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.
One Time
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it was time to ride on some niggas funny talking
If too much money talking
We make em economize
Real rap, no tale spinning, such is the life of a
Kam-I-Ka-Ze pilot
We wilin' out of control until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con
Feared in all streets so, if you ever see me out in y’all streets
I never hope for the best
I wish a nigga would
Turn around and walk away
I wish a nigga could
Listen to my instincts and say fuck the rest
But once you’ve had the best better ain’t as good
Weak heartedness cannot be involved
Stick to the script, nigga, fuck your improv
Like the samurai
The street’s Hammurabi Code
Play your part, shut the fuck up, and do as I was told
I was always late for the bus
Just once can I be on time
Then I start to think what’s the rush
Who wants to be on time
Feeling unlucky and if I ever got lucky it was one time
In this crazy world
Not a thing I fear besides fear itself
This is clearly a lesson learned for someone else
Reach for the crown of thorns upon the shelf
Cross around my neck
I’ve been taught by stealth
Capture this moment in time, it’s a smash and grab
And where my party people y’all finna have a blast
You say goodbye, I say hello first and last
Hello hello, Now all of y’all elevate your glass
To an example of what time will do to you
When those nameless things just keep on eluding you
When shit is new to you and lies is true to you
Words of suspects-usual, coming though to you
Man, I guess if I was ever lucky it was one time
Then I went missing looking for the sublime
A nigga stayed low, left the ladder unclimbed
Time after time, verse blank, the line un-rhymed
You ever wonder what’s the big fuss
For everyone be on time
What’s the big deal, why do they feel
The need to have us marching on line
Feeling unlucky and if I’d ever got lucky it was one time
In this crazy world
I wonder when you die do you hear harps and bagpipes
If you born on the other side of the crack pipe
Niggas learn math just to understand the crack price
Then drive in head first like the jack knife
Cause out here, yo you niggas can’t belly flop
If you wanna make the noise inside your belly stop
One time means being on the front line
Being on the front line means ducking one time
The pendulum swinging my way, couldn’t be more blind
Niggas talk to the cops? Not even one time
Cause we all going down just like the sub prime
Or a cheap ass half gallon of Ballantine
But hopping over gates to escape is sublime
Then through the alley way and down to the sub line
Tales from the streets
A life of high crime
To make it to the bottom
Such a high climb
I was always late for the bus
Just once can I be on time
Then I start to think what’s the rush
Who wants to be on time
Feeling unlucky and if I ever got lucky it was one time
In this crazy world
The Roots's song One Time is a mixture of social commentary, lyrical cleverness, and hard-hitting beats. The lyrics explore the themes of struggle and perseverance in the face of adversity, with the opening lines showcasing the violence that permeates the singer's environment. He's a "Kam-I-Ka-Ze pilot" who's "wilin' out of control," with his madness being a testament to the absurdity of life in the streets. The chorus finds the singer reflecting on his tardiness and bad luck, lamenting about how he's always seemingly missing his shot. The latter half of the song dives deeper into introspection, with the singer questioning the afterlife and reflecting on the harsh realities of dealing drugs.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, the spirit in the sky scream homicide
The atmosphere warns of violence and danger.
But it was time to ride on some niggas funny talking
It was necessary to confront those who were disrespectful.
If too much money talking
If they are flaunting their wealth excessively.
We make em economize
We force them to be frugal and conservative with their money.
Real rap, no tale spinning, such is the life of a Kam-I-Ka-Ze pilot
Truthful music, not fabrication, is the norm for someone living recklessly like a kamikaze pilot.
We wilin' out of control until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con
We are living wild and carelessly, and our actions may eventually make headlines like a comic book convention.
Feared in all streets so, if you ever see me out in y’all streets
I am respected and feared wherever I go.
Find another one to occupy
Avoid confronting me on the streets and find something else to do.
I never hope for the best
I do not rely on hope or chance for success.
I wish a nigga would
I am daring someone to challenge me or start a confrontation.
Turn around and walk away
Leave without instigating a conflict.
I wish a nigga could
I am still daring someone to try and fight me.
Listen to my instincts and say fuck the rest
Trust my gut and ignore anyone who tries to stop me.
But once you’ve had the best better ain’t as good
When you have experienced great success, anything less is no longer satisfying.
