Second Cup Café: The Roots

The Roots are an innovative hip-hop band known for their live instrumentation, energetic performances, and creative blending of multiple genres of music.

The group's founders, Ahmir Thompson and Tariq Trotter met in 1987, when they were both students at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Their chance meeting took place when both were sent to the principal's office.

The two shared an interest in music and decided to create a hip-hop act called The Square Roots. Thompson, who renamed himself ?uestlove, played the drums, and Trotter, who adopted the name Black Thought, was the MC.

They made their way around Philadelphia's underground scene and were later joined by rapper Malik B, bassist Leonard Hubbard, and keyboardist Scott Storch. They renamed themselves The Roots and released their first album, "Organix," in 1993.

Storch left the band to become a highly successful producer, but he continued to lend his production skills to The Roots' albums.

The band continued to evolve and move in a more mainstream direction. Although they always received critical acclaim, they didn't achieve commercial success until their breakthrough 1999 album, "Things Fall Apart" featuring Jill Scott and Eve. The album contained the single "You Got Me" with Erykah Badu, which earned them a Grammy award for best rap performance by a duo or group.

They followed that album with 2002's "Phrenology" and 2004's "The Tipping Point," both of which received Grammy nominations.

Malik B has since left the band, and there have been other lineup changes over the years. The current members of The Roots are Black Thought, ?qestlove, Hub, keyboardist Kamal, Knuckles on percussion, and guitarist Captain Kirk.

Their upcoming album, "Game Theory," is set for release on Aug. 29.