The Roots are known for a serious but artistic approach to self-expression, but band is simultaneously celebrated for its eclectic appeal (via Today). They've collaborated with musicians as wide-ranging as Mos Def, Elvis Costello, and John Legend and even toured with Dave Matthews Band in 2017 (via Discogs, Brooklyn Magazine). That universal reach caught the eye of Jimmy Fallon when he was looking for a house band for his talk show in 2008.

Band co-founder Questlove recalls Fallon's unexpected play in the early discussion stage. In an interview with Brooklyn Magazine, he explains that Fallon visited them at UCLA's Spring Fling and up-ended their existing assumptions about what it might be like to work together. "I was doing an interview in a trailer, and when I walked out ... the eight of them — Fallon and the seven Roots — were making a human pyramid. He was able to disarm us in seconds."

The spur-of-the-moment shenanigans immediately put Questlove at ease. If the comedian could get his bandmates to scuff up their kicks on a whim, who knows what else they could accomplish together? "He was silly and was just proud of it. And was so silly that it made us silly. Like, we rock $500 sneakers. I'm not getting my knees dirty on the grass at UCLA to do a human pyramid! Like, imagine the Wu-Tang Clan decided to play in a playground. That's what it looked like."