June marks Black Music Month, and The Roots kickstarted the celebration with quite a bang. On June 3 and June 4, 2023 , the legendary hip-hop group held its annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, PA. The festival featured special moments such as Ms. Lauryn Hill celebrating the 25th anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” the Fugees reuniting, and fellow headliner Usher bringing out some of Philly’s biggest stars, Jazmine Sullivan and Eve. Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Live Nation Urban

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.” Excited to officially announce our newest partner here at Impellent… welcome @blackthought ! https://t.co/FZ0wVdzmvj — Impellent Ventures (@ImpellentVC) July 15, 2022