The above video popped up in this thread on the message boards Friday evening and took us by surprise. The news has been out for some time that come March 2009, SNL darling Jimmy Fallon will take Conan O'Brien's place on NBC's "The Late Show" when O'Brien succeeds Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show." Jimmy is a big fan of The Roots and for the last few months the Okayplayer staff has been aware of talks between Fallon and the Legendary to bring them on as the show's full time house band, effectively putting their non-stop touring schedule on hold for the first time in 18 years.
While we had yet to hear confirmation of this, ?uestlove aired out the news during an interview at The Roots show in Chicago this past Thursday, their last gig in the US before heading to Europe to close out the year. The move would mean significantly less live concerts for The Roots, but not end them completely. For example, the band continues with plans for their second annual Roots Picnic festival that will once again go down in Philly mid-Summer 2009.
Dope. Jimmy is he dude!
After almost twenty years in the game…
Much respect to The Roots, I’ll be glad to see them on TV more often now.
But don’t stop making albums once the label contract is up!
That killed my we have a black president buzz. What does this mean for Black Thought?
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY I DONT SEE BLACK THOUGHT PLAYING A PART IN THAT MOVE
I think we deserve “the roots come alive vol.2″ before this goes down.
What’s one of the best mc’s black thought going to do?
ahh dont complain. Quest love kept putting out wack shit for the past 3 albums. Just let BHlack Thought spit. I dont want to hear no more of that socalled political shit. Why wasnt “Baby please dont go” on the last album.
?uesto is a smart and capable band leader, he’ll not only do a great job for Jimmy but he’ll shut down all the haters on this site by producing some of the roots most memorable records to date now that he can stay in a centralized environment. The musical information he’ll take in playing for the Late show will increase his compositional mind even further. Wait and see.
Wack shit for the past 3 albums?!?!? Maybe you need to give them another listen. Shit, I’m still listening to Game Theory and Tipping Point.
okay so they still gonna do the picnic but what about the pre grammy jam?
I hate jimmy fallon now.
This is terrible !!!
What will Black Thought be doing in all this ??
Will they still be releasing albums ???
“The musical information he’ll take in playing for the Late show will increase his compositional mind even further.” ???? wtf is that all about ?
Wait, how did Jimmy Fallon get that gig?
Congrats guys! I think its a dope move for The Roots. We must all remember that these artists have to mature and do different things. RETHINK THE NORM folks.
I look forward to having a reason to watch late nite television.
And I’m sure Black Thought will be just fine. Hell I wouldnt mind seeing Brooklyn babylon 2 or Thought in some other films.
Maybe Thought will release that solo album and tour with BlackStar when their new album is released. *fingers crossed*
YOU ALL ARE IDIOTS IF U THINK HE IS NOT STILL GOING TO BE PAID FOR THAT GIG !! HE WILL BE FINE.I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HIM ON SOME OTHER SHIT AS WELL.ALSO HE MIGHT BE DOING THE SHOW AS WELL WE DONT KNOW ALL THE INFO. U GUYS ARE IDIOTS ON THIS SITE I SWEAR!!
Does this mean a Black Thought solo album will finally see the light of day??? I surely hope so.
(to be continued)
For Joe Dirt…I agree with that ‘baby, please don’t go’ but aaahhh not wack $hit, definitely not! The roots will be fine, I’m quite sure they will be able to still tour, do albums. After almost 20 years of touring, I think this will be a welcome change for them. Besides…with the artists that will be on the show, hmmmm…a roots compilation album, Esperanza, Q-tip, whomever along with black thought…fire! The move is a good look for hip hop in general. Honestly, I would like to see another ‘roots’ emerge, not a carbon copy, but it seems like hip hop has at least for the past few years has had a fusion with DJ/Bands that has worked and people love it. Live bands and rap works very well. I support the move ?uest.
i like that pen beast thinks that this discussion is about black thought getting paid, and then insults everyone else like we’re the idiots.
Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to hear Thought on the B-side of that new Pen Beast shit.
great. now i gotta sit through an hour of jimmy fallon to hear the Roots? thats worse than a bad openng band. I’d be down if they were the house band for conan, but jimmy. yikes. that guy ruined every skit he was in on SNL.
Roots Coming to Denmark soon and on that note come
check out my entry for the “Criminal” Remix Competition…
if you like the track why not vote on it too
http://www.indabamusic.com/submissions/show/3567
wow, does that mean HUb will do a few shows? HOpe the gig is a short lived experiment, like a couple years max. Roots are too ill to get stuck on some Jimmy Fallon lamo schtick.
Hopefully the Black Thought / Danger Mouse LP will finally be released.
I wish Dave had a late night show and the roots were his band
If I’m not mistaken, I do recall watching late shows where the band will transition into the next segment. The only problem is that we see most of the commercials and only catch either the beginning or the end of the performance….My point is that house bands have lead voalists also
P.S. Peace From Columbus!