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The hugely successful hip-hop band The Roots started out life as The Square Roots formed in 1987 by rapper Black Thought and drummer Questlove. Their breakthrough album was the 1999 release 'Things Fall Apart' which peaked at number four in the Billboard 200. Having become one of America's best known and widely acclaimed hip-hop bands The Roots were employed by talk show host Jimmy Fallon as the house band for his show 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon', exposing the band's talents to millions of viewers on a weekly basis. In 2014 Fallon went on to host 'The Tonight Show', taking over from Jay Leno. Fallon brought The Roots with him to the new show projecting the band to superstar status in America. The band are a popular component of the show although their performances have not been without controversy. When US congresswoman Michele Bachmann was a guest on the show the band heralded her appearance by playing a brief snippet of the Fishbone track 'Lying Ass Bitch', the ensuing furore nearly resulting in the band's dismissal from the show. As well as their slot on the show the band continue to record and appear at major festivals.
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