The Roots just might be the hardest working band in hip−hop. In the past year alone they released two albums, won a Grammy award and now appear as the house band for NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."
The group, originally known as The Square Roots, formed in the late 1980s when Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter (The Roots' frontman and emcee) and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (the charismatically afro'd drummer) met at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and started making music together.
Since then, they've dropped the "Square" and added a full roster of musicians, which now includes Kamal Gray and James Poyser, both on keyboard, F. Knuckles on percussion, Captain Kirk Douglas on electric guitar, Damon "Tuba Godding Jr." Bryson on sousaphone, Owen Biddle on bass and Dice Raw as a second emcee. The group has released 10 full−length studio albums, two compilations, two EPs and a live album.
The Roots take a unique approach to hip−hop, drawing in various influences to their music, from jazz to soul to rock to funk and everything in between, to create something uniquely exciting. Rather than rely wholly on samples and electronically produced beats, The Roots do it all themselves.
The group's live shows are often cited as being more akin to rock concerts than typical hip−hop shows. With a big sound, a full roster of musicians and the talent to back it all up, Black Thought, ?uestlove and the rest of the band often seem like less of a rap act than a reliable music−making machine, churning out one great album after another, and constantly touring and performing between releases. Their enthusiasm and high−energy performances can be seen nightly on "Late Night."
RJD2, the show's opening act, is DJ/producer/multi−instrumentalist Ramble John Krohn. He specializes in a unique mix of hip−hop and electronic music. His tracks are mellow, often akin to lounge music, making him a somewhat odd choice for the Spring Fling opening slot. His best known work is "A Beautiful Mine," which is used in the opening credits of AMC's "Mad Men."
Though neither artist currently has a hit single on the Billboard charts — The Roots have only broken the Hot 100 a handful of times, and RJD2 has never appeared on the charts — both are well−known within their respective genres and have dedicated fan bases that can attest to their talent.
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