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• The Roots

  The Roots are a Grammy winning hip-hop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1987. They are currently the house band on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The roots, whose catalog includes two live albums and four compilation albums, will release their 9th studio album, How I Got Over, on October 20, 2009.http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/24/the-roots-set-to-debut-new-song-tonight-on-fallon/

  On June 24, 2009, The Roots doubled as the house band and musical guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon when they debuted the title track off their new album.http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/24/the-roots-set-to-debut-new-song-tonight-on-fallon/

• Fast Facts

  1. Genre: Hip-hop
  2. Years active: 1987-present
  3. Record labels: Def Jam, Geffen and DGC
  4. Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  5. Grammy Awards: 4
  6. Current members: Questlove, Black Thought, Kamal Gray, F. Knuckles, Captain Kirk Douglas, Owen Biddle and Damon Bryson
  7. Announced their plans to retire from touring in 2009The Boombox: The Roots to Retire From Touring? (November 18, 2008)
  8. Involved in a bus accident on November 2008, no serious injuriesTMZ: The Roots Survive (November 20, 2008)
  9. Currently the house band on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/in...
  10. Debuted "How I Got Over" on June 24, 2009, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/in...
  11. New album, How I Got Over, set for release on October 20, 2009 http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/in...

• Summer 2009

  The Roots, who are currently the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, are set to host jam sessions at New York's Highline Ballroom most Tuesday nights throughout the summer of 2009. They are also set to play several shows at this summer's 'Rock the Bells' festival.http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/24/the-roots-set-to-debut-new-song-tonight-on-fallon/

• Background

  The Roots create their music using live instrumentation and a full band putting them in a unique category when compared to the vast majority of their hip-hop counterparts. After forming in the late 1980s, the Roots moved to Europe to play for about a year in the early 1990s. Strong sales of their debut record earned them a major label contract with DGC Records and brought them back to the United States.

  The Roots proceeded to release numerous albums and build up their fanbase among hip-hop fans and fans alike. They won a Grammy in 1999 (and would go on to receive three more nominations), played the Lollapalooza and Woodstock '99 music festivals, collaborated with many artists (including Eve, Erykah Badu, Common, and others) and released four RIAA gold-certified albums.

• Bus Accident

  The Roots were involved in an accident while traveling in a tour bus in Paris on November 20, 2008. A van reportedly crashed into the bus causing it to flip over. No one was seriously injured in the wreck. Band member Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson made this statement about the accident, "we are so grateful for this outcome."TMZ: The Roots Survive (November 20, 2008)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Jimmy Fallon | Jay-Z | Jill Scott | Dave Chappelle | Scott Storch | Philadelphia | Common | Erykah Badu | Spike Lee

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