The legendary Black Thought freestyle at HOT 97 with Funk Flex. 10 minutes of absolute BARS. Voted #1 freestyle of 2017.
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This isn't your last time listening to this.
Fact
Factss
Factss
More like 420th time just this week.
Got me I think it’s the 20th
This isn’t a good freestyle, this is an “adjust your goat list” freestyle
Literally adjusted my list after hearing this lol
I couldn't be arsed arguing over the order and just put him in at number zero.
Yes this is telling you rethink about your every action of writing
lmao yup, I know who my new favorite freestyle rapper is
Facts!
2024 and we still here.
Never leaving.
Word!!!
2044
WORD
Have too unless it's a diss track smh
Watching a human as skilled as Black Thought performing the peak performance of his life for 10 minutes straight feels like a historic event in human history.
As I passed the 6 minute mark, I realized that this is one of the greatest freestyles ever happening right then and there. Even Funk Flex sat quiet and mesmerized cuz he knew 😂
it only took me 4mins to realize haha @dub537h5
Because it is
Don't mind me, I'm just back here January 1 2020 paying my yearly homage.
Yup! Yup! My Daily Dose of Lyrical Excellence... Where Talent & Love meets > Focus & Raw Dedication = #NoLimts 👌🎯👏👍🙌❤️💯👊💥💎💣🌪️🎙️🎤🔞☢️🌋🔥🔥👀👀👑
Only yearly? Im back at this jawn at least twice a month
Mee 3 💥💥☺️☺️
Jan 7 still FIYAH
Just a thought 👍 yep
I was a fan but after listening to this, am now an air conditioner
Kevin Ochieng 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I see what you did there!🧐
Dog...you crazy for that line
Kevin Ochieng thats dope. Lol good one
Word!!!!💯😂💀
This freestyle gave me the ugly face for the whole 10 minutes 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Accurate AF
This should be top comment fo’real 😂😂😂
His ability to mix historical issues with contemporary ones is impeccable.
Wdym?
No stumbles. His breath control is perfect. The content is impeccable. The lyricism is on 100. Black Thought is a living LEGEND. Give this man his roses
"MC"s make it to the top and get complacent. Black Thought been there for years and never stopped perfecting his craft.
Big facts
Erin Smith lol please,That was no exaggeration,this freestyle is easily one of the greatest ever in history
Erin Smith “Minds” well, huh. 🤣😂🤣
It's the most impressive freestyle I've ever heard. So fucking good!
This freestyle has officially been banned in California, they can't afford any more fires
Ric Smith i like that 🔥🔥🔥🔥
lol
W
Best comment on the internet 😂
Ric Smith that’s hilarious
"I am a walking affirmation, that imagination and focus and patience gets you closer, to your aspirations"
That part right there💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿
I can't even read that out loud as well as he spits it... all hail the king
"Panther mind, i'm made of elements you cant combined, Im at a level of intelligence you cant define, Einstein, Shakespeare, Voltaire, Tesla Recording artist slash psychology professor" 🔥🔥
Every time he pauses and points at his head, he’s actually just downloading more bars.
Lol
Lmaoooo this literally got me loling
Lol.
Now I see it all the time and think that lol
lol
rapping for 10 minutes straight is one thing, but doing it with this intensity and complexity is literally the most impressive thing I've seen a rapper do in my 29 years of living.
Adam Johnson . I agree. 100%.
Wordsmith
royce Da 5'9 raps for 11 mins straight on funk flex also and he was just as nice you should check it out
Cody McDowell will do
Royce definitely snapped too, but it wasn't 11 minutes straight. It was a lot of breaks. He still spazzed though
i love that even when flex was talking over him, he didn't stumble once. so focused, four bars ahead in his mind, but his flow didn't break for a second. fucking insane
Do you think he came up with this on the spot? He isnt 4 bars ahead in his mind, thats not even how freestyling works, but even then this was pre written obviously. It’s simply not possible to simultaneously have such a condensed rhyme scheme alongside such deep concepts while freestyling off top
@kevinreynolds3594 I may be wrong but I think it's a mix. He's performed this other times, but I can't find any other recordings this long. I think he's doing a lot of improvisation over a framework he already has. Kinda how jazz musicians always have a melody to fall back on, but they spend most of their time improvising.