Weak heartedness cannot be involved
I cannot afford to be timid or indecisive.
Stick to the script, nigga, fuck your improv
Follow the plan closely and do not deviate from it.
Like the samurai
Similar to the code of honor followed by Japanese warriors.
The street’s Hammurabi Code
The unwritten laws of the streets that dictate appropriate behavior.
Play your part, shut the fuck up, and do as I was told
Accept your role, be quiet, and obey my commands.
Not a thing I fear besides fear itself
The only thing that scares me is the feeling of being scared.
This is clearly a lesson learned for someone else
I have already learned this lesson, but someone else may still need to learn it.
Reach for the crown of thorns upon the shelf
Strive for greatness, even if it means enduring pain and suffering.
Cross around my neck, I’ve been taught by stealth
I have been silently instructed to follow a particular belief system.
Capture this moment in time, it’s a smash and grab
Take advantage of this brief window of opportunity as quickly and efficiently as possible.
And where my party people y’all finna have a blast
Let's celebrate and have a good time.
You say goodbye, I say hello first and last
I am confident in my greetings, both the first and the last.
Hello hello, Now all of y’all elevate your glass
Cheers, everyone raise your glasses and celebrate.
To an example of what time will do to you
Let's honor someone who has experienced the effects of time.
When those nameless things just keep on eluding you
When those obscure things that you cannot even name continue to escape you.
When shit is new to you and lies is true to you
When everything is unfamiliar and deception seems like the only truth.
Words of suspects-usual, coming though to you
You are hearing typical statements from those who are under suspicion.
Man, I guess if I was ever lucky it was one time
Perhaps I was fortunate once in my life.
Then I went missing looking for the sublime
I disappeared while searching for something truly beautiful or exceptional.
A nigga stayed low, left the ladder unclimbed
I avoided being in the spotlight and did not reach my full potential.
Time after time, verse blank, the line un-rhymed
Repeatedly, I struggle to write coherent and meaningful lyrics.
You ever wonder what’s the big fuss
Have you ever considered why people make a big deal out of things?
For everyone be on time
Why is being punctual such a big deal for everyone?
What’s the big deal, why do they feel
Why do people attach so much importance to being on time?
The need to have us marching on line
Why do others insist on us conforming and marching in step with them?
I wonder when you die do you hear harps and bagpipes
I ponder what happens after we die, and if these musical instruments are associated with the afterlife.
If you born on the other side of the crack pipe
If you are born into and raised in an environment of drug addiction and poverty.
Niggas learn math just to understand the crack price
People in such environments must learn mathematical skills to comprehensively understand how much drugs cost.
Then drive in head first like the jack knife
Then aggressively and recklessly engage in drug dealing to make money.
Cause out here, yo you niggas can’t belly flop
Because out here, you cannot make mistakes or fail without consequences.
If you wanna make the noise inside your belly stop
If you want to silence your hunger pangs or discomfort due to your impoverished condition.
One time means being on the front line
Being on the front line means being in a visible and significant role.
Being on the front line means ducking one time
Being in a prominent role also means being at risk of confrontation or danger and having to avoid these situations.
The pendulum swinging my way, couldn’t be more blind
Fortune or success is currently in my favor, though unaware of how fleeting it can be.
Niggas talk to the cops? Not even one time
We do not speak to law enforcement, not even once or under any circumstances.
Cause we all going down just like the sub prime
Because we are all headed towards failure or a challenging situation, similar to the subprime mortgage crisis.
Or a cheap ass half gallon of Ballantine
Like an inferior or low-quality bottle of whiskey.
But hopping over gates to escape is sublime
Evading difficulties or danger in secret is a liberating experience.
Then through the alley way and down to the sub line
Then through the backstreets and down to the subway station.
Tales from the streets
Stories about the harsh realities and dangers of living in certain areas.
A life of high crime
A life of engaging in illegal activities.
To make it to the bottom
To succeed and reach the lowest point in one's business or activity.
Such a high climb
To reach such success requires significant effort and perseverance.
Feeling unlucky and if I ever got lucky it was one time
I often feel as though I have bad luck, and if I have ever experienced good luck, it was only once.
In this crazy world
In this unpredictable and chaotic society.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: PHONTE COLEMAN, KARL JENKINS, BRENT REYNOLDS, AHMIR THOMPSON, TARIK TROTTER
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!