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.
DARE VS. US
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our soldiers took 'em all
She pulled 'em in the street
That street said I smell feet
[Chorus: x2]
She wanna know if we can be together
Man even if it ain't gon' be forever
The only thing I ever loved in my life was the mic
Trust me it's somethin' bout the way I touch her
The way that I hold her, the way I clutch her
She move a lot but that ain't shit to me
Man, I need that bitch and that bitch need me
And I ain't even talkin' bout r.a.p.
Them other ladies be the same, they no worry me (uh)
Sit back, I spit that shit that get better than
Make a veteran sit back
Cruisin', mic check one twos
And if y'all not us then that's why y'all losin'
Ate up, no time to wake up
No masquerades, nigga move the makeup
Just do it, put the hop into it
And when y'all lose it don't blame the music
Half y'all fell in love with the whore
The question is if you don't love her what you fuckin' her for, nigga?
[Chorus: x2]
Fucks the problem? dog we mobbin'
The squad roll thicker than some hemoglobin
I'll scare y'all quicker than a mean ol' goblin
Ain't no bullshit, me and my amigos poppin' (huh)
We get started ain't gon' be no stoppin'
You gon' jump because it ain't gon' be no option
I'm totally contagious black rans the gauge ya language
Black thought aka, Larry Davis (huh)
Got rhymes runnin' off the pages
Tighter than the bushes with the Saudi Arabians
Darker than a oil well, sharp as a saber-tooth tiger
Ridin' on a straight edge razor
You walk talkin' on a two way pager
Til ya main thing gettin' me the captain saver
I hold black sly cuz I be the fan of the mic
Grip tight like is not gonna tear ya huh
The hip biatch she ain't ya diop
All that, in a banana cognac diatch
Pony hair coat, my boots is ostriach
Black ink back
Turn me up another ne-otch huh
[Chorus]
Young truck in this fuckin' game
What a nigga is, if he runnin' the game
I bring pain from the summer to sprang
Spit game, get ya chick, make her leave wit the game
Wanna talk a little shit I'll make ya walk wit a cane
Got 'em half steppin' like they walk wit cane
Here I am, r-a-w, raw
Truck north introducin' y'all
The way I slang game make ya dame insane
I'm superman, not clark kent to lois lane
I'm out for the paper, y'all out for the fame
There's five left in your fifteen minutes of fame
I ain't got no problems bringin' drama to y'all
You'll never score like a punter runnin' with the ball
I squeeze mics 'til the cords is sore
It's truck north, the man and the myth signin' off, yo
[chorus]
The Roots's song Dave Vs. US is a rap track with a heavy focus on the lyrics. The first verse talks about a woman named momma who has been to moose before and soldiers taking them all. It seems to be a reference to a sexual act, with the "smell feet" line suggesting that it was not pleasant. The chorus talks about the desire for a one-night stand despite knowing it won't last forever. The singer is in love with the mic more than anything else in their life. The second verse is about the squad and how they are going places, and will not be stopped. The language is not eloquent, but the use of rhyme and a sturdy beat make it powerful. The last verse is from Truck North, introducing himself as a rapper who is out for the paper, not the fame. He will bring drama if needed and is confident of his ability to make women go insane with his words.
The song has a lot of slang and other cultural references that may be hard to understand for those not familiar with the genre. It is a somewhat aggressive, braggadocious song which is common in rap. The lyrics are not meant to be taken literally but rather as a display of confidence and toughness. The choice of language is also meant to be provocative and push boundaries. The naming of the song, "Dave vs US," is a bit of a mystery, but it may suggest that the artist is challenging the established order and is against authority or the mainstream.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo momma went on moose
Your mother went crazy
Our soldiers took 'em all
Our military defeated the enemy
She pulled 'em in the street
She confronted them in public
That street said I smell feet
The situation was unpleasant and uncomfortable
She wanna know if we can be together
She is interested in a romantic relationship
Man even if it ain't gon' be forever
It doesn't matter if the relationship is short-lived
Well it can only be for one night
The relationship can only exist temporarily
The only thing I ever loved in my life was the mic
The artist's true passion is music
Trust me it's somethin' bout the way I touch her
The artist has a special connection with his music
The way that I hold her, the way I clutch her
The artist has a deep emotional attachment to his music
Man, I need that bitch and that bitch need me
The singer relies on music for emotional fulfillment
And I ain't even talkin' bout r.a.p.
