The Roots

Released: May 19, 1993

Songwriter: Black Thought ?uestlove Scott Storch Joshua Abrahams Leonard “Hub” Hubbard

Producer: The Roots

Bass Check 1-2
Keys Check 1-2
Drums Check 1-2
It's The Roots
Now what we want y'all to do is sit back y'all, and just relax y'all
Sit back y'all, and just relax y'all
Sit back y'all, and just relax y'all
And if you dig it let me hear your fingers snap y'all
Scott Storch y'all, he on the keys right
Leonard hubbord ya'll he's on the bass right
?: ya'll, he's on the drums right
Now who I am....
(beat box)
Black Thought
(beat box)
Everybody say the name of this jam y'all

(chorus)

Essaywhuman, Essaywhuman, Essaywh-uman, Essay whuman, x2
Essay whuman,Essay whuman, EssayWh-uman, Essay whuman.x2

Now I'm the
(beat box)
Rhyme displayer
The vocal
(beatbox)
Player
(beatbox)
I won't chill
(beatbox)
So show us some freakin skill

Now, wait a sec
You got a
(beatbox)
Rep

So....The jam,,,,

The name of this jam

(chorus)

We got to blah... bring it on
Steve Coleman [scatting] on the horn
In case you thought my guard was caught
My name is [scatting] Black thought
Im from the...Roots clan
Say Common is my...
(beatbox)
Man
We got to [scatting] rock the jam!

(chorus)

Be-doop... Get a taste
Of leonard, Bang!... Hubb on the base
He...plays it sweet
He doesnt... Boom, dont lose the beat
Your words... you heard just what I said
So leonard's...freakin with my head
But yo he's boom, bang still my man
Rockin the...
(beatbox)
The name of this jam...

(chorus)

The world’s premiere hip-hop band, The Roots were formed in Philadelphia in 1987 by MC Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and drummer and bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Since those early days, the band has weathered changes in personnel and record labels while performing hundreds of shows a year and releasing a string of well-regarded (if not always top-selling) albums.

While the musicianship of Thompson and the other band members, as well as their seemingly limitless repertoire, gets most of the attention, real hip-hop fans know that the rapping skills of Black Thought (along with former group member Malik B.) are the group’s hidden weapon. Thought, one of the few MCs brave enough to go toe to toe with Big Pun, handles any groove the band throws at him with aplomb, style, and flash.

Today, The Roots are seen by millions every night as the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a move that has given the group the chance to indulge its not-insignificant comic side.

more tracks from the album

Organix

From the album

Organix (1993)

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Essawhamah? (Live At The Soulshack)The Roots

The Roots

Organix