John Legend & The Roots 'Wake Up!' Artwork & Tracklist Posted Online

John Legend & The Roots Wake Up! on G.O.O.D. Music/Columbia set to arrive September 21.

Tracklist:

01. Compared to What
02. Hard Times
03. Little Ghetto Boy
04. Wake Up Everybody feat. Common and Melanie Fiona
05. Our Generation
06. Love the Way It Should Be
07. Hang On in There
08. I Can’t Write Left Handed
09. Wholy Holy
10. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
11. Shine

as seen on Rap-Up

The Roots 'How I Got Over' NYC Listening Session Report

The Roots How I Got Over on Island/Def Jam/Okay Player arrives June 22.

In attendance, L.A. Reid, Zoe Kravitz and the rest of The Roots crew. Check out the photo links after the article.

via the Boom Box

Last night, New York City was blessed by the legendary Roots crew beyond their nightly in-house band duties for 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.' The hip-hop band was hosting their first listening session at Legacy Studios for their ninth full-length studio album, 'How I Got Over,' an album reminiscent of 2002's 'Phrenology' with obvious natural progression.

"Contemporary" is the word that comes to mind when first hearing 'How I Got Over.' Not to suggest they've gone adult contemporary, but rather, it's the inevitable growth of a band who, after originally busting on to the scene with their crossover success, is now relishing in the collective genius of the entire group. Even friend and co-worker Jimmy Fallon was in attendance to support the Roots, eagerly awaiting to see what the select few in the media thought of their latest effort. 'How I Got Over' will undoubtedly be well-received, probably more so than 'Phrenology,' as the landscape of hIp-hop has significantly changed since then.

Here is the general rundown of 'How I Got Over':

1. 'Walk Alone' (feat. Truck North, Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez):
This opening track follows a smoothed out intro and keeps the melodic momentum going in this neo-soul cut with former Jazzyfatnastees front woman Mercedes Martinez.

2. 'Dear God 2.0' (feat. Jim James, MOF):
This lead single is a reinvention of the Monsters of Folk classic 'Dear God,' only slightly darker and more intense than the original.

3. 'Radio Daze' (feat. Blu, Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez):
A mellow Bass-heavy movement with Blu as the official scene stealer.

4. 'Now Or Never' (feat. Phonte Coleman, Dice Raw):
Modestly mature track with the quietly desperate hook, "Gotta get my shit together / it's now or never".



5. 'How I Got Over' (feat. Dice Raw):
The first leaked track and video off 'How I Got Over,' is jungle-tinged with jazz sensibility.

6. 'The Day' (feat. Blu, Phonte Coleman, Patty Crash):
This track resembles the 'Phrenology' cut 'Sacrifice' featuring Nelly Furtado, but with Blu's opening verse setting the stage for the whole song, as new school Roots affiliate Patty Crash provides a soulfully edgy hook.

7. 'Right On' (feat. Joanna Newsom, Sugar Tongue Slim):
Andy Samberg's girlfriend, pianist and singer/songwriter Joanna Newsom assists this thumping track with newcomer Sugar Tongue Slim, who sounds like a cross between Cypress Hill and the Pharcyde.

8. 'Doin It Again' (feat. John Legend):
A signature Roots sounding track, where John Legend sings the hook in a slightly rockier way than we're used to.

9. 'The Fire' (feat. John Legend, Rick Friedrich):
This keys-heavy closing track screams 'victory!' in its uplifting and triumphant production.

Bonus Cut #1:
A cypher meets posse cut amidst DJ scratched production, like the soundtrack to a schoolyard.

Bonus Cut #2:
Sugar Tongue Slim is on the hook and lends a verse to this song probably titled 'Hustler,' since STS repeats it throughout the cut along with "I hope my baby girl grows up to be a hustler."

Photo links:
Wire Image

John Legend 'Wake Up Sessions' Album With The Roots Close To Being Finished

via MTV

John Legend is a pretty lucky guy. He sang the national anthem at the World Series and joined Stevie Wonder onstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert last fall — on the same day.

The piano-playing crooner will follow those achievements with the release of his next album, Wake Up Sessions, with the Roots. According to Legend, he's been a fan of the Philadelphia band since his college days, when he was a student at the University of Pennsylvania.

"We're, like, 99 percent done. We've done all the recording, and now we're mixing half the album, and it's coming out in September," the singer told MTV News. "I'm very excited about it. It's gonna be a very interesting, very cool album. And like I said, I'm a big fan of the Roots. I'm excited to be able to put out an album with the Roots. This is a group I've been following since I was a kid at UPenn. I would go to open mics and watch them host the open mics, wishing I could be onstage with them, and now I'm in the studio with them making this album, and it's pretty exciting."

