The Roots are one of the great cultural exports of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, right up there with Will Smith, Kobe Byrant, and Bradley Cooper. Blasting Phrenology during late night chill sessions with friends was a big part of my high school experience. Almost 30 years after forming in high school, The Roots remain a bright beacon of creativity in the hip hop scene.
Since they’re the house band for Jimmy Fallon, we often only get The Roots in snippets these days. That’s why I love the casual freestyle Tariq Trotter a.k.a. Black Thought dropped at Harvard this past week. It’s a reminder of just how talented those guys are — He’s a mile-a-minute and his flow
Sometimes people complain that real hip hop is dead. Those people are fools — they’re just not looking in the right place for it.