In an interview with NPR, veteran MC Black Thought reflected on a physical altercation he had with fellow original group member and drummer Questlove during The Roots' early years in the '90s. The incident occurred while they were living in London, dealing with the stress of launching their first record. Black Thought described it as a brief scuffle, a result of the tension and anxiety they were experiencing at the time. “We had a brief sort of scuffle, kerfuffle, a little 30-second altercation when we were young and just starting out,” he said. “We were displaced, living in London and there was just lots of angst and anxiety … with all the energy associated with anyone’s first time putting out a record. … So, yeah, just the perfect storm of events."
He continued, “It led to us coming to blows right quick. And it was the sort of thing that I’d forgotten about it before we left the place [where] it had taken place. But I think it’s the sort of thing that it stuck with him in a different way. Is it a grudge that he’s held? I don’t think so. But I definitely don’t think it’s something that he has ever forgotten.”
Despite the altercation, their deep history and strong alliance in hip-hop have endured, and they have continued their successful collaboration as part of The Roots. Black Thought shared this anecdote ahead of the release of his upcoming memoir, "The Upcycled Self," set to publish under his real name, Tariq Trotter, on November 14.
Source: hiphopdx.com
