The Roots
The Roots is a conscious hip-hop and jazz rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia's legendary live hip-hop band, led by Questlove and Black Thought, and The Tonight Show's house band.
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.
The Roots: quick answers
What genre is The Roots?
The Roots’s music falls under Conscious Hip-Hop and Jazz Rap. The Roots is part of East Coast hip-hop, with the most important work in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
Where do The Roots come from?
The Roots comes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
When did The Roots start?
The Roots has been active since 1987.
Which artists are similar to The Roots?
If you like The Roots, listen to MF DOOM, Black Star, Erykah Badu, Fugees, Native Tongues and Talib Kweli.
