The Roots To Back Up Obama

They do quite well for themselves on their own, but Philadelphia hip-hop collective The Roots also have an ever-growing deserved reputation as the greatest backing band in the land. (See the cover of Baby Huey & the Babysitters' Curtis Mayfield-penned "Hard Times,"  with John Legend on the mic, below.)  This Sunday, as reported by Angela Couloumbis and Amy Worden over at the Inquirer's Commonwealth Confidential blog, The Roots will have a fresh frontman when they support Barack Obama at a rally in Germantown. Fittingly enough, since Obama's 2008 election spurred the Roots and Legend to get together to record their new Wake Up! collection of '60 and '70s socially-conscious soul and R&B covers.

Previously: The xx at the Merriam