Why is Black Thought considered an “underrated” MC? As co-founder of The Roots, he is a Grammy-award winning rapper with 11 albums under his belt and a career that spans 20-plus years. He’s toured the world 10 times over and he’s broadcast into millions of homes every weeknight thanks to his Master of Ceremonies gig on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
But even beyond the list of accomplishments, he is just straight up one of the most gifted, technical, entertaining MCs in Hip-Hop today, if not ever. Where many MCs get drowned out when they take on the challenge of rapping with a live band, Black Thought has mastered the art and found a way to make his voice the main instrument. Where a lot of his peers rock shows doing the same songs, the same way, Black Thought switches up his style every show, switching cadences and often times injecting new rhymes into the show. On top of all of that, dude is probably the funniest rapper you can follow on Twitter.
Just in case you haven’t recognized or refuse to acknowledge Black Thought’s greatness, here are 12 times he proved that he is better than your favorite rapper.
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Photo: Twitter
Black Thought Grinds Clipse On Jimmy Fallon (2010)
This is not supposed to happen. When you are invited to perform on one of the most popular late night talk shows, you are not supposed to get outrapped on your own song by the house MC. But that’s exactly what went down when the Clipse were gracious enough to have Black Thought slide a verse onto their classic “Grindin’.” Is it us, or does it seem like halfway through Thought’s verse that Pusha T and the artist now known as No Malice are trying to hide the embarrassment by smiling and ad libbing?
Disclaimer: The video of Black Thought demolishing Clipse again on the same episode during a performance of “Popular Demand (Popeye’s)” has seemed to disappear from the internet. Best believe, that would have been posted too.
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Black Thought Gets Super Lyrical (1998)
In 1998 a Black Thought cameo was not the first thing that jumped out at you on a tracklist. The Roots had only released two major label albums and for the most part, Questlove’s afro was a more recognizable member of the group. But that changed when Thought when to toe-to-toe and eye-for-eye with Big Pun on arguably the best song from Pun’s classic debut Capital Punishment.
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Black Thought “cheats death with each breath.” (2015)
Black Thought may rap in fancy suits and sunglasses on NBC Monday though Friday, but when he hopped on Freddie Gibbs’ “Extradite” he showed that he keeps it gutter when he’s off the clock. Need proof? Read below:
“Yo, my memoirs are like the Anarchist’s Cookbook
Meets the Tom Ford spring/summer look book
Some people wanna see me hanging from a good hook
Instead I hang with a language and slang in –
The anguish, and pain fit as well, cause it came with us
After all these years, carrying this shame with us
Now the entire planet, is going insane with us”
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Black Thought Is Not Human (2014)
So, just how exactly do you follow up behind two fire Pharaohe Monch verses? Black Thought answers that question on “Rapid Eye Movement” by rapping for almost two minutes straight with no breaks, only bars. Here is a taste:
Take stock in the soul, spit properly
That extended clip on my hip sits awkwardly
I’m diabolical, follicle triggers that I cock and squeeze
Sending shots to ancient Greece to pop Socrates
I bear arms like button-downs without the sleeves
Manic depressive and possessive like apostrophes
My psychiatrist waive the doctor fees
When I wave the pistol and say listen, quit watchin’ me so I can breathe
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Black Thought Sits A Gun Next To His Grammy (2002)
Thought raps first on Talib Kweli’s “Gorilla Monsoon Rap” featuring Pharaohe Monch and sets the tone for this exhibition of high-level rapping. But it’s his second verse that makes you hit the rewind button when he says:
Okay, my sound drenches, each of the five senses
And hold the shock value of electrified fences
It’s truth or consequences, ride wit us or against us
Is you a dedicated soldier, or you a princess, dog?
I’m in it to win it and not for the wealth
Got a crib with a Grammy and a gat on the shelf
Nan nigga competition, gotta battle myself
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Black Thought Is Down For A Revolution (2006)
On “My Favorite Mutiny” Black Thought hops on a track with perhaps the only rapper more slept on than he, Boots Riley of The Coup. Anyone that has ever heard a an album from The Coup knows there is no room for fun and games, and Black Thought does not play around here:
The game camouflaged like army suits
But I can see it more clear cause I came with the Coup in here
Ring the alarm and form the troops
Send ’em out into the world, go to war in a fluke
Eye to eye with the enemy you sworn to shoot
Now I’m comin’ at ya neck, sick of hearing something wrong with me
Motherfucker something’s wrong with you
With a Chief just way too smart to question
The enemy the brothers of a dark complexion
The governments of the world is shark infested
They heavy on weaponry like Charlton Heston
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Black Thought Invades Sway’s Universe (2014)
Three minutes of flawlessness. No words for this, just click play.
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Black Thought Goes In Over A Go-Go Beat (2008)
When The Roots recruited a young, pre-stardom, pre-XXL Freshman, pre-hit record, pre-MMG Wale to appear on “Rising Up,” it sounded as if they customized the beat for the Washington D.C. rapper to shine on. While he did do his thing, Thought shined even brighter with a smooth, masterful flow over frantic go-go percussion that isn’t the easiest thing to rap and rap well over.
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Black Thought Channels Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap (2004)
Usually copying another rapper’s style is taboo in Hip-Hop. But those rules are thrown out of the window when Black Thought literally raps in three different voices on “Boom” from The Roots 2004 album The Tipping Point. The first verse is Thought himself, but then on the second verse he raps while doing a deadpan impersonation of Big Daddy Kane. Then he tops that performance on the third verse where raps JUST like Kool G. Rap, lisp and all. You have to listen for yourself to believe it.
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Black Thought Takes It Back To The Park (2010)
Black Thought is largely known for his cool demeanor and smooth deliveries. But when he jumped on Ghostface Killah’s “In Da Park” from his 2010 album Apollo Kids, he turned into a gravel-voiced South Philly monster. Thought attacks the lo-fi 70s Blaxploitation-esque beat with an aggressive flow that paints a picture of how he grew up and got introduced to Hip-Hop.
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Black Thought Murders It, Again (2016)
Last week Black Though proved to some and reminded others just how dope he is. On “Making A Murderer” Thought “reps for the old n*ggas,” stomps all over 9th Wonder’s production and almost makes you forget that Styles P is on the song too.
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Black Thought Steals Cypher From Mos Def AND Eminem (2013)
This is what you do when you are asked to join a cypher with a rapper who was once the king of the underground and another who is considered the king of rap whenever he drops an album. Black Thought knew exactly what was at stake here. This is one of those moments where anyone who listened had to give him “Top Five” consideration.
