Questlove
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Questlove

1971(age 55)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The Roots' drummer and bandleader who bridged hip-hop and live instrumentation, becoming a cultural icon and tastemaker.

Ahmir Khalib Thompson, known professionally as Questlove, is the drummer and co-frontman of The Roots, the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His deep pocket, sample-ready sound, and encyclopedic knowledge of music history have made him one of the most influential drummers in hip-hop and neo-soul. Beyond drumming, Questlove is a DJ, producer, author, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker.

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Videos

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Signature Songs

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Influences

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Influenced

Videos

Performances, tutorials, and interviews

Featured

The Roots - The Seed 2.0 (Live)

Live PerformanceThe Roots2006

Signature deep pocket groove

Questlove Drum Battle on Fallon

Live PerformanceThe Roots2018

Fun drum-off showcasing his skills

More Videos

Questlove Breaks Down His Groove

Tutorial / Lesson2019

Explaining his hip-hop drumming philosophy

Signature Songs

Tracks that define their drumming legacy

The Seed 2.0

The Roots

Phrenology2002

Hip-hop meets rock with an impossibly deep groove

You Got Me

The Roots

Things Fall Apart1999

Grammy-winning pocket playing

Influence Map

Who influenced them and who they influenced

Influenced By

Ringo Starrsecondary

Left-handed feel, simplicity as virtue