Justin Beiber What Do You Mean square
A new Justin Bieber song might seem like the least likely fodder for a Roots performance, but on Wednesday's Tonight Show, the legendary Philly crew rallied to back the pop mega-star in his performance of "What Do You Mean?"
The results? Surprisingly great. Bieber's vocal skills are difficult to deny and, thanks to some relatively tame styling on his part, it's not impossible to watch him lightly bounce back and forth on stage as the clicks and snaps of his runaway hit single come to life in the hands of Questlove and Frank Knuckles. "What Do You Mean" is as straightforward as they come, a song about making up your mind that, yes, might sound pulled from a PG Pixar movie, but is also a well-made pop song, its sparse beat giving Bieber ample room to push into the strongest part of his range. Plus, it all takes off during the final minute when Quest finally hits the snare and welcomes Black Thought to the stage. Though spits a characteristically strong verse as Bieber stands and watches, and for a so many bars things feel, well, proper. Watch the clip below, along with another segment from last night's Tonight Show, in which Bieber, talented instrumentalist that he is, challenges Questlove to a drum-off.
