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The Roots 

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch The Roots And Erykah Badu Gleefully Win Their First GRAMMY in 2000

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The hip-hop greats won their first GRAMMY for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for “You Got Me” from 1999’s ‘Things Fall Apart’
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jan 29, 2021 - 10:44 am

Before the Roots were omnipresent on NBC’s "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," the Philly hip-hop heavyweights led by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson were a hungry, ambitious crew notable for incorporating live instruments and jazzy textures into an often sample-based form.

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch as the crew wins their first GRAMMY for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group at the dawn of the new millennium. The band took home the award for “You Got Me” from their classic 1999 album Things Fall Apart. In the clip, they and their Soulquarians collaborator Erykah Badu elatedly accept the award with smiles visible from space.

GRAMMY Rewind: The Roots And Erykah Badu

GRAMMY Rewind: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Win For 1991 Bop "Summertime"

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The Roots

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images

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On 'Things Fall Apart,' The Roots Deepened Hip-Hop

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'Things Fall Apart' is not the Roots' masterpiece, but rather the beginning of them making masterpieces
Dan Weiss
GRAMMYs
Mar 4, 2019 - 11:21 am

We joke about it — there's that "J. Cole went platinum with no features" meme—but some of rap's overachievers end up doing just that. The Roots were perhaps one of the first acts in hip-hop history where maybe it wasn't immediately clear what the song was about. And while rap had always been built on borrowing and homage and one-upping, all sorts of open-source tools and watching a chant or catchphrase evolve into something else in real time, the Philadelphia group felt like its first meta commentators, deconstructing the medium as a whole and its tropes within their work itself. Lord knows they didn’t condescend to their peers (which matters when your lead vocalist is named Black Thought), though they occasionally indulged their bratty side (see the 1996 "rap video manual" "What They Do").

But just by existing, the Roots are often viewed as a fount of respectability politics: "They're rappers who play real instruments!" you’ve surely overheard one exasperated white rock fan say to another. Actually, let's zoom out entirely. How they're really viewed in 2019 is as Jimmy Fallon's house band and their elastic ability to perform on any guest's song, no matter the genre, possibly diminishes their artistic identity rather than augmenting it. Despite the fact the Roots tie Jay-Z as rap’s most consistent album artists for 20 years now, they’re rarely part of The Conversation.

You could say people so take the Roots' greatness for granted that whatever amazing thing they're currently saying or doing exists in a different universe than the one engaging luminaries from Drake to Nicki Minaj to Future to Juice WRLD. Or you could say they aren’t considered great at all. Black Thought is often referred to as an "MC's MC," which by definition means he’s undervalued by the audience. No one doubts Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is a world-class drummer, but he's treated more as the Dave Grohl of rap, a genial everydude who’s friends with everybody and checks in with a predictable new album every few years. Sure, but only if greatness in itself is boringly predictable.

Things Fall Apart, which just turned 20, is rightfully celebrated as a groundbreaking collection of music; it courted real sales, and had a real hit. "You Got Me," a Jill Scott co-write that Erykah Badu's hook curled around like smoke, won a real GRAMMY in 1999. And 2002's expansive, almost psychedelically varied follow-up, Phrenology, continued the hit streak with "The Seed 2.0," though it was a larger staple of alt-rock stations' playlists than rap ones. And then quietly, respectfully, their next six studio albums were damned with strong reviews and consistent sales in the five-to-six digits without threatening radio or year-end lists ever again. This was particularly unjust for the incredible hot streak of Game Theory, Rising Down, and How I Got Over from 2006 to 2010, but the quality of The Tipping Point, undun, and …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is also taken for granted.

Things Fall Apart is not the Roots' masterpiece, but rather the beginning of them making masterpieces. Its unforgettable cover art aside, with two terrified black people fleeing white police on foot, most of the album's depth is musical. Before Genius existed, Questlove was happy to fill the Roots' CD booklets with footnotes to help any listener place the cymbal-heavy opener "Table of Contents (Parts 1 & 2)" as a tribute to the "sloppy tambourine" of Marley Marl and "horrible mixing" of the Jungle Brothers. The drums on "Step Into the Realm" keep fading out as an homage to the breaks our heroes had to loop as kids from the ends of other songs where the only isolated drum sounds they could grab would fade out. The backing track of "Without a Doubt" is built entirely from a sample of their fellow hometown hero Schoolly-D.