The artist's love for music goes beyond his job as a rapper
Them other ladies be the same, they no worry me (uh)
Other women are not important to the singer
Sit back, I spit that shit that get better than
The singer is confident in his ability to create great music
Make a veteran sit back
Even experienced musicians are impressed by the singer's talent
Cruisin', mic check one twos
The artist is performing a sound check while driving
And if y'all not us then that's why y'all losin'
Those who are not like the artist are not succeeding in music
Ate up, no time to wake up
The singer is fully invested in his music career and has no time for rest
No masquerades, nigga move the makeup
The singer encourages authenticity and honesty in music
Just do it, put the hop into it
The artist urges musicians to put energy and passion into their music
And when y'all lose it don't blame the music
The artist argues that lack of success in music is not the fault of the art form
Half y'all fell in love with the whore
Many musicians are more interested in fame than creating quality music
The question is if you don't love her what you fuckin' her for, nigga?
Why pursue a career in music if you don't love the art form?
Fucks the problem? dog we mobbin'
There is no issue, we are working together
The squad roll thicker than some hemoglobin
The group is close-knit and has each other's backs
I'll scare y'all quicker than a mean ol' goblin
The singer is intimidating and can strike fear in others
Ain't no bullshit, me and my amigos poppin' (huh)
The group is genuinely talented and successful
We get started ain't gon' be no stoppin'
Once they start working, nothing can stop them
You gon' jump because it ain't gon' be no option
Others will be forced to jump on board because their success is inevitable
I'm totally contagious black rans the gauge ya language
The singer's talent and energy is infectious
Got rhymes runnin' off the pages
The singer has an abundance of creative ideas
Tighter than the bushes with the Saudi Arabians
The group has a close bond, like the Saudi Arabian royal family
Darker than a oil well, sharp as a saber-tooth tiger
The group is intimidating and powerful
Ridin' on a straight edge razor
The group lives on the edge and takes risks
You walk talkin' on a two way pager
Others are slow and out of touch with current trends
Til ya main thing gettin' me the captain saver
Others will eventually realize that the artist's music is saving them
I hold black sly cuz I be the fan of the mic
The singer reveres the microphone and takes his music seriously
Grip tight like is not gonna tear ya huh
The singer performs with intensity and control
The hip biatch she ain't ya diop
Fame and attention from women are not the priority
All that, in a banana cognac diatch
The group is stylish and fashionable
Pony hair coat, my boots is ostriach
The artist's wardrobe is luxurious and expensive
Black ink back
The singer's raps are bold and powerful
Turn me up another ne-otch huh
The singer wants his music to be louder and more intense
Young truck in this fuckin' game
The artist is a new and talented musician
What a nigga is, if he runnin' the game
A musician's status is defined by their success
I bring pain from the summer to sprang
The artist's music has impact year-round
Spit game, get ya chick, make her leave wit the game
The singer's music is so attractive that even women are drawn to it
Wanna talk a little shit I'll make ya walk wit a cane
Those who talk poorly about the artist will face consequences
Got 'em half steppin' like they walk wit cane
The singer's competitors are not performing at their best
Here I am, r-a-w, raw
The singer is authentically himself
Truck north introducin' y'all
The singer is introducing himself to new fans
The way I slang game make ya dame insane
The artist's music is so good that it can drive women crazy
I'm superman, not clark kent to lois lane
The artist is more powerful and impressive than a mild-mannered alter ego
I'm out for the paper, y'all out for the fame
The singer is motivated by financial success, not just fame
There's five left in your fifteen minutes of fame
Other musicians' time in the spotlight is limited
I ain't got no problems bringin' drama to y'all
The artist is not afraid of confrontation
You'll never score like a punter runnin' with the ball
Others will never be as successful as the artist
I squeeze mics 'til the cords is sore
The artist performs with such intensity that the equipment can't keep up
It's truck north, the man and the myth signin' off, yo
The singer is signing off with his trademark status as an enigma
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AHMIR K. THOMPSON, DAVID MICHAEL MURRAY, ROZELL MANELY BROWN
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!