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., bassist Leonard Hubbardand 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. A percussionist, Knuckles, was added in 2002 and guitarist, Kirk Douglas (a.k.a. "Captain Kirk") repleaced Kenney. A vocalist, Martin Luther toured with The Roots in 2003 and 2004 and contributed to their album The Tipping Point. The current members of The Roots are Black Thought (MC vocals), ?uestlove (drums), Hub (bass), Kamal (keyboard), Knuckles (percussion), and Captain Kirk (guitar).
The Roots' debut album, Organix released in 1993, was actually a live recording from a concert in Germany that the Roots sold at their shows. The album earned enough industry buzz to earn the Roots offers from major record labels, and they signed with DGC records, which at the time was better known for its grunge music releases.
The Roots' first album for DGC, Do You Want More?!!!??! (recorded live without the use of samples), was a moderate hit on alternative radio. Their 1996 release Illadelph Halflife was the group's first album to crack the Top 40 on Billboard's album chart, spurred in part by MTV's airplay of the video for "What They Do", a parody of rap video clichés such as the "beatdown shot," and "Clones" which was their first to single to reach the top five on the rap charts.
In 1999, The Roots released Things Fall Apart (named after a novel by Chinua Achebe), their breakthrough album. The track "You Got Me", duet with R'n'B singer Erykah Badu, earned them a Grammy award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group.
In 2000, Dice Raw left the group to record his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead.
The Roots' reputation as a hip-hop live band made Jay-Z call on them for his MTV Unplugged album in 2002. The album featured good recreations of many of his great songs, played by the band with a little help from female vocalist Jaguar Wright.
2002's Phrenology introduced a more mainstream sound for the Roots, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The album's sales were boosted by radio and TV airplay for two duets on the album, "Break You Off" (featuring Musiq Soulchild) and "The Seed 2.0" (featuring Cody ChestnuTT). The video for "The Seed 2.0" earned a nomination for the MTV2 Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. "The Seed" was also featured on the soundtrack to the Mandy Moore movie Chasing Liberty. Phrenology was certified gold (signifying U.S. sales of at least 500,000 units) in June 2003.
The Roots' 2004 release, The Tipping Point, took its name from a 2000 book by Malcolm Gladwell. The album earned two more Grammy nominations: one for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Star", and another for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for the track "Don't Say Nuthin'". The album was an immediate hit, debuting at #4 on the Billboard album chart and selling over 100,000 copies in its first week of release.
On November 15, 2005 The Roots released two compilation albums, Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide To Understanding The Roots, Volumes 1 & 2. These two separately sold discs are a compilation of past hits, live performances, and rare remixes compiled by ?uestlove himself. They also feature 70 pages of liner notes written by ?uestlove. These two albums marked the Roots' last releases on Geffen Records.
The Roots' album, Game Theory, was released on August 29, 2006. The album, which features a track that samples the song "You and Whose Army" by Radiohead, was released on Jay-Z's Def Jam.
The Roots next album 'Rising Down' was released on April 29th 2008. Features tracks with Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Saigon, and other greats.
The Make Me Songfacts reports that The Roots' eleventh album, undun, is their first concept album. It tells the story of a man called Redford Stephens who died in 1999 at the age of 25. We hear Redford retelling his life post-mortem and attempting to deconstruct what led to his undoing.
The Roots are also the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon airing first on March 2nd, 2009.
Act Too...The Love Of My Life
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hip-hop check it out
It's like that uh and it sounds so nice
Hip-hop, you the love of my life
We bout to take it to the to the to the, check it out
Yo, what, and it sounds so nice
Hip-hop, you the love of my life
I'm bout to take it to the top, what
To the top hip-hop, check it out
It's like, word up, and it sounds so nice
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life, of my life
The anticipation arose as time froze
I stared off the stage with my eyes closed and dove
Into the deep cosmos
The impact pushed back, the first five rows
But before the raw live shows
I remember I's a little snot-nosed
Rocking Cazal goggles and Izod clothes
Learning the ropes of ghetto survival
Peeping out the situation I had to slide through
Had to watch my back, my front, plus my sides too
When it came to getting mine I ain't trying, to argue
Sometimes I wouldn'ta made it if it wasn't for you
Hip-hop, you the love of my life and that's true
When I was handling the shit I had to do
It was all for you, from the door for you
Speak through you, getting paper on tour for you
From the start, Thought was down by law for you
Used to hit up every corner store wall for you
We ripped shit and kept it hardcore for you
I remember late nights, steady rocking the mic
Hip-hop you the love of my life
So tell the people like that y'all
And it sounds so nice
Hip-hop, you the love of my life
We bout to take it to the top
I was speaking, to my guy 'Riq and
How she was desperately seeking to Organize in a Konfusion
Using no protection, told H.E.R. on Resurrection
Caught up in the Hype Williams, and lost H.E.R. direction
Getting ate in sections where I wouldn't eat H.E.R
An under the counter love, so silently I treat H.E.R
Her Daddy'll beat H.E.R., eyes all Puff-ed
In the mix on tape, niggas had her in the buff
