Saturday Night Live is obviously a pillar of the comedy community, but it has also played host to many moments in music history thanks to its long-running tradition of musical guests. SNL is going hard celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, and now Questlove has joined the effort: It was announced today (December 19) that he has co-directed a documentary alongside Oz Rodriguez, dubbed Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music.
Questlove says in a statement, “Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello or Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg. The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and happy I now get to share it with everyone.”
Just about everybody was interviewed for the doc: Per a press release, that includes Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rock, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving, and Jack White.
And that’s just the musicians: Also involved are Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Eli Brueggemann, Jane Curtin, Jimmy Fallon, Al Franken, Josiah Gluck, Bill Hader, Steve Higgins, Marci Klein, Melanie Malone, Tom Malone, Mary Ellen Matthews, Eddie Murphy, Ego Nwodim, Liz Patrick, Leon Pendarvis, Lenny Pickett, Joe Piscopo, Andy Samberg, Brian Siedlecki, Akiva Schaffer, Paul Shaffer, Sarah Sherman, Howard Shore, Robert Smigel, Jorma Taccone, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Hal Willner, and Bowen Yang.
During Kendrick Lamar’s increasingly vitriolic back-and-forth with Drake earlier this year, Questlove stepped in to express his dismay at how dark things got during their tiff, prompting some hip-hop fans to snub the veteran producer for being overly dramatic and out-of-touch. However, Kendrick himself seemed to agree throughout his new album GNX, and appeared to acknowledge Quest’s band The Roots in the video for his new single “Squabble Up,” which resembles the video for The Roots’ 1999 single “The Next Movement.” It appeared K. Dot was letting Quest know there were no hard feelings.
Quest acknowledged the nod on Instagram, thanking Kendrick for highlighting a moment in The Roots’ history that the drummer believed “no one saw or cared about” in a longer post about being floored by his work’s overall impact on younger generations. “I once joked I live a life in which someone knows Jordan JUST for the Hanes commercials only,” he wrote. “I own that I (was) the king of hiding in plain sight for decades & we live the reality we set for ourselves. HOWEVER… My number one love is the music I create in @TheRoots —that is the fuel to my fire & sometimes if you love something you must set it free. Then if it returns to you it’s real. That said I wanna thank @kendricklamar for acknowledging something I thought noone saw or cared about. Feeling seen is a great feeling and I dont take it for granted.”
He also gave Roots fans a little something-something to look forward to: “Yup, new album still coming lol.”
Hip-hop is the best. You can check out The Roots’ “Next Movement” video above.
Grammy-winning musician Questlove recently visited the legendary Purple Rain House in Minneapolis, fulfilling a 40-year admiration for Prince’s iconic 1984 film. The newly restored home, which pays tribute to “The Kid’s” world, offered Questlove an immersive experience celebrating Prince’s enduring legacy.
Questlove explored the entire house during his visit, spending time in the Muse Lounge and taking in the exclusive decor and memorabilia that reflect Prince’s unique style. True to form, he hopped on the drums and shredded the guitar, embracing the essence of Purple Rain’s musical spirit. Adding to the fun, Questlove tried on 80s-inspired outfits and got a close look at Prince’s famed tour ensembles from the movie, which are displayed in “The Kid’s” closet.
The experience brought Questlove full circle, allowing him to celebrate his lifelong admiration for Prince and Purple Rain in the heart of its reimagined home.
In 2025, Questlove will flex his award-winning creativity by directing a documentary surrounding the iconic music group, Earth Wind & Fire. Today (September 21), Questlove took to his Instagram to announce the new.
“Coming in 2025…..the definitive story of the elements,” he wrote. “The story of how a band led by a genius from Chicago changed our way of thinking, our minds and our hearts. Having been baptized in the afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly I’ve learned about and rediscovered myself in the process.”
Although Questlove hasn’t revealed any additional details surrounding the project (including title, release date, creative direction, etc.), he did express his gratitude to be leading the charge. “I’m so excited to be directing a documentary preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of soul, self & struggle,” he wrote. “This is the story of joy, persistence, love, pain, magic and self discovery. This is Earth, Wind & Fire.”
The music world suffered a tremendous loss on September 16. Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5, has died. Jackson was 70 years old, and his death was confirmed by his family. The singer’s three sons paid tribute to him via social media. That said, Tito Jackson’s legacy goes beyond his famous lineage. Luminaries within the hip hop community, including Questlove and DJ Premier, took to Instagram to pay their respects to the late great.
