The Roots have dropped the song ‘Birthday Girl’, which features Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, from their new album ‘Rising Down’.

Speaking to Billboard, drummer Ahmir Questlove said that the song was "sticking out like a sore thumb” on the album tracklisting.

The song had been due to open the new album, which the drummer described as their most political record to date.

“Then we were going to have a 'halftime' thing where it was gonna come in the middle of the record as a break from the political thing, but that didn't work, either,” Questlove continued.

"Then we tried to make it the last song on the record, and that wasn't working.

"Then we tried to make it the hidden track, and that wasn't effective. Basically the album was complete; it starts with 'Rising Down' and it ends with 'Rising Up,' so that makes more sense to me."

’Rising Down’ is due for release on April 28th in the UK and the following day in America.

‘Birthday Girl’ will surface on iTunes as an exclusive download later this month.

(by Jason Gregory)