tUnE-yArDs with ?uestlove & Black Thought - "Gangsta" (The Roots)

WITZARD PRECURSOR: Now, I'll be the first to admit that I dig some pretty "Weird Music," but... this is almost a little too odd for my liking. Definitely interesting though - It's utterly great that "adventurous shit" like this is getting Nation-wide [Late Night] TV recognition!

tUnE-yArDs is the passion project of Oakland, CA native Merrill Garbus. For all intensive purposes, her live band is beefed up to include Nate Brenner (Electric Bass) & The Unknown "w h o k i l l Horn Section." tUnE-yArDs' genre is quite often classified as either Lo-Fi, R&B, and/or Experimental ("Wild"). Aside from banshee-reminiscent vocals, Garbus also contributes percussive elements, drum/vocal loops, and added ukelele flourishes.


Merrill Garbus & The 3-Piece tUnE-yArDs Band appeared on the 8/1-2 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Highlighted in the show's closing segment as Featured Musical Guest, tUnE-yArDs were joined [as bands often are] by ?uestlove & Black Thought of The Roots. Together, the 5 somehow managed to perform and interesting take on the already interesting w h o k i l l album cut #3, "Gangsta." Individual elements of not include: Merrill's multi-tasking, Black Thought's "WTF!?"-filled looks/augmented Rap verse, tUne-yArDs' tribal face painting, the "self-destructive" outro sax solos, and ?uestlove's Corey Hart SWAGGER.