Questlove posted a photograph of Tito Jackson alongside his famous brother, Michael, in the 1980s. He also articulated the impact that the Jackson 5 had on his own musical knowledge growing up. “All of the Jackson brothers are heroes to me,” he explained. “I really don’t have the words right now. May the entire Jackson family find comfort & peace In this moment. Thank You Tito. rest in melody.” Questlove has been vocal about his love for Tito Jackson and the rest of the titular group. In his memoir, Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove, The Roots drummer talked about the Jackson 5’s tireless schedule while on tour, and how it informed his perception of hard work.
DJ Premier is a bit older than Questlove, so his tribute had more to do with the impact that Tito Jackson and the rest of the Jacksons had on him in real time. “My musical childhood is based on one of the ILLest groups: Jackson 5,” the producer asserted. “To know all of their names back in 1970 when I was 4 years old, and their roles in the group has continued to carry the same effect.” Premo also made sure to single out Tito Jackson for being part of what he considered to be the ultimate family group. “No family group has ever done it like them,” he wrote. “Thank You for your contribution to shaping my professionalism in this music sh*t. SALUTE ICON.”
Tito Jackson continued to perform up until his untimely death. The singer and musician has been playing alongside surviving brothers Marlon and Jackie Jackson as The Jacksons. The trio were even booked to perform in Atlantic City on October 25. Entertainment Tonight stated that Tito Jackson’s death was brought about by a heart attack on Sunday, September 15.
The Moët & Chandon Clubhouse Suite at the US Open attracted a star-studded crowd on Thursday, August 29. Notable attendees included NBA star Carmelo Anthony, actress Yvonne Orji, music icon Questlove, and actor Sam Clemmett. The suite provided a luxurious experience as the celebrities enjoyed top-tier tennis action and celebrated in style, making it another memorable day at this year’s tournament.
Questlove recently spoke with Common and Pete Rock on his Questlove Supreme podcast, and the conversation yielded something The Roots fans have been waiting for since the group’s latest album, 2014’s …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin: News of a new album.
During the episode, Questlove said of the upcoming project, “I know the exact date I want to release it, and it’s not 2024, but it’s a seminal 2025 date that will make sense once it comes out.”
Worth noting is that 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of The Roots’ Do You Want More?!!!??! (which was released on January 17, 1995), as well as the 15th anniversaries of How I Got Over (June 22, 2010) and the collaborative John Legend album Wake Up! (September 21, 2010).
Quest also spoke about how Common and Pete Rock’s 2024 joint album The Auditorium Vol. 1 has inspired him and Black Thought (Tariq Trotter) to finish their upcoming album. He said:
“I will say that it’s made Tariq into… the motherf*cker wrote seven songs in one day! We have not done that since our second album. […] I was like, ‘Yo, dog. You ain’t going to believe this, but Rash [Common] and Pete made the perfect summit meeting record. No person’s outshining the other person.’ […] I was just going off about it and I could tell I planted a seed. But then, I think after the Hollywood Bowl performance that we did, […] I think that lit something under Tariq.
I mean, I can say in the last two weeks, he’s knocked off at least 80 percent. […] I mean, back in Do You Want More?!!!??! days, ‘Riq would write, like, six or seven songs in a setting. This album is definitely […] it’s probably what he’s working on right now as I speak. It’s inspiring.”
Questlove is an amazingly accomplished artist, with six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a slew of books and movies to his name. Likewise, fellow Philadelphian multihyphenate Quinta Brunson has a ton of hardware adorning her shelf, with an Emmy Award to go alongside multiple(!) Peabody Awards.
You’d think that these would be pretty serious people, but everyone needs to unwind sometime — and, in their case, they equally overachieve with their game nights as with anything else, putting on a party of epic proportions with a guest list that reads like a dream blunt rotation.
In addition to fellow Abbott Elementary stars Ayo Edibiri (who plays Quinta’s character’s sister), Cree Summer, and Zack Fox (who plays Quinta’s character’s ex), the guests included music stars like Eryn Allen Kane, Finneas, Jason Sudeikis, Jojo, Kelly Rowland, LL Cool J, Maggie Rogers, Steve Lacy, Thundercat, Vince Staples, Willow, and even Weird Al Yankovic. I’d ask what a brother has to do to get an invite, but it seems pretty obvious: Get nominated for a Grammy or two, shift the paradigms of popular music, or be one of the most talented humans alive. You can check out some photos from the hosts below.
