Black Thought
Black Thought | |
---|---|
Member of |
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter (born October 3, 1971),
Early life
Black Thought was born Tarik Luqmaan Trotter, to Thomas and Cassandra Trotter, both members of the
The Roots
The Square Roots renamed themselves the Roots and released their debut album
In 2000, the Roots won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "You Got Me", with guest performances by
Solo music career
Black Thought recorded a solo album, titled Masterpiece Theatre and intended for a 2001 release,[12] but the project was scrapped after he learned that the album would not count toward the Roots' contractual commitments. Most of the songs from the project ultimately appeared on Phrenology. In a June 2008 interview with Brian Kayser of the website HipHopGame, Black Thought spoke of another solo project that was scheduled for release on the Razor and Tie music corporation. He said that Questlove might work on production.[13] However, by September 2014, Black Thought and the solo album were not referenced on the Razor & Tie website.[14]
Black Thought's first release outside of The Roots was the 2011 mixtape The Prestige, which he released alongside 10.Deep and the Money Making Jam Collective, the latter of which included longtime Roots collaborators such as
Black Thought and Danger Mouse had begun work on a collaborative album, originally titled Dangerous Thoughts, in 2006.[19] There was no further news about this album for years,[20] until the artists announced in May 2022 that they would be releasing their collaboration that August.[21] The album, retitled Cheat Codes, was released on August 10, 2022. Cheat Codes included a posthumous appearance from MF Doom; other featured artists included Raekwon, Kid Sister, Joey Badass, Russ, Dylan Cartlidge, Michael Kiwanuka, ASAP Rocky, Run the Jewels, and Conway the Machine.
In February 2016, Black Thought joined forces with Fashawn, Murs, and Del the Funky Homosapien to record a new track called "Rise Up" for the video game Street Fighter V. Capcom released a music video for the song that included appearances by Black Thought and his fellow collaborators.[22]
In December 2017, Black Thought appeared on
Other work
Black Thought starred in films such as Bamboozled (2000), and the 2001 films Perfume, Love Rome, and Brooklyn Babylon.[12] He made his stage debut in January 2022, playing Dr. Junius Crookman in the musical Black No More; he also wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music for the production.[25]
In 2013, Black Thought began work on a memoir with journalist and music critic Jeff Chang and filmmaker Maori Karmael Holmes.[26] An autobiography entitled The Upcycled Self was released on November 14, 2023.[27]
Black Thought was also an executive producer for the short film Ash Land, which is featured in the 2023 Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Cyberland Short Films collection, and it's about a woman who loses and then finds herself again while living in the mountains of Ashland, a small town in Oregon during the COVID pandemic, where the festival takes place. Ash Land was an official selection in 2021 for the Academy Award–qualifying Pan African Film Festival, the Brooklyn Film Festival, Bronzelens Film Festival, and Martha Vineyard’s African American Film Festival. The film is directed by South African native Shariffa Ali and written by Banna Desta The film ends with a closing fade to black and voice over of Black Thought addressing the “Black Experience” in Oregon with a powerful and final affirmation: “We Black. We in Oregon. Look at us.”
