Editing The Roots (section)

== Formation and Early Years ==

The Roots began when drummer Ahmir Thompson met MC Tariq Trotter in the hallways of the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) in the late 1980s. Both students were immersed in hip-hop culture but shared an appreciation for musicianship that distinguished them from peers who relied solely on turntables and samplers. They began performing together, with Thompson playing drums while Trotter rapped, initially busking on Philadelphia streets and performing at local venues willing to book an unconventional act.<ref name="charnas">{{cite book |last=Charnas |first=Dan |title=The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop |year=2010 |publisher=New American Library |location=New York}}</ref>

The duo gradually assembled the band that would become The Roots, adding musicians who shared their vision of hip-hop performed by a live band. The group's early lineups included bassist Leonard Hubbard, keyboardist Scott Storch (later a successful producer), and MC Malik B. Their sound combined hip-hop's rhythmic sensibility with jazz's improvisational spirit, creating music that hip-hop purists initially viewed skeptically but that eventually earned widespread respect for its artistry and innovation.<ref name="questlove"/>