ChesnuTT
Cody Chesnutt is an American R&B and neo soul musician.-Biography:Cody Chesnutt is an African American musician from Atlanta, Georgia, whose music blends elements of rock, funk, soul, hip hop, and blues. Chesnutt and his former band, The Crosswalk, had a brief stint with Hollywood Records in which...
. The Roots have generated a great deal of critical acclaim and influenced numerous rap and R&B acts. On March 2, 2009, The Roots became the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
.
Band history
Early history and Organix
The group's original lineup was formed when rapper Black Thought (Tariq Trotter) and drummer ?uestlove?uestlove
Ahmir Khalib Thompson known professionally as ?uestlove or Questlove , is an American drummer, DJ, music journalist and record producer...
(Ahmir Thompson) became friends at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts around 1987. They began to do shows around Philadelphia and New York City with bassist Leonard "Hub" Hubbard and rapper Malik B. By 1991, Black Thought began attending Millersville University and established the line-up, under the collective name The Square Roots. In 1993, the Roots recorded an album Organix
Organix
-External links:* at Discogs...
to promote at European concerts.
From the Ground Up EP
From the Ground UpFrom the Ground Up (Roots EP)
From the Ground Up is an EP released by The Roots in 1994. It was the group's first release on a major label, having recently been signed with Geffen Records.-Track listing:#"It's Comin'" – 6:31#"Distortion to Static" – 4:26#"Mellow My Man" – 4:49...
is an EP released by The Roots in 1994. It was the group's first release on a major label, having recently been signed with Geffen Records.
Do You Want More?!!!??!
The Roots' first album for DGC, Do You Want More?!!!??!Do You Want More?!!!??!
Do You Want More?!!!??! is the second studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released January 17, 1995 on DGC Records. The band's major label-debut, it was released two years after their independent debut album, Organix . Do You Want More?!!!??! has been considered by critics as a classic...
, was released in 1995. It was a moderate hit among alternative music fans due in part to the group's appearance at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
. The band also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
that year. Touring guests, beatboxer Rahzel
Rahzel
Rahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
and producer Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
, joined the Roots.
Illadelph Halflife
The 1996 release Illadelph HalflifeIlladelph Halflife
The New York Times writer Neil Strauss called the album "one of the year's best rap offerings" and wrote that "The Roots move indiscriminately from politically conscious lyrics to silly rhymes "...
was the group's first album to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, spurred in part by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's airplay of the video for "What They Do" (a parody of rap video clichés) and "Clones," which was their first single to reach the top five on the rap charts. "What They Do" was also the group's first single to hit the Top 40 of Billboard's
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts, reaching a peak of #34. While continuing on the path of live instrumentation, the album's sound was somewhat darker.
Things Fall Apart
The group released Things Fall ApartThings Fall Apart (album)
Things Fall Apart is the fourth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released February 23, 1999 on Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Electric Lady Studios during 1997 to 1999, coinciding with recording for other projects of the Soulquarians collective,...
in 1999 (named after Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apartis a 1958 English language novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first African...
, a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe
Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe popularly known as Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic...
, which in turn was named after a line from The Second Coming
The Second Coming (poem)
"The Second Coming" is a poem composed by Irish poet William Butler Yeats in 1919 and first printed in The Dial and afterwards included in his 1921 collection of verses titled Michael Robartes and the Dancer. The poem uses Christian imagery regarding the Apocalypse and second coming as allegory to...
by W.B. Yeats). This was their breakthrough album, peaking at #4 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts and earning a gold record, signifying U.S. sales of at least 500,000 units. Mos Def contributed to the track entitled "Double Trouble." The track "Act Two" features Afropean singer Zap Mama
Zap Mama
Zap Mama is a Belgian musical group founded and led by Marie Daulne. Daulne says her mission is to be a bridge between the European and the African and bring the two cultures together with her music...
and Common. The track "You Got Me", a duet with R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
and Eve
Eve (rapper)
Eve Jihan Jeffers , is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actress. Her first three albums have reached a total of over 8 million albums sold worldwide. She has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled "Fetish." She won a Grammy Award in 2002 for the...
and Jill Scott intended by Black Thought for the "unconscious" population, peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts. At the 42nd Grammy Awards "You Got Me" won the award for Best Performance By A Duo Or Group and the album was nominated for Best Rap Album.
