The Roots

Released: May 19, 1993

Songwriter: Black Thought ?uestlove

Producer: The Roots

[Intro]
The Roots is comin' (16x)

[Verse: Black Thought]
I rip the vocal backflip yo the kid is a bad bro
I can drip it hipper than dip into calyp-so
A-dios, amigo, which means I gots ta G-O
Makes you wonder bout my number
Guess my address or my P.O., here's a hint:
I'm from Phila with a Del but not the Rio
Well, I'm guessing here is like exactly where the Phi go
Now, we got the Phila-Del-Phi why not top it off with an A?
The Philadelphiadic rhythmatic way I'm straight from Philly
Silly but rugged then a hill-billy
Just like I said before I sport my skully when it's chilly
My cap is from The Lay Up, my bows from The Gilly
The Roots, is out to blow up like a clip from out the milli
Or the oo-wop, I do drop, gizzantic, the crew wop
From out the darkest field I goes to pick the funk crop
You can't deny the props so stop before your fronts
Get loosened, introducing, The Roots y'all

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)

The Roots popular songs

The Roots is Comin’The Roots

The Roots

Organix