When your house band is an already established act for 22 years before they agreed to be your house band so you should interview them like the legends they are from time to time, is more like it!
What are you talking about. This 97 freestyle doesnt finally get him respect. Hes a legend. He has always had the respect. You ain know shit about hiphop
I think Jimmy's best decision ever was to make The Roots the main showcase band. They've proven time & time again that they're up to it. They're fast, they're knowledgeable and they are extremely technical. Real recognize real, steel sharpens steel - Jimmy is very musically talented himself. People too easily forget that he did some of the most memorable music parodies in SNL's entire history. He is well aware of how good his band is. And from their perspective, this is an enormously good gig. Remember they’re performing on a huge expensive show every night for millions & millions of Americans. On top all that, it does not hurt one bit that Black Thought is adored by hip hop/rap/sing. He is seen as the greatest lyricist/rapper on the planet these days on TOP OF being in an incredible band of musicians. What an amazing body of work these guys have created.
@@jerzyboi8599 that was my point and I said that originally. But hell yeah he is a great musician across many genres and really does awesome accurate parodies. The Roots just didn’t come across as a marquee band for a late night show and BIG TIME New York City audience. Expensive show with a huge loyal audience. But it turns out The Roots were up to the challenge have awesome charisma and have very sweet relationships with Jimmy. He gives them credit when credit is due and doesn’t interfere. Like a boss who just trusts your judgement.
unfortunately the tonight show doesnt get the viewership it has in the past. i wish jimmy showcased them a little bit more often. i have mentioned the roots to people and the typical response is “oh the band on the tonight show?” black thought and questlove are absolute masters and they deserve much more recognition.
Jimmy why don't you do a Roots Week where you interview each one of the Roots. Then every night they will perform their greatest hits. I would watch that hundred percent! IMO the Roots is greatest band in all of Talk Show history! They can perform any music of every genres. That's how versatile the Roots are. None compares. And I bet they have awesome stories to tell.
Ad_Victoriam_5373N id actually watch jimmy again. I stopped cause i dont live at home anymore and it was getting too much to watch 5 episodes in one night with my mother. But id make it the goal to watch roots week.
Your fourth sentence severely sells The Roots short. They are the greatest band in history period. And Tariq has long been the greatest and most underrated lyricist ever.
dslimm while i watched the freestyle with lyrics i imagined this and am so happy to see it actually happened a few clicks later. Buuut , freestyle?? Nah
For Jimmy to have so much admiration and respect for the Roots says a lot about him as a person. Much love to everyone that appreciate real artist no matter what your nationality is. God bless.....
Those 10 minutes on Flex were indeed the best freestyle I've ever heard. On a while another level. So smart. He even said it in the verse: "I'm made of Elements you can't combine. I'm at a level of intelligence you can't define." WORD
BlackSH0veldeath HOLY FUCK, IM NOT TRYNA SEEM LIKE A CRAZY PERSON RN BRUH BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, you’re the first person on a TH-cam comment section to fucking comprehend that black thought wrote his funk flex freestyle, it’s still a top 3 written freestyle for me all time but I don’t get how ppl act like they know hip hop but can’t even understand when something’s written and when something’s off the dome
Black thought is amazing cause the bars are fire but also so intricate that you can either bump and enjoy his crazy-ass flow or really listen to what he's saying and enjoy it from the lyricall point of view
Exactly. I was just comparing his freestyle to Loaded Lux. Lux is a BEAST with wordplay. However, you couldn't bop your head to his freestyle. Probably helped that BT was flowing to one of the wickedest beats ever created.
Honestly Jimmy could interview a member of the Roots every week and I would never be tired of it. Just hearing their stories about music and how they joined is awesome.
@@SuperAdam2468 Do you know how long this man has been around? He's been an elite level MC that's been dropping nothing but gems, for well over 25 years. Do your homework son.
I remember working in LA at a studio a few years ago, I was sitting outside on a break just texting on my phone and out of nowhere Black Thought walks up to me and say "Excuse me, can I get out this way?" I was staring at him for like a good 15 seconds, im like wayment, this cant be him.....then he came back like 20 minutes later and I stopped him in the hallway and talked to him for a couple minutes, one of the coolest rappers ive ever met in my life
There's 2 times I was left in awe in the last couple of years On 2015's Mural by lupe fiasco(a 9min written masterpiece) and Black Thought's 10 min freestyle Hip hop is alive and well
I'm a recovering drug addict and have memorized this piece from beginning to end. It's become a meditation. Any time I have a craving or am fearing a relapse, this 10 minute and 54 second meditation helps me love myself enough to not use. It has seriously kept me from putting a gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger. "I got that detox for y'all. The microphone Dr. Black Depak Chopra.". "my mother was a working class very loving woman, who struggled every day coulda been her last summer. i come home chasin' good for nothin' half cousins. and then walk in the crib to the smell of crack cookin'. she was introduced to that substance abuse. or some of the strongest drugs that the government produced". Tariq, if you ever read this, please know this piece saved my life. I've been clean two years and can never thank you enough.