@@Jackson... regardless of how he flows over the beat, these lyrics are written, there is no question about that. If you don’t understand that (which I assume you do), it’s simply not possible to have this level of conceptual depth alongside such a condensed rhyme scheme in one freestyle, it’s simply not humanly possible.
@kevinreynolds3594 yeah that was my point, a lot if not all of this was written. That doesn't really make it much less impressive, but it is important to clarify. It still takes a master to deliver these obscenely complex lines in such an effortlessly impressive way. He's just dancing around the beat, and he knows just how to build up and release rhythmic tension. Black Thought has always been a GOAT in my eyes, seeing this just solidifies it.
I've been listening to this freestyle back and forth for over 7 years
Today💯🔥
Same. This demonstration is a piece of human history.
Bruh. He says the simplest things in the weirdest most profound ways... instead of simply saying I’ll kill you, he says “I’ll have you and the living a category apart” that’s just mastery.
I want to learn to casually talk like that. He does it with such finesse that makes it look like it's his everyday thing.
Wow facts, well said
good ear
@@tomayousif108 my advice, do what X did as a young kid, he may be a more goofy "mumble rap" freestyler, but he's definitely worthy of being a *freestyler* , he studied artists like these (mainly Biggie) , and he freestyled to beats that they used to freestyle to, do that and freestyling will become more and more natural for u, its fun man.
I didn't even catch that... good one 👍
This freestyle is greater than most artists entire discography.
FACTS
True story bro!
More than an entire discography*
😂😂😂😂
This freestyle is a legendary moment in Hip Hop that never will be forgotten. Black Thought left Earth on that beat!
I'm here from 2088 to let you know this is still the greatest freestyle of all time.
3012 up in here... Still in awe.
Just now again💯
Daylyt 1 Black thought or king los 2
@@tejasvisharma4131 king Los 🔥🔥2
While you’re here, mind giving me the next 10 Super Bowl winners?
" told ya to stay out da hood, circumcize ". 🔥🔥🔥
at this point ...I come back and listen to this like an actual song
facts!!!
lost count of how many times I've replayed now
Me too!
I gotta pace myself cause I can't get anything done when I listen I just pause and head nod then 10 mins go bye
lol me too
This is literally the rap equivalent of the Thanos snap
Wow u are so right bro
When Cap grabbed Mjolnir
Yup
I’m glad to be the 500th like on this comment
Yep 🤣😂
Every time I tell someone my favorite rapper of all time is Black Thought, I always get the response... "who?". Dude is a legend no one hardly knew.
Back again in 2023. Still the best freestyle I've ever seen.
That Loaded Lux giving it a great challenge
Bro did 10 minutes straight without falling off and it all made sense #legendary
And he also started rappin less then 10sec once the best came on it’s was like 3 seconds Bananas
Where that dude that be writing out the lyrics in the comments at? I think that dude finally bowed out on this one.
Best freestyle I ever heard but wtf is malganism??
He said "amalgamism". It means to put things together or combine something.
Ummm this is all written and remembered. This is freestyle.
His breathing, and his pacing was impeccable. Over 10 mins, and he emphasized every word. That’s elite level.
kzhead.info/sun/gKiRishta554mIU/bejne.html
It doesn't get more elite than the level of breathe control and precision exhibited by the man. It was pure artistry. Hip-Hop skill at its supreme finest.
Legendary!
He said it aint strenuous to come a countious breath!
James Hagley 100% agree. His cadence was sick. Non stop for over 10 minutes
This is what living up to your God given potential looks like. This man has NO weaknesses. Breath control. Volume. Speech clarity. Lyrical creativity. Vocal delivery. Alll 100. Truly legendary. The freestyle version of Jordans repeat-3peat.
I just told a young homie, these dudes battling for GOAT status and they don't even qualify for the title... Not when there's a whole Black Thought still out here. And he's got some 30 years of bars like this.
Flex: How many bars you got? Black Thought: All of them.
