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It’s Official: The Roots Will Be Jimmy Fallon’s Backup Band

At first I didn’t want to believe it, but unfortunately its true. The Roots will back the horribly unfunny Jimmy Fallon when he takes over Conan’s spot in 2009.

On the bright side, Americans–many for the first time– will get to see The Roots on their televisions 5 nights a week. Of course, this exposure might give the Philly band some due notoriety. However, can you see Black Thought becoming some annoying Paul Schaffer-like sidekick? Could you see Questlove being the Branford Marsalis of our generation, laughing aimlessly at Jimmy Fallon’s jokes?

Shudder.

It does give me a new reason to tune in DVR this show, but they better come strong in the first few episodes or it will be deleted.

Tags: Jimmy Fallon, the roots

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The Roots on Tour with Gym Class Heroes and Estelle

The Roots are on tour again. Don’t these dudes have wives and children to go back to??

They were just on the road this spring and summer, but they head back outd with Gym Class Heroes and Estelle in the Fall. The lineup is rather odd–I don’t really see a common fanbase between these three acts, even if there might be some crossover between The Roots and Gym Class fans. Ether way, it should be a hot show. The lone DC Area date is in Baltimore on October 4th.

Tour Dates

10-03 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
10-04 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
10-05 Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
10-06 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
10-07 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
10-08 Miami, FL - The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason
10-11 Dallas, TX - The Palladium Ballroom
10-12 Austin, TX - The Backyard
10-14 Phoenix, AZ - The Marquee
10-19 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
10-21 Denver, CO - The Fillmore Auditorium
10-23 Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom
10-24 Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
10-25 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
10-26 Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy
10-28 New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom
10-30 Worcester, MA - The Palladium Downstairs
10-31 Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Park Convention Hall
11-01 Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory

Tags: Estelle, Gym Class Heroes, the roots

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Pictures: The Roots Picnic, Philadelphia, PA

I’m really mad I missed this, because I heard it was live. Fortunately, Julian (of Bullets over Romance) was kind enough to offer up some pictures of Saturdays event, which featured such acts as The Roots, Santogold and Gnarls Barkley. I’ve been hearing nothing but good reviews of the thing, so they better put this on next year!

Esperanza Spalding (check her MySpace, I’m diggin’ her)

Jack Davey (with Questlove drumming)

DJ Jazzy Jeff

Sharon Jones

The Roots

Tags: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Esperanza Spalding, j*davey, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, the roots

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Video: The Roots - Rising Up On David Letterman

Haven’t seen this yet (thanks to work) but I’m sure they killed it.

Tags: Letterman, the roots, Wale

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Hip-Hop

Video: The Roots - Rising Up Feat Chrisette Michelle and Wale, Tour Dates

After the abbhoration that was Birthday Girl, we get yet another video from the Roots’ forthcoming album Rising Down. Neither video measures up to the one for 75 Bars though.

Rising Down drops next week. Also, the Roots have teamed up with Erykah Badu and added more tour dates for you pleasure, including a two night stint in DC at DAR Constitution Hall.

The Roots Tour Dates

May 3 - Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
May 4 - House of Blues New Orleans, LA
May 4 - Fox Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Detroit, Michigan
May 6 - Sepsum at U of Montreal w/ Erykah Badu, Montreal, Quebec
May 8 - Orpheum w/ Erykah Badu, Boston, Massachusetts
May 9 - Radio City w/ Erykah Badu, New York, New York
May 10 - The Pier w/ Erykah Badu, Baltimore, Maryland
May 11 - Crocodile Rock (Roots Only), Allentown, Pennsylvania
May 14 - Constitution Hall w/ Erykah Badu, Washington. DC
May 15 - Constitution Hall w/ Erykah Badu , Washington. DC
May 16 - Chrysler Hall w/ Erykah Badu, Norfolk, Virginia
May 17 - Special Events Center w/ Erykah Badu, Greensboro, North Carolina
May 18- Landmark Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Richmond, Virginia
May 20 - Misner Park w Erykah Badu, Boca Raton, Florida
May 23 - Fox Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Atlanta, Georgia
May 24 - Summer Camp Festival (Roots Only), Chillicothe, Illinois
May 25 - UCLA Jazz & Reggae Festival (Roots Only), Los Angeles, California
May 27 - Andrew Jackson Hall w/ Erykah Badu, Nashville, Tennessee
May 29 - Fox Theater w/ Erykah Badu, St. Louis, Missouri
May 30 - Chicago Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Chicago, Illinois
May 31 - Chicago Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Chicago, Illinois
Jun 1 - Harrah’s Concil Bluff (Roots Only), Council Bluff, Iowa
Jun 2 - Fillmore Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Denver
Jun 4 - Cuthbert Amphitheater (Roots Only), Eugene, Oregon
Jun 5 - Marymoor Park w/ Erykah Badu, Seattle, Washington
Jun 7 - Festival Pier ROOTS PICNIC w/ Gnarls Barkley,Dap Kings,Santogold,The Cool Kids,Deerhoof,Diplo, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 8 - Paramount Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Oakland, California
Jun 10 - Humphrey’s Theater w/ Erykah Badu, San Diego, California
Jun 12 - Greek Theater w/ Erykah Badu, Los Angeles, California
Jun 13 - City Stages Festival (Roots Only), Birmingham, Alabama
Jun 14 - Mesa Ampitheater w/ Erykah Badu, Phoenix, Arizona
Jun 17 - Warehouse Live (Roots Only), Houston, Texas
Jun 18 - House of Blues (Roots Only), Dallas, Texas
Jun 19 - House of Blues (Roots Only), New Orleans, Louisiana
Jun 22 - Rochester Music Fest, Rochester, New York
Jul 4 -Summerfest 2008 (Roots Only), Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Tags: Erykah Badu, Rising Up, the roots, Wale

