The Roots’ turn as the house band on Jimmy Fallon’s late night TV show has become one of the few worthwhile reasons for me to miss my bedtime. Having one of the most talented, versatile bands in all of music has resulted in some of the most creative and spirited musical moments in late-night television history. Last night, Justin Timberlake appeared on the show to promote his new movie, “The Social Network”, and during his appearance, he, Fallon and The Roots came together for a 4-minute run through brief portions of a series of hip-hop classics. Quoting hits by artists ranging from the Sugarhill Gang to A Tribe Called Quest to Soulja Boy (geez), the performance culminated in a triumphant version of “Empire State of Mind”. Although Timberlake and Fallon are both highly capable of being annoying (and I’m not quite sure what was up with the mushmouthed delivery of B.I.G.’s “Juicy”), this performance was obviously done with a deep love and appreciation for hip-hop. Much respect, guys.

(and ?uestlove, if you’re reading this, how about telling JT to ditch Timbaland and make a real soul record with you?)

Check out the clip via The Huffington Post here.