The Roots

Band

Photo: Michael Seeley from Melbourne, FL, United States · CC BY 2.0
Active 1987-present
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Albums 11
Tracks 157
Most frequent collaborator Richard Nichols · 27 tracks
Genres Alternative Hip HopJazz RapNeo Soul
Artist
85%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 134 of 157 tracks

Do the Roots write their own songs?

Members are credited on 134 of the group's 157 studio tracks, and 40 of those carry no writer from outside the band. Black Thought is on 115 and Questlove on 100. The 1995 album Do You Want More?!!!??! publishes no writing credit for anybody, which is where most of the gap comes from.

By the Numbers

11
Studio Albums
157
Tracks Credited
85%
Self-Written
39
Years Active
229
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 134 / 157 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 157 tracks: how many The Roots wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

The Roots has a writing credit85%
27%
59%
15%
Sole author42tracks27%
Co-written92tracks59%
Outside writers23tracks15%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
The Roots's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 157 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)85%
Composer (music)85%
Producer71%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 157 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Black Thought 1987-present
73%
73%
13%
1%
Questlove 1987-present
64%
64%
40%
0%
Captain Kirk Douglas 2003-present
7%
7%
0%
0%
Damon Bryson 2007-present
1%
1%
0%
0%
James Poyser 2007-present
5%
5%
3%
0%
Kamal Gray 1994-present
26%
26%
3%
0%
Mark Kelley 2011-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Raymond Angry 2011-present
5%
5%
7%
0%
Stro Elliot 2017-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Ian Hendrickson-Smith 2010-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Dave Guy 2010-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Malik B. 1988-1999
14%
14%
0%
1%
Hub 1992-2007
27%
27%
0%
0%
Dice Raw 1995-2014
32%
32%
6%
8%
Rahzel 1994-2002
8%
8%
4%
0%
Scratch 1994-2003
7%
7%
2%
0%
Scott Storch 1992-1995
8%
8%
5%
0%
Josh Abrams 1987-1992
3%
3%
0%
0%
Owen Biddle 2007-2011
1%
1%
0%
0%
Ben Kenney 2001-2003
3%
3%
0%
0%
Jeremy Ellis 2003-2005
0%
0%
0%
0%
Martin Luther McCoy 2003-2005
0%
0%
0%
0%
Nikki Yeoh 1993-1994
0%
0%
0%
0%
Frank Knuckles 2002-2011
4%
4%
1%
0%
Kid Crumbs 1993-1994
0%
0%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

The Roots's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 85%
100%
0%
100%
100%
100%
100%
92%
100%
100%
100%
64%
1993Organix
1995Do You Want More?!!!??!
1996Illadelph Halflife
1999Things Fall Apart
2002Phrenology
2004The Tipping Point
2006Game Theory
2008Rising Down
2010How I Got Over
2011Undun
2014...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Early · 100% written
Mid · 98% written
Late · 89% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Organix, Do You Want More?!!!??! +2 more
98%
2000s
Phrenology, The Tipping Point +2 more
89%
2010s
How I Got Over, Undun +1 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where The Roots sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

The Roots
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Tim McGraw2%
Ricky Martin25%
Marc Anthony37%
Kylie Minogue46%
Alan Jackson66%
George Michael80%
India Arie88%
85%The Roots
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

What They Do
Illadelph Halflife
Written by Questlove, Kamal Gray, Hub, Raphael Saadiq, Rahzel, Black Thought, Ahmir Thompson, James Gray, Leonard Hubbard, Rozell Brown, Tariq Trotter
Co-wrote
Concerto of the Desperado
Illadelph Halflife
Written by Kenyatta Williams, Black Thought, Tariq Trotter
Co-wrote
You Got Me
Things Fall Apart
Written by Questlove, Black Thought, Kamal Gray, Rahzel, Scratch, Hub, Scott Storch, Erykah Badu, Eve, Dice Raw, Jill Scott, Ahmir Thompson, Tariq Trotter, James Gray, Rozell Brown, Kyle Jones, Leonard Hubbard, Erica Wright, Eve Cooper, Karl Jenkins
Co-wrote
Break You Off
Phrenology
Written by Black Thought, Questlove, Hub, Kamal Gray, Scratch, Ben Kenney, Dice Raw, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Tariq Trotter, Ahmir Thompson, Leonard Hubbard, James Gray, Kyle Jones, Karl Jenkins, Taalib Johnson
Co-wrote
Stay Cool
The Tipping Point
Written by Dice Raw, Melvin 'Chaos' Lewis, Griffin, Black Thought, Paterno, Karl Jenkins, Tariq Trotter
Co-wrote