Steve Huey of the website allmusic perceived "a strong affinity for the neo-soul movement" in the album. First-time cameos on TFA for Philly natives Beanie Sigel
Beanie Sigel
Dwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,most recently he was in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers...
and Eve
Eve (rapper)
Eve Jihan Jeffers , is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actress. Her first three albums have reached a total of over 8 million albums sold worldwide. She has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled "Fetish." She won a Grammy Award in 2002 for the...
helped to earn them major record deals later (with Roc-A-Fella and Ruff Ryders
Ruff Ryders
Ruff Ryders Entertainment is a record label founded by brothers Darrin "Dee" Dean and Joaquin "Waah" Dean, uncles of producer Swizz Beatz. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Fontana Distribution.The label is currently active as Ruff Ryders...
, respectively). After this album, Dice Raw
Dice Raw
Dice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
left the collective to record his solo debut album Reclaiming the Dead. In the summer, the band performed at the Woodstock '99 concert in New York state.
Phrenology
Several members, including long time member Malik B., left the group. In December 2001, the Roots backed Jay-ZJay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
for his MTV Unplugged
Jay-Z: Unplugged
- Track listing :# "Izzo " - 5:08# "Takeover" - 4:57# "Girls, Girls, Girls" - 4:41# "Jigga What, Jigga Who" - 2:34# "Big Pimpin'" - 4:11# "Heart of the City " - 4:05# "Can I Get A..." - 1:42# "Hard Knock Life " - 1:31...
concert. With heightened popularity came mounting pressure. The Roots released Phrenology
Phrenology (album)
Phrenology is the fifth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released November 26, 2002, on Geffen Records and MCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 2000 to September 2002...
(named after the pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
of Phrenology
Phrenology
Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules...
) in 2002. Despite not charting as high as Things Fall Apart, reaching a peak of #28 on the charts, Phrenology was commercially successful, eventually going 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.
During this time the band also backed Jay-Z for his 2003 farewell concert in Madison Square Garden, and appeared in the accompanying "Fade to Black" DVD.
The Tipping Point
After Phrenology, Ben Kenney and Scratch both left the group; Kenney joined the rock band IncubusIncubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
. This culminated with the release of 2004's The Tipping Point
The Tipping Point (album)
The Tipping Point is the sixth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released July 13, 2004 on Geffen Records. It is named after Malcolm Gladwell's book of the same name , and it serves as the follow-up to Phrenology...
, the byproduct of several jam sessions. 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'." The Tipping Point peaked at #4 on the Billboard 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 film Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
A compilation of "music from and inspired by" the film was released on March 14, 2006.The album was released by Geffen Records, and produced by Corey Smyth for Blacksmith Music Corp and Questlove.#Dead Prez - "Hip Hop"#Black Star - "Definition"...
, whose event took place on September 18, 2004 and was released on film two years later.
Game Theory
Game TheoryGame Theory (album)
Game Theory is the seventh studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. The group's first release for the label after leaving Geffen Records, the album was recorded by the Roots mostly using the Apple-developed software application GarageBand...
was released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam records. Questlove describes the album as being very dark and reflective of the political state in America. 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 web sites. Various guest appearances had been rumored, but Scratch magazine
Scratch (magazine)
Scratch was a magazine about the art of creating hip-hop. It featured articles regarding producers, musicians and DJs that make beats for rap records, and details the secret methods, stories, partnerships, philosophies and equipment behind the music...
confirmed only two: Peedi Peedi
Peedi Peedi
Pedro Zayas, known as Peedi Crakk and also Peedi Peedi is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent. He is a member of State Property and is currently signed to Amalgam Digital.-Career:...
and Malik B.