When we touch, it was more than just a fuck
The Police
In H.E.R. I found peace
Like Malcolm in the East
Seen H.E.R. on the streets of New York, tricking off
Tried to make a hit with H.E.R. but my dick went soft
Movin weight, losing weight
Not picky with who she choose to date
To confuse the hate with her struggle I relate
Close to thirty
Most of the niggas she know is dirty
Having more babies than Lauryn
She started showing early
As of late I realized, that this is H.E.R. fate
Or destiny that brings the best of me
It's like God is testing me
In retrospect I see she brought life and death to me
Peace to us collectively, live and direct when we perform
It's just coffee shop chicks and White dudes
Over H.E.R. I got into it with that nigga Ice Cube
Now the fight moved to in life, making the right moves
Besides God and family, you my life's jewel
Like that y'all, hip-hop
It's like, word up, and it sounds nice
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life, what
Bout to take you to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the, yo
Fifth Dynamite, and it sounds so nice
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life
I'm bout to take you to the top love
Hip-Hop, word up, to the top (to the top)
Hip-Hop, check it out
It's like that, what
And it sounds alright
Hey, cause you the love of my life
I'm bout to take you to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the, check it out
What, yeah and it sounds so nice
Hip-hop, you the love of my life
Bout to take you to the top love
Hip-hop, hip-hop to the top (to the top) hip-hop (hip-hop)
Fifth Dynamite, and it sounds alright
Hey, cause you the love of my life
I'm bout to take you to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the
To the to the to the to the, check it out, yo
Ye-yeh-yo, yo, and it sounds so nice
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life
We bout to take you to the top love
Hip-hop, hip-hop
To the top, to the top
Hip-hop, hip-hop
Check it out, it's like, yeah, and it's sounds alright
Hip-Hop, you the love of my life
We bout, take it to the to the to the
The Roots' song, Act Too…The Love of My Life, is a tribute to hip-hop culture. The song describes the importance of hip-hop in the lives of the artists and how it has helped them overcome difficult times. The lyrics describe the struggles of being a young man in the ghetto, trying to survive in a harsh environment. The song acknowledges the various stages of hip-hop history and how it has changed over time.
The song also speaks about the impact of hip-hop on personal relationships. The lyrics reference a woman, who is represented as "H.E.R.", and how she represents the chaotic nature of hip-hop culture. This woman is personified as tempting and rebellious, which affects the artist's relationship with her. Despite the challenges, the love for hip-hop remains a constant.
Overall, the song highlights how important hip-hop culture is for the artists, and how it has played a significant role in shaping their identity and becoming who they are.
Line by Line Meaning
Hip-hop y'all, to the top y'all
We're celebrating and elevating hip-hop to the highest level
It's like that uh and it sounds so nice
Hip-hop is smooth and sounds great
Hip-hop, you the love of my life
Hip-hop holds a special place in our hearts
The anticipation arose as time froze
We were excited and waiting anxiously for what was to come
I stared off the stage with my eyes closed and dove
I was fully immersed in the music and the moment
Into the deep cosmos
I felt like I was exploring unknown depths of the universe
The impact pushed back, the first five rows
The music was so powerful that it physically impacted the audience
But before the raw live shows
This is all in preparation for the live performance
I remember I's a little snot-nosed
I was just a kid when I fell in love with hip-hop
Rocking Cazal goggles and Izod clothes
I was wearing the latest fashion to go along with the music
Learning the ropes of ghetto survival
Hip-hop taught me how to survive in tough, urban neighborhoods
Peeping out the situation I had to slide through
I had to be aware of my surroundings and navigate through difficult situations
Had to watch my back, my front, plus my sides too
I had to be alert and cautious at all times
When it came to getting mine I ain't trying, to argue
I was focused on achieving my goals and didn't waste time on arguing
Sometimes I wouldn'ta made it if it wasn't for you
Hip-hop was a crucial factor in my success and survival
The Police
This line is referencing the band The Police, who also had a hit song called 'Roxanne' which The Roots sampled in this song
In H.E.R. I found peace
The lyrics are personifying hip-hop as 'H.E.R.' and highlighting how it brings comfort to the artist's life
Trying to make a hit with H.E.R. but my dick went soft
This is a reference to the artist struggling to create music despite his love for hip-hop
Besides God and family, you my life's jewel
Hip-hop is one of the most valuable things in the artist's life, after their faith and loved ones
Fifth Dynamite, and it sounds so nice
The artist is shouting out and celebrating the hip-hop group Fifth Dynamite
To the top, to the top
We're taking hip-hop to the highest level possible
Check it out, it's like, yeah, and it's sounds alright
Hip-hop is still great and sounds good to us
We bout, take it to the to the to the
We're ready to take hip-hop to the next level, whatever that may be
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES JASON POYSER, TARIK L COLLINS, LEONARD HUBBARD, LONNIE RASHID LYNN, AHMIR K THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Ball
on Proceed V (Da Beatminerz remix)
So after purchasing “Do You Want More” the day it dropped, my guy the upped me from jump (pass the popcorn obvi) found this join on a European release and pressed play…the rest is history. But there in lies my question…what IS the history, the story on how, where, when, this was created? I need to know for context. Drop a link if there is one out there PLEASE! V 5 is a masterpiece!