Tariq Trotter

As Co-Founder of The Roots, a critically acclaimed solo artist, actor, writer, activist, producer, and creator, Tariq Trotter-aka Black Thought-has quietly affirmed himself as one of the most prolific, prescient, and powerful voices in hip-hop.

Over the course of his career, he has won three GRAMMY® Awards and three NAACP Image Awards. Not only did he deliver eleven applauded albums with The Roots, but the group also joined The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as the house band and beloved mainstay of late-night television for over a decade.

His albums outside of The Roots include the three volumes of Streams of Thought, Cheat Codes (with Danger Mouse), and Glorious Game (with El Michels Affair). He co-wrote, co-composed, and starred in the Off-Broadway play Black No More and boasts acting credits in The Deuce and Tick, Tick . . . Boom!, among others. With Questlove, Trotter launched the production company Two One Five Entertainment, which produced the documentaries Hip-Hop: The Songs That Shook America, Descendant, and others.