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.
Represent
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'ai rod pas mal de jours dans ta cour
Tu m'as sduit, je voulais te faire l'amour
Ceux qui vivaient dans tes envies rock and roll
Sont devenus des bouches qui s'affolent
Les modes ont engendr les modes
Tes hros se sont trs vite fatigus
D'autres plus jeunes les ont remplacs
Angleterre, Angleterre. Thatcher te cote cher
Angleterre, Angleterre, sur tes murs se lit la misre
La face ride le sourire coinc
Tu as pour toi le look de l'anne
Les gens dans tes bras ne sourient pas ne sourient plus
Le peuple des ghettos se bat dans tes rues
La crise a repart ptrodollars
En Rpublique d'Irlande circulent tes chars
Tu n'tais pas faite pour ternir
Les mirs auraient pu t'entretenir
Angleterre, Angleterre
Angleterre, Angleterre
Angleterre, Angleterre
Angleterre, Angleterre
Angleterre, Angleterre, la grisaille des annes de guerre
Angleterre, Angleterre. Thatcher te cote cher
Angleterre, Angleterre, balles de plastique en rprimande
Angleterre, Angleterre. Face aux enfants de Bobby Sands
Angleterre, Angleterre, sur tes murs se lit la misre.
The Roots's song Represent is a cover of French band Trust's 1980s hit single of the same name. The lyrics delve into the state of England at the time, with references to the societal changes brought about by rock and roll music and the replacement of old heroes with new ones, as well as the political climate under Margaret Thatcher's government. The singer reflects on their attraction to England's aesthetic and look, but also recognizes the struggles faced by the people in the ghettos and the use of violence by the government in suppressing dissent.
The lyrics make use of repetition and contrast, emphasizing the disparities between England's image and reality. The repeated refrain of "Angleterre, Angleterre" serves to both highlight the singer's captivation with England and to underscore the various social and political issues that plague the country. The contrast between the look of the year and the lack of smiles on people's faces in England also reinforces this message.
Furthermore, the song references the Troubles in Northern Ireland, with the mention of tanks circulating in the Republic of Ireland, and the imprisonment and hunger strikes of IRA member Bobby Sands. This adds to the song's commentary on the political turbulence of the time, especially in relation to Thatcher's government and its policies.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai rod pas mal de jours dans ta cour
I've spent quite a few days in your courtyard wandering around aimlessly
Tu m'as sduit, je voulais te faire l'amour
You seduced me, and I wanted to make love to you
Ceux qui vivaient dans tes envies rock and roll
Those who lived in your rock and roll fantasies
Sont devenus des bouches qui s'affolent
Have turned into mouths that panic
Les modes ont engendr les modes
Fashions have created more fashions
Tes hros se sont trs vite fatigus
Your heroes quickly grew tired
D'autres plus jeunes les ont remplacs
Other, younger ones replaced them
Croisant guitares colres de la mme manire
Crossing angry guitars in the same way
Angleterre, Angleterre. Thatcher te cote cher
England, England. Thatcher cost you dearly
Angleterre, Angleterre, sur tes murs se lit la misre
England, England, your misery is written on your walls
La face ride le sourire coinc
The wrinkled face is trapped in a forced smile
Tu as pour toi le look de l'anne
You have for yourself the look of the year
Les gens dans tes bras ne sourient pas ne sourient plus
The people in your arms do not smile anymore
Le peuple des ghettos se bat dans tes rues
The people from the ghettos fight in your streets
La crise a repart ptrodollars
The crisis has redistributed petrodollars
En Rpublique d'Irlande circulent tes chars
Your tanks are circulating in the Republic of Ireland
Tu n'tais pas faite pour ternir
You were not made to tarnish
Les mirs auraient pu t'entretenir
The mirrors could have maintained you
Angleterre, Angleterre. La grisaille des annes de guerre
England, England. The gloom of the war years
Angleterre, Angleterre, balles de plastique en rprimande
England, England, plastic bullets as a reprimand
Angleterre, Angleterre. Face aux enfants de Bobby Sands
England, England. Facing the children of Bobby Sands
Angleterre, Angleterre, sur tes murs se lit la misre.
England, England, your misery is written on your walls
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ashcon Beats
This beat is a gem
Diego Rocha
Suave, Sensacional!! Relaxando... Um Whisky