▁ ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁composed ▁by ▁D ' Ang elo , ▁guitar ist ▁Charlie ▁Hunter , ▁and ▁Luther ▁Arch er , ▁D ' Ang elo ' s ▁brother . ▁" The ▁Root " ▁features ▁intr icate ▁musical ▁arrang ements ▁and ▁its ▁theme ▁concerns ▁a ▁ven ge ful ▁lo ver ' s ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁song ' s ▁narr ator ▁whose ▁l ament ▁is ▁dep icted ▁in ▁the ▁lyr ics . ▁It ▁was ▁well ▁received ▁by ▁music ▁critics , ▁who ▁comm ended ▁its ▁music ▁and ▁lyr ical ▁content . ▁ ▁Rec ording ▁and ▁production ▁ ▁" The ▁Root " ▁was ▁recorded ▁and ▁produced ▁by ▁D ' Ang elo ▁at ▁Electric ▁Lady ▁Studios ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁during ▁sessions ▁for ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁fun k ▁studio ▁album , ▁V ood oo ▁( 2 0 0 0 ), ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁composed ▁by ▁D ' Ang elo , ▁guitar ist ▁Charlie ▁Hunter , ▁and ▁Luther ▁Arch er , ▁D ' Ang elo ' s ▁brother . ▁According ▁to ▁V ood o os ▁co - produ cer ▁and ▁drum mer , ▁A hm ir ▁" Qu est lo ve " ▁Thompson ▁of ▁The ▁Ro ots , ▁the ▁track ▁serves ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁album ' s ▁" vir tu oso ▁part ", ▁along ▁with ▁" Span ish ▁J oint " ▁and ▁" Gre at day nd am orn in ' ▁/ ▁Boot y ". ▁It ▁features ▁intr icate ▁technical