Legacy
Black Thought is "widely recognized as one of the most skilled, incisive, and prolific rappers of his time", according to
Personal life
Black Thought and his wife Michelle were married in 2010.[41][42] He has four sons and a daughter.[43]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [44] |
US R&B/HH [45] |
GER [47] |
NZ [48] |
SCO
[49] |
UK [50] | |||
Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Cheat Codes (with Danger Mouse) |
|
43 | 26 | 17 | 8 | 33 | 8 | 28 |
Glorious Game (with El Michels Affair) |
|
— | — | — | 44 | — | — | — |
Extended plays
Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [44] |
US R&B/HH [45] |
US Ind. [51] | ||
Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 |
|
62 | 33 | 7 |
Streams of Thought, Vol. 2 (with Salaam Remi) |
|
— | — | 18 |
African Dreams (with Seun Kuti) |
|
— | — | — |
With The Roots
- Organix (1993)
- Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995)
- Illadelph Halflife (1996)
- Things Fall Apart (1999)
- Phrenology (2002)
- The Tipping Point (2004)
- Game Theory (2006)
- Rising Down (2008)
- How I Got Over (2010)
- Undun (2011)
- ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin (2014)
Guest appearances
Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Meiso" | 1995 | DJ Krush, Malik B. | Meiso |
"Da Jawn" | 1996 | Bahamadia, Malik B. | Kollage |
"Get This Low" | 1997 | Jedi Mind Tricks, Jus Allah | The Psycho-Social |
"Stolen Moments, Pt. 2" | Common | One Day It'll All Make Sense | |
"Listen to This" | Walkin' Large | Listen to This | |
"The Agenda" | Inoran | Sou (CDS) | |
"Live from the Stretch Armstrong Show with Your Host Bobbito "The Barber"" | 1998 | Common, Pharoahe Monch, Absolute | Lyricist Lounge, Volume One |
"It's About That Time" | Pete Rock, Rob-O | Soul Survivor | |
"Super Lyrical" | Big Pun | Capital Punishment | |
"Suga Sista" | 1999 | Rahzel | Make the Music 2000 |
"Tabou (Roots Remix)" | 1999 | Les Nubians | Tabou (VLS) |
"Burnin' and Lootin' (Remix)" | Bob Marley | Chant Down Babylon | |
"Respiration (Flying High Mix)" | Black Star
|
Respiration (VLS) | |
"Cold Blooded" | 2000 | Common, Roy Hargrove | Like Water for Chocolate |
"Hurricane" | Common, Mos Def
|
The Hurricane (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture) | |
"Network" | The Pharcyde | Plain Rap | |
"Hard Hitters"[53] | 2001 | Dilated Peoples | Expansion Team |
"Zen Approach" | DJ Krush | Zen | |
"Clap!" | 2002 | Soulive | Next |
"Guerrilla Monsoon Rap" | Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch | Quality | |
"X-Ecutioner Style"[54] | Linkin Park, Sean C, Roc Raida | Reanimation | |
"Live from the PJs" | 2004 | The X-Ecutioners, Ghostface Killah, Trife | Revolutions |
"Appreciate" | 2005 | LaToya London | Love & Life |
"Flutlicht" | Curse | Sinnflut | |
"Pimpa's Paradise" | Damian Marley | Welcome to Jamrock | |
"Right Now" | Fort Minor, Styles of Beyond | The Rising Tied | |
"Love Movin'" | 2006 | J Dilla | The Shining |
"My Favorite Mutiny"[55] | The Coup | Pick a Bigger Weapon | |
"Yes, Yes Y'all" | Sérgio Mendes, Chali 2na, Debi Nova, will.i.am | Timeless | |
"Clean Up" | 2007 | Strong Arm Steady, Saukrates | Deep Hearted |
"Give It Up" | 2008 | Muja Messiah | Thee Adventures of a B-Boy D-Boy |
"Hold Tight" | Skillz | The Million Dollar Backpack | |
"Cause I'm Black" | Styles P | Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) | |
"Hot Shyt" | 2009 | Wale | Back to the Feature |
"Live Forever" | Cradle Orchestra | Velvet Ballads | |
"Philly Boy" | BK-One | Rádio do Canibal | |
"Reality TV" | J Dilla | Jay Stay Paid | |
"Slow Down" | Chiddy Bang, eLDee the Don | The Swelly Express | |
"Philadelphia Born and Raised" | 2010 | Meek Mill, Freeway, Young Chris | Flamers 3: The Wait Is Over |
