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.
burn
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It be a buck-fifty, your chance of runnin is infinte
Slugs that leave niggas drugged like a chick slip the Mickey
I'm so on the low it'd take a Navy SEAL to get me, when I surface
If not chips to Benz is the purpose
On your team I'll pull the curtain, a beautiful hurtin
'Til my eyes see the blood, that mean the creep start workin
Niggas never learnin that they eyes keep lurkin
Skid marks the street, your heart skips a beat
Beef? Nigga overcook that meat
Get no sleep, only rest is in between the blink
My life story was written in blood, permanent ink
Killer instinct, R.I.P. 'em
Gotta think like that 'cause forever I be needin' 'em
Plan flawless, mistakes never repeatin' 'em
Some love, some hate me, bitches in the head beatin' 'em (So)
Niggas want to ride by the crib all slow (Oh)
We clap motherfucker, want a real rap show?
Fiends are rushin' when the mack blow, dead in my castle
And in the blink watch how quick life pass you
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
What's wrong with motherfuckers,
When will the ever learn
Keep playin' with that fire,
And that ass is gettin' burned
Fuckin' with semi-autos,
One foot is in the grave
We givin' all of y'all,
Somethin' to be afraid of
Lemme tell you how it's goin' down, it's on now
Niggas used to love me, now they want to hate me now
I'm that same nigga with the tech, holdin' the spot down
Except I'm pushin' a Lex, lettin' the top down
But wait, you don't think I live a pop life now
That's hate, you could get popped right now
Me don't play, I keep a gun around my way
Cause I'm a fuckin' drama king like my nigga Kayslay
Sex, drugs, money, and murder all day
It's rules, guidelines, and codes, we obey
Don't even trip, IMD it's that I claim
Infamous Mobb Deep nigga, ready to bang
Nigga don't think shit stink, then shit hit the fans
So I don't slip, I'ma shit with my gun in my hand
It's a thug thing y'all niggas wouldn't understand and
Y'all keep guns we keep our shit bangin'
[Chorus]
You a bitch-ass nigga, I had you kill't
All they had was your picture at the funeral
No casket, you bas-tards be missin'
My jewels, my whip, my rims we bitchin'
My guns be the heat that'll make you blister
My mens, my Timbs'll stomp you niggas
No shit, no clip, don't FUCK with us
It's no problem, I bring it to the best of them
From the old to the new, and the rest of them
No love, just slugs for ya body dunn
Just pain, just sufferin', and worst then that
You let me get my hands on you so I'm takin' advantage
And that shit that you pulled ain't do me no damage
You don't know me, but we bout to change that shit
Wrap that nigga up like a package
Fuck all them nigga, buck all them faggots
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
Yeah, QB (Yeah)
Mobb Deep, dola
It's goin down, we're takin over
Vita, gettin this dough
We don't call it Murder for nothin (Murda!)
(Murda, Murda!)
I'll send you on
Prodigy, Big Noyd, Havoc
Yeah, y'all see us
It ain't a game, yeah
Oh, come on, yeah, you see us
The Roots's song "Burn" is about the dangers of playing with fire or in other words, making bad life choices. After writing rap verses about each of their lives, four different guest emcees were brought in to perform each verse. Havoc, from the famous hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, tells the brutal truth about gang violence and crime. He talks about how fatal consequences will befall you if you mess around with guns, drugs, or enter into beef with fellow gang members. Havoc raps about trying to stay low key, but simultaneously trying to accumulate wealth quickly by any means. He warns others not to come at him because he is always armed and prepared for any challenge, as well as declare his bad reputation within the community.
The chorus reinforces the ideas of the verses, saying that bad things will happen to those who participate in dangerous activities, using the metaphor of getting burned. The following verse, performed by rapper Prodigy, doubles down on the themes introduced by Havoc. He talks about how he doesn't take kindly to being disrespected and how he will go to any lengths to make his enemies regret their actions. Prodigy refers to himself as a "drama king" and describes his life as one filled with drugs, sex, murder, and money. The verse ends with a warning not to try him.
