The Roots, an influential American hip-hop group, formed in 1987 by rapper Tariq
“Black Thought” Trotter and drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson in Philadelphia,
are celebrated for blending live instrumentation with hip-hop and jazz
influences. Starting with their independent debut Organix (1993), the group
gained critical acclaim with Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995) and Illadelph
Halflife (1996), but it was their 1999 breakthrough album Things Fall
Apart—featuring the Grammy-winning single "You Got Me" with Erykah Badu—that
cemented their legacy. Known for their evolving sound, Th...