Мирослав Стефанов Flex: How many bars you got? Black thought: yes
Luqman Shabazz i was hoping someone said this😂
YES
Why did I read that in the voice of Thanos? 😂
😂😂😂😂
This man really just put out an entire EP worth of rhymes in one freestyle
In under 11minutes
That's what I said..... this one session shits on some so called lyricists and "deep thinkers" entire project! I actually typed this comment at 4:44 am lol
@Chris Paul I know right. I was introduced to him through this like a year ago and heard some features and his two albums last year and all were amazing. Does he rap on all the roots songs? Because if so then i gotta listen to some roots
@Chris Paul start b4 then...from....do you want more????? Like '93
@@mkmmkm9103 start b4 that with organix. Been down with roots crew since 94. The illest irregardless.
No matter how many times I listen. It's still fire in my soul. Sorry Em, Black Thought, is THE Rap God.
I think even he would agree
100% Eminem has amazing skill, but Black Thought has the wisdom, the insight, and the passion that just hits different.
Pure art, this. As we know, GOAT talk is just for conversation. Nobody wears or should wear a crown (teacher > king, per KRS). It's about adding to the art. Black Thought is at the top of the mountain in this game, no matter who else with him up there. Ra, Big, Em, Doom, Kanye, Jay, many others have put down gems. They're hailed forever, no matter who people speak on being best. There's no best, just pure hip hop, mastery of the craft. When you're hearing a Master at work, it doesn't matter what title they have, you know you're in the presence of greatness. Like everyone else, I come back to this for a charge of hop hop essence, highest level
Black Thought was subsequently awarded his PHD in lyricism
More like his Nobel prize
Lololo
Check out his Freestyle at Harvard
Rap on a doctrine level.
He wrote his thesis years ago, this was just an acceptance speech.
Everytime he put his finger to his head he loads more bars into his brain 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣 I was thinking the same!
jay hank ME TOO!!!😂😂😂
RIGHT😂😂😂😂😭😭😭
Ahhhhhh hahahahahahahaha
Stephen ssr&rtv2020 hell yeah lol
This Freestyle shifted the tectonic plates of Hip-hop. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
When a dude quotes W.B. Yeats in the first minute of his freestyle, strap in. Something incredible's brewing. Been watching this for years, hits like the first time every time.
I can’t imagine tuning into the radio thinking “wow this guys good”. Switching stations, then coming back 10 minutes later and he’s still going
I can't imagine even switching stations after hearing that!
I can't imagine switching stations
I KNOW THATsRIGHT!!!!!
why changing stations in the first place when you hear this lolll
I get your point though.
"I am a walking affirmation, that imagination and focus and patience gets you closer to your aspiration"
the way he pronounces that bar is so insane, you can tell that hes' spitting his life.
colmdiniho u did that bro.....
My ears stood up on that verse too. Nice way posting that gem to highlight that genius!
7:20
Cold blooded.....
HANDS DOWN THE BEST FUNK FLEX HOT 97 FREESTYLES EVER!
He just spit perfection for over 10 mins. 🔥🔥🔥
Tsunami JMG 🤣🤣😂😂 facts tho
And topped it off with a couple bars off the top, just because.
spitting perfection ever since
The Roots - What they do
This is literally one of the most historic displays of lyricism......
Indeed
Facts
Gon a have to violently agree with you there, boss.
LITERALLY
@S D That's a fact 😂😂
I watch this a few times a year to remind me that Hip Hop is a competitive sport.
True but it’s not much competition when black thought is spitting
That moment 5 minutes in when you check how long its been and you’re only halfway through
This dude really fit more content into a 10 minute freestyle than 99% of artists do in entire albums. Mad respect.
Entire catalogues
you mean their entire lives.
Entire discographies man
For real ...🔥 🔥 microphone done
You mean fit more content in 1 minute
LISTEN TO THIS ONCE A MONTH. LIKE A VITAMIN.
Like Eminem said invite'em in(vitamin) like one a day....🔥🔥🔥
Lol well I think I have a problem it's been just about every day for about 4 months lmaoo ..u literally catch something different everytime u listen
I've showed so many people this freestyle, I swear they're speechless when they hear this. Thought it redicoulois with hi bars.💯💪💪
yesssir its needed
You listen to vitamins?
