"I'm a griot, make you peacock your arm" is a dope line most people don't get. A griot is the African village elder/ storyteller that tells the oral history, poetry and other stories of his people. The peacock your arm is referring to holding up your fist as a symbol of black pride.

It's always strange listening to black thought, he feels more of a preacher than a rapper. Gives me chills everytime

last line = "I tell a story like fingerprints and blood splatter" first line = "I'm sorry for your loss..." The way the end ties straight back into the beginning tho

His references of historical events and figures is what helps makes this timeless. And then there's the pure skill involve. He's on a different tier.

Black Thought’s alliteration is crazy.

Hard to beat. He didn't waste a single bar. Advanced rhyme patterns equally matched by intellectual wordplay. God level M.C.

That Seoul, South Korea part was fire, coming from someone who is a Korean~ :D Black Thought, goddamn~

Roots are underrated and Fallon is Soo lucky to have them on his show

"yours truly, the celestial being you stay seeing pullin up in the fresh European."

Black Thought is just an absolute beast on the mic. He's been about bars since the 90s~

The "Sum of All Fears" line goes back to the Morgan Freeman line. He starred in that movie with Ben Affleck.

Black Thought so underrated, absolute BEAST!

Literally no one touching Tariq, to me. Top 2 and he ain’t 2. Glad you’re kicking it off with this, let’s gooooo!

Only ones that come close to this - Royce, Daylyt & King Los on LA Leakers, Murda Mook, Loaded Lux & Mysonne on Funk Flex, or any Locksmith freestyle.

I heard this freestyle for the first time almost three years ago. After I heard it, I played this freestyle so many times. Tariq Trotter is one of the most talented and one of the most intelligent of all time. He's an extraterrestrial. He's elite. It's abound with wisdom, storytelling, jewels, empowerment, upliftment, and multilayered bars. Things Fall Apart is one of the Roots albums. Roots is one of the best groups ever. Everybody Plays The Fool is an old school song that came out. I forgot the name of the singer. CB4 is a movie. Shariah Law is something that's against and antithetical to Islam. Cherie Amour is a French term that means Dear Beloved. Buzz B was a writer. Amalgamism means a blend. Pharaohe Monch is one of the greatest of all time. I've been rocking with Monch , Kool G Rap, Rakim, Black Thought for over ten years. Rakim God Allah and Pharoahe are two of the illest ever too. Pharaohe and Black 's REM song is on point and legendary. Old Kanye West was a monster for real for real. People used Henrietta Lacks 's cancer cells without her consent. The periodic table reference he spat is cool too.

Los - LA Leakers freestyle is a great one!

Deepak Chopra was a healer. Black Thought was saying he's a healer in this rap ish. He is saying that his lyrics heal and that his rapping is a real remedy.

Black Thought is easily top 5 All Time, Dead or Alive. The amount of freestyles on KZfaq showing his talent should be considering mandatory watching for every writer, rapper or poet. He is a master at using language in unique ways to carry power in his message.

I've seen several of these reactions, your is very good. Ultimately this freestyle needs a group of smart guys like you to provide their unique perspective together to fill the gaps. Great stuff Sir

When Tariq was on the jimmy fallon show as a guest, he said 80% of the bars were ideas in his head, but then none of it was like written down anywhere which is crazy

If Tariq isn't in your top 10 , you're waffling !

I thought this was a GREAT reaction - thank you!! One shout - I've watched a lot of these and one thing I still haven't noticed any reactors comment on is the line "I hate to say I told ya'll, but I told ya'll - THINGS FALL APART when the center too weak to hold ya'll." "Things Fall Apart" is the name of a Roots album a while back. In other words he literally "told ya'll" back in the '90s that "things fall apart" when shit is shit. But DAMN - over three years ago and this performance hasn't aged a day. GOAT.

I have watched this freestyle well over 100 times and this probably has to be my 3rd or 4th time watching Ernest's breakdown. Bonified classic.

Probably the best breakdown I’ve heard thus far, salute 🫡👌🏾

Black did The Learning (Burn) by Mobb Deep instrumental justice for real. He did not mess up. His breath control is incredible.