Old-school rap was the foundation of Things Fall Apart, down to the back-and-forth mic-trading between Black Thought and Mos Def on "Double Trouble." But the hyper-time drum-and-bass that Questlove lays under the final chorus of "You Got Me," J Dilla's creaky deep-crate jazz on "Dynamite!" and the Jazzyfatnastees' hocketing vocals on "The Next Movement" were all expanding the sonic palates of millennial rap fans. The group embraced their progressivism visually, too, building on the subversive "What They Do" with two more Charles Stone III-directed videos: "You Got Me" remixed Radiohead's infamously open-ended "Just" clip, while the mini visual marvels of “The Next Movement,” rival anything Spike Jonze directed in the '90s.

The album cover and title of the Roots' third album were perhaps better suited to their darker later work, which became crucially political, but at least it established an urgency for the group, one they deserve to get back. Because the true theme song of Things Fall Apart is the centerpiece "Act Too (The Love of My Life)," whose titular inamorata is hip-hop itself, and that song's own music sounded like a successor to "The Cosby Show" theme, which at one time was another example of Philly pride. Making an album about how much you love what you do doesn’t sound like a radical concept, necessarily. But it’s an uplifting one, and when it busts open the doors that permit you to do so much more of it, well, that’s the beginning of a revolution, no?

On September 27, Things Fall Apart will be reissued in a 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition in different formats. The standard 3xLP gatefold edition with a new full disc of bonus tracks and a 24-page booklet featuring rare photos and new essays from Black Thought and Questlove (along with new liner notes from Questlove), as well as a Collector's Edition on clear vinyl with a die-cut slipcase.

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40th GRAMMYs: Who Won The Big Four Categories?

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Bob Dylan wins Album Of The Year and Shawn Colvin scores two sunny wins against these nominees
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

Music's Biggest Night, the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, will air live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

In the weeks leading up to the telecast, we will take a stroll through some of the golden moments in GRAMMY history with the GRAMMY Rewind, highlighting the "big four" categories — Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist — in 10-year increments before capping off with a look at the last five years. In the process, we'll discuss the winners and the nominees who just missed taking home a GRAMMY, while also shining a light on the artists' careers and the eras in which the recordings were born.

Join us as we take an abbreviated journey through the trajectory of pop music from the 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1959 to this year's 53rd telecast. Today, the GRAMMY Awards celebrates its 40th anniversary.
 

40th Annual GRAMMY Awards
Feb. 25, 1998

Album Of The Year
Winner: Bob Dylan, Time Out Of Mind
Babyface, The Day
Paula Cole, This Fire
Paul McCartney, Flaming Pie
Radiohead, Ok Computer

The venerable Dylan edged out a diverse field in claiming his second Album Of The Year award for Time Out Of Mind, produced by Daniel Lanois. (His first came in 1972 for his participation on The Concert For Bangla Desh.) Dylan's unforgettable performance on the telecast included an encounter with a stage crasher bearing the words "Soy Bomb" on his torso. Smooth R&B songwriter/producer Babyface made the cut with The Day, which featured the touching title track written about the day his then-wife Tracey Edmonds told him she was pregnant with their first child, Brandon. Babyface won back-to-back Producer Of The Year awards in 1995 and 1996. Singer/songwriter Cole, who impressively scored nods in all four General Field categories, was recognized for her sophomore album. Current MusiCares Person of the Year honoree McCartney, who won Album Of The Year 30 years prior with his friends from Liverpool, was cited for Flaming Pie, a stripped-down song cycle inspired by the then-recent GRAMMY-winning The Beatles Anthology. Though Radiohead would lose out in this category, the British alternative rockers won their first GRAMMY for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Record Of The Year
Winner: Shawn Colvin, "Sunny Came Home"
Paula Cole, "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?"
Sheryl Crow, "Everyday Is A Winding Road"
Hanson, "MMMbop"
R. Kelly, "I Believe I Can Fly"

"Sunny Came Home," which depicts the tale of a woman who sets her home ablaze in an attempt to escape her haunting past, was Colvin's highest-charting single (No. 7) on the Billboard Hot 100, and paved the way for her long-standing career. Cole's "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?"— which name-drops the Duke, John Wayne — marked her only charting single in the Top 10. Coming off three GRAMMYs the year prior, Crow was shut out twice in 1997, but would pick up awards in 1998 and 1999. The brother trio Hanson, who literally emerged out of the Middle Of Nowhere, was recognized with the smash "MMMbop," which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kelly's inspirational anthem "I Believe I Can Fly" would miss the cut here, but it racked up three GRAMMYs, including Best Rhythm & Blues Song. "I Believe…" just missed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 2.

