A lot of the fluffy hip-hop pouring through the airwaves has us wondering where The Roots have been. Philly’s finest are almost ready to drop a new album (a date hasn’t been set yet, but it’s looking like sometime this fall) and fans are looking forward to another classic delve into the essence of their indefinable type of music. At the Highline Ballroom in New York, ?uestlove told staging-rapup.kinsta.cloud his view on going commercial.

“We’re not the type of group that just hops on trends; we’re our own island. That’s the solution and the problem at the same time. We’re so unique that it’s hard to peg us in one hole. There’s no other bands out there in black music that’s doing what we are,” he says.

Everyone seems to be employing superstar producers these days, regardless of what genre they’re involved in. ?uestlove was pretty quiet about if they’d be tapping into those resources. “We got some very good people we worked with. It’s still up in the air. I don’t know how to categorize this new album,” he told us, careful not to let any secrets out. We might be ready for a change, but does a good thing really have to be revamped? Like Tanqueray, ?uestlove seems pretty comfortable with the classic.

Reported by Rajul Punjabi in New York

Tanqueray spokesperson, Tony Sinclair and ?uestlove of The Roots on the T&T Style Sessions red carpet at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.

Photos by Ray Tamarra