Black Thought & El Michels Affair's 'Glorious Game' Is A Cinematic Marvel

Coming off the critically acclaimed Cheat Codes — a runner-up for the DX Best Hip Hop Album Of 2022 award — Tariq Trotter, better known as Black Thought, once again asserts his Zeus-level pen with Glorious Game, a collaborative LP with El Michels Affair (headed by one of his fave producers, Leon Michels).

Playing out as a stage-worthy one-person show, Thought remains endearingly personal throughout the tightly curated 31-minute project, walking us through the sights, sounds, smells and sensibilities instilled coming up in the Point Breeze neighborhood of South Philadelphia.

Michels and company, for their part, provide a warm backdrop to the illustrative wordplay; it mostly stays firmly grounded in one pocket, drenched in a 70s soul-inspired aesthetic, chopped and re-sampled to peak performance.

The album’s first track, “Grateful,” almost feels like the musical essence of a barking dog, with its menacing tone and stretched Shabba Ranks sample. Here, we see Thought describing the ills of his hometown after dark and the humbleness he feels having risen above the darkness. “We was raised by wolves, grizzly bears, and panthers, it’s wild, yo, I’m surprised we ain’t grown no antlers,” he raps, “Any sip you pour me is a toast to the warriors Who bit the dust before me.”

A consistent theme of this project does seem to center on trauma–and not just Thought’s. “Hollow Way,” focuses on inner-city violence, providing an understanding take, with Thought rapping: “A significant amount of trauma will change you, to keep gettin’ in and out of drama will drain you.” He then exclaims, “For what it’s come to, I ain’t gon’ say that I blame you … when you angry, ain’t no management to complain to.”

He’s at his most vulnerable and insightful when he describes his demons on “I’m Still Somehow,” alluding to the heavy losses he’s dealt with and the overwhelming emotions that come with withdrawal from a vice. “Nothin’ to board these spirits off, better prepare for a tear to fall, I say a prayer for a miracle,” he raps somberly.

On the latter record, “Alter Ego,” featuring Branstory, he describes his loss of personal drive around the age of 35 (which would place him in 2007, around the time of the creation of The Root’s eighth LP, Rising Down). “If you’re listenin’, there’s a way to make it to that other side when you’re driftin’, and you need somethin’ upliftin’ in your lives,” he spits reassuringly before stating that his sobriety had thoroughly motivated his path forward.

While that all sounds heavy, the masterful way in which Thought delivers his bars, the sequencing and the soulful, almost comforting tone of the production (outside of a few cuts) make it a highly enjoyable listen.

The project’s crown jewel, though, is “The Weather.” Inspired by J Dilla’s “Don’t Cry” (according to Michels in an interview with Bandcamp), the song finds our protagonist taking us through a summer day in South Philly of yesteryear in so much minute detail that you can almost smell the Pine-Sol that his grandmother used to clean her marble steps.

As an MC, Black Thought has never tried to be anything other than the best him, resisting any gimmick or trend. While we often over-praise older MCs for still being able to make decent music at their age, Thought’s consistency is so palpable it’s easy to forget that he is 51 years old, and still making some of the best bar-for-bar Hip Hop of today. To be this inspired at this point in his career should be a goal for any upcoming MC.

Glorious Game is an amazing listen for longtime fans or even those with less context on the Philly native, as it’s quite digestible and easy to get into. With his upcoming Streams of Thought Vol. 4 set to be loaded with features like Rick Ross, JID, Redman, Fabolous, Big K.R.I.T. and more, it’s dope that he took the time to give heads something a little more personal beforehand.