Michelle Obama will join The Roots for their 13th annual picnic which will be held online this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Obama is participating in the event to encourage voter registration. The former first lady’s nonprofit When We All Vote has partnered with the show. The virtual music festival will take place on June 27th on YouTube. This year’s lineup includes G Herbo, Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Janelle Monáe, SZA, Kirk Franklin, D-Nice, H.E.R. and more. Tom Hanks, Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris Paul, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Kerry Washington are scheduled to make appearances. Questlove and Black Thought will co-host with Obama and The Roots will also perform. 

[youtube id=”R8z4zT9n_gE”]Black Thought gives an NPR Tiny Desk Concert at home. He performs three unreleased songs; “Thought vs Everybody,” “Yellow” and “Nature Of The Beast.” Black Thought explains the story behind each song and which producers he worked with on them.  A broadway musical inspired by the Harlem Renaissance writer George Schuyler and Black Thought’s Streams Of Thought Vol. 3 will be the landing spot for the new music. 

[youtube id=”KqAZyDFn64Y”]The Roots have their first new song in two years “Feel It (You Got It)” featuring Tish Hyman. Questlove first played the song this past fall during an event for The Philadelphia High School For Creative and Performing Arts where he graduated in the ’80s. The laid-back tune comes after their “It Ain’t Fair” contribution to the 2017 Detroit soundtrack. The band who America watches on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon is currently working on their 12th studio album that may be the End Game they announced in 2016. 

[youtube id=”9ZWqstHT5AU”]Ice Cube took Everythangs Corrupt to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last month and performed “That New Funkadelic” with help from The Roots.