Black Thought

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Biography

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

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 (album)|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 (rapper)|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 (album)|Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (album)|The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory (album)|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 (film)|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 (entertainer)|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)|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, PETA|Peta2.com nominated Black Thought as among the "World's Sexiest Vegetarian s".

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

The Talented Mr. Trotter (TBA)

Appearances

1995: "Meiso", Meiso , DJ Krush

1996: "Da Jawn", Kollage, Bahamadia

1997: "Get This Low", The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness|The Psycho-Social , Jedi Mind Tricks

1997: "Stolen Moments, Pt. 2", ''One Day It'll All Make Sense , Common (rapper)|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 (hip hop group)|Black Star

2000: "Cold Blooded", Like Water for Chocolate , Common (rapper)|Common

2000: " Hurricane (hip hop song)|Hurricane ", The Hurricane (1999 film)|The Hurricane Soundtrack , Black Thought, Common (rapper)|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 album)|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 (rapper)|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 album)|The Shining , J Dilla

2006: "My Favorite Mutiny", Pick A Bigger Weapon , The Coup

2006: "Yes, Yes Y'all", Timeless (Sérgio Mendes album)|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 album)|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 (rapper)

2011: "Million Star Motel", Pennies In A Jar, Nikki Jean

2011: "Riot" LA Riot, Thurzday|Thurz

2011: "God Knows Why", Soul is Heavy, Nneka

2011: "Mathematics", The Welcome Mat, OCD: Moosh & Twist

2012: "Living in Bunkers", Drinking From the Sun , Hilltop Hoods

Filmography

Bamboozled (2000)

Brooklyn Babylon (2001)

Perfume (2001 film)|Perfume (2001)

Brown Sugar (2002 film)|Brown Sugar (2002)

Love Rome (2004)

Explicit IIIs (2008)

In NorthWood (2009)

Night Catches Us (2010)

Yelling to the Sky (2011)

Copyright Citations

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