Bass Player Hub Leaves The Roots

17 years ago view-show 20,023,047

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno

      Last week a bootleg recording of an August 31 Roots show in Turin, New York featured The Roots band bidding farewell to bass player Leonard ‘Hub’ Hubbard, leaving fans wondering ‘what’s up?’ Roots drummer ?uestlove officially announced Hub’s departure from the group, after 17 years, on Okayplayer.com.

      “Let me end all speculation ladies and gentlemen and officially announce that yes indeed Hub played his last show as a member of The Roots on August 31st of this year,” ?uest wrote on the site homepage. “One has to understand off the bat to be a member of this group is to sacrifice your life. If you look at it (and this is applies to most of the artists that you talk about on this site) there is nothing "normal" about our lives. This isn’t a pity party. Nor an explanation. Just a confirmation. I understand that most of you are a little miffed that you weren’t given the option to say ‘goodbye’. Truth is Hub really didn’t want to make a big deal about this. Which is probably why we defied him anyway and had a "moment" onstage which got quite emotional after his last solo. We got about 16 bottles of bubbly and tried to have a 2 fish/5 loafs of bread distribution to the crowd so that we could properly send him off. I say we use this moment and opportunity to raise our cyber glass and toast Hub in his new endeavors.”

      The Roots are gearing up to launch the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors tour with Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte and have enlisted musicians Tuba Gooding Jr. and Owen Biddle to fill-in/replace Hub.

Comments

  1. I have been a fan of the Roots since Do You Want More? The Roots are innovators and to have Hub one of the founding members to leave the group is rather disappointing. Hopefully the Roots as talented as they are can regroup and be able to continue to make beautiful hip-hop as they always have.

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