[caption id=”attachment_1689” align=”aligncenter” width=”500” caption=”The Legendary Roots Crew on the set of their new home, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Photo by Chad Griffith”]
The Philly bred, world renowned hip hop act known affectionately as The Legendary Roots Crew (The Roots ), have been selected and are currently preparing to make a new home on one particular stage that is quite different from all the others that they have graced over the years; The stage of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on NBC, as the resident house band. The Roots will debut, at the Highline Ballroom, where the show is shot, on March 5, 2009. Fallon, who many had originally become familiar with during his time on Saturday Night Life, has stepped in to replace Conan O’Brien, whom has moved on to do The Tonight Show, which was formerly hosted by Jay Leno (I know, this sounds like a late night soap opera storyline, but just try to follow along). Many say that Jimmy Fallon has some figuratively large shoes to fill with his new found late night slot, but as the globe-trotting Roots ready for the most stationary gig they’ve ever held, some may wonder exactly how this new and ultimately untouched (by a hip hop act) platform will work out.
The Roots, known for crafting a sound unmatched and unparalleled to any other live hip hop band / act of their time (or any other time, for that matter), have released 8 studio albums and toured, damn near non-stop for the past 18+ years, yielding them legions of devoted fans across the world. When the news first was announced that The Roots would step into the position of Jimmy Fallon’s house band, a slight sense of fear and uncertainty was stuck into the very souls of fans. “Will they stop touring, are they retiring, will we be damned only to view lead vocalist/emcee, Black Thought, through the screens of our televisions, wearing … a suit (gasp), forever or even worse…will ?uestlove have to cut his hair!?” Concerns such as these are natural. But supports can rest easy knowing that this is far from the end of the tour for our beloved Roots. This is a transition, a ground breaking, chance of a lifetime opportunity to do what they do best; set standards, pave new ways and change perspectives.
With The Roots as Jimmy Fallon’s house band, people who have never seen such a sight, will be exposed to the best that our generation has to offer in terms of a live hip hop act. As long as Mr. Fallon holds up his end of the deal and provides a show that the network is happy with, our esteemed Roots should have no problem at all “givin crowds what they wantin, official hip-hop consumption“ (see The Roots **Illadelph Halflife **album, track # 8). It is, after all, what they do best.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon premiers on March 2 on NBC