Tariq Trotter - better known as Black Thought - is the MC of the Grammy-Award winning hip-hop band The Roots, which he co-founded alongside their drummer Questlove.
To quote rapper Talib Kweli, "the best rappers in the world look at Black Thought as the pinnacle", and the likes of Eminem and Kendrick Lamar have cited his influence.
The Roots have released 11 solo albums to date and for the past 15 years they have also served as Jimmy Fallon's house band on The Tonight Show.
On December 30th The Roots will return to New Zealand for the first time in 20 years to play the Summer Haze festival in Tauranga.
Photo: ROY ROCHLIN
