It’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve seen quality hip-hop consistently beamed into homes across the U.S. on the 
proletariat waves of mainstream networks, so I’ve been overjoyed the past couple weeks to have caught PE, Luda, and Santigold on TV.
Jimmy Fallon has been bringing the pain, hardcore to the brains of his Late Show audience, with The Roots smoking all other late night bands and funking up the musical guests. Back in the day, Arsenio had that game sewn up. His stage saw more hip-hop acts than the Apollo. It was worth it to sit through the brother’s softball intros, excruciating interviews, and near-Fetchit clowning for the three minutes of astounding brilliance that was the musical set.
Today is much the same. Fallon is painful to watch; he’s not funny, gratingly ingratiating and looks constricted in his fashionably tight suit. The Roots as house band is the lone shot of hip that may save the host, and Fallon’s not stupid in booking musical acts that play well with them—though their decade plus of touring has helped hone their act, I’m sure.
In fact, Jimmy’s biggest danger is being upstaged. Black Thought and ?uestlove aren’t second stringers. If they ever get some lines written into the show, or the chance to just kick it casually on-air and display some of their natural charisma, forget about slow-jamming the news—Fallon might be singing the blues.