Damn he’s eloquent. He really shows that rap isn’t just a mindless, dumb genre where people just “flex” on the audience, but a genre evolved from jazz, and a genre that requires musical talent and education to master
I went to a Roots concert in ‘96 and it literally changed my life. Black Thought gave the mic to a bouncer to take in the crowd while Rahzel was beat boxing and I got the mic..... after 20 plus minutes of rhyming Black was like “yo that kid fire but give me that mic back people here to hear me...” lol anyway we hung out briefly afterwards but ever since I have always taken emceeing and this art form/ culture of hip hop dead serious.... I am always grateful for that moment
ndgv2 you misread he meant he un-deaf a table. As in even a fucking table realizes this dude is the Floyd Mayweather of freestyles. th-cam.com/video/DDhesGZKwYE/w-d-xo.html watch this video now if you liked black thought and you are a millennial. And then look into dude, he is the best rapper alive or dead, period.
The speed at which your brain has to work to do this🤯. The amount of knowledge, vocabulary , rhythm, instinct & conscious awareness you must have to do this in real time spontaneously! A literal genius!!
Grew up on The Roots. Black Thought has been a beast since the 90s. That freestyle..now THAT'S how you emcee! But Thought never has wack verses. Always 💯. Good job Thought! 👏👏👍
Young Pedru without Tupac you wouldn't have a Kendrick Lamar That's fact but to say that Kendrick Lamar is a better rapper than Tupac it's hard to compare the two because won't different Generations different styles but when it comes to philosophy skill and great lyrics Tupac wins hands-down the only reason Kendrick Lamar is great is because there's a lot of Mumble rap in the mainstream put some real rappers in there with Kendrick and then we'll see cuz trust me in the underground there's a lot of great Lyricist who get out class Kendrick any day of the week you just have to look and see for yourself and again I ain't hating on Kendrick and I think he's a good rapper and all just not the goat
EDPOOLL: VR Lmao you sir don’t know shit about rap if you think Pac is a better lyricist than Kendrick. What made Pac great is not his supreme rapping skills like Eminem or Nas but rather his overall skill as an artist and being real as fuck.
cavs fan since 2003 retired 2010 came back 2014 hey dumbass I do know about hip hop rap all that s*** it started in 1973 and a block party in the Bronx from DJ Kool Herc Kool Moe Dee the Furious Five Rakim Kool G Rap Big Daddy Kane krs-1 Afrika Bambaataa Run DMC NWA Wu-Tang Clan and the list goes on buddy I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to rap and then you're going to say all cuz you know a few names you think you know s*** yeah probably more than you do I don't deny that Kendrick Lamar is a great Lyricist he is if it wasn't for every great musician named on this list you wouldn't have your f****** Mumble rap you wouldn't have you're Kendrick Lamar's Eminem's all that maybe that's what's wrong with today's rap because there isn't no connection there's a huge gap and back on Kendrick he's a great Lyricist and I don't doubt that he's a real dude but his music isn't for me
Black Thought did something I've seen no other MC do. He freestyled FLAWLESSLY for 10mins STRAIGHT!!!! I didn't see him stop for breathers or stop to swallow!! He just kept going perfectly!! His lyrics were so potent!!! New rappers can't do it and I'd struggle to find some vets who could pull it off so flawlessly! INSTANT CLASSIC!!!!! TALENT! Shout out to Jimmy Fallon for giving love to Hip-Hop the way he does. It's one of America's GREATEST EXPORTS!
Anyone who listened to Stretch and Bob in the 90's had a flashback to what normal freestyles soundlike. Glad Black was able to show the true craft to the new generation.
As a fan of hip hop since the early 90’s this is one of the greatest moments captured for the whole world to see. The skill, word play and delivery is simply flawless. He makes me proud of hip hop. Mad love Black Thought
Yes... Jimmy does in fact have the GREATEST band to play for his show. Not only that but they fit PERFECTLY with each other. So happy to see this interview right now. :'D
I’ll never forget seeing The Roots in the gymnasium at W&J College. Looked just like a high school gym with a tarp on the floor and everything. They played that show like it was their last. It immediately became my favorite live performance and it’s never been topped.
PHILLY STAND UP! Been a Roots fan since the Square Roots days. Still got a tape of them live on WKDU with the Foreign Objects Crew! Tarik been a beast! Malik too!
Been waiting to see my man Thought get the respect that he deserves since I was a little 12 year old kid in the 90's. Respect and love to Black Thought and The Roots Crew.
He is an incredible lyricist, but neither this or the 10 minute freestyle were purely off the top. I don't get why he tries to claim that, when he is evidently spitting written bars. If you know about rap you can tell the difference between written and improvised right away, this is not off the top. But he still is top tier, one of the best to do it, don't get me wrong.
Nas is my favorite too. I've always felt like the only MC worthy of battling Nas is Black Thought. But I think if they battle neither one could diss the other because there would be nothing to diss each other about. They're both too dope. The battle would just have to be about whoever could spit deeper and better content. Track for track from their albums catalogue I'm going with Nas, but in a battle I don't think neither could completely blow out the other. Whoever "wins" the battle would only pull it off by a slim margin.
