The Roots

Artist Image: The Roots
Attribution
Image Credit: Michael Seeley from Melbourne, FL, United States (The Roots 2016 Holiday Tour - Orlando), CC BY 2.0

Biography

The Roots are an American Grammy Award-winning hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are known for a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which includes live instrumentals. Malik B., Leonard "Hub" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots. Since their first independent album release, the band has released 10 studio albums, two EPs, two collaboration albums and have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres. The Roots have served as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since its premiere in 2009. The Roots' work has been repeatedly met with critical acclaim. About.com ranked them #7 on its list of the 25 Best Rap Groups of All-Time, describing them as "Hip-hop's first legitimate band."

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1993
Number of Albums 35
Record Label
Website theroots.com
Wikipedia The Roots on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

When was the group created?

1987

...b Thompson; b. January 20, 1971, Philadelphia). The group was created in 1987 by Black Thought and Questlovethe only members who remained part of the ...
What was the original name of the band called?

Square Roots

... the Creative and Performing Arts. Originally calling themselves the Square Roots , they began performing on Philadelphia street corners. With the addi...
Where did the Square Roots first perform?

Philadelphia street corners

...calling themselves the Square Roots, they began performing on Philadelphia street corners . With the addition of rapper Malik B (Malik Abdul Basit) and...
What was Malik Abdul Basit's nickname?

Malik B

... performing on Philadelphia street corners. With the addition of rapper Malik B (Malik Abdul Basit) and bassist Hub (Leonard Hubbard), they began maki...
What was Hub's real name?

Leonard Hubbard

...the addition of rapper Malik B (Malik Abdul Basit) and bassist Hub ( Leonard Hubbard ), they began making a name for themselves in clubs in Philadelphia...
What was the name of the first release on DGC Records?

Do You Want More?!!!??!

...group signed with DGC Records. The first release on that label, Do You Want More?!!!??! (1994), included contributions by human beatbox Rahzel (Rahzel...
What was the name of The Roots' 2002 album?

Phrenology

...d touring, recording, and collaborating with other artists, releasing Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory (2006), and Rising Down...
In what year was Game Theory released?

2006

...g, recording, and collaborating with other artists, releasing Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory ( 2006 ), and Rising Down (2008)....
In what year was The Tipping Point published?

2004

...g, recording, and collaborating with other artists, releasing Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point ( 2004 ), Game Theory (2006), and Rising Down (2008)....
Where did Black Thought and drummer?uestlove become friends?

Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts

...ve (Ahmir Khalib Thompson) became friends at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts . Moving from the street to local clubs, the Roo...
How did the Roots become a highly tipped underground act?

Moving from the street to local clubs

...e Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts. Moving from the street to local clubs , the Roots became a highly tipped underground act aroun...
What album was released in May 1993 on Remedy Records?

Organix

...t in Germany, the Roots recorded an album to sell at shows; the result, Organix , was released in May 1993 on Remedy Records. With a music industry buz...
What was the name of The Roots' first majorlabel album?

Do You Want More?!!!??

...ing with DGC that same year. The Roots' first majorlabel album, Do You Want More?!!!?? Forsaking the usual hiphop protocol, the record was produced wi...
Who formed the Roots?

Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir Questlove Thompson

...are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir Questlove Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ...
What ranked the Roots 7 on its list of the 25 Best HipHop Groups of AllTime?

ThoughtCo

... and the group's work has consistently been met with critical acclaim. ThoughtCo ranked the band 7 on its list of the 25 Best HipHop Groups of AllTime...
What are some of the side projects of the Roots?

record production, acting

... members of the Roots are involved in side projects, including record production, acting , and regularly serving as guests on other musicians' albums a...
What is Questlove?

Ahmir Questlove Thompson

...hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir Questlove Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots are kn...
What was the name of the band that began a series of name changes?

Radio Activity

...ig was a talent show in 1989 at the school where they used the name Radio Activity , which began a series of name changes that progressed through Black...
Who was the permanent bass player for the band before the release of their first album?

Leonard Hub Hubbard

... Square Roots. Another MC, Malik B., and a permanent bass player, Leonard Hub Hubbard , were added to the band before the release of their first album....
What year did the band drop the Square from the label?

1992

...bard, were added to the band before the release of their first album. In 1992 , they dropped the Square from Square Roots because a local folk group ha...
When did the band drop the Square from Square Roots?

because a local folk group had claim to the name

...In 1992, they dropped the Square from Square Roots because a local folk group had claim to the name . Unable to break through in their native Philadelp...
Where did they move to after dropping the Square?

