The Roots
The Russell Industrial Center
Wednesday, September 1st
From the Philadelphia underground to stages across the world, The Roots have cemented their place in hip hop history as one of the greatest live bands of all time. With an infectious, undeniable stage presence and a catalogue spanning over three decades, The Roots' progressive approach to contemporary music has continuously invigorated and challenged listeners since their debut in 1987. Built upon the foundation of a lifelong creative collaboration between rapper Black Thought (Tariq Turner) and drummer Questlove (Ahmir Khalib Thompson), The Roots bring impeccable drum breaks, mind-bending lyricism, and world-class instrumentation to every show that they play. Each performance is a masterclass in hip hop history, giving fans new and old the opportunity to see a legendary group of musicians as they help write the story of hip hop in real time.
Named one of the greatest live bands around by Rolling Stone magazine, the legendary Roots Crew has become one of the best known and most respected hip-hop acts in the business, winning four Grammys over the course of the group's career. The ensemble most recently received a "Best Rap Album" nomination for its 2011 studio release, "undun," which brings its Grammy nomination count to 12. Additionally, The Roots has become the face of Philly's "Fourth of July Jam," an annual concert held during the holiday weekend featuring some of the biggest names in music, and "The Roots Picnic," a yearly star-studded mix of musicians that has become a celebrated institution during summer festival season. The Roots is also the official house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where Questlove also serves as the show's Musical Director.