burnzism Dude im the biggest nas fan and as an overall rapper he is my #1 favourite but black thoughts lyricism is from another planet. If we were to analyze a battle between them bar for bar black thought would take the W unfortunately, black thought is just an alien. His mind goes to places nobody else their mind can go to, he literally hangs out in a different dimension when he writes his bars. Overall I have nas over him because nas is just the most amazing, humble person in hip-hop, such a down to earth chill guy, great rapper overall, great lyricist, made debatably the most impactful and one of the illest album of all time ( illmatic ) and many other great albums ( I am, gods son, stillmatic, it was written ) in my eyes they are ALL classics. He just has the whole package for me and his music is just most relatable for me, in a battle bar for bar black thought would win though. Maybe by a small margin but it would be clear his lyricism is a notch higher than nas’. P
AARVYY the fact you had the audacity to put me near thoughts name and doom under him, em isn’t top 50 I’m sorry not with his last 5 projects 💀 also Andre Kendrick doom Kanye > thought, one more thing Royce should nowhere be near any of them neither should crooked
LadyMs Moody intern woke up, said they went to rap heaven and back, said Tupac was smoking a joint, Biggie was freestylin’, Big L was coolin’, and that the freestyle Thought just dropped is meant to save hip hop from straying into nonlyrical bullshit
All Facts about CAPA (creative and performing arts high) .. Went to middle school and high School wit this dude ... Always been da realist and watched his hustle from the 80’s and beyond .... The Legendary Roots Crew ... 215 SOUTH PHILLY REPPIN 👍🏽🔥
Now that is talent right there.Amazing how he can do it with such style.I don't understand how the "rappers" today get so rich and famous when they couldn't do this for 30 seconds.Amazing talent Tarik!
@@KH4444444444N Please stfu. I've met people that actually listen to hip hop who don't know who Thought is. But many know The Roots. They're mainstream. He's released such little music himself you could say he's underground. What the original poster said isn't racist or political, it's factually accurate.
Jimmy should interview everyone of those band members at least once a year so we know who they are and what they're about. It shouldn't take them being featured on another show for them to be considered for 15 minutes of fame on his.
Jeannette Hernandez Jimmy does all kinds of cool shit with them. I got no problem with Jimmy in that regard. They even have ask the roots questions segments. He takes of those guys and shows mad respect. They get a way more than "15 minutes of fame" lol
Truthbringer - There's a massive difference between all the "cool shit" he does with them and actually giving them AIRTIME for them to truly explain what projects they have going on. And in all honesty, the crap amount of time that you admire Jimmy giving to The Roots is the very least he can do considering their talent and accomplishments. It's almost mandatory, he would look like the biggest douche if he didn't include them for that "cool shit".
Truthbringer - playing games and rapping here and there does not equate to them getting airtime during the most viewed time slot on late night TV to discuss their efforts and goals. There's an extreme difference and in all these years THIS is the first interview I've seen where a roots member sits down and discusses his livelihood with the same validity/reverence as a celebrity guest.
Jeannette Hernandez lol I guess you can't please everybody. I've been a fan of the roots for over 13 years, but the show isn't called Late night with the Roots.
If you were to watch full episodes, then you'd know b/c he refers to them (by name) from time to time, he jokes w/ them now & then, mostly during the first part of the show (monologue bits & stuff at the desk)...you'd know them especially if you watched since Late Night b/c then he was even more engaged w/ them.
The Hot 97 Freestyle was definitely the best freestyle EVER!!! His breath control was perfect, diverse subject matter, multi syllable rhyme schemes and the sheer length of time with NO STUMBLES!!!! It was a masterwork. He is the best to ever do it. The Thing is HE ALWAYS DOES THIS CONSISTANTLY FOR DECADES. LOL Salute to my mans an nem, Black Thought aka The Bad Lieutenant aka Tariq Trotter.
Notice how he puts on his sunglasses when he goes into the freestyle. I feel like that is part of getting into his “mode”. Part of the brilliant rubix cube mind that creates incredible bars.
I used to live on the 300 block of South St. back then. I would see these guys almost every weekend. Then we ended up on a tour together in the nineties. 215th! Proud of y’all.
Rex Imperious organix, do you want more, illadelph halflife, and things fall apart, are probably 4 of the best consecutive albums released in the rap/ hip-hop industry
S.L Jones Black Thought featured on a DOOM track and a bunch of other greats have worked with him too. There's a difference between wack and just not being to your taste.
I seen the Roots perform in San Bernardino, CA years ago and they burned the house down for 2 1/2 hours!! I was so tired from standing for so long but the shit was hella worth it.
when your house band is so good you can just interview them
Ha Ha Ha - So right. That's because Jimmy Fallon got that street cred.
When your house band is an already established act for 22 years before they agreed to be your house band so you should interview them like the legends they are from time to time, is more like it!
Man, it’s good for the roots. They never had a lot of commercial acclaim and they deserve it
Facts!!!!
Word
We need a movie where him and Questlove first meet and start out their music career back in school.
They, probably after one dies or when they get way older...IMO
for real
FANTASTIC idea!! You need to Tweet that to them ASAP, RT.
They can call it ROOTS-- oh wait
HB Stone ...*LEGENDARY Roots. ✊🏽👊🏽
Black thought finally getting the recognition he deserves.
Emojigold He 100% worked hard and earned it!! Hats off....
Game Theory is my personal favourite. Love Organix too
What are you talking about. This 97 freestyle doesnt finally get him respect. Hes a legend. He has always had the respect. You ain know shit about hiphop
Truth man!
Yes lawd.
I think Jimmy's best decision ever was to make The Roots the main showcase band. They've proven time & time again that they're up to it.
They're fast, they're knowledgeable and they are extremely technical. Real recognize real, steel sharpens steel - Jimmy is very musically talented himself. People too easily forget that he did some of the most memorable music parodies in SNL's entire history. He is well aware of how good his band is. And from their perspective, this is an enormously good gig. Remember they’re performing on a huge expensive show every night for millions & millions of Americans. On top all that, it does not hurt one bit that Black Thought is adored by hip hop/rap/sing. He is seen as the greatest lyricist/rapper on the planet these days on TOP OF being in an incredible band of musicians. What an amazing body of work these guys have created.