Your memory recall is quite impressive. A lot of these bars go over people's heads. I have listened to this freestyle so many times. It's so refreshing that you are catching these barehanded

Daylyt, Marlon Craft, King Los, Mysonne on Sway. You won’t be disappointed.

I come back to this all the time, the best analysis of this freestyle thus far...

You may have given THE best analysis I have heard of this masterpiece (and I've heard dozens)!

You gave one the the best (if not THE best) breakdown of his ingenious lyrics I've seen thus far!

One of my Favorite freestyles.. no one compares to black thought! 💯🔥🔥🔥

Your breakdown was FUCKING incredible. I love your live real time fact checking during the video. Good luck with your platform.

Internal Affairs Album by Pharoahe Monch that came out in 1999 is one of the best hip-hop albums of all time.

U probably won’t see this 3 years in but glad u caught so much of what he was saying. Other reactions missed so much but u touched on almost all the real ish he was canting about. Nice listen

Yessirrrrrrrrrr. Black Thought = legendary status. He's his own type of GOAT 🐐 🤝🏾💪🏽💪🏽🥳🔥

This is the best video breakdown I have seen on Black Thoughts immortal freestyle. You have great pace, seamless editing, and amazing breakdowns. Just a quick correction, 35:15 Black Thought was actually a College Professor, unreal right?! Just like his bars.

“Ive been having visions of Nat Turner holding his masters head like Yorick and Horatio in Hamlet”.

That Sum of All Fears bar was so fire too because Morgan Freeman had a lead role in that movie

Everybody misses the OGs and young Lions equally proud to listen hidden bar lol. Lion packs are called Prides... but first listening, I can’t hate lol 😅

Freakonomics is the name of the book in which macroeconomic things are talked about.

can't believe this is your first time hearing this. this is what got me into rap

Ernest, this is easily the best reaction to this video I have seen

There WILL NOT be a FREESTYLE that will top this one.....PERIOD! The lyrical mastery of though, history, life structure, analysis and just flat out verbal, tactical assault sets the unique introspection like no other!!! Thank You Black Thought!!!

Great job on the breakdown. BLACK THOUGHT always been top tier greatness !

Man you hit almost EVERY BAR.... I had a secondary interpretation for some of em, but still appreciated how closely you "listened" to the God! Respect!

God Mc. He’s always been my #1. Glad everyone’s else is finally catching on. GREAT reaction brotha. Thank you!

"How much cb4 can we endure. It's like sharia law on mi cherie amore" One of my fav lines. CB4 was a movie in the 90's with Chris Rock about the industry creating fake rappers. So he is basically saying he can't take the fake rappers anymore. It's like an extreme (sharia law) false representation on his love (mi cherie amore) of rap. He is also Muslim and sharia law is also mis represented in the media also. He is so dope 🔥🔥🔥

Dude literally decode every line of this freestyle. Thanks, appreciate it!

"Things Fall Apart" is also an Album The Roots made. The first one I bought actually, Learned about it from a skate video check out the song "100% dundee"

"I don't burn bridges though I keep the haters running for 'em" ....gotta write that down somewhere.

No way he hit me with the "I'm a Apex Predator" line... I love that game.

"I'm helping rappers everywhere fulfill their death wish" His right. Tariq is just so good that the other rappers have to call it a day in the rap game. 🎤

my boy!!missed those kind of vids!that was a masterclass

He set the bar higher. Nobody has topped it. Nobody will ever top it. This is the greatest freestyle of all time. Written or not, These 10 minutes are the hardest bars to ever go over a microphone separate from a recording track

Yooooo!!! I saw funk flex Black Thought freestyle and I just clicked with out thinking about it lol. Been waiting g for this reaction from u

King Los - LA Leaker freestyle, hands down the best freestyle of 2019.

BRUHHH I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DO THIS!!! Thought killed it... and you killed it with the breakdown as usual xD

I've waited so long for freestyle time ❣️

Good analysis bro!!! I’ve watched atleast 50 reactions to this video and you were the most on point thus far.

I watch alot of reactions on black thought freestyle which we all know was straight fire I like the way broke it down good shit keep up the good work

Best reaction channel on KZfaq, Keep Grindin!

