You may know Black Thought (Tariq Trotter) as the frontman of the The Roots, the hip-hop group based out of Philadelphia, house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and credited as one of the greatest MCs of all time. You may also know Black Thought from his epic 10 minute freestyle video on Hot 97 late last year. This year Black Thought and hip-hop producer 9th Wonder have teamed up to create a five-track EP featuring Kirby, Rapsody, and Styles P as a personal story of Black Thought growing up in Philadelphia.
“Twofifteen” is the first track on Streams of Thought. As an ode to Philadelphia’s area code, the track deals with Black Thought growing up in Philly, witnessing death and hardship. The track is relevant today especially. It references the hard times the United States of America is under and it drives it home through Black Thought’s rhyme and narrative scheme.
“Dostoyevsky” is a reference to Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a 19th century Russian writer known for Crime and Punishment and The Idiot. The track features Rapsody and it highlights the catch-22 game of rap. Rapsody’s verse features a Canadian reference to The Weeknd, Scarborough-based r&b artist. Both Black Thought’s and Rapsody’s in-your-face verse and beats deliver an exceptional outcome.
Hip-hop heads old and new should definitely gravitate towards Black Thought’s Streams Of Thought Vol. 1 EP for its relevant, blunt verses coming from one of the greatest MCs of all time.
Streams Of Thought Vol. 1 EP is available to download and to stream now.
