Public Enemy Performing 'Nation of Millions' with The Roots

Icesickle · Post by **Icesickle** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:19 am

PE's on Jimmy Fallon Tonight, fyi.

Pitchfork wrote:When Jimmy Fallon announced late last year that the venerable rap band the Roots would serve as the house band for his late night NBC talk show, he set off all sorts of alarm bells. The Roots arguably remain the most dependable live act in rap, and their last album, 2008's Rising Down, was a taught, simmering workout, a great sign that the band would remain adaptable in a changing rap climate. What, exactly, would they have to gain in playing backup for this giggling cheeseball?

Turns out we shouldn't have worried. Fallon's tenure on "Late Night" so far has been a bit awkward, but it's also been more consistently entertaining than anyone could've hoped, and the Roots are a huge part of the reason why. Fallon's found ways to integrate them completely into the fabric of the show, building bits around their limber chops. And when Ludacris stopped by the show, holy shit.

And even if the Roots aren't tearing up the road the way they did for years, it's not like they've put a stop to their regular activities. As we reported last month, they're still holding down a regular residency at New York's Highline Ballroom, bandleader ?uestlove has a regular DJ gig at (Le) Poisson Rouge, and, if ?uesto's Twitter is to be believed, they're also working on a new album called How I Got Over. If that wasn't enough, Billboard has just revealed the lineup of the band's second Roots Picnic festival, and it is no joke.

The Roots Picnic will go down on June 6 at Festival Pier in the band's native Philadelphia. The band will play two sets at the festival, opening and closing the festival. And as Billboard reports, along with Antibalas, they will also back Public Enemy-- another one of the greatest live rap groups ever-- as they do their masterpiece It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back in its entirety.

P.E. has done Nation of Millions straight through at a few previous shows, including last year's Pitchfork Music Festival, but they've never done it with the Roots playing behind them. Considering how hard both groups bring it live, it boggles the mind to think about what they'll be able to do together. At the very least, it'll be fun to see the Roots' human beatboxes replicate the Bomb Squad's siren noises.

As Billboard reports, on March 16, Public Enemy will also stop by "Late Night" to perform with the Roots, so we'll get some indication of how that'll sound.

The rest of the Picnic's lineup is also ridiculously strong. TV on the Radio, the Black Keys, and Santigold will all perform on the main stage. And as Billboard reports, so will the Pipes, a new band that apparently features both Lenny Kravitz's daughter Zoe and the great L.A. speed-rapper Busdriver. Should be weird! Two great old-school Philly DJs, Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money, will spin records between bands. There will also be a second stage with Asher Roth, Kid Cudi, Busdriver, Making Time, Back to Basics, and Writtenhouse.

Posted by Tom Breihan on March 13, 2009 at 2:30 p.m.

Website · Post by **Random Sample** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:28 am

I might have to go out to philly for this.

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:08 pm

Y@k Bollocks · Post by **Y@k Bollocks** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:33 pm

I saw them do this is in London a few months back, but not with the Roots. It was ill. S1Ws onstage with samurai swords and shit. Too dope.

No Terminator X though.

sean · Post by **sean** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:36 pm

i saw them do it in sydney, but not with the roots.
if i'm not working, i may go to this.

drizzle · Post by **drizzle** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:41 pm

pe is at bb kings tomorrow, pretty sure it's sold out though

Post by **thekeentwo** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:14 pm

this sounds awesome.
someone pick me up on the way kthnx

sean · Post by **sean** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:30 pm

thekeentwo wrote:this sounds awesome.
someone pick me up on the way kthnx

i got you sis.
we'll ride kawasakis all the way there.
crotch rocket ninja moterbike shit.

naw fuck it.
you drive the corvette, i'll drive the samauri suzuki.

Post by **thekeentwo** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:04 pm

sean wrote:
thekeentwo wrote:this sounds awesome.
someone pick me up on the way kthnx
i got you sis.
we'll ride kawasakis all the way there.
crotch rocket ninja moterbike shit.

naw fuck it.
you drive the corvette, i'll drive the samauri suzuki.

does the suzuki have that weird kinda jeep removable roof thing? kinda looks like a mario kart?

imperative to my answer on this.

Tommy Bunz · Post by **Tommy Bunz** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:10 pm

I will probably go to this even though i have no interest at all in the rest of the lineup.

Post by **thekeentwo** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:12 pm

Tommy Bunz wrote:I will probably go to this even though i have no interest at all in the rest of the lineup.

huck things at asher roth.

sean · Post by **sean** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:21 pm

huck?

the caucazoid is strong within this one.

Post by **thekeentwo** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:27 pm

sean wrote:huck?

the caucazoid is strong within this one.

i am 3.7 % more black than you.

SYM · Post by **SYM** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:01 pm

The fact that its the Roots AND Antibalas AND its the full album is just too mind blowing to pass up. Holy. shit.

blessingindisguise · Post by **blessingindisguise** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:06 pm

Can't wait to get a bootleg of this shit.

MC Homeless · Post by **MC Homeless** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:30 pm

im glad the roots keep things interesting in the world of hip hop.

Mindbender Futurama · Post by **Mindbender Futurama** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:03 am

sean wrote:huck?

the caucazoid is strong within this one.

huck = straight outta grade 5

isn't it "

asteoid"

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:58 am

SuperFeen · Post by **SuperFeen** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:32 am

they pack a lot of people onto that stage

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YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:09 pm

Chuck D is so old. He reminds me of when all the old wrestlers I grew up watching returned to the WCW. That said I was such a fanatic back then I loved every minute of it.

This will be no different when backed by The Roots.

Huldrich Bullsh!t · Post by **Huldrich Bullsh!t** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:46 am

i saw the perform nation of millions recently it was great. Chuck is old but i have yet to see a better hip hop live show, doubt i will though

Jaz · Post by **Jaz** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:47 am

SuperFeen wrote:they pack a lot of people onto that stage

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That was great.

marinville · Post by **marinville** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:06 am

Jaz wrote:
SuperFeen wrote:they pack a lot of people onto that stage

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That was great.

fuck yea.

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:56 am

Pretty anemic performance from Chuck but I ain't mad it. The Roots rocked that shit as usual.

PE should consider replacing Flav with some charismatic South rapper at this point. Maybe Gucci Mane can handle the duties of the position?

at Professor Griff.

Fallon is a faggatrocious human being.