There’s not another Mc touching Black Thought PERIOD. Speak to the people that raw without pausing constructing bars like that. The illest I’ve heard in 40 plus years of growing up on hip hop. Wow!! I salute the brother and my favorite Mc is Nas
The absolute shock from the hosts shows how powerful this freestyle is.
This freestyle needs to be studied and taught in universities
All great freestyles are memorized but whatever.
@@epicon6 Freestyle is flexing a rappers ability to flow it much closer to a song for the station. No one flows off the dome anymore, unless in private. Still does not take away from the fact this guy is talking spirituality, politics, and drugs. In a one take radio recording.
For real brv
Titan Mellor harry mack bro harry mack. Greatest freestyler of all time. No cal
@@blizzaad Harry Mack is not that impressive.
A ten-minute freestyle that gets even stronger in the second half…crazy
Indeed🫡.🔥🔥🔥
My mother was a working class very loving woman, who struggled every dinner, could’ve been our last summer I come home, chasing good for nothing half cousins, and then walk into the crib to the smell of crack cookin! She was introduced to the substance abuse, on some of the strongest drugs that the government produced, look, I even got excused by the principal, my story is out of a dub dub interview
@@joeyperry3931 Art thou verrückt in the Gehirn mein Bruder?
I listen to this still at least once a month.
Sometimes I have to come back to be reminded what true hip hop is
I come back frequently to remind myself what a Lyricist is
Facts...🔥💯
kzhead.info/sun/Y8OSiJydeIywrZ8/bejne.html
10M likes
@@Chefpenne let's change this to infinitive likes ✊🏿😆✊🏿
Yes. Yes.
If you’re watching this for the first time; I’m jealous of you. For everyone else; welcome back. 🙌
First timer
Haha. Welcome back bruh 🤣
back every few weeks... Also Im also in Brighton haha
STG I hate to but it's like a hip hop transfusion
lmao if I have over 4 beers I always come back this 😂
I’ve probably listened to this over 30 times and I keep coming back, insane
Today💯
6 years later and zero loss in potency. Rap perfection.
A PHD degree level Rapper. This freestyle should be considered as UNESCO World Heritage.
Word
The nigga said O.G.s an Young Lions equally proud to listen His 'Secrets' amalgomism's a algorithm The most intelligent bar left on any hypnotic streaming search platform in 2019. Wtf
@@rhyno8644 its many that didn't catch that and those that caught it didnt reallly catch it.
UNESCO ......DYIN LAUGHIN YO
yes indeed
He has the 7th infinity stone, HIP Hop
Bruuuuuh
222 likes been seeing that number everywhere
@@SaynTrades google meaning
BrothaDarkness Jimmy yeah G ik what it mean and all that but seeing it one more time did it for me! Gotta decode this message
Facts! Sorry daylyt black thought took the last 3 stones 😢
In 2005 I had the privilege to sit in on a studio session with the roots and Jill Scott....... good lord, I wish I woulda recorded the freestyles in that studio that day.
2024 and this still ain't been matched.
“ i am walking affirmation that imagination, and focus and patience will get you closer to your aspirations “ Too many jewels in this written thesis
FIRE FIRE FIRE
7:20
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Okay
“I am a walking affirmation that imagination and focus and patience get you closer to your aspiration.” - Black Thought
🔥
7:10
Fuckin insane bruh
Just randomly came past this comment while he was spitting it. Cosmic
This is a masterclass
The coldest bars I ever heard in over 15 years 2024 wake up people this man is speaking more than just words 🔥🔥
“I am a walking affirmation that imagination and focus and patience get you closer to your aspiration” I got chills during this line
Me too! I stood with both hands on my head, shouting... Lord!
obiwanjermobi 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Yes!
lmao
Same here! Had to play that part back a few times
"I am a walking affirmation that imagination, focus and patience will get you closer to your aspiration" 🔥🔥🔥
Bryan Crosbie that one I felt l in my bones...
That bar was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Bryan Crosbie one of the deepest bars in this freestyle.
#Bars
My favorite line, besides the Henrietta Lacks bars.