Malik B.
Malik Abdul Basit is a hip-hop artist who was a member of The Roots from the early 1990s to their 2000-2001 tour. He has released one EP, entitled Psychological on emcee Haak Blast's publishing company "Future Blast Publishing"....
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 2 Grammy Nominations.
The late J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
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 totally devoted to his persona, the first part being an edited version of a track ("Time : The Donut of the Heart") of his Donuts 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.
Rising Down
The Roots' eighth studio album (10th overall), Rising DownRising Down
Rising Down is the eighth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released April 28, 2008 on Def Jam Recordings. The album's title is adapted from William T. Vollmann's book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means...
, was released on April 29, 2008, the 16-year anniversary of the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
In the weeks before the album's release, the original first single "Birthday Girl", a radio-friendly collaboration with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump
Patrick Stump
Patrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
was removed from the album reportedly because it didn't fit in with the album's tone. It remained as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
available from iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
as a bonus track, as well as on international releases.
Picking up where Game Theory left off, the album maintains a dark and political tone, with Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
and several guests venting about the ills of society today. The album's guests include Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele Payne , known professionally as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter....
, Common, Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, Saigon
Saigon (rapper)
Brian Daniel Carenard, better known by his stage name Saigon, is an American rapper and occasional actor.Saigon is currently signed to Suburban Noize Records and Just Blaze's Fort Knocks Entertainment record label. After years of delay due to former record label interference, his album The Greatest...
, Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, and Wale
Wale (rapper)
Wale Victor Folarin , better known by his stage name Wale , is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug " became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the...
; it also features Philly favorites Dice Raw
Dice Raw
Dice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
, DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
, Peedi Crakk, P.O.R.N., and Truck North, as well as former member Malik B.
Malik B.
Malik Abdul Basit is a hip-hop artist who was a member of The Roots from the early 1990s to their 2000-2001 tour. He has released one EP, entitled Psychological on emcee Haak Blast's publishing company "Future Blast Publishing"....
Rising Down features the Roots incorporating a more electronic and synth
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-heavy feel into their sound. Rising Down was released to critical acclaim, garnering an overall score of 80 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
The album's first single was "Rising Up" featuring Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele Payne , known professionally as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter....
and D.C. rapper Wale
Wale (rapper)
Wale Victor Folarin , better known by his stage name Wale , is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug " became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the...
.
How I Got Over
How I Got Over reflects the relief the band felt at the end of the BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration and the beginning of the Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
presidency. Guests include L.A. rapper Blu
Blu (rapper)
Johnson Barnes , better known by the stage name Blu, is an American rapper and producer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his debut album, Below the Heavens, which was produced entirely by Exile of Emanon....
, Phonte
Phonte
Phonte Coleman, better known as Phonte, is a Grammy nominated American rapper, formerly of the now defunct North Carolina trio Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer...
of Little Brother and Patty Crash, whose song Serve This Royalty is covered on the album. Rather than relying on samples, the album was recorded live, with covers (including Celestial Blues, featuring the song's original artist, Andy Bey
Andy Bey
Andrew W. Bey is a jazz singer and pianist.Bey has a wide vocal range, with his four octave baritone voice.He worked on a television show, Startime, with Connie Francis and sang for Louis Jordan....
) being reinterpreted by the band. 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 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
. The song features longtime Roots collaborator Dice Raw
Dice Raw
Dice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
.
Wake Up!
The Roots collaborated with R&B singer John LegendJohn Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
on the album Wake Up!
Wake Up! (John Legend and The Roots album)
Wake Up! is a collaborative studio album by American R&B recording artist John Legend and hip hop band The Roots, released September 21, 2010, on GOOD Music via Columbia Records. It was produced by Legend with band members Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and James Poyser, and features guest appearances...
