The Roots returned to the States, and released their major-label debut Do You Want More?!!!??! on Geffen Records on January 17, 1995. The legendary were the first hip-hop act signed to Geffen, and the label hoped to duplicate the success they had with Nirvana in the rock world. The album featured four tracks from their European EP and also showcased songs performed on their European tour like “Proceed” and “Swept Away”, along with totally new songs such as “The Lesson” and their first love song, “Silent Treatment”. The Roots were also joined by two new members: James “Kamal” Gray replaced Nikki Yeoh on the keys, and Rahzel The Godfather of Noyze. A talented beatboxer, Rahzel added much versatility to The Roots sound as he could do everything from scratch with his vocals, to sing, to duplicate entire beats and melodies with his voice. Unfortunately, it was also around this time that Malik B would stop touring and performing with The Roots on a regular basis (he would appear at shows in the late 90s on rare occasions).

With their new album, and newly invigorated band, the legendary would now attempt to conquer the States. Being heavily pushed as “a live hip-hop group with no samples”, The Roots soon realized on the road that although concert-goers seemed to enjoy the show, they were never familiar with their work. The solution? What would ultimately become known as "Hip-Hop 101," which to this day remains a cornerstone of every Roots live show.

The idea was that after The Roots would perform their own material and have band members perform solos, the band would get the audience going with a medley of cover renditions of classic and current hip-hop songs. This is perhaps best highlighted with their performance on the second stage of Lollapolooza in 1995, when they covered everything from KRS-One to Wu-Tang, Eric B. and Rakim to A Tribe Called Quest.

Hip-Hop 101 succeeded in getting a great crowd response. But why settle for other artists' music to excite the crowd? The Roots were determined to win over the hip-hop crowd that was straying from the jazzy sounds of the early 90s and moving towards a more sample-heavy and hardcore sound...