Jimmy Interviews The Roots' Black Thought About His Epic 10-Minute Freestyle

-Every night during the show, we get to see one of the greatest MCs of all time behind the microphone. This week, he dropped a ten-

minute

freestyle

on Hot 97 that blew up the internet and was trending number one on Twitter last night. Let's take a look at a clip. Look at this. -♪ I'm a griot that makes you want to strut your arm ♪ ♪ All the important dignitaries salute me ♪ ♪ Boy, I'm three optics away from your binoculars ♪ ♪ So that smart money will be able to take that heat out of the car ♪ ♪ Yo, I'm K -Dot Lamar and 2Pac Shakur ♪ ♪ Some cops profiled me, too hot to carry ♪ -Please welcome, from the legendary Roots crew, multi-Grammy winner Tariq Trotter, A.K.A.

Black

thought

! -T-Metaphor hand on the ball with five seconds left! He does a reversible... He does a reversible slam! T-Metaphor wins again! -Now, that's what I'm talking about... Tariq Trotter. Yes, T-Metaphor in the house. Thank you so much. I love having you on this side, man. -Yes, man, me too. You know, it's great. One step closer from behind the desk. -Incredible. Unbe-- Speaking of awesome, man, oh man, when did you do that Hot 97 thing? -Wednesday. -God, that was incredible! How the hell do you do that? Was that all

freestyle

? -Yes Yes. -What does that mean? It continued for ten

minute

s. -Yeah, I mean, you know... -I can't rhyme.

I can't freestyle for 30 seconds. Give me a word. Give me a word. -Well. -Tomato. ♪ The tomato doesn't look like a potato ♪ ♪ I eat everything and then I say, see you late-o ♪ -But it's okay. -Oh, but it's okay. What were you feeling? Do you know when to go out? -Yeah, yeah, you know, I mean, I planned on doing it for like 10 to 15 minutes, you know what I'm saying? Just because I... Well, here's the thing. Funk Master Flex, Hot 97 freestyles, it's an iconic moment. It's very meaningful for a rapper to get that platform. And in the last few weeks, in the last few months, I've been watching videos and the bar has been set kind of high.

Then people continue for six, eight, nine minutes or so. -It's just... when you see it, it just... Honestly, you know, obviously, I'm your biggest fan, but you know. -You... you call me your second favorite rapper. -I like rapping guys, man. -If you do. -But you... You received some praise on Twitter. Here's Lin-Manuel Miranda, I loved you. He gave you props. Best hip hop verse of 2017. Diddy gave you... he said this is the best freestyle in the entire history of hip hop. -That is important. -And you said: "That verse is just what I had to say right now, hahaha." That's what you said.

I just love you. I love you. This... we printed everything you said. This is for you. This is all you said. That's all you said, man. -Yes, wow. -Is incredible. How did you and Questlove come together and start working together? -We met in high school in Philadelphia at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in the 80s. -Yes. Dude, are you going to let Philly go? As I remember, we met in the principal's office. Either she was returning from suspension or she was about to be suspended. And Ahmir came in to bring the director an apple. -Oh Lord. -Oh, word?

Word? Oh yeah? Well well. -He just betrayed you, man. Oh my God. So, two opposites. -Yes Yes. And I think it was there, like there was some problem between my girlfriend and I at the time, like we got caught kissing at school. And out... That wasn't, you know, as big a deal as the fact that we were skipping class to do it. So, you know, we got suspended for missing class. -I have you. I have you. And then you got together and found out he played drums? -Yeah, yeah, well, you know, he had a medallion that was like, you know, the

black

cuff that you see in his picture, and he had like a cool jacket that was hand-painted and at the time. , that was one of my hustles.

He would sell medallions and hand-painted jackets. Then I

thought

, "Who is this guy with something he didn't get from me?" -Exactly. -Yes, and we got along well once I discovered I could recreate all my favorite drum beats. He had this cool sampler that he had just gotten and he was walking around, you know, playing "Jamming on the one. Jam, Jam, Jam." -"Interrupting one." -Yes, I had a miniature Casio keyboard that I walked around school with. -No way. You were a nerd, man. I love it, man. -He was like the flutist. -That's so cool. =So I went ahead, I let him sit at the cool table because he had the beats. -Oh my God. -It's true! -That's true? -Yeah.

I was allowed to sit at the cold table while I played the drum. Do not speak. -What was your first concert? Where would you play in Philadelphia? -The corner of South Street, right? We play in the street. - Busted? -Yeah. -Actually? -Yeah. -That's wild. -Did you have a battery? -Yeah. -A really minimal kit. We were there with a drum kit, a double bass and, really, that's it. -That's strange, man. Look at you now. You are now the legendary Roots team. Come on, they're fixing it. -Yeah. -You are not only great musicians, great actors. You're fantastic on HBO's "The Deuce." I don't know if you saw Reggie Love, but that's Tariq.

You were fantastic in that. -Thanks man. -I loved that. But you're producing TV shows now, right? -Yes Yes. -Developing some shows? -Yes, we have a couple of shows. We have one thing. I can't mention... Can I mention other networks? -Yes, sure. -Okay, we have a show on AMC. -Don't say the AMC. -It is a program in which we are as EP, as executive producers. It's called "The Rap Yearbook." It is based on the best-selling book by Shea Serrano. -Oh yeah. -It's about the impact of iconic hip hop songs on the culture at the time they came out. -Did you do a mix of "Hamilton"? -Yes, yes, we were executive producers of the "Hamilton" mix tape and the original "Hamilton" cast recording. -I mean, come on, that's what I'm talking about.

And then I just have to give a shout out to Bilal and his song "It Ai n't Fair" on the "Detroit" soundtrack. It's an original song. Honestly, man, I mean, best original song. That's what I'm talking about. It was amazing what they did with it. -Thanks man. I'm really proud of it. -I know you did ten minutes of freestyle, but I was wondering if maybe... a minute? -I mean, you know. Let it roll. -Maybe about what we just did or something like that. I don't know. -UH Huh. Let me see. Well. ♪ I'm smart like Dr. Spock ♪ ♪ Parents made their ex-daughter stop and watch ♪ ♪ the latest from Def Jam... ♪ ♪ They kept the next man waiting while he slaughtered my... ♪ ♪ The meaning of a fight that I forgot ♪ ♪ I'm going at full speed whether it's an exhibition match or not ♪ ♪ On my day off, I understand it as I live ♪ ♪ The boss waits ♪ ♪ Years of blood, sweat and tears ♪ ♪ What it costs me to play ♪ ♪ Like Vince Lombardi and Paul McCartney ♪ ♪ Think like Marcus Garvey and dress smartly ♪ ♪ Fella took an oath and pledged ♪ ♪ So these other MCs know they alleged ♪ ♪ Uh, look ♪ ♪ Handcuffs for me ♪ ♪ I hope these gats I'll still fail for me ♪ ♪ Messages from Manuel and Puff to me ♪ ♪ 15 minutes of fame is not enough for me ♪ -My second favorite rapper of all time, Tariq Trotter, A.K.A.

Black thought! Michael McDonald performs after the break. Stay everyone!