. 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
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
and Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
that was streamed on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. On October 30, 2010 The Roots and John Legend played live at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
On February 10, 2011 The "Wake Up Radio" Mixtape was released. The mixtape is mixed by J.Period in conjunction with The Roots & John Legend. The mixtape features remixes of classic soul and R&B song, as well using different takes from songs used on "Wake Up" and "How I Got Over". The mixtape has new and old verses from hip hop legends such as Common, Blu, Dead Prez, Q-Tip, Rakim, Pete Rock, Kanye and (of course), Black Thought. Some classic soul artists used on mixtapes includes: James Brown, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, Isaac Hayes, Sam Cooke, and Aretha Franklin.
Undun
The Roots have announced their upcoming thirteenth album UndunUndun
Undun is the tenth studio album by The Roots, it is the first concept album the group has released. It details the life of the fictional Redford Stephens.-Track Listing:# The Un# Sleep# Make My # One Time...
, releasing via Def Jam Records on December 6th, 2011 http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.16169/title.the-roots-announce-new-album-undun-due-late-2011.
The first single "Make My" leaked on October 17, 2011.
Members
The Roots' original lineup included Tariq "Black ThoughtBlack Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
" Trotter (MC
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
) and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
), who were classmates at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts
Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts
The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts is a magnet school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students major in one of six areas: Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theater, Dance, and Vocal Music...
. As they began to play at school and on the streets, they added bassist Josh "The Rubberband" Abrams, who went on to form the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
group The Josh Abrams Quartet. They later added another MC Malik Abdul Basit-Smart
Malik B.
Malik Abdul Basit is a hip-hop artist who was a member of The Roots from the early 1990s to their 2000-2001 tour. He has released one EP, entitled Psychological on emcee Haak Blast's publishing company "Future Blast Publishing"....
("Malik B."), a new bassist, Leonard Nelson Hubbard
Hub (bassist)
Leonard "Hub" Hubbard is a former band member of The Roots and played bass for the Philadelphia outfit from 1992 to 2007. He played on all of their records until his departure from the group, including 1999's Things Fall Apart and 2004's The Tipping Point. He is known for always having a chew stick...
("Hub"), and keyboardist Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
. MC Kenyatta "Kid Crumbs" Warren, was a part of the group for their first album, Organix, but did not appear on any later albums.Another MC, Dice Raw
Dice Raw
Dice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
, joined on for cameos in later albums. The Roots filled Storch's position with keyboardist, Kamal Gray
Kamal Gray
James "Kamal" Gray is the keyboardist with American hip hop group The Roots. He is from Philadelphia and has relatives in North Carolina. He joined the band as Scott Storch's replacement in 1995, while he was still in high school. He wrote the popular Roots' tracks "The Next Movement", "Sacrifice",...
, who continues to be a member.
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
Rahzel
Rahzel
Rahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
was a member of the group from 1995 to 1999. Alongside Rahzel was vocal turntablist Scratch
Scratch (musician)
Kyle Jones , better known as Scratch, is an American hip hop artist. He is a MC who specializes in beatboxing or vocal percussion...
, who DJ'd for them during live concerts. However, he abruptly left in 2003.
Malik B. left the group in 1999 due to drug problems but continued to record, making occasional cameos on future albums. Guitarist Ben Kenney
Ben Kenney
Benjamin Lee Kenney, Sr. , is a musician from Brielle, NJ, and the bassist for the band Incubus.Ben Kenney played guitar for the hip-hop group The Roots before he joined Incubus in 2003 after the departure of bassist and founding member Alex Katunich aka Dirk Lance...
, had a short stint with the group and contributed to their Phrenology album, but left to join Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
as their bassist. A percussionist, F Knuckles, was added in 2002 and guitarist, Kirk Douglas
Captain Kirk Douglas
"Captain" Kirk Douglas is an American guitarist who plays with the hip hop band The Roots. He has also performed with the Dave Matthews Band.-Guitars:...
(a.k.a. "Captain Kirk"), replaced Kenney. Martin Luther
Martin Luther McCoy
Martin Luther McCoy is an American musician and actor. The San Francisco native collaborated extensively with musicians like The Roots and Cody ChesnuTT and appears as one of the six lead characters in the 2007 Beatles musical Across the Universe in the role of "Jo-Jo", who reflects Jimi Hendrix...