Jimmy is actually a true Hip Hop head his knowledge of the culture is surprising
@@jerzyboi8599 that was my point and I said that originally. But hell yeah he is a great musician across many genres and really does awesome accurate parodies. The Roots just didn’t come across as a marquee band for a late night show and BIG TIME New York City audience. Expensive show with a huge loyal audience. But it turns out The Roots were up to the challenge have awesome charisma and have very sweet relationships with Jimmy. He gives them credit when credit is due and doesn’t interfere. Like a boss who just trusts your judgement.
I just wished that they made more music during this time.
unfortunately the tonight show doesnt get the viewership it has in the past. i wish jimmy showcased them a little bit more often. i have mentioned the roots to people and the typical response is “oh the band on the tonight show?” black thought and questlove are absolute masters and they deserve much more recognition.
I wonder if Jimmy's predominantly white audience understands the gravity of having one of the greatest rap groups in history as his house band...
I don't wonder about it at all. I know for a fact that they don't lmao
I swear I thought about it also.
Jack Cowdery hahahaha probably yeh
i felt the roots always had the jazzmost trajectory of any artist ive witnessed in my lifetime
They were so quiet during this interview. Clear disconnect with the meaning of the converastion
Nice of the Roots to let Jimmy host their show...
hipsterstyle 😂👌🏾
hipsterstyle yes
Accurate.
The best comment
Yeah, nice people.
The look on Jimmy's face when Black Thought said, "one step closer to behind the desk." 😂😂😂😂
Kiana Jai Mae 😂😂😂😂
😬👌🏼🤣 Jimmy’s shakin in his boots
"I like rapping duke" was the return favor....look at thought's face.
The Tonight Show with Black Thought.
You noticed he followed up with...umm, speaking of unbelievable. Was that a shot?
Like yea, right buddy.
10 minuets bars after bars.
Freaking insane man
these bars were fuckin great, but it wasn`t a freestyle!!!
LibreToiMeme explain
Jayvir Chavda he doesn't know what a freestyle is
LibreToiMeme
It was a freestyle, it wasn’t off the dome which you probably think freestyling means but they are different aspects of rap
Yea the definition of freestyle changed over the years because the word "freestyle" used to mean not written, off the top
That transcription should be sent to the Library of Congress!
Lyrical genius, line for line pure bars. Real freestyle, off the dome, NO writtens , pure spitta! Salute
Bro, that was without a shadow of a doubt not a real, off the dome freestyle........
@@MavDillain only people with an IQ under 40 think that was a real freestyle
When will people put him on the spot and give him random words to freestyle about🤷🤷 he wont do it!! Go watch Harry Mack for REAL freestyles
@@andy1181-l3m he will lol he's done a lot on the tonight show. harry mack's good and one of the best but thought's nice too
Bunch of hatin marks
Jimmy why don't you do a Roots Week where you interview each one of the Roots. Then every night they will perform their greatest hits. I would watch that hundred percent! IMO the Roots is greatest band in all of Talk Show history! They can perform any music of every genres. That's how versatile the Roots are. None compares. And I bet they have awesome stories to tell.
Ad_Victoriam_5373N id actually watch jimmy again. I stopped cause i dont live at home anymore and it was getting too much to watch 5 episodes in one night with my mother. But id make it the goal to watch roots week.
Because guests don’t cancel that often to have to use a Root for filler.
Your fourth sentence severely sells The Roots short. They are the greatest band in history period. And Tariq has long been the greatest and most underrated lyricist ever.
I wish more original members carried over to Late Night
Hub & Rahzel would be the two.
I’m so happy for this man and this moment.
dslimm while i watched the freestyle with lyrics i imagined this and am so happy to see it actually happened a few clicks later. Buuut , freestyle?? Nah
SAME HERE
#multi
Black Thought been On. His vocab has no limit . He doesnt have to use cuss words to rhyme . I love him and The roots
For Jimmy to have so much admiration and respect for the Roots says a lot about him as a person. Much love to everyone that appreciate real artist no matter what your nationality is. God bless.....
Those 10 minutes on Flex were indeed the best freestyle I've ever heard. On a while another level. So smart.
He even said it in the verse:
"I'm made of Elements you can't combine.
I'm at a level of intelligence you can't define."
WORD
BlackSH0veldeath HOLY FUCK, IM NOT TRYNA SEEM LIKE A CRAZY PERSON RN BRUH BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, you’re the first person on a TH-cam comment section to fucking comprehend that black thought wrote his funk flex freestyle, it’s still a top 3 written freestyle for me all time but I don’t get how ppl act like they know hip hop but can’t even understand when something’s written and when something’s off the dome
I liked "im a griot that will make you peacock your arms"
@BlackSH0veldeath he was making a joke lol
@@jbags4195 fr tho. Juice is the only freestyler who’s good at off the top. Black thoughts Still good but it was written
@@real_le_monke2876 nah there’s other ppl too, look up Harry Mack, MC Juice, King Los, Eyedea, and Supernat
Thats 30 years of experience folks. Hes been dope but hes going to shine especially in this current rap climate.