Discography 11 albums

The discography also lists the collaboration albums Wake Up! with John Legend, Betty Wright: The Movie and Wise Up Ghost with Elvis Costello, plus the live albums. Those sit outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of The RootsThe Roots157 tracks
RN27Richard Nichols, 27 tracks Photo of The Roots18The Grand Negaz, 18 tracks Photo of The Roots17The Grand Wizzards, 17 tracks KM12Khari Mateen, 12 tracks K9Kelo, 9 tracks C8Chaos, 8 tracks GS8Gregory Spearman, 8 tracks TJ7Tahir Jamal, 7 tracks JM6Jamal Miller, 6 tracks PM6Pedro Martinez, 6 tracks RM6Radji Mateen, 6 tracks JS5Joseph Simmons, 5 tracks UR5Ursula Rucker, 5 tracks KW5Kenyatta Williams, 5 tracks J5Jazzyfatnastees, 5 tracks GS5Greg Spearman, 5 tracks RF5Rick Friedrich, 5 tracks DW5Damion Ward, 5 tracks JG4Jeremy Grenhart, 4 tracks DJ4D.D. Jackson, 4 tracks MJ4Mike Jerz, 4 tracks T4Trapzillas, 4 tracks TW4The Wurxs, 4 tracks LJ3L.A. Jay, 3 tracks Q3Q-Tip, 3 tracks RS3Raphael Saadiq, 3 tracks S3Slimkid3, 3 tracks ML3Melvin Lewis, 3 tracks C3Common, 3 tracks JD3J Dilla, 3 tracks JS3Jill Scott, 3 tracks AT3Anthony Tidd, 3 tracks OE3Omar Edwards, 3 tracks TK3Talib Kweli, 3 tracks WA3Wadud Ahmad, 3 tracks TR3The Randy Watson Experience, 3 tracks KH3Kevin Hanson, 3 tracks OB3Owen Biddle (of The Roots, 3 tracks PP3Peedi Peedi, 3 tracks P3P.O.R.N., 3 tracks P3Phonte, 3 tracks KW2Kenyatta Warren, 2 tracks TG2Tony Greene, 2 tracks JD2Jamal Dorsey, 2 tracks SS2Sly Stone, 2 tracks AS2A.J. Shine, 2 tracks MD2Mos Def, 2 tracks DS2Dante Smith, 2 tracks OT2Omar the Scholar, 2 tracks D2Dom, 2 tracks AL2Aaron Livingston, 2 tracks M'2Melvin 'Chaos' Lewis, 2 tracks MM2Marley Marl, 2 tracks J2John-John, 2 tracks CJ2Chorus: John-John, 2 tracks J2J*Davey, 2 tracks RR2Ritz Reynolds, 2 tracks BR2Brent Reynolds, 2 tracks TN2Truck North, 2 tracks B2Blu, 2 tracks JB2Johnson Barnes, 2 tracks KN2Katrin Newman, 2 tracks DC2Don Carlos Price, 2 tracks JL2John Legend, 2 tracks BW2Betty Wright, 2 tracks AM2Angelo Morris, 2 tracks GP2Greg Porn, 2 tracks DR2Dice Raw & Greg Porn, 2 tracks RD2Raheem DeVaughn, 2 tracks TT1Teresa Thompson, 1 track R1Rohanee, 1 track CA1Conway Armstead, 1 track MP1Micah Pitts, 1 track SU1Sista Urban, 1 track RG1Rachel Graham, 1 track ET1ELO The Cosmic Eye, 1 track CW1Cassandra Wilson, 1 track TM1Tracey Moore, 1 track B1Bahamadia, 1 track AR1Antonia Reed, 1 track PB1Phillip Blenman, 1 track DR1Dice Raw & M.A.R.S., 1 track DM1David Murray, 1 track TH1Trevant Hardson, 1 track D1D'Angelo, 1 track KF1Kamaal Fareed, 1 track TU1The Ummah, 1 track JR1Joshua Redman, 1 track R1Rucker, 1 track SL1Spike Lee, 1 track SL1Shelton Lee, 1 track DJ1DJ Jazzy Jeff, 1 track RS1Rehani Sayeed, 1 track JW1JB Weaver, 1 track LB1Lady B, 1 track DM1Diedre Murray, 1 track BS1Beanie Sigel, 1 track DG1Dwight Grant, 1 track EB1Erykah Badu, 1 track E1Eve, 1 track EC1Eve Cooper, 1 track DS1DJ Scratch, 1 track KG1Kamiah Gray, 1 track NF1Nelly Furtado, 1 track TG1Talib Greene, 1 track AB1Antonious Bernard Thomas, 1 track CC1Cody ChesnuTT, 1 track MS1Musiq Soulchild, 1 track TJ1Taalib Johnson, 1 track M1Musiq, 1 track TW1Tahir Williams, 1 track KS1Kelo Saunders, 1 track KR1Karriem Riggins, 1 track ZB1Zoukhan Bey, 1 track B1Baraka, 1 track AB1Amiri Baraka, 1 track L1Livingston, 1 track G1Griffin, 1 track P1Paterno, 1 track ML1Martin Luther, 1 track R'1Robert 'LB' Dorsey, 1 track BD1Big Daddy Kane, 1 track KG1Kool G Rap, 1 track FC1Floyd Carson, 1 track JG1Jean Grae, 1 track TI1Tsidi Ibrahim, 1 track DT1Devin the Dude, 1 track B1Bey, 1 track I1i, 1 track GK1George Kranz, 1 track I1iii, 1 track S1Skillz, 1 track I1ii, 1 track I1iv, 1 track DS1Donnie Shaquan Lewis, 1 track Z1Zukhan, 1 track CW1Chorus: Wadud Ahmad, 1 track MY1Maimouna Youssef, 1 track CM1Chorus: Maimouna Youssef, 1 track P1PORN, 1 track CP1Chorus: PORN, 1 track DR1Darrell Robinson, 1 track AB1Adam Blackstone, 1 track JM1John McGlinchey, 1 track DR1Dice Raw & Malik B., 1 track CB1Chorus: Black Thought & Dice Raw, 1 track BS1Bunny Sigler, 1 track DR1Darryl Robinson, 1 track CB1Chorus: Bunny Sigler & Dice Raw, 1 track BD1Brook D'Leau, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 217. RN Richard Nichols · KM Khari Mateen · K Kelo · C Chaos

