The Roots

The day kicked off with an energetic, tone-setting performance from The Pharcyde. It was a delight to see Imani bounding across the stage, joined by fellow members Fatlip and Slimkid3. However, it was a bit of a letdown not to see the quartet complete, with Bootie Brown (unsurprisingly) absent. Despite this, the LA rap legends whipped through their hits, much to the crowd’s excitement. Acknowledging that their lyrics might not have aged perfectly (“man, we were saying some wild shit back then”), the group still delivered music that remains undeniably powerful. 

Following The Pharcyde were GRAMMY Hall of Fame inductees De La Soul, who arguably have a massive following in the UK, possibly even more significant than The Roots, and could have easily headlined the night. Going into this set, I was curious to see how Posdnuos and Maseo would fare without Trugoy, whose untimely passing last year sent shockwaves through the rap community. The surprise appearance of controversial rap legend Talib Kweli added an unexpected twist. After performing a few of his hits, including “Get By” and “The Blast”, Kweli stepped in to rap Trugoy’s verses on tracks like “A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays” and the iconic “Me Myself and I”. While undoubtedly intended as a tribute, the lack of direct acknowledgment of Plug Two’s death gave the moment an awkward undertone, potentially coming across as a replacement rather than a heartfelt homage. 

Along with their Crystal Palace performance the day before this would be The Roots’ first UK appearance in seven years. The legendary band, formed in 1987 by classmates Questlove and Black Thought, boasts one of the strongest discographies in rap and ranks among my favourite acts in all music. However, instead of showcasing their decades-long evolution and reinvention—from their jazz rap debut “Organix” to the indie rock-infused “Undun”—they chose to use their Dreamland show to celebrate the breadth of Black American music. We still got to hear classic Roots tracks like “You Got Me” (complete with an instrumental breakdown), “Dynamite”, and “The Seed 2.0”, but as a devoted fan, I was left craving more. After a seven-year absence, it felt like they could have leaned more heavily on their own formidable discography. The crowd was having a great time, and maybe sometimes it’s safer knowing the “Move on Up” instrumental will get any crowd on your side a lot easier than the Obama-era raps of “How I got Over”. 

This isn’t a critique of their performance, however. As a band, The Roots were impeccable. Each member was given ample time to shine, and the musicianship was tight throughout. Black Thought’s rapid-fire delivery on tracks like “75 Bars” and “Web” was nothing short of jaw-dropping, while Questlove’s intricate drumming kept the energy high. Even lesser-known members like the energetic sousaphone player, Tuba Gooding Jr stole the show with frantic energy and the crowd were eating it up. Overall, it was a brilliant night where three iconic rap acts from LA, Philly, and New York descended upon the tiny seaside town of Margate to celebrate their legendary hip-hop careers.