Legend and the Roots joined forces last month to perform at a 40th-anniversary Earth Day event. Wake Up Sessions is the follow-up to Legend's 2008 album, Evolver, which featured the Andre 3000-assisted "Green Light."

The Roots With John Legend, Sting & Others At Earth Day Climate Rally In Washington DC

via The Washington Post

Sting, Mavis Staples, the Roots -- some big stars came to Washington to perform at Sunday's (April 25) Earth Day Climate Rally on the National Mall. But there was one unexpected surprise guest. Ladies and gentlemen, the sun!

It punched holes through the overcast early in the day -- a welcome change for an annual concert that's been particularly soggy in recent years. Last year's event was gray and drippy, and 2008's concert was thunderstormed out before the Roots, who were headlining, could even walk onstage.

Mother Nature must have gotten the memo that this year's awareness-raising, free-admission concert, organized by the Earth Day Network, marked the 40th anniversary of the environmentalist event. Tens of thousands gathered on the grounds between the Capitol and the Washington Monument to hear activists, celebrities and Congress-folk speak about the importance of renewable energy, green jobs and shrinking carbon footprints.

Oh, and there was some music, too. The Roots, the great hip-hop group that recently, finally earned household-name status as the house band on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," made a triumphant return to the Mall, scheduled to back performances from Sting, John Legend and a slew of others.



Sting was one of many of Sunday's high-profile performers.

They took the stage late in the afternoon, propelled by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson's firecracker drumming and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter's dexterous rhymes. But their set ended rather unceremoniously when the sound system blew out.



Once organizers resuscitated the P.A., the Roots returned with Staples, the great soul-gospel singer, in tow. After that came Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump, who crooned Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now." As surprising as this transformation from emo-dude to blue-eyed soulman: Stump has slimmed down into quite the trim Fall Out Man.

Up next, micro-performances from the inimitable Booker T, the intolerable Joss Stone and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead -- the Roots playing it cool throughout.

Read the rest of the article here:
Washington Post - Earth Day's moment in the sun

Photo links from the Earth Day Climate Rally concert with Sting, The Roots, John Legend, Jimmy Cliff and others in Washington D.C.:
Washington Post
Getty Images
Wire Image
Film Magic
Rex Features
WENN Photo

more fan shot video below.









(video courtesy of Run In DC & godieinhell2)

DJ Krush: Famed Japanese Hip Hop DJ, Producer Japan Times Interview

Japan Times: What do you feel has been your greatest achievement over the course of your 20-year career?

DJ Krush: There were a lot of difficulties, but I think the greatest achievement is that I've actually continued! I've never been able to speak English, but using my music there are people all over the world that are waiting for me. That is truly something incredible. In this way, I feel there are no boundaries — that there is a common empathy. And when I go to a country and my fans tell me, "We were waiting!" — when I hear this — I'm really glad that I'm doing this.

Japan Times: What exactly inspired you when you first saw "Wild Style"?

DJ Krush: I really liked music, and was in a band in junior high school, but I couldn't find the type of music I really wanted to do. In "Wild Style," things are utilized that you can find at home, like a turntable and records, and my father had records, so it seemed like something I could do straight away. And also, I could get a real feeling of the street off it.

Japan Times: How did you "become" a DJ? Obviously you weren't taught . . .

DJ Krush: There was absolutely no information in those days, and now there are things like DJ school! There was nothing like that back then, so I bought the video and watched a DJ scratching on repeat. I tried to figure it out like that and that was how I learned. At the time you couldn't buy the kind of mixers that they were using in the film, so I ended up buying a totally different mixer, which I remember really struggling with.

Japan Times: And were you doing hip-hop from the start?

DJ Krush: I was listening to 1970s and '80s funk and rock, and then slowly incorporating hip-hop.

Japan Times: How long did it take for you to develop your own DJing style?

DJ Krush: I'm still looking for it, even though I've been DJing for 20 years now.

Japan Times: How has the Japanese hip-hop scene developed over the years?

DJ Krush: I'm not really all that interested in the mainstream scene which is saturated with commercialism, but I really get the impression that there has been an increase in DJs and talented young people who want to manifest their own individuality and who have developed their own originality. Initially, hip-hop was a culture that was born in America, right? So the scene was imitating that. As the years went on, people started developing a sense of originality, an individuality that only they had. Not only DJs, but also rappers who were rapping in Japanese. I saw an increase in young people reflecting on things that were actually happening in their own country, not just copying gangs with guns.

Japan Times: You tour a lot with DJ Kentaro, but who are the other notable up-and-coming DJs in Japan.