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Members are credited on 134 of the group's 157 studio tracks and 40 of those carry nobody outside the band. Black Thought writes on 115 and Questlove on 100, but the roll runs much deeper: Dice Raw on 51, Hub on 42, Kamal Gray on 41. Do You Want More?!!!??! publishes no writing credit at all, which accounts for 16 of the 23 tracks with no member on them.

Quick Facts

  • Self-writtenMembers are credited on 134 of the group's 157 studio tracks
  • Written in house40 tracks carry no writer from outside the band
  • Main writersBlack Thought on 115 tracks, Questlove on 100
  • Deepest benchDice Raw writes on 51 tracks, Hub on 42, Kamal Gray on 41
  • Biggest albumThings Fall Apart is certified platinum
  • Day jobHouse band on Jimmy Fallon's late night show since 2009

Creative Fingerprint

A rapper and a drummer at the centre, and a rhythm section that keeps turning up in the writing credits.

The Story

Tariq Trotter and Ahmir Thompson started busking in Philadelphia in 1987 and built the first hip hop group that was actually a band. Eleven studio albums followed, from a self-released debut in 1993 to a concept record in 2014, and since 2009 they have been the house band on Jimmy Fallon's late night show.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "You Got Me" at the 42nd Grammy Awards

Frequently Asked Questions The Roots

Do the Roots write their own songs?
Members are credited on 134 of the group's 157 studio tracks, and 40 of those carry no writer from outside the band. Black Thought is on 115 and Questlove on 100. The 1995 album Do You Want More?!!!??! publishes no writing credit for anybody, which is where most of the gap comes from.
Who writes the words?
Black Thought, on 115 of the 157 tracks. Malik B. wrote alongside him until 1999 and Dice Raw is credited on 51 tracks across two decades.
How many albums have they released?
Eleven studio albums: Organix (1993), Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995), Illadelph Halflife (1996), Things Fall Apart (1999), Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory (2006), Rising Down (2008), How I Got Over (2010), Undun (2011) and ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin (2014).
Which album sold the most?
Things Fall Apart, certified platinum by the RIAA. Do You Want More?!!!??! and Phrenology are both gold.
Who wrote "You Got Me"?
Black Thought, Questlove, Scott Storch and Jill Scott, with Erykah Badu singing the hook. It won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 42nd Grammy Awards.
Why are their track numbers continuous?
The albums number tracks straight through from the first record rather than restarting at one, so Organix runs 1 to 17 and ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin picks up at 171.
Who is in the band?
Black Thought and Questlove have been there since 1987. The current lineup adds Captain Kirk Douglas, James Poyser, Kamal Gray, Mark Kelley, Raymond Angry, Damon Bryson, Stro Elliot, Ian Hendrickson-Smith and Dave Guy.
Which album do they write most of themselves?
Organix, where ten of the 17 tracks carry only band members, and Things Fall Apart, where eight of 18 do.
Are they still recording?
...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin in 2014 is the most recent studio album under the group's own name. They have kept working as the house band on Jimmy Fallon's show since 2009.
What about the collaboration albums?
Wake Up! with John Legend, Betty Wright: The Movie and Wise Up Ghost with Elvis Costello are credited to two acts each and sit outside this catalogue.

Sources

Wikipedia: The Roots Wikipedia: The Roots discography Wikipedia: Black Thought Wikipedia: Questlove Wikipedia: Malik B. Wikipedia: Dice Raw Wikipedia: Rahzel Wikipedia: Scratch Wikipedia: Captain Kirk Douglas Wikipedia: Kamal Gray Wikipedia: Stro Elliot Wikipedia: Martin Luther McCoy Wikipedia: Leonard Hubbard