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 clichรฉs 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.
Take It There
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get somebody else involved right next to ya
Y'all elected me to keep it so fresh for ya
Just cause I make it possible for the rest of ya
To just take it there come on and
Get your head ringin' from the sting of the snare
Spine tingle elevating every singular hair
All the way from South Philly on a wing and prayer
C'mon take it there, let's take it there
I'm from the side of town
Where shots get sprayed around
Where the expectancy rate be twenty-eight around
Downtown battleground where cops parade around
Have your whole view of life beyond jaded
How everybody sick of breaking down, tryin' a make it out
Hand over fist the only way to get the paper down
People tired of gettin' pushed around, gettin' gangsta now
Discipline the only way to bring some kinda change around
Chain cirgarette smokin' with bad nerves
And brothas with bad lungs from smokin' mad herb
Whoever in the dark is unseen and heard
Let's submerge, I can feel something close we on the verge
Talkin' bout, to my street sweepers, hotel housekeepers
And my people spillin' this out through jail house speakers
Some people rather use than might than use heaters
Some people rather lose they life than lose freedom
For real
C'mon take it there, let's take it there
Flash light, red light, proceed ahead right
Straight into them headlights, you get your head right
Head right get a third strike, hit the turnpike
Life quicker than spliff that wouldn't burn right
Make you wanna holla 'bout it
It ain't no doubt about it
Every now and then you gotta stand up and shout about it
And I'll be shoutin' it to, as if a shout'll count
Yo they got accountin' to do, reamount the balance
The shit more puzzlin' than a jigsaw
Raw pitbulls hustlin' through the pitfalls
Some of y'all toys let the laughter rip roar
Heart felt truth in every lyric I spit forth
Raise up time to lift off
Written on a legal pad, poetry that sizzle the clip board
My og, my homey who taught me deal
Said in prayer that's the only time you should ever kneel
And that's real, I'm a take it there
C'mon take it there, let's take it there
The first verse of the song "Take It There" by The Roots feat. Wadud Ahmad encourages listeners to step out of their comfort zone and strive for greatness. The singer acknowledges that their position of being elected to keep things fresh for the listeners means that it is their duty to inspire others to take risks and reach for the stars. The imagery in the lyrics is vivid, describing the sensory experience of the music with phrases like "head ringing from the sting of the snare" and "spine tingle elevating every singular hair." The second verse is more introspective, with the singer reflecting on the challenges and dangers of life in their community. They acknowledge the prevalence of violence and crime, and the difficulty of escaping poverty. The lyrics also highlight the resiliency and strength of the people living in these conditions, with phrases like "my street sweepers, hotel housekeepers" and "my people spillin' this out through jail house speakers." The message of the song is ultimately one of hope and perseverance, encouraging listeners to rise up and take control of their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand up, stretch for the stars
Get motivated and reach for your goals
Get somebody else involved right next to ya
Collaborate with others to achieve greatness
Y'all elected me to keep it so fresh for ya
I'm here to keep things new and exciting for you
Just cause I make it possible for the rest of ya
I enable others to succeed through my efforts
To just take it there come on and
Let's push ourselves to achieve greatness
Get your head ringin' from the sting of the snare
Get pumped up and energized by the music
Spine tingle elevating every singular hair
Feel inspired by the music to create something amazing
All the way from South Philly on a wing and prayer
Against all odds, we come from South Philly and strive to succeed
And still bringin' it yeah
We're still working hard and producing great work
C'mon take it there, let's take it there
Let's continue pushing ourselves to achieve more
I'm from the side of town
I come from a tough neighborhood
Where shots get sprayed around
Gun violence is common in my community
Where the expectancy rate be twenty-eight around
People don't live very long due to the violence
Downtown battleground where cops parade around
The police presence is heavy, but it's still a dangerous place