DJ Krush: Oh, there are many now, but Kentaro won the DMC DJ championships (in 2002, aged 20), so I really think he has a certain groove that only he is capable of. I think Japanese are quite talented, so I really hope from now on that there are young people who want to participate on an international level.

Japan Times: Is your music more popular overseas than locally?

DJ Krush: I go overseas a lot, so maybe the level of recognition is higher overseas.

Japan Times: Why is that?

DJ Krush: I really feel the way that the crowd that accepts you abroad is slightly different than in Japan. They decide what they like and what they think is good for themselves, whereas in Japan, they don't make their own decisions; it's more like someone tells them it's good. If it's on TV that a CD is good, or if everyone says that it's good, they go out and buy it; they don't make their own selections.

Japan Times: People who meet you say you are really modest. Is it important to keep a humble attitude?

DJ Krush: Yeah, I don't really like the "me, me" attitude, and I can't really understand it. I wonder why people end up like that? Before that happens, I really think I have so much to do because people are really watching. I just think that I have a long way to go and that I haven't become the king yet.

Japan Times: Is it necessary to not feel satisfied as an artist?

DJ Krush: I really feel grateful to a lot of people that I have been able to come this far. For me to be able to go all over the world is really something I'm happy about, and there is more depth to music — it's so vast and free. So there is still a lot to pursue.

Read the full DJ Krush Interview here:
Japan Times - DJ Krush spins some tales

John Legend At The 6th Annual Roots Jam Session In L.A.

via Vibe

John Legend confirmed that he's working with Questlove and The Roots on his upcoming fourth album at the 6th Annual Roots Jam Session Saturday night in Los Angeles. For those in the house, Legend performed a couple of the as-yet-unreleased cuts he's been working on. Get lifted.

Related:
Roots Jam Session Returns To L.A. During Grammy Weekend

Roots Jam Session Returns To L.A. During Grammy Weekend

After last year's absence, the Roots return with their 6th annual all-star jam session which took place at the revamped Key Club in West Hollywood, CA Saturday January 30. Seen here, Mos Def, Foreign Exchange and Jay Electronica all took the stage with the Roots as the hip hop house band, running through each others hip hop classic catalogs.

Photos from the red carpet & more:
Getty Images
Film Magic
Wire Image
WENN Photo

more footage from red carpet below.



(video footage courtesy of ok player & UrbanSpinOnline)

John Legend & Movie Director Davis Guggenheim Collaborate On 'Waiting For Superman' Documentary

via the Associated Press

PARK CITY, Utah – A convenient truth greeted John Legend when the singer contacted documentary director Davis Guggenheim about collaborating on a film to examine the nation's public-school system.

Legend had been working with the hip-hop group the Roots on an album exploring 1960s and '70s music, which led to a discussion about the civil-rights movement and then education, which he considers the civil-rights issue of our time.

The Grammy winner whose albums include "Evolver" and "Get Lifted" thought Guggenheim, an Academy Award winner for his global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," was just the man to look at what's wrong with America's public schools.

"We were going to meet with Davis to see if he wanted to direct it," Legend said. "When my manager met with him, he was like, `Uh, I'm already making this film. This film you're talking about, I'm already making it, and it'll be done in three months.'"

Legend, 31, eagerly agreed to sign on with Guggenheim's "Waiting for Superman," writing the song "Shine" for the closing credits of the documentary, which premiered over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival.

"The first time I heard it, I was like 'It's perfect,'" Guggenheim said. "When you hear the song, it just says everything about what we have to do for every kid in America. Give them a great potential and let them shine."

The film chronicles efforts by innovative educators to turn around failing systems in Washington, D.C., Harlem, Los Angeles and other places where many schools have come to be known as "dropout factories." Guggenheim studies the hindrances of conflicting state and federal regulations on schools and how tenure tracks and teachers unions affect administrators' power to get rid of bad instructors.

At the heart of the film are segments following a handful of promising students whose best hopes for a decent future rest in longshot lotteries to determine which children will get to attend a choice alternative school.

"Shine" "was completely inspired from seeing the film and seeing the stories of the children in the film, because it follows these kids who have potential, have a certain desire to do well," Legend said. "They are in circumstances where they are surrounded by failing public schools, and they see the light, they see a few schools in their area that are succeeding. But you have to win a lottery to get into these schools. ...

"When you think about someone's fate being decided by a lottery, the choice is usually ... `Am I going to end up at a school with a super-high dropout rate and end up like a lot of those kids who drop out, in the criminal-justice system, working a low-wage job, or am I going to get a good education and go to college and make something of myself?'"