Finally, Nelly's verse reveals that the entire song is a message from a higher power to those still living, warning them to change their ways before it's too late. He reminds the listener that there is a cycle of violence that will only end when people start making better choices. The song's outro is a chant of the words "murder, murder" by all the emcees.
Line by Line Meaning
It be a buck-fifty, your chance of runnin is infinte
The price of the hit is cheap, and running away from it is pointless
Slugs that leave niggas drugged like a chick slip the Mickey
The bullets will make the victim feel dazed and confused
I'm so on the low it'd take a Navy SEAL to get me, when I surface
I'm in hiding, and only the most skilled and elite soldiers could find me
If not chips to Benz is the purpose
If there's no money involved, I'm not interested
On your team I'll pull the curtain, a beautiful hurtin
I will bring an end to your team in a violent and aesthetically pleasing manner
'Til my eyes see the blood, that mean the creep start workin
When I see blood, I know the job is done
Niggas never learnin that they eyes keep lurkin
People never seem to learn that they're being watched
Have ya janitor pumpin your X5 merkin
Your hired help will be driving your car after you're gone
Skid marks the street, your heart skips a beat
Your death will be sudden, and violent
Beef? Nigga overcook that meat
Don't start a problem that's bigger than you can handle
Get no sleep, only rest is in between the blink
I am always on alert, and never fully at ease
My life story was written in blood, permanent ink
My past is filled with violence and death, and I can't escape it
Killer instinct, R.I.P. 'em
I have a natural talent for taking lives
Gotta think like that 'cause forever I be needin' 'em
I have to maintain my violent tendencies to survive in my line of work
Plan flawless, mistakes never repeatin' 'em
I am meticulous and careful in my plans, and never make the same mistake twice
Some love, some hate me, bitches in the head beatin' 'em
I have enemies and admirers, and they're all preoccupied with my reputation
What's wrong with motherfuckers, When will the ever learn
Why can't people learn from their mistakes and stop getting into trouble?
Keep playin' with that fire, And that ass is gettin' burned
Continuing with dangerous behavior will lead to negative consequences
Fuckin' with semi-autos, One foot is in the grave
Using guns in violent situations is a dangerous move
We givin' all of y'all, Somethin' to be afraid of
We are putting fear into our enemies
You a bitch-ass nigga, I had you kill't
You were weak and powerless, and I had you killed
All they had was your picture at the funeral
Your death was anonymous and unremarkable
No casket, you bas-tards be missin'
Your body didn't even deserve a proper burial
My jewels, my whip, my rims we bitchin'
My possessions are extravagant and enviable
My guns be the heat that'll make you blister
My guns are powerful enough to do deadly damage
My mens, my Timbs'll stomp you niggas
My crew and I will violently beat you down
Don't even trip, IMD it's that I claim
Don't worry, I'm part of the Infamous Mobb Deep crew
We don't call it Murder for nothin (Murda!)
The name 'Murder' is not a coincidence, we are violent and deadly
I'll send you on
I will send you to your grave
It ain't a game, yeah
This is not a joke, this is serious
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALBERT JOHNSON, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA, TAJUAN PERRY, Steven Lindsay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adrian Gonzalez Arguelles
My brain is unable to process these 2 groups being on the same stage... It's just too much talent together.
Richard Seizaux
Ahora en español (castellano).
gweah
Some years later Black Thought was spitting THAT FREESTYLE over the Burn beat at Flex and Hot 97. Everything coming full circle beautifully.
monta ellis
Most underrated hip-hop group ever
Big L Corleone
Aye i agree
Thul' Boy
The Roots can play anything on stage!
Hamza
Mobb Deep, Big Noyd, & The Roots is just pure genius. I would have lost my mind at this show. R.I.P. to the G.O.A.T. Prodigy.
Dazzlr
How clean are those vocals. Every lyric... Clear. As. Day. Peeps sound as dope live as they do on record!
inquizative44
It's surprising that the Roots are the only rap group with a live band. Rappers sound so much better with live instruments.
Mark Modesti
same here