The Roots are an underrated band. While they currently serve as the house band for NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the band actually formed back in 1987 when Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson teamed up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before “The Tonight Show,” the band also worked with Fallon on his previous show, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” from 2009 to 2014. Known for an eclectic and jazzy approach to hip-hop, the band featured live musical instruments. The Roots were ranked by ThoughtCo as the number seven-band on its list of Best Hip-Hop Groups of All Time, and they even called them “Hip-hops first legitimate band.”
Their work has been met with critical acclaim and they’ve even won Grammy Awards. Although they no longer tour extensively due to their obligation to “The Tonight Show,” The Roots live shows are largely regarded as some of the best performances in the industry. Some of their members are involved in side projects that include record production and acting. They also serve regularly on other musicians’ live shows and albums. There are currently 12 members of the group, and its members list changes from time to time as they are a fluid group. The two founding members, “Black Thought” and Questlove,” are still with the group. Many of the group members have creative nicknames and stage names, such as “Tube Gooding, Jr.” and “Ray Angry.”
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One of their most memorable “The Tonight Show” skits was when they sang “Hello” with Jimmy Fallon and Adele. Members used a xylophone and other kid instruments. Adele started out the singing, with the members chiming in as background and with more instruments once the melody was underway. Before it was over, everyone was playing something, with one guy even playing two instruments at once, one in his mouth and one in his hand.
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Watch this talented group slay “Hello” below.