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Video: The Roots, Michelle Obama on The Colbert Report

The Colbert Report was in Philly last night. Michelle Obama was the guest and The Roots were the house band, who killed it at the end on some straight Rock Start ish.

Michelle Obama Interview

The Roots Doing the Star Spangled Banner

Tags: Colbert Report, Obama, the roots

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Hip-Hop

The Roots - Birthday Girl Video

This is BAD!!! Even Sasha Grey can’t make up for this crap. What was the budget for this one….$5?

Tags: Birthday Girl, rising down, the roots

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Hip-Hop

The Roots: Birthday Girl Out, Rising Up In?

The Roots feat Wale and Chrisette Michele - Rising Up

Did The Roots bow down to public pressure? I know that thy listen to Blogs, but I didn’t expect them to drop Birthday Girl from their album, Rising Down. Yes, yours truly personally railed against the track, not because of the song itself, but because it seemed completely out of place with all the other songs on the album. I mean, completely out of place. Were they going for that emo demographic? If the Roots were going to “sell out” so to speak, I would hope they would do it in a more cleaver way, like the time they dropped Jill Scott for Erykah Badu on the “You Got Me” single back in 1999.

Anyway, that’s over and done with. The single is dropped from the US release, but will remain on the international release, and will be featured as a bonus track here. They’re even recording a video for it with porn star Sasha Grey (who is this chick? I only heard of her last week). The rumored replacement single, “Rising Up” has hit the Blogs and its a banger. The track features none other than DC’s Wale, as well as a straight up go-go beat. Chrisette Michele sings the hook.

This song is fire. Is it “fire” enough to be a radio single? Definitely not. But at least The Roots will continue to stay true to their fanbase. (via The Rap Up)

Tags: Birthday Girl, rising down, the roots, Wale

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Couch Sessions Appoved Artist, Hip-Hop, House/Electronic, Music News, Negroclash!

Announced: The Roots Picnic in Philly

Wow. So Every weird Black person on the East Coast is gonna be at this event. Including me. More details as they come.

Tags: diplo, Gnarls Barkley, j*davey, sharon jones, the roots, tour dates

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The Roots: Rising Down Album Cover, Tour Dates

The official Rising Down Album Cover. ?uest provides the explanation (from Nah Right):

“This drawing is entitled NEGRO RULE. and it pretty much sums up the feeling of the Confederate Union towards the newly freed slaves and the idea that if given power they would reek havoc and chaos on the country.”

Other than “Birthday Girl,” all of the tracks on this album so far have been solid. Can’t wait until this album comes out. The Roots are also going on tour in support of Rising Down. DC people take note, The Roots will be playing the Green Apple Festival on the National Mall for free.

Tour Dates 
Mar 29 2008 - Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois
Mar 30 2008 - Kool Haus Toronto, Canada
Apr 5 2008 - University of Texas, Austin, Texas
Apr 7 2008 - Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Apr 9 2008 - Higher Ground, Burlington, Vermont
Apr 11 2008 - Pickle Barrell Nightclub, Killington, Vermont
Apr 12 2008 - Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
Apr 16 2008 - Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Apr 17 2008 - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Apr 18 2008 - Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri
Apr 20 2008 - Green Apple Festival Washington DC
Apr 26 2008 - Tigerfest Towson University, Towson, Maryland
May 3 2008 - Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana
May 4 2008 - House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana

Tags: green apple festival, rising down, the roots, tour dates

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