, a vocalist, toured with The Roots in 2003 and 2004 and contributed to the Tipping Point album. The group announced in August 2007, to the dismay of fans, that longtime bassist, Leonard Hubbard, was leaving the group. "One of our partners is leaving us tonight, ladies and gentlemen, Leonard Hubbard" (Black Thought @ moe.down 8/31/07).
The current members of The Roots are Black Thought (MC), Questlove (drums), Kamal (keyboard), Frank Knuckles (percussion) (also a former Protégé of Questlove), and Cap'n Kirk (guitar). Recently, they have toured with sousaphonist Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson and Game Theory producer and current bassist Owen Biddle. For their performances on the Jimmy Fallon show, keyboardist James Poyser
James Poyser
James Poyser in Sheffield, England is a multi-Grammy winning songwriter, musician and multi-platinum producer.Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo,...
contributes additional keyboards.
The band announced on August 25th, 2011 that Owen has left the band and will be replaced by Mark Kelley.
Most members have worked with PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
to promote compassion for animals and the vegetarian lifestyle.
Because the band members hail from Philadelphia and its surrounding area, they showed their support for the Phillies during the 2009 World Series against the Yankees, displaying Phillies memorabilia when performing on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
. 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 the Flyers during their run to the Stanley Cup Final by having the team logo on their drumset.
Touring and other work
The band tours extensively, and their live sets are frequently hailed as the best in the genre. Recently, the band played a concert in NYC's Radio City Music Hall with CommonCommon (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
and Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
. They also backed Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
a third time, for his Reasonable Doubt Concert, a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the release of his first album.
In 1994, the Roots appeared on the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
'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" by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine. They have been highly involved in many other Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
productions, including the 1998 album, Red Hot + Rhapsody and the 2001 album Red Hot + Indigo
Red Hot + Indigo
Red Hot + Indigo is the 13th entry from the Red Hot AIDS benefit series of compilation albums produced by Paul Heck. It marks the tenth anniversary of the Red Hot Organization , an international organization which uses mass media as a fundraising tool for its efforts at increasing public AIDS...
, a tribute to Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
.
The Roots have been featured in four movies: Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
A compilation of "music from and inspired by" the film was released on March 14, 2006.The album was released by Geffen Records, and produced by Corey Smyth for Blacksmith Music Corp and Questlove.#Dead Prez - "Hip Hop"#Black Star - "Definition"...
, both performing album songs and playing as a backing band for other artists; Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's Bamboozled
Bamboozled
Bamboozled is a 2000 satirical film written and directed by Spike Lee about a modern televised minstrel show featuring black actors donning blackface makeup and the violent fall-out from the show's success...
; Marc Levin
Marc Levin
Marc Levin is an independent film producer and director. He is best known for his Brick City TV series, which won the 2010 Peabody award and was nominated for an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking and his dramatic feature film, SLAM, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance...
's Brooklyn Babylon, in which Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
plays the protagonist, Solomon, and former band member Rahzel
Rahzel
Rahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
narrates; and Chasing Liberty
Chasing Liberty
Chasing Liberty is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Cadiff, and starring Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode.-Plot:Anna Foster is the daughter of President James Foster and First Lady Michelle Foster . After Secret Service agents ruin a first date, Anna demands some freedom...
, starring Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
. Black Thought and Questlove were both featured in the movie Brown Sugar. Black Thought also made an appearance in the film Love Rome as Tariq Trotter, and Questlove currently appears in the recent documentary movie about TBC Brass Band called From the Mouthpiece on Back, which lists The Roots as one of the executive producers of the movie.
The band guest performed on August 25 and 26 with the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
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 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Alpine Valley Music Theatre is a 37,000 capacity amphitheatre, in East Troy, Wisconsin. The seasonal venue was built in 1977 and it features a characteristic wooden roof, covering the 7,500-seat pavilion and a sprawling lawn....
in East Troy, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. In 2007 the band also performed at an NAACP tribute to Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, covering U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's "Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday Bloody Sunday
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song by U2.It may also refer to:*Sunday Bloody Sunday , a 1971 film*"Sunday, Bloody Sunday"...
" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)
Pride (In the Name of Love)
"Pride " is a song by Irish rock band U2. The second track on the band's 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire, it was released as the album's lead single in September 1984...
". Black Thought mixed in lines form the band's own "False Media."
The group hosts a highly-anticipated Jam Session every year the night before the Grammys. The Roots Jam Session, produced by Okayplayer
Okayplayer
Okayplayer.com is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by Rolling Stone as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The group was co-founded by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson as a loose musical...
, Goodtime Girl Entertainment and Keldof, has been attended by everyone from Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
to Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle
Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. is an American film actor and producer. Cheadle rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven...
, Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
and Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
with impromptu performances from Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and Corrine Bailey Rae to Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
, Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
and Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
.
Billed as The Roots, Questlove, Kirk and Owen made an appearance on The Colbert Report on April 15, 2008 when Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
spent a week in Philadelphia prior to the 2008 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.
The song "Here I Come" was featured in the movies Superbad and Hancock
Hancock (film)
Hancock is a 2008 American action-comedy superhero film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman, and Charlize Theron. It tells the story of a vigilante superhero, John Hancock from Los Angeles whose reckless actions routinely cost the city millions of dollars...
. "Here I Come" is also featured in many video games including Project Gotham Racing 4
Project Gotham Racing 4
Project Gotham Racing 4 is the fourth title in the main Project Gotham Racing series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft Game Studios.-Development history:...
.
The song "The Seed 2.0" featuring Cody ChesnuTT
Cody ChesnuTT
Cody Chesnutt is an American R&B and neo soul musician.-Biography:Cody Chesnutt is an African American musician from Atlanta, Georgia, whose music blends elements of rock, funk, soul, hip hop, and blues. Chesnutt and his former band, The Crosswalk, had a brief stint with Hollywood Records in which...
was featured in the movies Collateral
Collateral (film)
Collateral is a 2004 crime thriller film starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Mann and written by Stuart Beattie. It was Mann's first feature film to be shot mostly with high-definition cameras. Mann had previously used the format for portions of Ali and for his CBS drama...
and I Think I Love My Wife
I Think I Love My Wife
I Think I Love My Wife is a romantic comedy-drama 2007 film directed by and starring Chris Rock and Kerry Washington. Rock co-wrote and produced the film...
.
The song "Don't Say Nuthin" was featured in the first season episode, "Busey And The Beach" of HBO's Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
.
They have also performed on the popular kids show Yo Gabba Gabba, performing "Lovely, Love My Family" in 2008.
In March 2009, The Roots became the new official house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
, with "Here I Come" as the show's theme.
The Roots host an annual all day music festival in Philadelphia, PA every June.
The Roots are also featured on the Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
Original Soundtrack (1997) with the song "The Notic" with neo-soul singer D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
.
The Roots recently collaborated with John Legend on an album entitled Wake Up, which was released in September 2010. Inspired initially by the historic Presidential election campaign of 2008, 'Wake Up!' primarily revives soul and funk tracks from the late-Sixties and early-Seventies that boasted lyrical themes of change, hope and activism.
The Roots and John Legend opened the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on October 30, 2010.
The Roots, Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
, Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
, and Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
performed Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Renee Black is an American pop singer who gained extensive media attention with the 2011 single "Friday". Her mother paid $4,000 to have the single and an accompanying music video put out as a vanity release through the record label ARK Music Factory. The song was co-written and produced...
's viral hit "Friday
Friday (Rebecca Black song)
"Friday" is a song by American recording artist Rebecca Black, written and produced by Clarence Jey and Patrice Wilson. It was released as a single on March 14, 2011, by Ark Music Factory as Black's debut single. The music video for the song became a viral hit due to criticism of the song's lyrics,...
" on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
show on April Fool's Day, 2011.
On Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 United States Congresswoman and Presidential Candidate Michele Bachman was a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. For her entrance, The Roots played a snippet from Fishbone’s 1985 song, “Lying Ass Bitch.”
The Roots are currently working on their 13th studio album, Undun, which will be released on December 6, 2011.
Awards
- Grammy Awards
- 1999: Won for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "You Got Me" (featuring Erykah Badu and Eve)
- 2002: Nominated for Best Rap Album for Phrenology
- 2004: Nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Star"
- 2004: Nominated for Best Rap Performance By a Duo/Group for "Don't Say Nuthin'"
- 2007: Nominated for Best Rap Album for Game Theory
- 2007: Nominated for Best Rap Performance By a Duo/Group for "Don't Feel Right"
- 2011: Won for Best Group or Duo R&B Vocal Performance for Shine
- 2011: Won for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang on in There" (with John Legend)
- 2011: Won for Best R&B Album for Wake Up!
- 2011: Nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Wake Up Everybody"
- 2011: Nominated for Best Rap Album for How I Got Over
- MTV Video Music Awards
- 2003: Nominated for MTV2 award for "The Seed 2.0"
- mtvU Woodie Awards
- 2004: Nominated for Road Woodie and Welcome Back Woodie
- BET Awards
- 2005: Nominated for Best Group
- 2009: Nominated for Best Group
- NAACP Image Awards
- 2005: Nominated for Outstanding Duo or Group
- 2007: Won for Outstanding Duo or Group
- 2011: Won for Outstanding Collaboration for Wake Up!
- 2011: Won for Outstanding Album for Wake Up!
- Named one of the "twenty greatest live acts in the world" by Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, 2003 - Won a "Heroes Award" from the Philadelphia chapter of the Recording Academy, 2004
- First Hip-Hop group to perform at Lincoln Center in January, 2002
- Won Max Stevenson International Hip-Hop Award for Game Theory album, 2007
Band members
- Black ThoughtBlack ThoughtTariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
– MC (1987–present) - Questlove – DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1987–present) - Kamal GrayKamal GrayJames "Kamal" Gray is the keyboardist with American hip hop group The Roots. He is from Philadelphia and has relatives in North Carolina. He joined the band as Scott Storch's replacement in 1995, while he was still in high school. He wrote the popular Roots' tracks "The Next Movement", "Sacrifice",...
– Electronic keyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
(1995–present) - F. Knuckles – PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2002–present) - Captain Kirk DouglasCaptain Kirk Douglas"Captain" Kirk Douglas is an American guitarist who plays with the hip hop band The Roots. He has also performed with the Dave Matthews Band.-Guitars:...
– Electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(2003–present) - Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson – SousaphoneSousaphoneThe sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
(2007–present) - James PoyserJames PoyserJames Poyser in Sheffield, England is a multi-Grammy winning songwriter, musician and multi-platinum producer.Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo,...
– Electronic keyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:... - Mark Kelley - Bass (2011-present)
Former members
- Malik B.Malik B.Malik Abdul Basit is a hip-hop artist who was a member of The Roots from the early 1990s to their 2000-2001 tour. He has released one EP, entitled Psychological on emcee Haak Blast's publishing company "Future Blast Publishing"....
– MC (1987–1999) - Kid Crumbs (Kenyatta Warren) – MC (1993)
- Rubberband (Josh Abrams) – Bass (1988–1990)
- RahzelRahzelRahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
– BeatboxBeatboxingBeatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
(1995–1999) - Dice RawDice RawDice Raw is a hip-hop artist associated with The Roots, and one of the founding members of musical group Nouveau Riche.In 2000, Dice Raw recorded his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead on MCA Records....
– MC (1995–2000) - Scott StorchScott StorchScott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
– Electronic keyboard (1995) - Ben KenneyBen KenneyBenjamin Lee Kenney, Sr. , is a musician from Brielle, NJ, and the bassist for the band Incubus.Ben Kenney played guitar for the hip-hop group The Roots before he joined Incubus in 2003 after the departure of bassist and founding member Alex Katunich aka Dirk Lance...