Best freestyle of all times
His breath control is on elite status. Philly go hard 🔥
It seems almost impossible... His Flow just shredds and still he‘s breathing. He has to have like 6 lungs
Taylor Chausky It’s rare that someone notices the breath control. Very well said. 🙌
@Stephen atr&ruk 2019 go troll somewhere else
@Stephen atr&ruk 2019 well the comment u deleted sure seemed like a trolling comment. I dont even remember what you originally commented so its whatever man water under the bridge
It aint strenuous to come from a continuous breath!!!
This isn’t a freestyle, this is ancient Roman philosophy, this is a letter from a Birmingham jail, this is a book of the Bible King James left out.
Chris Blue woooooooo
Thomas Sankara facts people sleeping on that line
Thomas Sankara eh that ones rly nice too but personally I like thoughts better both are great tho
Nahh this is the embodiment of African griots
@Thomas Sankara yea loaded lux was nasty but black thought for sure has the best freestyle. Loaded lux might have had more medaphors and wordplay but he's a battle rapper what you expect I would say daylyt was better. Black thought rapped constisntsley using medaphors similes wordplay and basically taught us a college lesson for 10 straight minutes, that takes a retarded amount of breath control flow and overall confidents 1. Black thought 2. Daylyt 3. Luded Lux
That bit where Flex looked fuckin worried lmao. “My pen is Henry Kissinger”
Who else listening to fire freestyles during lockdown 😂🔥
Me I'm bored outta my mind😂😂
Hell yeah
Yessir
Hahahaha all day brotha all day!
🥺😬
"I am a walking affirmation, that imagination and focus and patience, gets you closer to your aspirations" - this one bar is worth more then lots of rappers whole careers
A bruh his level of thought Is way beyond!!! I been rocking wit my dog for a long time. Lyrical genius!!!
I KNOW RIGHT?!?!?!
Frat house not trap house. This is for people that read.
This whole Freestyle is more worth than some career's
This is exactly the part that stood out to me as well. This particular bar added fuel to my soul.
I come back to this atleast twice a year
“Rinse repeat… You checkin’ for the sound of the beast? I’m the hound, Imma creep, I get down, Imma eat!”
This ☝🏿 entire cipher remains undefeated. A God level PHD clinic for hip-hop heads. Lawd ham mercy.
Black Thought didnt freestyle..he gave a PHD Dissertation.
😂😂😂💀 I’m surprised that 🎤 is fully functional to be honest #he’sABEAST
This man spoke an entire thesis
Who’s still jams this on the regular 2 yrs later😁, I know I do🖐🏽
Yessir!
Joe Traxx weekly
i play this joint at least once a day when i need that detox 😂
Every day homie
Joe Traxx YUP
Ive seen some great freestyle and slam poetry but this may be the the best slam poetry ive ever heard, let alone the fact its sung to a beat so perfectly
Still one of the best I ever heard
The only thing underneath black thought’s fedora is more bars
Mokdad Mokdad 😂😂😂
Mokdad Mokdad moooooooorrrreeee barzzzzzzzz beeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
Love it!
Mokdad Mokdad 😂😂🤣🤣🤣 BIG FACTS
That brain matter contains too much data
He sweats when he raps, his lyrics actually increase the temperature in the room.
Real Heat!!!
That mic had to have melted
Excellent analogy!!!
Hahaha classic!
This should be a Ted Talk! So much wisdom and knowledge!!👏👏👏
This is why I can't listen to too many of the new MC's today! They can't bring it like a Black Thought! He's got the word play skills, content, delivery and making sense😊!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
This freestyle deserves a Grammy and a Guinness world record
True
How would we get that done ?
FACTS
This dude can go! I never heard a free style laid down like that before..
Jesus Christ 😮
Flex needs to bronze that mic and donate it to the Smithsonian.
chris melendez agree
🤤...along with putting this audio recrding in a timecapsule with "earths best of hip hop to 2017" imprinted..😤...and blast this off to space to share with higher intellect species...this freestyle wasnt meant for earth
MakDeeZiL you............may be on to something my friend.
chris melendez WAT a GREAT TIME to be alive man..i truly feel honoured n blessed to witnezz such GREATNESS 👍
True alien wit it
This is #1, 2, and 3 best freestyles ever
I reside between the seconds on a chronograph. What an eloquent way to say you're "timeless" without saying it while dropping a timeless freestyle. Other dudes think their multisyllables or double metaphors and analogies are nice while thought up in here dropping multidimensional bars.
