How BLACK THOUGHT AVOIDS Writer's Block At 52 Years Old 

Organix was released stateside after Illadelph. Originally, it was only distributed at shows in the UK while they were living in London…when they were called the Square Roots. So, unless you were out there then and copped one of the super original and ultra rare joints that was on cassette from an obscure and unknown hip hop act, or maybe you’re from Philly and was aware of these dudes when they were still in highschool and you were so plugged into the scene that one of those tapes made it your way (which would be amazing and I would have to give it up to you), then being down with The Roots since Organix meant that you came to the game late. Proceed, Silent Treatment and Distortion to Static off DYWM were the first joints that had videos and being played on YoMtv and Rap City. That was when I first caught wind of them. And I didn’t see the group as Black Thought being the group’s lead. I considered Thought and Malik as a duo. As you said, Malik was top tier and had great chemistry with Thought so it wasn’t even like Thought stood out and eclipsed Malik like he seems to do on every feature he’s been on for the last 20 years. Even Illadelph came off as two emcees pulling most of the weight (exception to the guest features and Dice Raw’s appearances on DYWM and Illadelph). Shit-Malik even had a solo track on Illadelph. But after Illadelph, when Organix randomly popped up one day at Tower Records did I understand that Black Thought was the obvious lead emcee and original foundational member of the Roots with Quest. And when Things Fall Apart came out, that’s where Thought really made it known. People had been catching Roots shows by then and Malik was never there. Just Thought back in the locks days. And then the rumors of Malik not liking to be on tour, then the full understanding of the situation when Phrenology came out and Thought explained the situation on the track, “Water”, followed by a couple albums not featuring Malik, that’s when the group’s dynamics were made clear. I’ve been doing this emcee thing since the mid 90s and though I dug the Roots, I think Things Fall Apart is when I understood Thought’s greatness and I started considering him the greatest. Been that way ever since…and he’s only gotten better. Malik was always the only person who could pull the weight and be the perfect partner to trade bars with Thought throughout a full album. But I think Thought probably kept that in mind when he wrote his verses on those older Roots albums. RIP Malik B, indeed. Legend.

Same 😂. Some of my best songs and bars have come from watching anime and listening to various types of music whilst smoking trees.

That's probably more accurate. An album is work.

There's plenty to talk about for sure. It seems like most rappers are 1 dimensional nowadays so if they never learn to tap into different cultures, genres and subjects then they will definitely get writers block if they even write there own bars that is.

I think now we have more pure lyricists over here in the UK tbh and thats not an insult to US rappers

I dont think its to do with black artists there's plenty of black artists in various genres that remain respected. It's more of a hip hop thing imo

The pressure of being Andre 🤣🤣🤣 c'mon man Black thought is light years ahead of that weirdo