As the lead vocalist for veteran Philly hip-hop innovators the Roots, Tariq Trotter, a.k.a. Black Thought, has spent the last thirty years exploring and reshaping the art of emceeing. With his dexterous patterns and unique approach to phrasing, Black Thought writes verses that flow like a veritable waterfall of vivid images, stories, elaborate brags, and pop culture and literary references. Throughout the Roots’ early run of classic albums in the ’90s, Black Thought, alongside his partner-in-rhyme, Malik B (who died tragically in 2020), combined the improvisational approach of jazz with incisive battle rhymes. 

Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995) found Black Thought experimenting stylistically with jazz-scatting (“Datskat”) and pulling off daring feats of improvisation on the song “Essaywhuman?!!!??!,” in which he engaged in an intricate call-and-response: he’d freestyle a line and have it echoed back to him by a different soloist in the band. For 1996’s Illadelph Halflife, Black Thought and the Roots crafted striking stories about life in the streets of Philadelphia. Songs like “Episodes,” “Push Up Ya Lighter,” and “Panic!!!!!!” instantly transport the listener to a damp train stop on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line or drop them off in the middle of a violent drug war in South Philly.