Co-founder of The Roots, DJ, and drummer extraordinaire Ahmir Khalib “Questlove” Thompson was born in Philly in 1971. He started playing at age 7 and later attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he met Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and they formed The Roots.
In addition to music, Questlove is an author, podcaster, and producer. He’s worked with Common, Al Green, Jill Scott, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, D’Angelo, John Legend, and more. He’s also part of the house band on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. His prolific work as an artist also includes the website Okayplayer as well as acting and film production, with his 2021 concert doc Summer of Soul being nominated and winning multiple awards. He is a crucial thread in the fabric of hip-hop culture.