Black Thought

Black Thought
Background information
Birth name	Tariq (Tarik) Trotter
Born	October 3, 1971 (1971-10-03)
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1987–present
Labels	DGC/Geffen/MCA Records Def Jam Recordings
Associated acts	The Roots, Money Making Jam Boys, Black Star, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Meek Mill
Website	www.myspace.com/blackthought

Tariq Trotter (born on October 3, 1971), better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor. Black Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content, and his sharply honed live performances.

Early life

Black Thought was born Tariq Trotter and attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and Millersville University. In 1987, Trotter became friends with drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and formed a drummer/MC duo performing on the streets of Philadelphia and at talent shows. Trotter would subsequently spend some time as one of two MCs in the group The Square Roots: the other one was Malik B., who Tariq met in college. In high-school, Black Thought converted to the Islamic sect of The Nation of Gods and Earths.

The Roots

The Square Roots renamed themselves the Roots and released its debut album Organix in 1993, to prepare for a concert in Germany. The Roots signed to DGC and followed up with Do You Want More?!!!??! in 1995. Recorded without any sampling, the album was more popular among alternative music fans than those of hip hop. Around the release of the album, the Roots performed at the Lollapalooza alternative music festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. Illadelph Halflife, the band's 1996 album, became its first album to chart within the top 40 spots on the Billboard 200 because of the successful single "What They Do". Things Fall Apart followed in 1999, the year the band played at the Woodstock 99 concert.

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 Erykah Badu and Eve. The Roots' album Things Fall Apart was nominated for the Best Rap Album award. For Jay-Z's acoustic concert for the television program MTV Unplugged, The Roots provided instrumentals. Succeeding albums were Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory (2006), Rising Down (2008),How I Got Over (2010) and Undun (2011).

Other work

Films in which Black Thought starred in include Bamboozled (2000), Perfume, Love Rome, and Brooklyn Babylon (both 2001).

Thought has also made guest performances on several other records including "Pimpas Paradise" by Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Team by Dilated Peoples, One Day It'll All Make Sense by Common, Reanimation by Linkin Park, Pick a Bigger Weapon by The Coup, The Rising Tied by Fort Minor and A Ma Zone by Zap Mama.

Black Thought recorded a solo album to be titled Masterpiece Theatre and released in summer 2001, but the project was scrapped after learning that the album wouldn't count towards The Roots' current contract commitments. Most of the songs demoed wound up on The Roots' Phrenology album. In 2006, he began working on a collaborative project with producer Danger Mouse titled Dangerous Thoughts. In a June 2008 interview with Brian Kayser of the website HipHopGame, Black Thought spoke of yet another solo project, which will come out on the label Razor and Tie. He stated that there would be the possibility of Questlove working on production. In 2008, Peta2.com nominated Black Thought as among the "World's Sexiest Vegetarians".

In February 2011, Black Thought, along with 10.Deep and his side collective "Money Making Jam Boys", which includes Dice Raw, S.T.S., Truck North, & P.O.R.N., released the mixtape titled The Prestige.

Discography

Further information: The Roots discography

• The Talented Mr. Trotter (2011)

Appearances

• 1995: "Meiso", Meiso, DJ Krush
• 1996: "Da Jawn", Kollage, Bahamadia
• 1997: "Get This Low", The Psycho-Social, Jedi Mind Tricks
• 1997: "Stolen Moments, Pt. 2", One Day It'll All Make Sense, Common
• 1997: "Listen to This", Listen To This, Walkin' Large
• 1997: "The Agenda", "Sou", Inoran
• 1998: "It's About That Time", Soul Survivor, Pete Rock
• 1998: "Live From the Sretch Armstrong Show", Lyricist Lounge Volume One, Various Artists
• 1998: "Super Lyrical", Capital Punishment, Big Pun
• 1998: "Tabou (Roots Remix)", Princesses Nubians, Les Nubians
• 1999: "Burnin' and Lootin'", Chant Down Babylon (Post-Humous Remix), Bob Marley
• 1999: "Respiration (Flying High Remix)", Respiration 12", Black Star
• 2000: "Cold Blooded", Like Water for Chocolate, Common
• 2000: "Hurricane", The Hurricane Soundtrack, Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw, Flo Brown, Jazzyfatnastees and Mos Def
• 2000: "Network", Plain Rap, The Pharcyde
• 2001: "Hard Hitters", Expansion Team, Dilated Peoples
• 2001: "Zen Approach", Zen, DJ Krush
• 2002: "Clap!", Next, Soulive
• 2002: "Guerilla Monsoon Rap", Quality, Talib Kweli
• 2002: "X-Ecutioner Style", Reanimation, Linkin Park
• 2004: "Live From The PJs", Revolutions, The X-Ecutioners
• 2005: "Appreciate", Love and Life, LaToya London
• 2005: "Flutlicht", Sinnflut, Curse
• 2005: "Pimpa's Paradise", Welcome to Jamrock, Damian Marley
• 2005: "Right Now", The Rising Tied, Fort Minor
• 2006: "Love Movin'", The Shining, J Dilla
• 2006: "My Favorite Mutiny", Pick A Bigger Weapon, The Coup
• 2006: "Yes, Yes Y'all",Timeless, Sérgio Mendes
• 2007: "Clean Up", Deep Hearted, Strong Arm Steady
• 2008: "Give It Up", Thee Adventures Of A B-Boy D-Boy, Muja Messiah
• 2008: "Hold Tight", The Million Dollar Backpack, Skillz
• 2008: "Cause I'm Black", Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman), Styles P
• 2009: "Hot Shyt", "Back to the Feature", Wale
• 2009: "Live Forever", Velvet Ballads, Cradle Orchestra
• 2009: "Philly Boy", Rádio do Canibal, BK-One
• 2009: "Reality TV", Jay Stay Paid, J Dilla
• 2009: "Slow Down", Chiddy Bang
• 2010: "Philadelphia Born and Raised", Meek Mill
• 2010: "Ill Street Blues", More Demand 2, STS
• 2010: "In tha Park", Apollo Kids, Ghostface Killah
• 2010: "Philly Sh*t Remix, Young Chris, Meek Mill & Eve
• 2011: "The Masters of Our Fates", Raekwon
• 2011: "Too Long" The Greatest Story Never Told Saigon
• 2011: "Million Star Motel", Pennies In A Jar, Nikki Jean
• 2011: "Riot" LA Riot, Thurz
• 2011: "God Knows Why", Soul is Heavy, Nneka
• 2012: "Living in Bunkers", Drinking From the Sun, Hilltop Hoods

Filmography

• Bamboozled (2000)
• Brooklyn Babylon (2001)
• Perfume (2001)
• Brown Sugar (2002)
• Love Rome (2004)
• Explicit IIIs (2008)
• In NorthWood (2009)
• Night Catches Us (2010)

External links

• Black Thought on Myspace
• Black Thought at the Internet Movie Database
• TheRoots.com - Official website of The Roots
• Black Thought discography