Fifteen years ago a group of serious vinyl collectors decided to share their diverse tastes in a live setting, a weekly event called The Root Down. It united a lot of LA’s music scenes and was a launch pad for a lot of artists – from KCRW fave Cut Chemist, famed DJ Dusk (R.I.P.), Madlib, and even a young, startup hip hop group known as BLACK EYED PEAS.
KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole made his LA debut there – in fact, he said moving to LA from Chicago it was the ONE place he really wanted to spin.
The Root Down was famously led by music lovers with refined ears, and spinning there meant joining the ranks of true tastemakers. The series was so well-respected, it was like a rite of passage for DJs who took music collecting – funk, soul, hip hop, reggae — seriously. As Jeremy says, much like KCRW, it’s a scene built around a lot of people who appreciate good music.
Celebrate the 15-year anniversary of The Root Down on Friday, December 14 at Arena with a ton of great talent: The Beatnuts backed by Connie Price and the Keystones, Syl Johnson backed by Breakestra, Cut Chemist, The Lions, Buyepongo and Jeremy himself!
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