The Roots
Philadelphia's legendary live hip-hop band, led by Questlove and Black Thought, and The Tonight Show's house band.
Key albums
Illadelph HalflifeThings Fall ApartPhrenologyUndun
Key tracks
What They DoYou Got Me (with Erykah Badu)The Next MovementThe Seed (2.0)
Who are The Roots?
The Roots is a hip-hop band from Philadelphia, led by drummer Questlove and rapper Black Thought.
Known for
Things Fall Apart (1999), with the Grammy-winning "You Got Me" featuring Erykah Badu, and albums like Illadelph Halflife (1996) and Phrenology (2002). Since 2009 they have been the house band for Jimmy Fallon, now on The Tonight Show.
Style
Live drums, bass and keys instead of samples, with Black Thought's precise, intelligent rhymes on top. Jazz, soul and rock blend into one warm sound.
Impact
The Roots showed that hip-hop can be played as a live band and were a core part of the Soulquarians movement with Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and J Dilla.
