June 1, 2022—Many call him Black Thought, while others call him “Riq,” Mr. Trotter, or the GOAT MC. No matter the name, The Roots’ lead vocalist, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, will always be a household name across the city of Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Mural Arts kicked off Black Music Month, honoring Black Thought with a mural in Kensington. The mural, titled “The Talented Mr. Trotter; You Can Be Anything,” is inspired by the work and longevity of Black Thought’s career. Alongside Trotter and his family friends were Jane Golden, Mural Arts Philadelphia; City Councilperson Cherrelle Parker; Jennier Martin, executive director of the Clay Studio; Anuj Gupta, from Congressman Dwight Evans office; and mural artist Roberto Lugo. Lugo dedicated this new public art piece in full display on the brand new Clay Studio building to whom he calls “the greatest living hip hop lyricist.”
“I’m gonna go ahead and call it the Black Thought building,” said Trotter, whose silhouette is the centerpiece of a mural four stories high on the southside of the Clay Studio.
Trotter, the co-founder of the hip-hop band The Roots, is a critically acclaimed solo artist, actor, writer, producer, and creator. Trotter has quietly affirmed himself as one of the most prolific and powerful voices in Hip-Hop. He has won three Grammy Awards and three NAACP Image Awards. Not only has he delivered eleven applauded albums with The Roots, but the group also joined “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” as the house band, where they have been a beloved mainstay of late-night television for over a decade. As a solo artist Black Thought has released three records under his “Streams of Thought” series. The Guardian awarded “Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able” 4 out of 5 stars, while HYPEBEAST crowned him “one of the best lyricists in hip-hop history.”
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