Black Thought is prepared to take his talents into venture capital (VC).

In 1987, the rapper — whose real name is Tariq Trotter — formed The Roots band alongside Questlove in their hometown of Philadelphia, PA.

According to HipHopDX, Black Thought has announced his role as a general partner at Impellent Ventures, a new fund that is centered around equity. He and the team aim to recruit and encourage other entrepreneurs as they begin their journeys to scaling and growing their new businesses.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the industry and looking for new ways to invest and diversify my portfolio,” said the 50-year-old emcee in an official statement. “I also get to see a lot of investment opportunities before anyone else does because of what my brand means to founders.”

Changing the Lives Of Black Entrepreneurs

Not only does Impellent Ventures work to help Black entrepreneurs spearhead their businesses, but the brand also provides them with access to capital from Tier 1 hubs. With Black Thought’s new role, the company hopes to attract other artists looking to join the team.

The venture capital fund — led by David Brown and Philip Beauregard — aims to uplift “startups through an emphasis on mentorship” thanks to partnerships with leading companies like Google, DraftKings, LinkedIn, Android, Paychex, and more.

Using Their Platforms For Good

As previously reported by AfroTech, celebrities like Serena Williams, and more have taken their talents into the VC space to help other Black creatives.

From the beauty industry to technology, gaming, and beyond, Black venture capitalists and investors know what business ideas to get behind to continue moving the culture forward.

Now, it looks like Black Thought of The Roots is prepared to do the same.