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.
Atonement
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trapped in the heat of the moment
Feelin' like I can't control it
As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment
Uh huh, feelin' the steam from the cauldron
With tension runnin' deep as the ocean
Many are called, but so few are chosen
As I go through the motions, of medication uppin' my dosage
Bangin' Earth, Wind & Fire "Devotion" as I admire the focus
Takin' the city with a grain of salt
Where they tastin' foul, chase it down, with the latest malt liquor
Roll and hit it, knife did it, hope you got some smarts with you
Hope you got some heart it ain't no stoppin' when it start, nigga
Feel somethin' bigger got a hold on me
And I ain't trippin' not a Bobby Brown, lippin' with my nose runnin'
Basically I had two, options I just chose one
And then got ghost, like my picture was on a most wanted
Coast to coast, from L.A. to Chicago
Now I'm faced, with the weight of survival, plus the taste
From the way I been lied to while the preacher man spittin' his gospel
I can win if I try to
As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment
Feelin' like I can't control it
As I wait for atonement
Trapped in the heat of the moment
The Roots's "Atonement" is a song that delves into a crisis of self and the search for redemption. The lyrics convey a sense of being trapped in the heat of the moment, waiting for atonement to come. The singer is struggling to control their emotions and is overwhelmed by the tension they feel. The song speaks to the struggle of being caught in the grip of something bigger than oneself, but still holding onto hope that atonement and redemption are possible.
The song touches on themes of addiction, pain, and the desire to change. The singer is taking medication to cope with their situation, but it feels as if they are just going through the motions. They are faced with the weight of survival and have to bear the burden of the lies they have been told. Despite this, they still believe that they can win if they try. The use of "Atonement" in the title implies that the singer is looking for forgiveness and seeking to make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
As I wait for atonement
I am seeking redemption for my past actions and waiting for a chance to make things right
Trapped in the heat of the moment
I am stuck in a difficult situation with intense emotions and struggling to escape it
Uh huh, feelin' the steam from the cauldron
I am surrounded by tension and conflict that is boiling and ready to erupt
With tension runnin' deep as the ocean
The level of tension and conflict is as vast and deep as the ocean
Many are called, but so few are chosen
Many people attempt to solve the problem, but only a select few are successful in doing so
As I go through the motions, of medication uppin' my dosage
I am taking medication to help control my emotions, but it feels like I am only going through the motions
Bangin' Earth, Wind & Fire "Devotion" as I admire the focus
I am listening to music to help me focus and find inspiration
Takin' the city with a grain of salt
I am approaching the situation with skepticism and caution
Where they tastin' foul, chase it down, with the latest malt liquor
The situation is unpleasant, and I am trying to distract myself with alcohol
Roll and hit it, knife did it, hope you got some smarts with you
I am taking risks in the situation and hoping that I have the intelligence and ability to handle them
Hope you got some heart it ain't no stoppin' when it start, nigga
I am warning others that once the conflict starts, there is no stopping it and they need to have courage to face it
Feel somethin' bigger got a hold on me
I sense that there is a greater force at play in the situation that I cannot control
And I ain't trippin' not a Bobby Brown, lippin' with my nose runnin'
I am not worried about the situation causing me to lose control, like Bobby Brown did when he was on drugs
Basically I had two, options I just chose one
I had two choices in the situation, and I made a decision
And then got ghost, like my picture was on a most wanted
I disappeared from the situation as if I was a wanted criminal
Coast to coast, from L.A. to Chicago
I have traveled across the country, experiencing the same types of conflicts in different places
Now I'm faced, with the weight of survival, plus the taste
I am dealing with the pressure to survive and the consequences of my actions
From the way I been lied to while the preacher man spittin' his gospel
I have been deceived by people who are supposed to be trustworthy, even while listening to religious sermons
I can win if I try to
I have the ability to overcome the situation if I put forth the effort and try
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS EDWARD YORKE, JONATHAN RICHARD GUY GREENWOOD, EDWARD JOHN O'BRIEN, PHILIP JAMES SELWAY, COLIN CHARLES GREENWOOD, TARIK TROTTER, KARL B JENKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paperbagman555
One of The Roots' chillest songs - love it.
DJFreudian
you don't know the excitement i felt once i heard You and Whose Army today. I was just playing that song for the first time while doing some hw and it just caught my ear....and i was like...."i know that! Wow The Roots sampled this?!" Awesome
Electric Whelk
The Roots and Radiohead go really well together... it makes sense, really, they always reminded me of each other. They both manage to be textured and lush while also being super anthemic.
Allen Skip
Exactly this. Two of my favorite bands of all time
J.G. Finch
love this
musiklover5238
This Album set the bar for me. This is one of those tracks where you never hear music the same after. Few things compare.
A.K.
This is what a real sample sounds like! Incredibly reworked, not just pasted!
Andreas Konnaris
for anyone who wonders, the sample is taken from radioheas's "you and whose army?". Questlove is a beast....Great song
Discord67
The greatest lyricist of all time with one of the most spine chilling samples.
Jerry Carrasco Jr
Radiohead atonement