The Roots have always shown reverence to Hip-Hop en route to becoming stalwarts of the culture themselves, and a newly announced event solidifies that stance. The Roots announced on Monday (Dec. 9) the “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” with Lil’ Kim, Method Man, and Redman among the stacked lineup for the concert that kicks off next year.
Hosted by Live Nation Urban and the LA Phil, “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” will be a one-night-only event taking place at the Hollywood Bowl venue in Los Angeles, Calif.
Along with the aforementioned acts, Bay area legend E-40, Cleveland’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Staten Island Wu-Tang Clan swordsman Raekwon, Compton funkster DJ Quik, Atlanta quartet Goodie Mob, Queens rapper and producer Havoc of Mobb Deep, and more will all take to the stage. The Roots will provide the backing sounds for each of the acts, and will be similar in scope to last year’s “Roots Picnic: Hip-Hop is the Love of My Life” event at Hollywood Bowl which was sold out.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, shared the following statement:
Well: 1995 was our true arrival. Nineteen eighty-seven was the Year of the Creative Adhesive, the year that tied together Tariq’s world and my world in high school, and 1991 was the Year of the Green Light, the year we gave ourselves permission to take our resources and passion and pursue our dream. But 1995? That was the Year It All Came Together, the year when our first major release, “Do You Want More?!!!??!” was sent into the world. Hip-hop was an entirely new ballgame back then, on an entirely new playing field. Those were the days when there were still things like mainstream terrestrial radio, bloated video budgets, and creativity at both the regional and the global levels. Those were the days that produced classic album after classic album, unleashing countless new ideas about art. Those were the days when the world was our oyster. This is the story of those days.”
The “Tariq” that Questlove mentions is no other than the legendary Black Thought, whose given name is Tariq Trotter.
Tickets for “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” will go on sale Wednesday (Dec. 11) at 10 AM PST at www.hollywoodbowl.com. Get your tickets fast as this one is certain to sell out quickly.
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Photo: Live Nation/Getty
