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.
Panic
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look out the window, peep the high beams
Now they searchin', the cops lookin' for the person
That pulled the trigga
Medical figures is nursin' the kid that got shot
Some innocent ak that would front
To flip the rock on them at King Street block
I tried to tell him to stop 'cause yo, it's ghetto red hot
I take a step out the spot, to the point of attack
And see the shorty wop heart blast out his back
Damn, I'm thinkin' it don't cease, it's no more peace
Police level increase, but what the fuck
It's still crime on the streets
I can't breathe, now what's goin' on?
One minute you alive, the next, you're gone
Illadel-P-H-I-A Hell
Bust off into the heavens for the nigga who fell
And hit the L, for the niggaz who fell
When that could have been prevented
In front of the flat your moms rented
And no one expect that from you, 'cause you was timid
Fuckin' with them cats from outside city limits
Funny how this whole thing changed, an off minute
Yo, dig it, Panic!
None of this is ever granted
Drownin' in a nightmare, stranded
The opening lyrics of The Roots's song "Panic!!!" describe waking up to the sounds of gunshots and sirens, and looking out the window to see police searching for the person who pulled the trigger. The singer then witnesses a young boy being nursed after being shot, described as a victim of innocent AK-47 fire. He reflects on the violence that pervades his community, and the constant presence of police in response to it. The chorus, "Panic!" reflects both the feeling of helplessness in the face of such regular violence, as well as a possible reference to the police response to it, which may only escalate matters further.
The song ultimately seems to express a sense of hopelessness in the face of systemic violence and the inability of individuals or communities to change it. The singer hints at the various factors contributing to this violence - the drug trade, gang activity from people outside the community, and the omnipresent physical and psychic presence of law enforcement - but ultimately, it seems he sees no clear way forward. The song is both a commentary on the particular neighborhood the singer lives in and a larger critique of the systems and structures that perpetuate such violence.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up in the darkness at 12:17, to shots and sirens
I woke up to the sound of gunshots and sirens at 12:17 AM
Look out the window, peep the high beams
I looked out of the window and saw the high beams of the police cars
Now they searchin', the cops lookin' for the person
The police are searching for the person who pulled the trigger
That pulled the trigga
The person who fired the gun
Medical figures is nursin' the kid that got shot
Medical personnel are taking care of the kid who got shot
Some innocent ak that would front
An innocent person who was trying to act tough
To flip the rock on them at King Street block
To sell drugs on King Street block
I tried to tell him to stop 'cause yo, it's ghetto red hot
I tried to advise him to stop because it's dangerous to sell drugs in the ghetto
Similar to the blood now floodin' his top
The blood flowing from his head is a common sight in such dangerous situations
I take a step out the spot, to the point of attack
I stepped out of the place where I was and went towards the scene of the crime
And see the shorty wop heart blast out his back
And saw the kid's heart burst out of his back due to the bullet wound
Damn, I'm thinkin' it don't cease, it's no more peace
I'm thinking that the violence and unrest won't stop, and there won't be any peace
Police level increase, but what the fuck
Even though the police presence has increased, there is no stopping the crime
It's still crime on the streets
There is still crime on the streets
I can't breathe, now what's goin' on?
I'm feeling suffocated and confused about the situation
One minute you alive, the next, you're gone
One minute you're alive, and the next moment you're dead
Illadel-P-H-I-A Hell
Philadelphia is like a hell on earth
Bust off into the heavens for the nigga who fell
A tribute to the person who died and went to heaven
And hit the L, for the niggaz who fell
Smoke a joint in remembrance of the others who have died
When that could have been prevented
The whole incident could have been avoided
In front of the flat your moms rented
In front of the apartment that your mother rented
And no one expect that from you, 'cause you was timid
No one expected this from you because you were shy
Fuckin' with them cats from outside city limits
Getting involved with people from outside the city who are troublemakers
Funny how this whole thing changed, an off minute
It's strange how things changed in a moment's notice
Yo, dig it, Panic!
Hey, listen, panic!
None of this is ever granted
Nothing in life is guaranteed
Drownin' in a nightmare, stranded
Feeling trapped and helpless like I'm drowning in a nightmare
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AHMIR K. THOMPSON, ROZELL MANELY BROWN, TARIK L. COLLINS
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!