Anyone notice how his breathing is ridiculously skilled. I got winded for him. Skills.
Circular breathing, I think Quest said it’s a similar technique that trumpet players use
Facts. That alone makes this amazing. The lyricism just takes it to another level
"The mic I spray resemblin' the sickle of death It ain't strenuous to come from a continuous breath"
@@BakersDozenOfficial nah, you can hear him breathing every few words. I think K.A.A.N circular breathes when he raps, his flow is almost nonstop, the listeners RARELY him him breathe, and it doesn’t seem like he punches in because the flow is so fluid
This s__t is impossible. He must have an extra lung.
Black Thought has aged like a Kung Fu Master
Notice how at the 5:53 mark Flex is actually physically disgusted with how wretched Thought is flowing. That's some Kung Fu right there.
The fact that almost no rappers could write something like this, but that he FREESTYLES it is actually insane
Best Freestyle ever recorded.
He took me thru 4 years of college in 10 minutes
❤
💯💪
and a doctorate
knowledge.....
😂😂🔥🔥
I come here repeatedly to cleanse my ears after hearing wack rappers on Flex.
Facts bro
Lil pump would murder him
@@SD-bd6if that's really funny, good joke man.
Despacito Spider no one has matched pumps lyrical content. Not even Eminem. Not this uncle at a bbq looking ass nigga in this video. Not even loaded lux freestyle.
Only one that matches up lyrically is lil B or maybe lil windex.
2024 im still here. mesmerised
This one is in line for best freestyle ever…greatness in motion! A tribute to our culture
The bars, the flow, the delivery, the breath control, the content, the vocabulary, the professionalism. He displayed the art flawlessly in this freestyle. THIS IS HOW YOU RAP!!
No... This is how HE raps! This is how other people act like doesn't exist so they don't have 2 try 2 live up 2 it🤣🤣
@@shaunreed9727stop crying
The breath control is insane
Period!!
I remember when every rapper rapped like this.
I feel like crying, I am crying, that was so beautiful, I keep saying, Hip Hop is an art form, this was the dang Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, a Picasso, a newly discovered Jean-Michel Basquiat!
RUTH they've been sleeping on our people! this guys been doing dirty since the 90's, genuine Shakespearean level of language, he's just throwing in words that literally shouldn't rhyme yet hes commanding them to rhyme! he even threw "Kafkaesque" in there so casually it's like the dialogue of a film. Listen to his inhales!
This was Black Art at its highest form. Illest freestyle ever!
Barry Celtic that's your opinion
Barry Celtic HH, but if kids want to party to them I don't really see the issue. People act like there's a problem with people liking that kind of music but it's all honestly opinion. I don't think anyone can beat the stamina or lyricism of black thought, but I don't see why people constantly act like trap rappers and lyrical rappers can't coexist when Kendrick Lamar is both.
Danny Buchanan Agree, Migos and Cardi B took it and made something that was easy to dance and party to, Kendrick Lamar is committed to the actual hip hop craft. But this is the genre at its highest form. It’s like Coltrane and Kenny G both playing jazz, but...
Black Thought excellence = education and experience. Never stop learning and living 💯🙌🏼🙏🏼
"Undergarments of Armor be my intimate apparel "
Black thought is what you get when you don't sell your soul and just practice
freQuincy Green Well said. Practice and love your craft.
Amen
Spot on, pal! 💚
freQuincy Green Still people in that "selling your soul" bullshit😂😂😂
Ok fallon
Soon as he was done they should've unplugged that mic, and encased it like a museum artifact never to be touched again
I'm still confused how it wasn't melted down like Chernobyl...
💯
I concur
Salute
Donate that mic to the Museum of African-American History in DC, stat!
I can’t tell you how many times I come back to this. 🔥🔥🔥🔥