Black thought is amazing cause the bars are fire but also so intricate that you can either bump and enjoy his crazy-ass flow or really listen to what he's saying and enjoy it from the lyricall point of view
Exactly. I was just comparing his freestyle to Loaded Lux. Lux is a BEAST with wordplay. However, you couldn't bop your head to his freestyle. Probably helped that BT was flowing to one of the wickedest beats ever created.
Laurence A yup
So true.
great comment
Grande Franco
This was the best interview that Jimmy did! Mainly cause it felt like he's being real since they are friends
For real man.
More full band hip-hop please. Legends Roots 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
“I like rappin’ Duke, that’s my man.” 😂🤣
duh ha duh ha
Biggie
@@antoniomontana386 why are you mentioning biggie? Rappin' duke was a song by shawn brown. i know that biggie referenced it in "Juicy", but still...
@@jaredlhulum thanks for sharing the knowledge
@@jaredlhulum yea why he say biggie?
He is the greatest of all time.. and super Humble!!!!
Its good to see intelligent brothers shining.
Black Thought your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper
No, that would be Rakim
That's Kool g rap and doom
Honestly Black Thought is mentioned with the likes of Kool G Rap and Rakim amongst hip hop heads. He really has always been THAT good.
I’ve always thought of Rakim as that. But Thought is definitely one of the greatest rappers to ever live.
MF DOOM is your favourite rappers favourite rapper
Honestly Jimmy could interview a member of the Roots every week and I would never be tired of it. Just hearing their stories about music and how they joined is awesome.
Sad that this man had to spit for 10 minutes straight, almost burn down a building, just to be seen as the GOAT to most of yall.
😭😭
Bruuh
This is too real.
He is def one of the goats
@@SuperAdam2468 Do you know how long this man has been around? He's been an elite level MC that's been dropping nothing but gems, for well over 25 years. Do your homework son.
The meaning of "scrimmage" I've forgot.
I go full throttle, exhibition match or not!
🔥😮🔥
Bar for sure.
Black Thought is so ridiculously talented! Damn.
I remember working in LA at a studio a few years ago, I was sitting outside on a break just texting on my phone and out of nowhere Black Thought walks up to me and say "Excuse me, can I get out this way?" I was staring at him for like a good 15 seconds, im like wayment, this cant be him.....then he came back like 20 minutes later and I stopped him in the hallway and talked to him for a couple minutes, one of the coolest rappers ive ever met in my life
Thats crazy bro, I wonder if you have met, nas, em, wayne, kanye, etc
Put some respeck on his name
👏👏👏
They spelled his name wrong on the thumbnail, obviously they don't put enough respek on his name.
Some people should be "respecked" some just don't. You feel me?
like yesterday!!!
@@TheHehe1223 obviously you don't know how to spell "Respect."😹😂😹😂😂
- Birdman, breakfastclub interview. always gonna be a classic lol
Black Thought is a giant and a lyrical genius in Hip Hop.
The man said in that freestyle "I'm international, my passport looks like War & Peace". God bless Black Thought, he's been amazing since forever
There's 2 times I was left in awe in the last couple of years
On 2015's Mural by lupe fiasco(a 9min written masterpiece) and Black Thought's 10 min freestyle
Hip hop is alive and well
MuMu124 the realist thing I've heard all day.
MuMu124 agreed
Nonya Bidness
I'm gonna say this
I still haven't heard the rest of tetsuo and youth cuz I can't get past mural....
Lupe is the greatest lyricist of all time
mural's not even the best song on T&Y. dont take my word for it though- go listen
Jimmy is lucky to have the roots ‘
sulabh parajuli You betcha! And they are lucky to have Jimmy!
Anne Bradley no they dont. they dont need this corny ass host
sulabh parajuli only reason I get tickets to tonight show when in NY
Jimmy is ass tbh
Rick Sanchez they need that check every week
This interview is so dope, so natural, just three friends (Tariq, Quest, and Jimmy) talkin, messing around.
I'm a recovering drug addict and have memorized this piece from beginning to end. It's become a meditation. Any time I have a craving or am fearing a relapse, this 10 minute and 54 second meditation helps me love myself enough to not use. It has seriously kept me from putting a gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger. "I got that detox for y'all. The microphone Dr. Black Depak Chopra.". "my mother was a working class very loving woman, who struggled every day coulda been her last summer. i come home chasin' good for nothin' half cousins. and then walk in the crib to the smell of crack cookin'. she was introduced to that substance abuse. or some of the strongest drugs that the government produced".
Tariq, if you ever read this, please know this piece saved my life. I've been clean two years and can never thank you enough.
i hope u win brother
Damn he’s eloquent. He really shows that rap isn’t just a mindless, dumb genre where people just “flex” on the audience, but a genre evolved from jazz, and a genre that requires musical talent and education to master
How do you make avatars like that?
Nah
Fax
eloquent? like well spoken? why wouldn't he be?
@@clintonlopez Because of the stereotype of new age rappers that are a disgrace to the genre.
I went to a Roots concert in ‘96 and it literally changed my life. Black Thought gave the mic to a bouncer to take in the crowd while Rahzel was beat boxing and I got the mic..... after 20 plus minutes of rhyming Black was like “yo that kid fire but give me that mic back people here to hear me...” lol anyway we hung out briefly afterwards but ever since I have always taken emceeing and this art form/ culture of hip hop dead serious.... I am always grateful for that moment
DOPE STORY
Black thought definitly top 5 dead or alive. undeafetable. gotta love this band. jus crazy
Undeafetable is not a word..
ndgv2 i dont give two fucks blackthought is undefeatable
It is a word...