"Ill Street Blues" | STS | More Demand 2 | |
"In tha Park" | Ghostface Killah | Apollo Kids | |
"Let Freedom Reign" | Chrisette Michele, Talib Kweli | Let Freedom Reign | |
"Philly Sh*t (Remix)" | Young Chris, Meek Mill, Eve | — | |
"The Masters of Our Fate" | 2011 | Raekwon | Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang |
"Too Long" | Saigon | The Greatest Story Never Told | |
"Million Star Motel" | Nikki Jean, Lupe Fiasco | Pennies in a Jar | |
"Riot" | Thurz | L.A. Riot | |
"God Knows Why" | Nneka | Soul Is Heavy | |
"Mathematics" | OCD: Moosh & Twist | The Welcome Mat | |
"Living in Bunkers" | 2012 | Hilltop Hoods, Lotek | Drinking from the Sun |
"TNT (Remix)" | ¡Mayday!, DJ Khaled, Stevie Stone, Jon Connor, Jay Rock | — | |
"Congregation" | Talib Kweli, Ab-Soul | Attack the Block | |
"Art Imitates Life" | 2013 | Talib Kweli, Rah Digga, ALBe. Back | Gravitas |
"Try Again" | k-os | Black on Blonde | |
"Bird's Eye View" | Statik Selektah, Raekwon, Joey Badass | Extended Play | |
"Thought Process" | Tony Touch | The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MC's | |
"Codes & Cab Fare" | Black Milk | No Poison No Paradise | |
"Rapid Eye Movement" | 2014 | Pharoahe Monch | PTSD |
"The Imperial" | Statik Selektah, Royce da 5'9"
|
What Goes Around | |
"Money Makes Us Happy" | 2015 | Skyzoo | Music for My Friends |
"Immortals (Remix)" | Fall Out Boy | Make America Psycho Again | |
"Extradite" | Freddie Gibbs | Shadow of a Doubt | |
"Wishin' II" | PRhyme | PRhyme (Deluxe Version) | |
"Rise Up" | 2016 | Del the Funky Homosapien, Murs, Fashawn | Street Fighter V soundtrack |
"Nobody but Me" | Michael Bublé | Nobody but Me | |
"America" | 2017 | Logic, Chuck D, Big Lenbo, No I.D. | Everybody |
"Who Want It" | David Banner, Watch the Duck | The God Box | |
"Ng'yekeleni" | Cassper Nyovest | Thuto | |
"Nobody" | Anderson .Paak , Moonchild
|
Laila's Wisdom | |
"Roman Candles" | 2018 | The Alchemist, Roc Marciano | Bread |
"Diamond Cutters" | Roc Marciano | Behold a Dark Horse | |
"Crowns for Kings" | 2019 | Benny the Butcher | The Plugs I Met |
"Education" | Freddie Gibbs, Yasiin Bey
|
Bandana | |
"Yah Yah" | 2020 | Denaun
|
Music to Be Murdered By |
"Hustle Don't Give" | Apollo Brown, Che Noir | As God Intended | |
"Fight the Power: Remix 2020" | Public Enemy, Nas, Rapsody, YG, Jahi, Questlove | What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? | |
"The Black Renaissance" | Sa-Roc | The Sharecropper's Daughter | |
"Ishkabibble's" | Westside Gunn | Who Made the Sunshine | |
"The Healing" | Statik Selektah | The Balancing Act | |
"Pravda" | Your Old Droog, Mach-Hommy, El-P, Tha God Fahim | Dump Yod | |
"Momentum" | Russ, Benny the Butcher | Chomp | |
"Rolling 110 Deep" | 2021 | DJ Kay Slay | Accolades |
"When We Move" | Common, Seun Kuti | A Beautiful Revolution, Part 2 | |
"Few Good Things" | 2022 | Saba, Eryn Allen Kane | Few Good Things |
"Freequency" | Black Star | No Fear of Time | |
"Disgusting" | Apathy | King of Gods. No Second | |
"Drug Trade" | 2023 | Smoke DZA & Flying Lotus | Flying Objects |
Filmography
- Bamboozled (2000)
- Brooklyn Babylon (2001)
- Perfume (2001)
- Brown Sugar (2002)
- Love Rome (2004)
- Explicit IIIs (2008)
- Night Catches Us (2010)
- On the Inside (2011)
- Yelling to the Sky (2011)[56]
- Get On Up (2014)
- Stealing Cars (2015)
- The Deuce (2017)
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2018)
- Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma (2021)
- Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)
References
- ^ a b c Betts, Reginald Dwayne (February 24, 2022). "Is There Such a Thing as Black Thought?". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- ^ a b Black Thought – Biography. AllMusic. Accessed on August 28, 2020.