Song Of The Year
Winner: Shawn Colvin, "Sunny Came Home"
Paula Cole, "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?"
R. Kelly, "I Believe I Can Fly"
No Doubt, "Don't Speak"
LeAnn Rimes And Trisha Yearwood, "How Do I Live"

It was a big year for the South Dakota-born Colvin and "Sunny Came Home," which she penned with John Leventhal. Cole and Kelly also reprised their Record Of The Year nods. "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?" was written by Cole, whose album showed a lyrical depth similar to contemporaries such as Jewel and Sarah McLachlan. "I Believe I Can Fly," with its elements of R&B and soul, was written, produced and performed by Kelly. Hailing from Anaheim, Calif., No Doubt made the grade with their heartbreaking ballad "Don't Speak," written by vocalist Gwen Stefani and her brother Eric. The alt-ska outfit would win their first GRAMMY five years later. Country teen sensation Rimes, who won Best New Artist in 1996, and Yearwood were each nominated for "How Do I Live," which was penned by Diane Warren. This marked a GRAMMY first, with two artists representing the same song in a category. Rimes' version would chart higher, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but Yearwood's rendition won a GRAMMY for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

"Sunny Came Home" Wins Song of the Year

Best New Artist
Winner: Paula Cole
Fiona Apple
Erykah Badu
Hanson
Puff Daddy

Emerging from a genre-rich pool, the Massachusetts-native Cole would not walk away empty-handed in securing the coveted Best New Artist award. Apple, who had been a bad, bad girl throughout 1996, was good enough to get a nomination, and also a win for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Criminal." While R&B/soul songstress Badu would not win for Best New Artist, she won two awards in 1997, including Best R&B Album for her debut Baduizm. Marking the beginning of his empire-to-be, hip-hop all-star Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, now simply known as Diddy, lost out but would not walk away empty-handed by scoring a GRAMMY for "I'll Be Missing You," a tribute to the fallen Notorious B.I.G. containing samples of the Police's GRAMMY-winning "Every Breath You Take." The brothers Hanson, whose sunny pop sound contrasted with the murky sounds of grunge in the mid-'90s, rounded out the nominees.

Come back to GRAMMY.com on Feb. 2 as we revisit the 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Follow GRAMMY.com for our inside look at GRAMMY news, blogs, photos, videos, and of course nominees. Stay up to the minute with GRAMMY Live. Check out the GRAMMY legacy with GRAMMY Rewind. Explore this year's GRAMMY Fields. Or check out the collaborations at Re:Generation, presented by Hyundai Veloster. And join the conversation at Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

 

GRAMMY Rewind: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Stevie Wonder Take Home Album Of The Year For 'Innervisions' In 1974

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In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch the legendary Stevie Wonder win the GRAMMY for Album of the Year for 'Innervisions' at the 16th GRAMMY Awards in 1974
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
May 14, 2021 - 9:59 am

As of May 13, Planet Earth has beheld the incandescent Stevie Wonder for 71 years. And what better way to ring in his big day than to watch him become the first Black artist to win the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year back in 1974?

In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch presenters Telly Savalas and Cher give Wonder the history-making golden gramophone. (To date, Wonder counts 25 GRAMMY wins and 74 total nominations.)

Watch Stevie Wonder Win AOTY For 'Innervisions'

"This is my little sister, Renee, and that's my older brother, Milton, and they are here for a reason," Wonder says in the clip. "Calvin is here because he's the one on 'Living For The City' who says 'New York.' I just want to say to everyone that Renee is young, and they are the future for tomorrow, for all people."

Watch the heartening vintage clip above and click here to enjoy more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind. Here's to your next 71 years, Mr. Wonder.

GRAMMY Rewind: Esperanza Spalding Elatedly Wins Best New Artist In 2011

GRAMMY Rewind: Adele

Adele

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Adele Win Best New Artist In 2009 While On Cloud Nine

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In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch Kanye West and Estelle present an emotional Adele with the GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 51st GRAMMY Awards in 2009
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
May 7, 2021 - 9:52 am

Some in this life take public honors for granted, as if they're owed to them. Not Adele.

When the glitter-clad pair of Kanye West and Estelle announce her GRAMMY win for Best New Artist, Adele wells up with emotion—much like she does in her volcanic live performances. 

As Adele approaches the stage, her astonished facial expression practically screams, "Pinch me."

Watch Adele Win The Best New Artist GRAMMY In 2009

In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, watch a captivating Adele take home the GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 51st GRAMMY Awards in 2009 as she shouts out the friends, family and industry figures who helped her get there. (She also won the GRAMMY for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Chasing Pavements" that same year.)

For The Record: Adele's Icon-Making 21 At 10