StickyLeaf87 then word up big😂he undeafable #blackthoughtundefeatable
ndgv2 you misread he meant he un-deaf a table. As in even a fucking table realizes this dude is the Floyd Mayweather of freestyles. th-cam.com/video/DDhesGZKwYE/w-d-xo.html watch this video now if you liked black thought and you are a millennial. And then look into dude, he is the best rapper alive or dead, period.
We need that pdf file Jimmy!!! That printout of the lyrics is a work of art
datboyjeff there's a TH-cam page with the lyrics.
Great idea!!
NFT
"Rolled into a scroll, holdin' the message for ya."
Been rockin' with The Roots since like '94-'95 when I 1st heard Proceed! These cats been very underrated for far too long!
The speed at which your brain has to work to do this🤯. The amount of knowledge, vocabulary , rhythm, instinct & conscious awareness you must have to do this in real time spontaneously! A literal genius!!
Grew up on The Roots. Black Thought has been a beast since the 90s. That freestyle..now THAT'S how you emcee! But Thought never has wack verses. Always 💯. Good job Thought! 👏👏👍
@BlackSH0veldeath just admit you're a hater
I love that he shouted out Kendrick Lamar and Pac. Real recognize real.
No just Pac ken is alright
EDPOOLL: VR But Kendrick is a much better rapper then Pac
Young Pedru without Tupac you wouldn't have a Kendrick Lamar That's fact but to say that Kendrick Lamar is a better rapper than Tupac it's hard to compare the two because won't different Generations different styles but when it comes to philosophy skill and great lyrics Tupac wins hands-down the only reason Kendrick Lamar is great is because there's a lot of Mumble rap in the mainstream put some real rappers in there with Kendrick and then we'll see cuz trust me in the underground there's a lot of great Lyricist who get out class Kendrick any day of the week you just have to look and see for yourself and again I ain't hating on Kendrick and I think he's a good rapper and all just not the goat
EDPOOLL: VR Lmao you sir don’t know shit about rap if you think Pac is a better lyricist than Kendrick. What made Pac great is not his supreme rapping skills like Eminem or Nas but rather his overall skill as an artist and being real as fuck.
cavs fan since 2003 retired 2010 came back 2014 hey dumbass I do know about hip hop rap all that s*** it started in 1973 and a block party in the Bronx from DJ Kool Herc Kool Moe Dee the Furious Five Rakim Kool G Rap Big Daddy Kane krs-1 Afrika Bambaataa Run DMC NWA Wu-Tang Clan and the list goes on buddy I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to rap and then you're going to say all cuz you know a few names you think you know s*** yeah probably more than you do I don't deny that Kendrick Lamar is a great Lyricist he is if it wasn't for every great musician named on this list you wouldn't have your f****** Mumble rap you wouldn't have you're Kendrick Lamar's Eminem's all that maybe that's what's wrong with today's rap because there isn't no connection there's a huge gap and back on Kendrick he's a great Lyricist and I don't doubt that he's a real dude but his music isn't for me
Been a fan of this dude forever!!!! Mad respect, he is the greatest rapper of all time no doubt!!!
He is now!! Amazing.
GoodxJ Q Tip still my fav.
I been on the roots since PROCEEEEEED AND CONTINUE TO ROCK THE MIC!!
Not even close to being the greatest. Stop over-hyping shit.
HangingFromARope You make it sound like he isnt up there with the goats. He is one of the most underated rappers, for sure.
It blows my mind that THE WORLD doesn't know about this dude. He is, hands down, a HIP HOP HALL OF FAME LEGEND.
Black Thought did something I've seen no other MC do. He freestyled FLAWLESSLY for 10mins STRAIGHT!!!! I didn't see him stop for breathers or stop to swallow!! He just kept going perfectly!! His lyrics were so potent!!! New rappers can't do it and I'd struggle to find some vets who could pull it off so flawlessly! INSTANT CLASSIC!!!!! TALENT! Shout out to Jimmy Fallon for giving love to Hip-Hop the way he does. It's one of America's GREATEST EXPORTS!
The scroll had me dyin lol! I’m so happy Black Thought and The Roots crew.
jimmy should interview every member of the roots. i can sit here and watch this every day.
kaveesha pandey Yes- long overdue.
Tarik For President!
Deep Patel i would vote for him
Deep Patel TARIK
Deep Patel my man👍👌
Anyone who listened to Stretch and Bob in the 90's had a flashback to what normal freestyles soundlike. Glad Black was able to show the true craft to the new generation.
As a fan of hip hop since the early 90’s this is one of the greatest moments captured for the whole world to see. The skill, word play and delivery is simply flawless. He makes me proud of hip hop. Mad love Black Thought
When he busted that scroll I was rolling.
Word
nice wordplay
dslimm you mean that mini bible?
So was the scroll
The most underrated MC out there!
Lowkey I wanna see an interview with James 😂😂
Jamie "uh James can we get that thank you note music?" Lol i want to see him get thanked in the thank you notes
Jamie I believe he did intro Jim before
Jamie IiiABaconedNarwhal
probably on the last show he does, and then they'll actually cry
Wow! I am just amazed that he had enough breath to freestyle during 10 full minutes!
Yes... Jimmy does in fact have the GREATEST band to play for his show. Not only that but they fit PERFECTLY with each other. So happy to see this interview right now. :'D
I've never seen this clip. I love the rapport between Jimmy and Black Thought.
