Stro Elliot
Stro Elliot | |
---|---|
![]() Stro Elliot (right) with Black Thought and The Roots at The Blue Note NYC in 2025 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Brian Roberson |
Also known as | The 89th Key |
Genres | |
Occupation | Musician |
Member of | The Roots, The Tonight Show Band |
Formerly of | The Procussions |
Website | www.stroelliot.com |
Stro Elliot is an American producer, multi-instrumentalist, and member of the hip hop band The Roots, joining the band in 2017. Elliot plays keyboards, percussion, and does sampling with The Roots in the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[1] As a multi-instrumentalist, Stro employs elements of beatbox, percussion, sampling, tambourine, finger drumming, and keyboards.[2]
Elliot was living in Los Angeles, CA for fifteen years before joining The Roots in 2017 after being invited by Questlove.[3] He has cited DJ Jazzy Jeff as one of his mentors, who encouraged him to take the job on The Tonight Show.[4]
Stro Elliot was an original member of The Procussions, an underground rap group that formed in 1998 in Colorado Springs, along with Mr. J. Medeiros, Resonant (aka Rez), Qq, and Vise Versa.[5] The Procussions toured with Common, the Pharcyde, Xzibit, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Run-DMC and Ugly Duckling.
Elliot is a classically trained musician, who grew up playing guitar, piano, trumpet, and drums.[6]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- La Villa, Def Pressé Editions, 2023[7]
- Black & Loud: James Brown Reimagined by Stro Elliot, Republic Records, 2022[8]
- Stro's Old Beat Farm, Street Corner Music, 2022
- Stro Elliot, Street Corner Music, 2016
As featured on
[edit]- "Stay Alive (Interlude)" (J.Period and Stro Elliot), On The Hamilton Mixtape, Atlantic, 2016
References
[edit]- ^ Vincenty, Samantha (January 4, 2024). "All About The Tonight Show Band, The Roots". NBC.
- ^ Bell, Max (February 18, 2021). "Loop Dreams: Stro Elliot". Passion of the Weiss. Archived from the original on 15 October 2024.
- ^ "The Questions: Questlove on Roots Picnic Prep and Finding The Perfect DJ". Okayplayer. June 10, 2017.
- ^ Eustice, Kyle (December 26, 2018). "Stro Elliot Shares How The Roots & DJ Jazzy Jeff Prepped His 'Jimmy Fallon' Gig". HipHopDX.
- ^ Toy, Jeremy (November 16, 2019). "Stro Elliot On Making Music With His Heroes & His Unique Playing Style". Melodics. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ Mayo, James (January 1, 2004). "Turning Pro". Westword.
- ^ Niemyjski, Josh (November 2023). "Stro Elliot's "La Villa" releasing via Def Pressé". Sphere of Hip Hop. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024.
- ^ Schube, Will (January 9, 2022). "'Black & Loud': The Roots' Stro Elliot Talks Remixing James Brown". uDiscover Music. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024.