This past Saturday, The Roots brought the best parts of their annual festival, Roots Picnic, to the Hollywood Bowl for a special concert, Love Of My Life. Named after a song from the Philadelphia band’s 1999 fourth studio album Things Fall Apart (which was itself inspired by Common’s metaphorical 1994 storytelling track “I Used to Love H.E.R.”), the concert was dedicated to celebrating the group’s 30-year love affair with this thing called hip-hop. To that end, they recruited a slew of guests from the genre’s Golden Era to join them onstage to perform some of their greatest hits.
Arrested Development, Black Sheep, Common, Digable Planets, The Pharcyde, and Queen Latifah were all billed as performers, but throughout the evening, surprise guests ranging from Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am to an all-star roster of pioneer women in rap, including The Lady Of Rage, MC Lyte, Monie Love, and Yo-Yo, all joined The Roots on the legendary stage. And, as befits any live performance played the Philadelphian ensemble (the most recent of which I have to compare it to was their New Year’s Eve show at the Wiltern in LA just seven months ago), those hits were reinterpreted, remixed, and transformed by the addition of the live band.
When the crew launched Roots Picnic back in 2008, I felt so left out, living on the West Coast. While endless sunshine and pretty people never really gets stale, it did feel a bit like I was missing out on all the best bits of culture taking place in the northeast. As social media became more commonplace, allowed more footage from the festival to enter the public consciousness, that feeling was only intensified. For someone who counts The Roots among his most formative acts, watching Black Thought freestyle for 15 minutes on a phone screen was as exciting as it was disheartening that I couldn’t see it live.
On Saturday, I did. It was glorious. I’ve seen LeBron James play basketball in person in a high school gym in the hood (another of those perks of growing up in LA). I got the same, transformative feeling watching Tariq Trotter, a master of his craft in the same respect, do things very few other earthly powers have ever been able to come close to reproducing. When Common came out to perform “I Used To Love H.E.R.,” to see nearly 17,500 other people rap EVERY. SINGLE. WORD. was akin to a spiritual experience.
The biggest pops, though, were reserved for Queen Latifah and the cadre of hip-hop sistren who joined her for a mini-set that proved that women have always run hip-hop — and always should. Not expecting Lyte, Rage, or Yo-Yo to put in appearances, I was genuinely surprised by the surprise guest appearances. And I was awed. These women, all well into their 50s, hit every bar. The mics were ON. I get why younger artists often look like deer in the headlights at these festivals, but I’m going to recommend that you festival organizers start sending out media packages for study with the booking contracts. This is what it’s supposed to look like.
The night ended, somewhat fascinatingly, with a singalong of Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours.” It was a high point, but there were so many singalong moments that could have been the finale: Thought and Com running through the title track of the evening. Arrested Development crooning “People Everyday,” Will sitting in with Pharcyde for a rendition of “Passin’ Me By,” or the Jungle Brothers popping out to perform the Native Tongues posse cut “Buddy” with more than a few of the original artists in attendance.
The best part of the show was the best part of the Roots Picnic as an event. Getting to see all these pillars of hip-hop together, not just on the same stage performing their own sets, but as a group, playing off each other, enjoying each other’s company and vibing together. That’s the one-of-a-kind experience that makes Roots Picnic one of the premiere festivals throughout the year. Even getting to sample it at an iconic venue like Hollywood Bowl? You can’t beat that with a bat.
When the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar was at its apex, Questlove generated some attention when he declared, “Hip Hop truly is dead.” Now that the dust has settled, Quest has taken a moment to go deeper into his thoughts about the whole situation.
In an interview with NPR published yesterday (June 25), Questlove explained:
“I was there at the Source Awards when the sh*t really hit the fan in 1995. And I was there in 1997. That was a ‘What now?’ moment for hip-hop — Tupac and Biggie, embroiled in a battle. I’ve never seen a battle in which it ends well.
We’re living in a polarizing time. We’re living in a time right now where World War III can easily break out at any moment. We’re living in a time when civil war can break out at any moment in the United States. We’re living in a time where the uncertainty of something jumping off is just in the air. You know what I’m saying? For me it’s like, I’ve seen this movie before — and I’m triggered. The aftereffect of Tupac and Biggie was just a 30-year travel into darkness.
And this is not to say that quality has gone down. Look, of course I don’t think hip-hop is dead. If an MC like Little Simz, which people rarely talk about. […] I don’t think people give enough attention to Griselda: Westside, Conway and Benny. Or even, like, Tobe [Nwigwe], Mick Jenkins, Errol Holden, even Denzel Curry. There’s so much quality, dope stuff out there that just goes unnoticed and unchampioned.”