Took so long for him to finally get his shine but he's there now. So happy that people understand how great an MC he is. Top 5 all time no doubt
Shoutout to the intern who had to type all those words
I was at The Roots concert. feeling blessed
I saw the roots twice. At their concerts you can feel their love for what they do.
I’ll never forget seeing The Roots in the gymnasium at W&J College. Looked just like a high school gym with a tarp on the floor and everything. They played that show like it was their last. It immediately became my favorite live performance and it’s never been topped.
If you ain't know nothing about Black Thought, you better know. #TheRoots #BlackThoughts #Legends
When you realize a man is more than his aspirations. I loved his story
Black Thought is GOAT
619cruzer truth
The fucking band just quickly dropped that banging beat. Crisp like. Shit sounded great!
“Michael McDonald will perform after the break” is the single funniest way this video could have ended.
One of the greatest of all time hands down this guy is a true lyrical genius
I agree…even though he’s a liar and that wasnt a freestyle
@@andy1181-l3m that was a real freestyle bru
PHILLY STAND UP! Been a Roots fan since the Square Roots days. Still got a tape of them live on WKDU with the Foreign Objects Crew! Tarik been a beast! Malik too!
jesus, which poor intern had to transcribe that?
curly wurly LOL
By Friday, too! LOL
TH-cam have most of its video transcribed already you just have to copy and paste
curly wurly One that was getting paid GHOOD!
He probably had fun with it
Been waiting to see my man Thought get the respect that he deserves since I was a little 12 year old kid in the 90's. Respect and love to Black Thought and The Roots Crew.
I just love to see artist that deserve status and praise for what they do, get all credit that they should. Salute to the crew. Legends for ever.
Black Thought is not of this earth.
He is literally off the charts with his freestyle skill.
An inspiration to a Boom Baptist such as myself
Afotey Annum Boom Baptist?
He is an incredible lyricist, but neither this or the 10 minute freestyle were purely off the top. I don't get why he tries to claim that, when he is evidently spitting written bars. If you know about rap you can tell the difference between written and improvised right away, this is not off the top. But he still is top tier, one of the best to do it, don't get me wrong.
@@PaQueRespeten ydk what a freestyle is?
@@emgo-at7398 Have you even read my comment? Of course I do
@@PaQueRespeten then idk why you had to vent all of this if you already know the difference
Real talk: Nas might be my favorite rapper, but no one is BETTER than Black Thought.
Nas is my favorite too. I've always felt like the only MC worthy of battling Nas is Black Thought. But I think if they battle neither one could diss the other because there would be nothing to diss each other about. They're both too dope. The battle would just have to be about whoever could spit deeper and better content. Track for track from their albums catalogue I'm going with Nas, but in a battle I don't think neither could completely blow out the other. Whoever "wins" the battle would only pull it off by a slim margin.
burnzism Dude im the biggest nas fan and as an overall rapper he is my #1 favourite but black thoughts lyricism is from another planet. If we were to analyze a battle between them bar for bar black thought would take the W unfortunately, black thought is just an alien. His mind goes to places nobody else their mind can go to, he literally hangs out in a different dimension when he writes his bars. Overall I have nas over him because nas is just the most amazing, humble person in hip-hop, such a down to earth chill guy, great rapper overall, great lyricist, made debatably the most impactful and one of the illest album of all time ( illmatic ) and many other great albums ( I am, gods son, stillmatic, it was written ) in my eyes they are ALL classics. He just has the whole package for me and his music is just most relatable for me, in a battle bar for bar black thought would win though. Maybe by a small margin but it would be clear his lyricism is a notch higher than nas’. P
Nas is DOPE. But Black Thought is somethin' else.... 💯💯💯💯 #legendary
I love black thought and he’s top 10 but Kendrick, Andre, mf doom, Kanye, el-p> but I can still see a goat case for him
AARVYY the fact you had the audacity to put me near thoughts name and doom under him, em isn’t top 50 I’m sorry not with his last 5 projects 💀 also Andre Kendrick doom Kanye > thought, one more thing Royce should nowhere be near any of them neither should crooked
All I could think about was the intern that had to type that all out, like does he/she/they still have hands? Was medical treatment needed?
UPDATE: the intern is currently in ICU with a concussion.
LadyMs Moody intern woke up, said they went to rap heaven and back, said Tupac was smoking a joint, Biggie was freestylin’, Big L was coolin’, and that the freestyle Thought just dropped is meant to save hip hop from straying into nonlyrical bullshit
Leann Abad TV 👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍
it's on genius lol.
If that really is typed all out, I wonder how examined was his lyrics.
These type freestyles are not traditionally meant for mainstream.lol
Jimmy is automatically my favorite host for having The Roots
All Facts about CAPA (creative and performing arts high) .. Went to middle school and high School wit this dude ... Always been da realist and watched his hustle from the 80’s and beyond .... The Legendary Roots Crew ... 215 SOUTH PHILLY REPPIN 👍🏽🔥
Now that is talent right there.Amazing how he can do it with such style.I don't understand how the "rappers" today get so rich and famous when they couldn't do this for 30 seconds.Amazing talent Tarik!
cheryl colby REAL TALK....
Deep messages are not for the mainstream, they prefer the jiggy stuff
"I like rapping duke" hahaha. That got Black Thought
I love Jimmy and his genuine appreciation of the culture! Jimmy single-handedly gave late night sauce!
the roots are undeniably the truth. thankfully jimmy got em as the house band. black thought til death. best hot 97 freestyle ever. murdered it.