Have your whole view of life beyond jaded
Living in such a difficult environment can warp your perspective on life
How everybody sick of breaking down, tryin' a make it out
Everyone is tired of struggling and trying to escape their situation
Hand over fist the only way to get the paper down
Working hard is the only way to make money
People tired of gettin' pushed around, gettin' gangsta now
People are fed up with being mistreated and are turning to violence
Discipline the only way to bring some kinda change around
The only way to improve the situation is through discipline and hard work
Chain cigarette smokin' with bad nerves
People in this community often smoke cigarettes to cope with stress
And brotha's with bad lungs from smokin' mad herb
Smoking marijuana is also common in this community and has negative health effects
Whoever in the dark is unseen and heard
People who are marginalized and oppressed are often ignored and unheard
Let's submerge, I can feel something close we on the verge
We should all come together and work towards a better future
Talkin' bout, to my street sweepers, hotel housekeepers
Addressing the people who work hard every day but are often overlooked
And my people spillin' this out through jail house speakers
People in prison are also speaking out against the injustices they face
Some people rather use than might than use heaters
Some people would rather use drugs than weapons to cope with their situation
Some people rather lose they life than lose freedom
Some people would rather die than be oppressed and lose their freedom
For real
This is the truth
Flash light, red light, proceed ahead right
We must keep moving forward, even when faced with obstacles
Straight into them headlights, you get your head right
Focus on where you're going and don't let anything distract you
Head right get a third strike, hit the turnpike
Making mistakes can have serious consequences, but we must keep moving forward
Life quicker than spliff that wouldn't burn right
Life is short and unpredictable, like a joint that doesn't burn properly
Make you wanna holla 'bout it
This can be frustrating and make you want to shout
It ain't no doubt about it
This is the truth
Every now and then you gotta stand up and shout about it
Sometimes you have to speak out against injustice
And I'll be shoutin' it to, as if a shout'll count
I will also speak out, even if it feels like it won't make a difference
Yo they got accounting to do, reamount the balance
Those in power have a responsibility to make things right
The shit more puzzling than a jigsaw
The situation is confusing and difficult to understand
Raw pitbulls hustlin' through the pitfalls
We are like strong, determined dogs, pushing through obstacles to succeed
Some of y'all toys let the laughter rip roar
Some people are too focused on trivial things and aren't taking the situation seriously
Heart felt truth in every lyric I spit forth
My lyrics are genuine and express my true feelings
Raise up time to lift off
It's time for us to rise up and make change happen
Written on a legal pad, poetry that sizzle the clip board
My words are powerful and impactful, even if they're just written on a notepad
My og, my homey who taught me deal
My mentor, the person who taught me how to navigate this world
Said in prayer that's the only time you should ever kneel
The only time you should bow down is when you're praying, not when you're being oppressed
And that's real, I'm a take it there
This is the truth and I will continue to speak out against injustice
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TARIK L. COLLINS, AHMIR K. THOMPSON, KARL B. JENKINS, ADAM W. BLACKSTONE, KEVIN HANSON, PEDRO MARTINEZ, WADUD AHMAD, JAMES D. ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kingofsting75
this is the roots best album
@sandansaiyan5675
For me Undun but Game Theory is top 3
@MisterMind12
Still fire in 2023. Classic.
@manofknowledge101
one of my favorite tracks from the "Game Theory" album. underrated group :(
@PrickMoranis
black thought is top 5
@UndetectableBomber
such an amazing track
@Rycho29
Yes Is Best album The Roots .
@BRUNOAZIZ
so many things going on on this one! makes your head spin! true hip hop art
@KrimsonApoLLo
Yo, that verse gave me chills.
@ktotheb1974
Love this track and agree with the comment below about the Roots' darker stuff... another similarly dark tune is "Out There," the hidden track on Things Fall Apart... years from now savvy DJs will return to the Roots again and again to lift and loop these eerie-spooky moments that The Roots cooked up... and then the DJs will be called geniuses. Ha!