Black Thought
| Black Thought | |
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Black Thought in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tariq Luqmaan Trotter |
| Born | October 3, 1971 |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Okayplayer, Def Jam |
| Associated acts | The Roots, Rahzel, Dice Raw, Money Making Jam Boys, DJ Krush, Black Star, Talib Kweli, Common, Pharoahe Monch, DJ Premier, Kanye West, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Statik Selektah, Joey Bada$$, J Dilla, Blu, Lupe Fiasco, Malik B, D'Angelo, Mos Def, Sean Price, Q-Tip, Freddie Gibbs, Michael Bublé |
| Website | okayplayer |
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter (born October 3, 1971), better known as Black Thought, is an American artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots, as well as an occasional actor. Black Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer Questlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his live performance skills, continuous multisyllabic rhyme schemes, complex lyricism, double entendres, and politically aware lyrics.
Black Thought was born Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, to Thomas and Cassandra Trotter, both members of the Nation of Islam who were murdered when Trotter was one and seventeen years old respectively. Trotter attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and Millersville University studying Journalism. In 1987, Trotter became friends with drummer Ahmir "Questlove" 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., whom Tariq met in college. In high-school, Black Thought converted to the pseudo-Islamic sect of The Nation of Gods and Earths.
With the help of genetic testing, Black Thought learned that he was maternally descended from the Mende people of Sierra Leone and the Mandinka people of Senegal.
The Square Roots renamed themselves the Roots and released their debut album Organix in 1993. 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 concert.
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