London

... the name. Unable to break through in their native Philadelphia, the band briefly moved to London , where they would release their 1993 debut, Organix....
What kind of beat machine did the Roots use to create their music?

human

...Relying on innovative rhyming, jazzinspired instrumentals, and an actual human beat machine rather than on a deejay or samples, the Roots developed a ...
How old was I when I started rapping?

11

...as a solid history with music. For example, I've been rapping since I was 11 years old. Each of us plays the styles that we grew up with, and collecti...
What is the name of the shopping district in Philadelphia?

South Street

...ially a duo, the Square Roots built a reputation playing in local talent shows and on street corners in Philadelphia's South Street shopping district....
What did Ahmir Thompson and Tariq Trotter decide to do after meeting?

collaborate

...mmer and Tariq was an aspiring MC. Soon after meeting they decided to collaborate in an effort to pursue their mutual dream of making innovative music...
What was the name of the stage name that Ahmir took on?

Questlove

...e to adopt more clever stage names, so Ahmir Thompson took on the name Questlove and Tariq Trotter changed his name to Black Thought. The Square Roots...
What rapper was a student of The Roots?

Malik B.,

...ir work on into live music and influential lyrics. There he met rapper Malik B., who was also a student. Bassist Leonard Hub Hubbard and keyboardist S...
Who replaced Scott Storch in 1995?

Kammal Gray

...t Leonard Hub Hubbard and keyboardist Scott Storch, later replaced by Kammal Gray in 1995, also joined the band. After these three members were added ...
When did the Roots change their name?

After these three members were added to the group

...aced by Kammal Gray in 1995, also joined the band. After these three members were added to the group , they changed their name to The Roots. In 1993, t...
How many members were added to the group?

three

...later replaced by Kammal Gray in 1995, also joined the band. After these three members were added to the group, they changed their name to The Roots. ...
Where did the group release their debut album?

Remedy Records

...heir name to The Roots. In 1993, the group traveled oversees to Germany, where they recorded and released their debut album Organix on Remedy Records ....
Who formed The Roots?

Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson

...erican Hip Hop neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed ...
Where is the Roots based?

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

...y Tariq Black Thought Trotter and Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach...
In what year did The Roots release Organix?

1993

...s. 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...
What label did the band release Do You Want More?

DGC Records

...ently 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...
What was the name of the band's next album?

Illadelph Halflife

...h left the band and was replaced by Kamal Gray. Their next album, Illadelph Halflife , was released in 1996. With Illadelph Halflife the band again gai...
In what year was Illadelph Halflife released?

1996

...ced by Kamal Gray. Their next album, Illadelph Halflife, was released in 1996 . With Illadelph Halflife the band again gained members in Scratch and Di...
Where were the Root's invited to perform?

Germany

...k. When they were invited to represent stateside hiphop at a concert in Germany , the Roots recorded an album to sell at shows; the result, Organix, wa...
What label did The Roots sign with in 1993?

DGC

...ies, the Roots entertained offers from several labels before signing with DGC that same year. The Roots' first majorlabel album, Do You Want More?!!!?...
What was The Roots' first majorlabel album?

Do You Want More?!!!?? !

...ng with DGC that same year. The Roots' first majorlabel album, Do You Want More?!!!?? ! , was released in January 1995; forsaking usual hiphop protocol...
What was the name of the festival that the band went to in Switzerland?

Montreux Jazz Festival

...l. It peaked just outside the Top 100, but was mostly ignored by fans of hiphop. The band also journeyed to the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland....
What year was Questlove born?

1971

...Born in 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Questlove learned the ropes of show business from his father's band. In 1987, he cofounded the jazzhiphop ...
What was his father's band called?

the Hearts

...ad enjoyed commercial success in the late 1950s with his doowop band, the Hearts , and his mother, Jaquelin, was a model and a singer. Raised in West P...
When did Questlove first begin drumming?

two

...nd a singer. Raised in West Philadelphia, Questlove began drumming at age two and developed a fascination with music shows like Soul Train. Around tha...
Who was Questlove's father?

Lee Andrews

... the house band for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2009. His father, Lee Andrews , had enjoyed commercial success in the late 1950s with his doowop ba...
What was the name of the high school where he attended?

Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts

...Radio City Music Hall. Questlove entered the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts , which counted the future members of Boyz I...