– Electric guitar (2000–2003) - Martin LutherMartin Luther McCoyMartin Luther McCoy is an American musician and actor. The San Francisco native collaborated extensively with musicians like The Roots and Cody ChesnuTT and appears as one of the six lead characters in the 2007 Beatles musical Across the Universe in the role of "Jo-Jo", who reflects Jimi Hendrix...
– MC (2003–2004) - ScratchScratch (musician)Kyle Jones , better known as Scratch, is an American hip hop artist. He is a MC who specializes in beatboxing or vocal percussion...
– Beatbox (1998–2003) - Leonard HubHub (bassist)Leonard "Hub" Hubbard is a former band member of The Roots and played bass for the Philadelphia outfit from 1992 to 2007. He played on all of their records until his departure from the group, including 1999's Things Fall Apart and 2004's The Tipping Point. He is known for always having a chew stick...
Hubbard – Bass (1992–2007) - Owen BiddleOwen Biddle (musician)Owen Biddle is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and songwriter from Philadelphia, who has been touring with Grammy-award-winning hip hop group The Roots since the August 31, 2007 departure of 17-year-veteran bassist, "Hub"...
– BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2007–2011)
Discography
Studio albums- 1993: Organix!
- 1994: From the Ground Up (EP)
- 1995: Do You Want More?!!!??!Do You Want More?!!!??!Do You Want More?!!!??! is the second studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released January 17, 1995 on DGC Records. The band's major label-debut, it was released two years after their independent debut album, Organix . Do You Want More?!!!??! has been considered by critics as a classic...
- 1996: Illadelph HalflifeIlladelph HalflifeThe New York Times writer Neil Strauss called the album "one of the year's best rap offerings" and wrote that "The Roots move indiscriminately from politically conscious lyrics to silly rhymes "...
- 1999: Things Fall ApartThings Fall Apart (album)Things Fall Apart is the fourth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released February 23, 1999 on Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Electric Lady Studios during 1997 to 1999, coinciding with recording for other projects of the Soulquarians collective,...
- 1999: The LegendaryThe Legendary-Track listing:#"intro / jusufckwithis**" 2:14#"Table Of Contents - " 3:05#"The Ultimate**" 4:05#"The Battlestar ?uestacula " 2:12#"The Next Movement**" 3:53...
(EP) - 2002: PhrenologyPhrenology (album)Phrenology is the fifth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released November 26, 2002, on Geffen Records and MCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 2000 to September 2002...
- 2004: The Tipping PointThe Tipping Point (album)The Tipping Point is the sixth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released July 13, 2004 on Geffen Records. It is named after Malcolm Gladwell's book of the same name , and it serves as the follow-up to Phrenology...
- 2006: Game TheoryGame Theory (album)Game Theory is the seventh studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released August 29, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. The group's first release for the label after leaving Geffen Records, the album was recorded by the Roots mostly using the Apple-developed software application GarageBand...
- 2008: Rising DownRising DownRising Down is the eighth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released April 28, 2008 on Def Jam Recordings. The album's title is adapted from William T. Vollmann's book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means...
- 2010: How I Got OverHow I Got Over (album)How I Got Over is the ninth studio album by American hip hop band The Roots, released June 22, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album was primarily handled by band members Black Thought, Questlove, Dice Raw, and Rick Friedrich during 2008 to 2009...
- 2010: Wake Up!Wake Up! (John Legend and The Roots album)Wake Up! is a collaborative studio album by American R&B recording artist John Legend and hip hop band The Roots, released September 21, 2010, on GOOD Music via Columbia Records. It was produced by Legend with band members Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and James Poyser, and features guest appearances...
(with John LegendJohn LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
) - 2011: UndunUndunUndun is the tenth studio album by The Roots, it is the first concept album the group has released. It details the life of the fictional Redford Stephens.-Track Listing:# The Un# Sleep# Make My # One Time...