In photos: The Roots and DJ Scratch on SummerStage NY

Mateo Wilches July 22 2025

Every year, City Park Foundation hosts a series of shows in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, New York. Known as the SummerStage in Central Park, the festival brings out some of the most phenomenal names in music for people to see, for free.

Last weekend, SummerStage welcomed The Roots and DJ Scratch, names well known among music aficionados even before the Tonight Show. Founded in Philadelphia in the late ‘80s by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, The Roots have released nearly a dozen albums, won multiple Grammy Awards, and have been Jimmy Fallon’s house band since 2009.

DJ Scratch (born George Spivey), on the other hand, is a producer and collaborator of Busta Rhymes, Metallica, Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, among others. Scratch has been winning DJ battles since 1988 (New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy) and is a fitting accompaniment for this historic evening.

This evening, no introduction was needed. A band that claims the stage like The Roots earns their spotlight through sound. This is what make hip hop legendary: bars clear as day delivered my Black Thought, every sound perfectly executed by talented musicians. It was an honor to hear them play.