The Roots Will Help WM Celebrate Charter Day

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Roots will perform at William and Mary.

The Roots is a hip hop band that backs vocals with live instrumentals; the band currently serves as house band for “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” on NBC. The college announced the planned concert at Saturday’s Yule Log ceremony.

Charter Day, which marks the day the College received its royal charter, was made over last year as a birthday tradition for the college. This year will mark the 318th “birthday” for the college. The concert is part of the effort to get students excited to celebrate the milestone. The Student Assembly provided much of the funding for the concert, with assistance from Alma Mater Productions, the college’s programming board.

“I hope that students get excited and come out and celebrate the college,” said senior Brian Focarino, one of the students who helped give Charter Day a makeover.

The Roots formed in Philadelphia in 1987 and released its first album, “Organix,” in 1993. Since then, the band has released 11 studio albums and two live albums, and collaborated with artists Jay-Z, Cody Chestnutt and John Legend. The members have also been featured on TV and in film, including performances in “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party.” Most recently, the band opened The Daily Show’s “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” on Oct. 30 in Washington, D.C.

The college has not released any information about tickets yet, but will post that information on the college’s box office website.