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.
Next Movement
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
You listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Yo, one, two, one-two one-two
That's how we usually start, once again it's the Thought
The Dalai Lama of the mic, the prime minister Thought
This directed to whoever in listening range
Yo the whole state of things in the world bout to change
Black rain fallin' from the sky look strange
The ghetto is red hot, we steppin' on flames
Yo, it's inflation on the price for fame
And it was all the same, but then the antidote came
The Black Thought, ill syllablist, out the Fifth
This heavyweight rap shit I'm about to lift
LIKE, a phyllum lift up it's seed to sunlight
I plug in the mic, draw like a gunfight
I never use a cordless, or stand applaudless
Sippin' cholorophyll out of ill silver goblets
I'm like a faucet, monopoly's the object
There ain't no way to cut this tap, you got ta get wet
Your head is throbbin' and I ain't said shit yet
The Roots crew, the next movement, c'mon!
And yes y'all
You are now in tune to the sounds
Of the legendary, foundation, check it out, uh
Testin', yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
You listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Word up, the formation of words to fit
That's what I usually disturb you with
A lot of rappers never heard of this, or know half the time it is
You doubt the Illa-Fifth, what could you accomplish?
Whether they skywriting your name, or you anonymous
You be speechless, with stinging sinuses
The Roots royal highnesses through your monitors
I tilt my crown, then blow down a diamond kiss
You need to buy a CD and stop rewindin' this
I'm the finalist, shinin' like a rugged amethyst
And at your music conference, I'm the panelist
Listen close to my poetry, I examine this
Like an analyst, to see if you can handle this
Check it out
You, got the groove, emcees
Freeze, stand still, nobody move
Unless you dealin' with The Next Movement
The P-Phi-D we be the mon-u-ment
I live my life nice, but I'm not too bent
You theatrical as a Broadway play, this ain't Rent
One hundred percent, straight out the Basement
Spreading this across a planet on some next shit
How many people feelin this love music? C'mon
Yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
You listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
"The Next Movement" by The Roots is a powerful song about taking action and pushing for change. The lyrics are a call to action for the listeners to stop what they are doing and set something in motion. Black Thought, the rapper in the song, uses powerful imagery to describe the current state of the world, which he calls "red hot," and speaks to the need for change. He refers to himself as the "Dalai Lama of the mic" and a "heavyweight rap shit" that is about to lift, using metaphorical language to describe his skills as a rapper. The chorus, "Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and set it in motion, it's the next movement," is a repetitive reminder to always push for progress.
The song's instrumentals are infused with energizing beats and catchy melodies that hook listeners from the beginning. The Roots crew is known for their live instrumentation and jazz-inspired influences, and this song is no exception. Questlove, the drummer, seamlessly integrates the beat with the other instruments, creating a full and lively sound. The lyrics are delivered with precision and intensity, making the song a memorable anthem for social change. "The Next Movement" is a powerful and inspiring call to action, urging listeners to be the change they want to see in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, you go
Attention listeners, get ready for something new
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
Everyone, pause and prepare for the upcoming revolution
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Our music is on fire and we're not letting up
Yo, one, two, one-two one-two
That's how we usually start, once again it's the Thought
The Dalai Lama of the mic, the prime minister Thought
This directed to whoever in listening range
Yo the whole state of things in the world bout to change
Black rain fallin' from the sky look strange
The ghetto is red hot, we steppin' on flames
Yo, it's inflation on the price for fame
And it was all the same, but then the antidote came
The Black Thought, ill syllablist, out the Fifth
This heavyweight rap shit I'm about to lift
LIKE, a phyllum lift up it's seed to sunlight
I plug in the mic, draw like a gunfight
I never use a cordless, or stand applaudless
Sippin' cholorophyll out of ill silver goblets
I'm like a faucet, monopoly's the object
There ain't no way to cut this tap, you got ta get wet
Your head is throbbin' and I ain't said shit yet
The Roots crew, the next movement, c'mon!
The Thought (Black Thought) is back and ready to initiate change. Everything's on fire and fame comes at a higher price than ever before. He's got the skills to lift up his audience like a plant to sunlight and he's unstoppable like a high-pressure faucet. Hold on tight, this is just the beginning of the next movement.
And yes y'all
You are now in tune to the sounds
Of the legendary, foundation, check it out, uh
Welcome to the next chapter in legendary rap history. Pay attention, this is important.
Testin', yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
You listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
We're testing the limits of what's possible and asking everyone to join us on this journey towards change.
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Our music is still burning hot and we're not slowing down.
Word up, the formation of words to fit
That's what I usually disturb you with
A lot of rappers never heard of this, or know half the time it is
You doubt the Illa-Fifth, what could you accomplish?
Whether they skywriting your name, or you anonymous
You be speechless, with stinging sinuses
The Roots royal highnesses through your monitors
I tilt my crown, then blow down a diamond kiss
You need to buy a CD and stop rewindin' this
I'm the finalist, shinin' like a rugged amethyst
And at your music conference, I'm the panelist
Listen close to my poetry, I examine this
Like an analyst, to see if you can handle this
Check it out
You, got the groove, emcees
Freeze, stand still, nobody move
Unless you dealin' with The Next Movement
The P-Phi-D we be the mon-u-ment
I live my life nice, but I'm not too bent
You theatrical as a Broadway play, this ain't Rent
One hundred percent, straight out the Basement
Spreading this across a planet on some next shit
How many people feelin this love music? C'mon
Our words are carefully crafted to fit seamlessly into our music. We're so good that even other rappers don't know what hit them. We're at the top of our game and we want you to experience our music without any distractions. We're committed to our craft and dominate any music conference. Nobody can ignore our poetic lyrics and we'll see if you can handle the heat. We're a monument of music and we're taking over the world with our love music. Join us?
Yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
You listeners, stop what you're doin' and
Set it in motion, it's the next movement
We're not done yet, listeners. Get ready for the next part of the movement and let's keep this momentum going.
Word up, we got the hot hot music, The hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Our music is still fire and we're going strong.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TARIK L. COLLINS, LEONARD N. HUBBARD, AHMIR K. THOMPSON, MERCEDES MARTINEZ, TRACEY MOORE, JIMMY GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christian Riopel
I will never ever EVER get tired of this song
Devo The Ambivert
Christian Riopel right. It is timeless and immortal. It will never get boring or go out of style.
Brie Brog
Same Here!!!
payroll specialists
Word up
Matty80822
NEVER
unathi mxaku
Christian Riopel 👌
Tiya Somba Banda
The kinda music that hit the soul then and you still feel it to date. Timeless
Chronically Briana
I never get tired of The Roots/Things Fall Apart.
I’ve listened to this song like 56 times this week and I’m still not sick of it!
Eff Knucklez
This album - Adrenaline …..
Lisa White
Play it several times a day, put it on repeat and let it rolllllllllll🔥🔥🔥🔥💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