- ^ Interview of Jamal Greene, brother of Talib Kweli. Conversation with Tyler. Accessed on June 2nd 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Bush, John (2008). "The Roots – Biography". allmusic. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
- ^ "Gibson Salutes Black History Month – The Roots". Gibson. February 14, 2007. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
- ^ Markman, Rob (June 24, 2011). "Rakim Calls His Longevity In Rap Game 'A Blessing' – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
- ^ "Elvis Costello, Roots, Megadeth, Others Added To Woodstock Lineup". MTV News. July 12, 1999. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- ^ "Santana, Aguilera, The Roots Ponder Grammy Honors". MTV News. February 24, 2000. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- ^ "42nd Annual Grammy Awards nominations". CNN. January 4, 2000. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem (December 17, 2001). "Roots' Questlove Gives Backstage Access To Jay-Z Unplugged". MTV News. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- ^ a b Demby, Eric (January 23, 2001). "Roots' Black Thought Busy With Album, Movies". MTV News. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
- ^ Kayser, Brian (June 29, 2008). "Black Thought". HipHopGame. Archived from the original on March 10, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
- ^ "Artists". Razor & Tie. Razor & Tie Direct L.L.C. September 8, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ^ "10.Deep Presents: Money Making Jam Boys". Archived from the original on August 10, 2011.
- ^ Black Thought Talks Lifestyle Change, Confirms Talented Mr.Trotter Still in Works & More Archived April 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. TheUberUrban.com (February 26, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-08-25.
- ^ Yoo, Noah (May 25, 2018). "The Roots' Black Thought & 9th Wonder Announce New Project". Pitchfork.
- Complex. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ "The Paybacks". XXL. August 18, 2006. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
- ^ Patrice Evans (December 16, 2011). "The Danger Mouse Factor: Checking in on the DJ Auteur". Grantland. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ^ "Black Thought's Next Album Is Produced By Danger Mouse. Here's The 1st Single". Ambrosia For Heads. May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "Rise Up feat. Del the Funky Homosapian, Murs, Fashawn, Quest Love, Black Thought & Domino". youtube.com. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ^ Madden, Sidney (December 14, 2017). "Black Thought Shows Off The Art of the Unrelenting Freestyle". NPR.
- ^ Cobb, Jelani (December 17, 2017). "The Lesson Of Black Thought's Viral Freestyle". The New Yorker.
- ^ "The New Group – Black No More". The New Group. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ ?uestlove to Publish Memoir, Black Thought Working on Solo Album With Jim James, TVOTR's Tunde | News. Pitchfork (February 27, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-08-25.
- ^ Corcoran, Nina (May 9, 2023). "The Roots' Black Thought Announces New Memoir The Upcycled Self". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time Archived March 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. About.com. Accessed on August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Poet Laureate: Black Thought's All-Time Top 5 Verses". HipHopDX. December 30, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 1". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Edwards (2009), p. 133.
- ^ a b c Edwards (2009), p. 290.
- ^ "Review: Black Thought Delivers GOAT Level Lyricism On "Streams Of Thought Vol. 1"". HipHopDX. June 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Coleman (2007), p. 377.
- ^ "Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ DelaCuesta, JP (February 10, 2012). "Logic: Enter the Mind of the Maryland Spitter". AllHipHop. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Joey Bada$$ – Biography. AllMusic. Accessed on August 28, 2020.
- ^ Rapsody – Related. AllMusic. Accessed on August 28, 2020.
- ^ K-OS – Amalgamated Chaos ION Magazine. Accessed on August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Shad raps about school, spirit & inspiration". CultMTL.com. May 17, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Porter, Lauren (November 28, 2017). "Black Thought On His Beard". Essence. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "Black Thought". Biography. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ Bartos, Adrian; Garcia, Robert (September 19, 2018). "The Roots' Black Thought On How Art Saved His Life". NPR.org. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ a b "Black Thought Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ a b "Black Thought Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Black Thought Chart History: Top Rap Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Black Thought Chart History: Germany Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. August 22, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. August 19, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. August 19, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Black Thought Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "African Dreams – Single by Seun Kuti & Black Thought on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ Moss, Corey (August 14, 2001). "Tha Liks, Black Thought Join Dilated Peoples' Team". MTV News. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
- ^ D'Angelo, Joe (July 26, 2002). "2Na But No Neptunes On Linkin Park Remix LP — Here's Why". MTV News. Retrieved March 8, 2009.
- ^ Andres Vasquez (May 1, 2006). "The Coup Pick A Bigger Weapon". Hip Hop DX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ^ DeFore, John (March 15, 2011). "Yelling to the Sky: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
Further reading
- Coleman, Brian (2007). ISBN 978-0-8129-7775-2.
- Edwards, Paul (2009). ISBN 978-1-55652-816-3.