The Roots have spent so many years abetting lightweight comedian Jimmy Fallon as he fawns over virtually every celebrity — who can forget the talk-show host making cute while giggling and fondling then-candidate Donald Trump’s hair in a pathetic attempt to soften the future dictator’s image? — that it’s hard to remember that the Philadelphia hip-hop collective used to put out such powerful, heavy and socially meaningful albums as 2002’s Phrenology. The Roots had their major artistic breakthrough three years earlier with the release of Things Fall Apart, which they’ll perform in full at the Bowl following a set by ace jazz bassist Christian McBride. (A 20th-anniversary edition of the record with bonus tracks comes out on Geffen/UMe/Urban Legends on September 27.) Things Fall Apart was a major statement of purpose in which rapper-lyricist Black Thought and drummer Questlove collaborated with such guests as Mos Def, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Common and, most memorably, Erykah Badu.

Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; Wed., Aug. 28, 8 p.m.; $1-$165. (323) 850-2000, www.hollywoodbowl.com.

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