Tariq Trotter on His New Musical Black No More & Why He Likes a Challenge

Tariq Trotter, a.k.a. Black Thought, serves as the band leader of The Roots on The Tonight Show, has teamed up with 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner John Ridley to create Black No More, a show inspired by George S. Schuyler’s 1931 novel of the same name. The New Group production is scheduled to run through February 27 and features Brandon Victor Dixon, Jenn Damiano, Tamika Lawrence, Ephraim Sykes, Lilias White and Trotter.

Trotter spoke about the world premiere musical on The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal: "Black No More is an adaptation of the early Afro futurist novel written by George Schuyler. It's a story of a Harlemite named Max Disher. He feels that Harlem has failed him. He's ready to call it quits. An opportunity presents itself for him to do just that. He's able to manipulate the genes that cause vitiligo. You can change your life."

Despite the subject matter Black No More confronts, Trotter says he is "comfortable in [his] own skin," especially as a creator. "I got to work with Chadwick Boseman on the James Brown biopic. The challenge in that was I had to learn to play sax," he said. "Whenever there's something that presents a challenge for me—if I'm not playing a 40-something-year-old man from Philadelphia—then I'm here for it. I'm able to pivot."

Watch the interview below, and head here to check your local listings for The Broadway Show. Hosted by Emmy-winning anchor Tamsen Fadal, it is the only nationally syndicated weekly theater news program.