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Philadelphia, United States (1993 – present)
The Roots, also known as The Legendary Roots Crew, The Square Roots and The Foundation, are an influential, Grammy winning hip hop group based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, famed for a heavily jazzy sound and live instrumentation. Inspired by the “hip-hop band” concept pioneered by Stetsasonic, the Roots themselves have garnered critical acclaim and influenced later hip-hop and R&B acts.
The Roots’ original lineup included Black Thought (MC vocals) and Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson (drums), who were classmates at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts. As they began to play at school and on the streets, they added another MC named Malik B., a bassist named Leonard Hubbard, and a keyboardist Scott Storch. Another MC, Dice Raw, frequently made album appearances with the group from 1995 to 1999 before leaving to record a solo album. Scott Storch also left to pursue career as a producer following the Do You Want More?!!!??! album, He produced songs such as Still D.R.E. by Dr Dre. The Roots filled his void with another keyboardist, Kamal who is still a member. A beatboxer named Rahzel also joined the group and contributed from 1995-1999. Alongside Rahzel was vocal turntablist, Scratch who greatly contributed to The Roots’ sound, most notably in live concerts. He left the group in 2003. Malik B. left the group in 2000. A guitarist, Ben Kenney, enjoyed a short stint with the group and contributed to their Phrenology album, but left to join Incubus.
The Roots’ original lineup included Black Thought (MC vocals) and Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson (drums), who were classmates at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts. As they began to play at school and on the streets, they added another MC named Malik B., a bassist named Leonard Hubbard, and a keyboardist Scott Storch. Another MC, Dice Raw, frequently made album appearances with the group from 1995 to 1999 before leaving to record a solo album. Scott Storch also left to pursue career as a producer following the Do You Want More?!!!??! album, He produced songs such as Still D.R.E. by Dr Dre. The Roots filled his void with another keyboardist, Kamal who is still a member. A beatboxer named Rahzel also joined the group and contributed from 1995-1999. Alongside Rahzel was vocal turntablist, Scratch who greatly contributed to The Roots’ sound, most notably in live concerts. He left the group in 2003. Malik B. left the group in 2000. A guitarist, Ben Kenney, enjoyed a short stint with the group and contributed to their Phrenology album, but left to join Incubus.
Top Albums
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Phrenology
The RootsBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital Search
- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon $4.48
- eBay Search
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Rising Down
The RootsBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $4.99
- eBay Search
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The Tipping Point
The Roots
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $12.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $28.70
- eBay Search
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Things Fall Apart
The RootsBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital Search
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Top Tracks
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The Seed (2.0)
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Guns Are Drawn
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The Next Movement
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You Got Me
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Don't Say Nuthin'
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What They Do
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75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
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Becoming Unwritten
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Double Trouble
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100% Dundee
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Rock You
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The Pow Wow
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Dynamite!
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I Don't Care
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Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New
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Shoutbox
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emapia wrote:
?uestlove is my hero.
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MissClarck wrote:
Hi, I Just want to introduce you to the nu-rumba from Bantunani http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Bantunani Awesome Afrogroove..listen the hit Blackninja and Africanslam
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Sagie16 wrote:
the roots don't got a bad album.. stop rate everything in your life.. damn.
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SuperCoolBros wrote:
the last two minutes of water is amazing, it's an amazing song [1]
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tcelestino wrote:
Roots in my heart!
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Free-Khadafi wrote:
Same as emapia! Damnn i love these guys!
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emapia wrote:
i'm not sure i would use the word "worst" for a Roots album. but best ? yes. that would be Do You Want More?!!!??! and Illadelf Halflife for me
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funkybrodzik wrote:
hah no we aint one person mr hotterthanjuly , and I know I can barely speak that shit, but I aint a kinda geek to care about it. The most important thing is that you can understand what we mean and...........who care about the rest?
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
Now that doesn't even make any fucking sense.