Not one person in the audience that prolly actually heard the shit
There you go gatekeeping again
@@abdoonyt9049 they didn't even come near the gate
@@lorduvaltv274 Someone who toes the line very very effectivly.
@@KH4444444444N Please stfu. I've met people that actually listen to hip hop who don't know who Thought is. But many know The Roots. They're mainstream. He's released such little music himself you could say he's underground. What the original poster said isn't racist or political, it's factually accurate.
@@lsdiesel8025 You ain't shit. Trust.
Jimmy should interview everyone of those band members at least once a year so we know who they are and what they're about. It shouldn't take them being featured on another show for them to be considered for 15 minutes of fame on his.
Jeannette Hernandez Very well said
Jeannette Hernandez Jimmy does all kinds of cool shit with them. I got no problem with Jimmy in that regard. They even have ask the roots questions segments. He takes of those guys and shows mad respect. They get a way more than "15 minutes of fame" lol
Truthbringer - There's a massive difference between all the "cool shit" he does with them and actually giving them AIRTIME for them to truly explain what projects they have going on. And in all honesty, the crap amount of time that you admire Jimmy giving to The Roots is the very least he can do considering their talent and accomplishments. It's almost mandatory, he would look like the biggest douche if he didn't include them for that "cool shit".
Truthbringer - playing games and rapping here and there does not equate to them getting airtime during the most viewed time slot on late night TV to discuss their efforts and goals. There's an extreme difference and in all these years THIS is the first interview I've seen where a roots member sits down and discusses his livelihood with the same validity/reverence as a celebrity guest.
Jeannette Hernandez lol I guess you can't please everybody. I've been a fan of the roots for over 13 years, but the show isn't called Late night with the Roots.
I didn't need him to freestyle for me to consider him goat. I already had him as goat decades ago.
good for you
I like eating goat
Decades? I already had him as goat centuries ago
I had him as goat before he was born.
"Remember Rappin' Duke? Daha Daha/whoever thought that hip-hop would make it this far"
“Now I’m in the lime light ‘cause I rap tight...”
"time to get paid, blow up like the world trade"
"born sinner, opposite of a winner, remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner"
Dirt Merchant "I fuck with savages you a fuck boy you can't hang"
Dirt Merchant “Peace to Ron G, Brucie B, Kid Capri.
Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starski !”
you know jimmy is a goat when he can have this amazing legendary band play for him every single day
I always come back here. I think this is my fav tonight show segment
One of the best emcees of all time and he’s just getting started! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
One of my favorite people/team. Jimmy and the roots. Such a nice heartwarming team. God bless you all.
He should interview more of The Roots! They’ve been on there for years and I don’t even know some of their names.
Liz 😱
I Do Yarbrough scott storch used to play he keys with he started with The Roots. Look it up
If you were to watch full episodes, then you'd know b/c he refers to them (by name) from time to time, he jokes w/ them now & then, mostly during the first part of the show (monologue bits & stuff at the desk)...you'd know them especially if you watched since Late Night b/c then he was even more engaged w/ them.
El Chele now he’s a douche bag
RIP Malik B
The freestyle is LONGER than the time they spent talking about it
This man deserves the world of hip hop and more, great guy 🙏🏽
The Hot 97 Freestyle was definitely the best freestyle EVER!!! His breath control was perfect, diverse subject matter, multi syllable rhyme schemes and the sheer length of time with NO STUMBLES!!!! It was a masterwork. He is the best to ever do it. The Thing is HE ALWAYS DOES THIS CONSISTANTLY FOR DECADES. LOL
Salute to my mans an nem, Black Thought aka The Bad Lieutenant aka Tariq Trotter.
Black thought killed that shit
Even this one minute freestyle is incredible.
FACTS
Notice how he puts on his sunglasses when he goes into the freestyle. I feel like that is part of getting into his “mode”. Part of the brilliant rubix cube mind that creates incredible bars.
I used to live on the 300 block of South St. back then. I would see these guys almost every weekend. Then we ended up on a tour together in the nineties. 215th! Proud of y’all.
Nothing like the original roots crew...215!!! Been a fan since 94 when they were handing out organix on cassette
atamagashock nothing like it. Illadelph Halflife imo is they're best album.
Word
shit i need that Organix tape...a lot of people don't know they already made name here in Europe through Gilles Peterson label
Word . on south street
Rex Imperious organix, do you want more, illadelph halflife, and things fall apart, are probably 4 of the best consecutive albums released in the rap/ hip-hop industry
My mellow my man.... I'm from Philly I told cats this in the beginning stages. My favorite MC. Second is MF Doom.
Tom Bruise I’m the same 😁
Matthew Stark yes, a wack rapper
DOOM!!! ♥
S.L Jones Black Thought featured on a DOOM track and a bunch of other greats have worked with him too. There's a difference between wack and just not being to your taste.
Tom Bruise I've tried listening to him.... Imho he was extremely wack... Plus the whole get up, mask, just relax and rap dude... Again just mho
I love hearing the story about how they met from Thought's perspective because Quest wrote about it in his book.
Legend. He and Quest meeting was like Class Act. Love these guys.
I love everything about this interview.
I seen the Roots perform in San Bernardino, CA years ago and they burned the house down for 2 1/2 hours!! I was so tired from standing for so long but the shit was hella worth it.