Bars. That’s what it always comes down to with Tariq Trotter. When Cheat Codes dropped in August 2022, it felt like a tactical nuke hitting a landscape filled with microwave rap. Black Thought didn't just release an album; he and Danger Mouse basically staged a hostile takeover of the "album of the year" conversation. It was a long time coming. If you’ve followed The Roots since the 90s, you already knew Tariq was a titan, but Cheat Codes Black Thought hit different because he finally stepped out of the "late-night band leader" shadow to claim his throne as the undisputed king of the booth.
Danger Mouse was the perfect foil here. Honestly, the production on this record is why it sticks in your brain months after the first listen. It’s dusty. It’s soul-drenched. It sounds like something unearthed from a crate in a basement that’s been locked since 1973.
The Synergy of Cheat Codes Black Thought and Danger Mouse
You can’t talk about this record without talking about Brian Burton—Danger Mouse. The guy is a chameleon. He did the Grey Album, he did Gnarls Barkley, and he did Demon Days with Gorillaz. But here? He went back to the boom-bap basics, but with a cinematic sheen. It’s not just "beats." It’s a mood.
Black Thought’s lyricism on Cheat Codes is dense. Like, "bring a dictionary and a history book" dense. He’s not just rhyming words; he’s weaving together socio-political commentary, personal autobiography, and raw, uncut braggadocio. Take a track like "No Gold Teeth." There’s no hook. It’s just two-plus minutes of Tariq breathing fire. He says he’s "the bridge between the crack era and the pandemic." That’s not just a cool line—it’s a mission statement. He has seen the entire arc of modern hip-hop and lived to tell the tale with a sharper tongue than the kids half his age.
The features? Total overkill in the best way possible.
MF DOOM shows up on "Belize." Hearing a posthumous DOOM verse alongside Black Thought is enough to make any hip-hop head emotional. It’s eerie and beautiful. Then you have Raekwon, Joey Bada$$, and Run The Jewels. It’s a curated list. Nobody is there just for the streams; they’re there because they can actually keep up with Tariq, or at least try to.
Why "Cheat Codes" Isn't Just a Name
The title is clever. In gaming, a cheat code gives you an unfair advantage. It lets you bypass the struggle. For Black Thought, his "cheat code" is simply his level of craft. He’s been doing this for thirty years. He has mastered the breath control, the internal rhyme schemes, and the pocket. While other rappers are struggling to find a flow, Tariq is operating on a level where it looks effortless. It’s a flex. He’s saying, "I’ve been doing this so long and so well that it feels like I’m cheating."
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Basically, he's the final boss of rap.
Think about that 10-minute freestyle on Funk Flex back in 2017. That was the precursor to the Cheat Codes Black Thought era. It reminded everyone that even while he was playing "Stump the Band" on NBC, he could still dismantle any MC on the planet. This album was the studio confirmation of that viral moment.
The Sonic Architecture of the Album
Let’s get into the weeds of the sound. Danger Mouse uses these loops that feel like they’re breathing. On "Aquamarine," the drums are crisp but the backing track is this ethereal, swirling melody. Black Thought matches it by getting philosophical. He talks about "the biology of the spirit" and the "evolution of the soul." It’s high-level stuff. It’s the kind of music you listen to when you want to feel smarter.
But then you get "Strangers" with A$AP Rocky and Run The Jewels. That’s a pure adrenaline shot. El-P and Killer Mike bring that aggressive, dystopian energy they’re known for, and Rocky proves he can hang with the lyricists when he wants to. It’s a chaotic masterpiece.
The album is short. It’s about 38 minutes. That’s the sweet spot. In an era where rappers put out 25-track albums to game the streaming charts, Cheat Codes is lean. No filler. No "skits" that you skip after one listen. Every second is accounted for.
The Impact on the Culture
What Cheat Codes Black Thought did was prove that "grown man rap" has a massive market. You don't have to chase TikTok trends to be relevant. You don't need a catchy dance move. If the bars are heavy enough and the production is soulful enough, people will find it.
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It also solidified Tariq’s solo run. Between this and his Streams of Thought series, he’s carved out a legacy that is independent of The Roots. That’s hard to do. Usually, the lead singer or rapper of a legendary band struggles to find an identity on their own. Tariq didn't just find one; he redefined what a "solo artist" looks like in their late 40s.
Real Talk: Is It the Best Lyricism of the Decade?
It’s definitely in the top three. When you look at the landscape—Kendrick’s Mr. Morale, Nas’s King’s Disease run, and anything Pusha T drops—Black Thought is right there. What sets Cheat Codes apart is the consistency. There isn't a single weak verse on the record. Not one.
Tariq uses a lot of "enjambment" in his rapping. That’s a fancy literary term for when a sentence doesn't end at the end of a line; it spills over into the next. It makes his flow feel like a river. It’s relentless. You’re trying to process a metaphor about Marcus Garvey, but he’s already three lines ahead of you talking about the price of gold in the 1980s.
The nuance is what kills. He’s not just shouting. He uses different textures in his voice. Sometimes he’s a gritty narrator; sometimes he’s a cocky veteran.
Actionable Takeaways for the Listener
If you’re just getting into Cheat Codes Black Thought or you’re looking to dive deeper into this style of hip-hop, here is how to actually digest what’s happening in this album:
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- Listen with headphones first. Danger Mouse’s production has layers of fuzz, reverb, and subtle percussion that get lost on phone speakers. You need to hear the "air" in the room.
- Don't try to catch every lyric on the first pass. It’s impossible. Tariq is too fast and too dense. Treat the first listen like a vibe check. On the second and third listens, start focusing on the wordplay.
- Track the references. He mentions everyone from historical figures to obscure jazz musicians. Looking these up isn't just a homework assignment; it actually gives the lyrics more weight.
- Compare it to "Streams of Thought, Vol. 3". If you want to see his evolution, listen to how he sounds over Sean C & LV or 9th Wonder production versus the Danger Mouse aesthetic. It shows his versatility.
- Watch the "No Gold Teeth" music video. It’s a masterclass in visual minimalism that matches the raw energy of the song.
The reality is that Cheat Codes is a masterclass. It’s a blueprint for how to age gracefully in a genre that usually obsesses over the "new." Black Thought didn't try to act younger. He didn't use autotune. He just did what he does better than anyone else: he rapped his head off. And in doing so, he reminded us why we fell in love with this culture in the first place. It’s about the power of the voice and the soul of the beat. Nothing more, nothing less.