The Roots formed in Philadelphia in 1987 around Black Thought and Questlove, and are widely cited as the foundational live-band hip hop act — no backing tracks, all pocket. Things Fall Apart (1999) is the breakthrough and the place to start; they've been Jimmy Fallon's house band since 2009. Find The Roots vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Roots formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1987 around Tariq Trotter (Black Thought) and Ahmir Thompson (Questlove), who had been students at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). They are widely cited as the foundational live hip hop band in popular music history - established with their distinctive approach of performing hip hop with a full live band rather than relying on samples or backing tracks. Their 1999 album Things Fall Apart became their commercial breakthrough, including the international single You Got Me (featuring Erykah Badu, written by Jill Scott). They have continued releasing material across multiple decades. They have been the house band for late-night talk shows since 2009 - initially Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009-2014), then The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-present). Questlove has parallel work as a producer (work with D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and the broader Soulquarians collective), filmmaker (2021 Summer of Soul Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature), and author. Black Thought is widely cited as one of the most technically skilled rappers in hip hop history. The Roots have organized the annual Roots Picnic festival in Philadelphia since 2008. Their foundational influence on live hip hop and broader alternative hip hop is widely cited.
The Roots's sound combines hip hop, alternative hip hop, jazz rap, conscious hip hop, neo-soul, funk, jazz fusion, and soul with Black Thought's distinctive virtuosic flow (technical lyricism), Questlove's foundational live drumming approach, integration of live band instrumentation across the band's multi-decade catalog, and collaborative arrangements drawing on Philadelphia soul and jazz traditions alongside contemporary hip hop influences.
Geffen Records, MCA Records, and Def Jam Records pressings of The Roots catalog have been issued in multiple color variant editions and limited deluxe pressings, with collector demand.
Listeners new to The Roots typically start with Things Fall Apart (1999) or Phrenology (2002).