"Waiting for Superman" has been picked up by Paramount Vantage for theatrical release. Legend hopes the film will be a call to action for public schools the way an "Inconvenient Truth" was for global warming.

The film also has the support of Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who is interviewed in the documentary and came to Sundance to promote it.

Even with marquee names behind it, the film will take some nurturing to bring in audiences, Legend said.

"It's always challenging selling a documentary. I'm sure when people can go to see lighter fare, it's not always their first choice," Legend said. "But I feel that this film is really inspiring, it's really moving. It has all the things you want out of a good film. The drama and the suspense and the interesting characters that you want to follow. It also teaches you something important about what's going on in our country."

Robert Glasper: Jazz Man & Hip Hop Collaborator 'Double Booked' Album Review

As reviewed by Chase Hoffberger at the Austin Chronicle

Robert Glasper - Double Booked (Blue Note) released August 25, 2009.

Jazz traditionalists will wish they could have gotten more of Robert Glasper's Trio on the Houston native's most recent Double Booked, but anyone familiar with the 30-year-old pianist knows there's no sense in confinement. As a longtime collaborator of Mos Def, J Dilla, Q Tip, and the Roots, Glasper's musical tendencies lie as close to hip-hop as they do to traditional jazz, a fact made most evident on the tease of De La Soul's "Stakes Is High" midway through Thelonious Monk's "Think of One." Split into two parts – first half with the Trio, second with his Experiment, which features Casey Benjamin on both saxophone and vocoder – Booked is just as much about Glasper's unique vision (the Bilal-featured "All Matter" - music below) as it is his tangled piano phrasings ("No Worries"). Approach it with an "Open Mind."

Order Robert Glasper - Double Booked here:
Robert Glasper - Double Booked





Robert Glasper Improv-ing On The Keys To 'Gettin' Up' w/Q-Tip @ London's Roundhouse For Gilles Peterson's 10 Year Worldwide Anniversary Tour in 2009.



Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson of the Roots discusses Robert Glasper's influence.

The Roots: Drum Offs, Broken Sun Glasses & Tantrums Live In Reno, NV

via Metromix Reno

The first big show at the Knitting Factory (Friday January 1, 2010) seemed for a while ready to end abruptly, as the Root's MC Black Thought expressed anger at his monitor mix, ear buds and a broken pair of sunglasses.

Black Thought wore said sunglasses when he took the stage, giving some credibility to people I had mocked for wearing shades indoors at the venue. Early on, his headphones refused to stay in, leading to a few pairs being hurled angrily to the ground. In between songs, f-word-laced orders to the sound guys sought a mix where he could hear his own vocals — a reasonable request to be sure, but it painted a discordant picture.

Then, after a raucous number where guitarist, sousaphonist and bassist all jumped around the stage, Black Thought discovered his $500 pair of sunglasses (set down next to the drum kit) had been smashed. He angrily confronted his own band members about who had done this, seeming to direct much of his accusing fury at guitarist "Captain" Kirk Douglas. He made it very clear he was "not f---ing playing," and this apparently was the second night in a row that he'd lost a pair.

It seemed very possible when he left the stage during the drums duet that things might end early. But then there was this kid. When Black Thought came back out, gamely delivering as he had all night, he started to laugh.

He said he was trying hard to stay upset, but a young boy in the front row, who looked about 6, kept putting him in a better mood.

And so there was a happy ending for all: The band went on to play two quality hours and that kid got to be on stage, dance like a maniac and receive rapturous applause. Questlove agreed with Black Thought that this was the craziest show they had done — and for the Roots, that'd certainly be saying something.

As reported by Victor Calderon at the Reno Gazette-Journal

The Roots entertained a packed house Friday in the grand opening of the brand-new Knitting Factory in downtown Reno.

They began their two-hour set with "Thought at Work," their latest single "How I Got Over" and "Here I Come," the theme for "Late Night." Every song showcased the rapid-fire flow of rapper Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter.



At one point, a drum-off ensued between bandleader Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and another drummer (Knuckles) on stage. Also given solos during the show were guitarist Kirk "Captain Kirk" Douglas, bassist Owen Biddle and sousaphone player Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson.

Towards the end of the set, The Roots performed their breakthrough single "You Got Me," originally released with vocals by R&B singer Erykah Badu and rapper Eve.

The Roots also squeezed in covers of "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns N' Roses and "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The Gang.

The Roots crew wrapped up the show with an encore where they invited a young fan wearing a Golden State Warriors basketball jersey on the stage where he danced and jumped around much to the band's and the crowd's delight.