Love the reactions bro keep it up! There was one bar in there that was easy to miss, “we’re here like Henrietta, in the Cells” or something like that haha Henrietta Lax was the first patient to get her cancer cells cultured. I never thought I’d hear about that in a rap😂😂

Black thought is an alien. An alien like Lupe 3k and doom. A Special group of artists who can’t be mimicked or done justice to🗣️🗣️

I think yes, I am blown away with this. What a fire awesome reaction! Amazing . I love that guy who said "At All!" Hahaha

Omgoodness, Crazy Level Spitt, Very Great Commentary & Reaction❣️❣️ #FeelingSpeechless

You Royce & Thought just put out a new song. They're featured on a song called Father Figure by Tobe Nwigwe which actually you did a reaction to one of his songs. Bro c'mon. Royce ate that shit

Been waiting on this one fam, Mysonne funk flex freestyle next please ❤️❤️👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

Hi from Costa Rica 🇨🇷, love what you do bro!!!🤙🏻

About. Fucking. Time. The BEST Freestyle EVER on Funk Flex and could possibly be the BEST Freestyle of all time......you know what? Fuck it it IS. I ain't EVER heard a 10 min GO OFF like this and EVERY BAR JUST like his verses HIT. The man has NEVER had a whack verse! PERIOD! 🔥👌🏼💯

Yooo he just did a song with Tobe Nwigwe and Royce da 5’9

Damn bro, been waiting years for this lol!! 🔥🔥🔥 Gotta do the Loaded Lux one! Or Handlez McGee High Off Life freestyle!

"They tried to capture me And brand me on the cheek with a fleur-de-lis The side of my heart'll be more discreet I'm international, my passport page is like War and Peace" "Fluer-de-lis" is a symbol of France and the French invaded and enslaved Russia which is overcome in the book "war and peace". My interpretation is he's saying he's well travelled, knowledgeable, free and in his heart will never be anothers slave.

Awesome breakdown! Very articulate and very comprehensive. Not much gets past you. Most would take quite a few listens and a dictionary to put it all together.. Excellent!

Great breakdown 👍🏻

The awkward small talk may be a reference to talk show. Possibly saying he gets paid more than $300k for being in Jimmy Fallon

Great reaction man! I've listened to Thought's freestyle regularly and you picked up some bars that I still hadn't figured out yet. Great stuff bro!

Unbelievable freestyle 🔥🔥Great breakdown ‼‼

I like how u catching these bars quick... im definitely Subscribing

You got mad skills bro, you belong to this channels

Love your breakdowns

Best reaction, definitely most enlightening.Fireee.

Yo your historical and musical knowledge is impeccable. Especially appreciated on this video by rockin' RHCP (Best living Rock Band). Keep Killin it hermano! Stay Up.

you did a good job with your breakdown fam.

So excited for you to get back on some lyrical freestyles. Next logical step is marlon craft funk flex where he went 11 min cause he loved black thought's 10 min

Amazing breakdown, real attention to the references

Yoooo freestyle week! Finally!

Damn man your good !! terrific reaction here boiiii ! peace

24:22 If I heard that right, that's a Henrietta Lacks reference, and that's a bar!

Black Thought is ridiculous.

You’ve probably already decided on what freestyles to do all week, but I’m still gonna keep pushing for Handlez McGee’s (first) HighOffLife freestyle. The wordplay and schemes on that one are mind-blowing.

I missed these eavy breakdown 🔥🔥🔥

This dude is just straight 🔥 and sick with his words as fluck always has been

The goat 🐐 🔥🔥

Funny that you mentioned Royce on a Black Thought vid.. Both of them feature on Tobe's latest track/vid that dropped yesterday. Here for all 38:08 of this!

Excellent breakdown of the bars homie. Subbed. Can you do Ray Vaughn's LA Leaker freestyle? You obviously catch bars, and Ray literally goes bar for bar for bar like an alcoholic.

Wordsmith, wordbender, storyteller. 😊

Nice analogy! Hiphop still lives!!

Got super excited when I saw this. Kinda surprised it's not closer to an hour lmao.

Damn, You are a genius for breaking down Black thoughts rap , his raps usually go over peoples head.🤔

That Padma Lakshmi line..."Lord we got Padma Lakshmi for ya/ let her massage ya back with Black seed oil! She is fucking beautiful!!!