When some people hear the words “rap” or “hip hop”, they might conjure images of young blacks and Latinos with expensive cars and extravagant jewelry, dressed in sports attire, and surrounded by a bevy of scantily-clad women. Others might visualize parties in which only one man behind a pair of turntables is responsible for the event’s success. Few, if any, would think of a band of up to eight different musicians that play their own instruments.
The Roots, a legendary alternative rap group from Philadelphia, have established an amazing career marked by a willingness to shatter the stereotypes that sadly characterize hip hop culture in the eyes of many badly informed observers. Led by drummer ?uestlove and MC Black Thought, the collective’s discography totals eleven group album and three collaborations (with rapper Jay-Z and singers John Legend and Betty Wright) throughout twenty years. The hallmarks of their distinctive style are their use of acoustic instruments, the way that they mix different musical genres, and their poetic lyrics with existential themes.
Despite having never sold a platinum album, their single “You got me” was awarded a Grammy in 1999, and since 2009, they have been the house band of the NBC talk show “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”. Although it is a shame that some people know them from their role on the show and not from their prolific recording output, the media exposure that they have achieved as a result of supporting a popular comedian has considerably expanded their audience.
The albums they released in the nineties create a relaxing ambience, something that many thought hip hop music could never do. However, this does not mean that the band limited itself to soft songs during this period. “Respond/React”, “Distortion to Static”, and “Adrenaline!” go back to hip hop’s essence with their abundance of complex rhymes and pulsating beats. “What they do” criticizes rappers that compromise their integrity in an attempt to boost their mass appeal and enlarge their bank accounts. Musically, the track combines hip hop attitude with melodic jazz guitar lines and smooth neo-soul hooks. Its accompanying music video, a satirical look at hip hop clichés, is one of the best of the decade.
Even after twenty years in the business, the group keeps finding ways to innovate within their unique mixture of rap, jazz, soul, and rock. Their last album, Undun, was released on December, 2011, and immediately hailed as a classic by many critics. A concept album that narrates the final 24 hours in the life of a young thug (in reverse chronological order), it might be their most profound and elaborate creation. Every song is a story within itself, but listening to them in succession gives the listener a complete perspective on a troubled and complex character. The music, which tends to be somber and dark, creates a contemplative and melancholic atmosphere that provides the ideal background for Black Thought’s introspective rhymes.
All of the Roots’ albums display the qualities that make their music so special, but their tendency to experiment gives each of them a unique personality. As a result, their legacy is not only centered on their abundant creativity, but also in the fact that they have never exploited trends to try and sell more records. This tendency mark their own path and establish new musical tendencies has brought them a lasting and successful career in a field where one can be forgotten a year after selling millions of albums.
In January, ?uestlove announced that the band is recording its twelfth studio album, as well as a collaboration with famed English rocker Elvis Costello. Also, last week Black Thought revealed that he is currently recording a blues album - his first solo record, and another chapter in the impressive trajectory of the Philadelphia collective.