The Roots set list:

"Thought at Work"
"How I Got Over"
"Here I Come"
"Game Theory"
"Star"
"Respond/React"
"Proceed"
"Quills"
"The Realm"
"Mellow My Man"
"Criminal"
"You Got Me"
"Get Busy"
"Next Movement"
(Encore)
"Seed"
"Men at Work"

(video courtesy of 333lorelei)

Mos Def And Talib Kweli Perform On Jimmy Fallon TV Show

Common & The Roots: Hennessy Artistry Series 2009 Concert NYC Show Recap

Quality footage below.

Queen Latifah U.N.I.T.Y w/ Common and the Roots NYC Hennessy Artistry Show from 'Sup Magazine on Vimeo.

The 2009 Hennessy Artistry Series has been making the rounds around the country. This featured concert took place at Terminal 5 in New York City Wednesday October 7. The Hennessy Artistry Series NYC (which was the last stop of the tour) bought out the best in hip hop with appearances by Q-Tip, Bilal, Queen Latifah and others. It was a concert not to be missed, but if you did here's the recap.

show report via MTV

Once the Roots hit the stage, the production took on a round-robin feel, as Common darted on and off the stage and other acts took turns onstage in between.

The Chicago MC performed "The People" one moment, and then the Roots went into "The Next Moment." Common returned for "The Light," and the Roots smoothly segued into A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebum."

Read more of MTV's coverage of the Hennessy Artistry Series Concert here:
Common, The Roots Turn Up The Volume With Queen Latifah, Q-Tip In NYC

Photos of the 2009 Hennessy Artistry Series Concert NYC:
Film Magic 1
Film Magic 2
Getty Images
Wire Images
Patrick McMullan
Rex Features
WENN Photo

Pre-Party at Kiki de Montparnasse Boutique, NYC
Rex Features
Star Traks Photo

(video courtesy of str8nyc, Jonesin' Eb Style and 'Sup Magazine)

Common & The Roots Hennessy Artistry Series Concert Houston, TX

The concert took place at The Corinthian in Houston, TX Saturday October 3.

Photos:
Wire Image

(video courtesy of jamesetolbert and favecast media)

DJ Jazzy Jeff Shows Us His Turntable Skills

From Questlove's twitter page, recorded during soundcheck DJ Jazzy Jeff rockin' the turntables with L.L. Cool J's "Rock The Bells."

Common and Friends Hollywood Benefit Concert Recap With Photos, Videos and Show Review

Common and Friends 'Common Ground' Benefit Concert took place at the Hollywood Palladium Saturday September 26th in Hollywood, CA.

Fan shot footage below, most good quality.













This is what Scott T. Sterling from the L.A. Times said about the Common and Friends 'Common Ground' Hollywood Benefit Show:

“I’ve been to a lot of charity events, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Old-school rapper Heavy D surveyed the sold-out Hollywood Palladium crowd gathered for the second annual “Common & Friends,” a star-studded affair that featured appearances from a seemingly endless cavalcade of A-list hip-hop stars to benefit Common's Common Ground charity.
The audience had already seen a series of highlights. De La Soul opened the show with a quick, high-energy set, punctuated by a surprise appearance from masked rapper MF Doom, who ferociously ripped through his verse from “Rock Co.Kane Flow.”

Black Thought and Amir “Questlove” Thompson represented for the Roots, and Ludacris ignited concertgoers with a crowd-pleasing set that culminated with “I Do It for Hip-Hop.” The latter allowed him to introduce Nas, who appears on the recorded version (video here).

Read more of the show review here:
L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss

Photos from the Red Carpet and Backstage:
Getty Images
Wire Image 1
Wire Image 2
Wire Image 3

(video courtesy of Donjuan3foo, stepz7 and moviebruin)

(show review courtesy of Scott T. Sterling of the L.A. Times)

Pop Stars Kelly Clarkson & Sara Bareilles Go Urban

sort of...

via Billboard

Singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles has begun work on her sophomore album for Epic Records, Billboard.com has learned. In the early going, Bareilles is recording in Brooklyn, N.Y., with production assistance from Roots drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Adam Blackstone.

Read more:
Billboard - Sara Bareilles Working With Questlove On New Album



via Canoe.ca

Kelly Clarkson is desperate to silence critics accusing her of "ripping off" Beyonce’s hit Halo - she is reworking the offending song on her live tour.

The Since U Been Gone hitmaker claimed songwriter/producer Ryan Tedder sent her the track that became Halo without telling her he'd already offered it to Beyonce.

Clarkson later came under fire after Sony Music bosses released her version, Already Gone, as a single - despite her desperate pleas to shelve it.

Read more:
Canoe - Clarkson reworks Beyonce ‘rip-off’