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KingHeff wrote:
why are people defending phrenology... that album is awful lol.... but put it this way, roots' phrenology is better than 3/4 of other rap artists records. illadelph, organix, do you want more?!?!!, things fall apart are all 10/10 classics. phren maybe a 6, tipping point maybe 7, rising down prolly like 8.5
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
Yeah, I didn't see that you aren't from here until after I posted that. English is a fucked up language.
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bigga_nigga wrote:
I don't live in USA and unlike you good know grammar of English language for me is not necessarily.) If ifor you it difficultly to understand, that excuse me I'm not guilt and don't must report to you.
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
Hmm...wow both of you have the exact same issues with grammar. That's incredible. Gee whiz, I wonder if you guys are the same person!! *gasp* You must really have a lot of time on your hands, bigga_nigga/funkybrodzik.
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bigga_nigga wrote:
It's pointless, all of us have right in our way ; ) --- ye, you right in something.)
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funkybrodzik wrote:
Hahaha, ye I know that shoutbox is for showing our opinion about several things like albums, songs etc. but everyone has own point of view and we shouldn't have an argument about who's right. It's pointless, all of us have right in our way ; )
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bigga_nigga wrote:
who taught you how to write? --- Black Thought ahahah --- If you like album listen it, I really don't give a fuck about their most commercional album...if I like it, I listen it, it's easy....no wicked politics. --- yes, sir, I agree wit you - everyone listen that he like. I said IMO, it's only my opinion. According don't need touch my brains. Peace
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funkybrodzik wrote:
If you like album listen it, I really don't give a fuck about their most commercional album...if I like it, I listen it, it's easy....no wicked politics.
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
The Tipping Point is easily the band's most commercial album. bigga_nigga, who taught you how to write?
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bigga_nigga wrote:
Hahaha, don't make laugh me - Phrenology is nothing special. Most commercial their album. Illadelph Halflife - THIS is their best album, dope masterpiece IMO.
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feedtheline wrote:
are you kidding me right now? phrenology is amazing... sacrifice? the seed? THIRSTY?! you're fuckin' high that album is amazing... pull your head outta your ass...
Videos
See more
Events
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Dec
29
The Roots
9:30 Club, Washington DC, United States
Add shout
| 4 attendees
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Dec
30
The Roots
9:30 Club, Washington DC, United States
Add shout
| 2 attendees
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Dec
31
The Roots
Warfield Theater, San Francisco, United States
Add shout
| 8 attendees
News
The Roots "How I Got Over" (Video)
30 Sep 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/theroots
The Roots "How I Got Over" (Video)
It's time to start visualizing exactly how The Roots got over. Here is the video for the title track off of The Roots' upcoming LP, How I Got Over. The .. …
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2 Mar 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/theroots -
2 Mar 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/theroots -
22 Oct 2008 | from blog.myspace.com/theroots
Listeners
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drinkCoke
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Recent Activity
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komodolee, myslpozytywnie, leftfordcurtisj and 37 other people added The Roots to their libraries. 2 minutes ago
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tbworld tagged The Roots with alternative rap, rap, nu soul and one other tag. 4 hours ago
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TorresFam, EchelonDon, rEnNi5 and 23 other people added The Roots to their libraries. 5 hours ago
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diboshh tagged The Roots with jazz hop, hip hop 90s, alternative hip-hop and one other tag. 9 hours ago
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dybaone, fietefietefiete, radioraheem123 and 14 other people added The Roots to their libraries. 9 hours ago
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TaintedxSanity tagged The Roots with ‘hip-hop’. 15 hours ago
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politik_s, poetikassasin, siouxnami and 5 other people added The Roots to their libraries. 15 hours ago
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RoboBobo1992 wrote about The Roots – Game Theory in Top 20 Favorite Albums: The Cure for Boredom. Thursday evening
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Tr1me wrote about The Roots – Game Theory in Tr1me's Top 50 Albums. 19 days ago
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mathewjordan wrote about The Roots – Rising Down in my top 20 albums. last month
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Groups (337)
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Vibes and Stuff
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Common-Group
46 members
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