The Questlove Show

Hip-Hop visionary Fab 5 Freddy joins Questlove to trace his path from Bed-Stuy's Hancock Street to painting whole-car subway masterpieces, exhibiting in Rome, and helping bring Rap to the mainstream through Yo! MTV Raps . While discussing his new memoir, Everybody's Fly, Fred shares vivid memories of Brooklyn riots, preserving Malcolm X’s final speech on reel-to-reel tape, and even cold-call...

The second half of the 2022 interview with Fred Hammond. The Roots' James Poyser joined Team Supreme as they interviewed their first Gospel artist — others would follow in time. This conversation is spirited, fun, and informative. Enjoy as part of our 2026 Black Music Month fleet of Classics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022, Questlove Supreme interviewed our first Gospel legend, and we started right. Fred Hammond is a game-changer and an innovator. We covered it all in this two-parter. Oh, and keep your ears open for a special guest cohost with his own Gospel "roots." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Polowy is the Los Angeles–based artist behind The Questlove Show logo and many of the animations that have appeared throughout QLS episodes since 2022. While taping in Hollywood, Ahmir and Open Mike Eagle sat down with Nick for a special mini episode to talk about his creative process, the deep research that informs his work, and a career that spans everything from major television netw...

In part 3 of this truly classic Questlove Supreme interview (being re-broadcast for Black Music Month), Jimmy Jam talks about everything from what Janet and Michael's sibling relationship was like, to his relationship with his own family and shares even more insider secrets.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Music Month at QLS carries on tradition. In part 2 of his epic interview (the one that Quest' always refers to), Jimmy Jam spoke about making Prince jealous, the studio secrets behind his recordings, how he made all those hits with Janet Jackson and much more.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 1, the legendary R&B songwriter and producer Jimmy Jam spoke about his early days, life with Prince and goin' broke. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Music Month kicks off in a major way. Mickey Guyton joins Questlove for a deeply personal conversation about carving out space as a Black woman in Country music, from her church roots in Texas to performing on global stages like the Super Bowl and in China. She opens up about her religious upbringing, perfectionism, anxiety, creative burnout, and finding her true audience among marginalized...

In 2024, Ben Vereen joined Questlove Supreme with his daughter Kabara. Quest' recently called this one of the most powerful QLS episodes in the show's history. What began as a conversation about a legendary, award-winning career in theater, film, and television organically went someplace much deeper. Ben Vereen shared discoveries about his identity and traces his knowledge of self while speaking a...

Christopher Cross joins Questlove in Hollywood for a deep musician-to-musician conversation about songwriting, studio craftsmanship, and surviving meteoric success. Cross reveals the true origin of Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) and the outlaw mythology behind Ride Like The Wind, while recalling experiences like seeing Jimi Hendrix live, opening for Led Zeppelin, and singing background voca...

This 2023 Questlove Supreme episode gave way to a lot of the format you now hear on The Questlove Show. Ahmir, Laiya, Unpaid Bill, and Suga Steve ask Dave Matthews a mix of random icebreakers and some very specific questions about life and career. This interview, and the way audiences reacted to it, taught us all so much. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a recent conversation with Padma Lakshmi, Questlove brought up the near-sacrilegious act of putting ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago. Chicago native Open Mike Eagle reacts — while admitting he may already be disqualified from the debate for entirely different reasons. The podcast affiliate (and recent guest) also speaks about the hometown food he gravitates towards, name-checking some purv...

Angela Nissel joins Questlove for a deeply funny and moving conversation about growing up in Southwest Philly, breaking into television, and navigating grief after losing her mother—the subject of her new memoir, Good Grief, Pass The Bread, Mom Is Dead . The longtime friends revisit their wild early days together, from telemarketing gigs and busted cars to building Okayplayer and discovering...

Recorded back in mid-2023, Cedric the Entertainer—the king of comedy whose career spans film, television, and hosting—added “novelist” to his already expansive résumé. That was a cause for discussion with Questlove and Team Supreme during the virtual interview days. In this funny and thoughtful episode of QLS, Cedric discusses his debut novel  Flipping Bo...

In this Questlove Show mini-episode, Questlove revisits the making of Michael Jackson's HIStory with a previously unreleased encore segment from the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis interview. Ahmir unpacks the track’s orchestral scale, Boyz II Men vocals, and marathon mix sessions with fellow producers, breaking down why “HIStory” feels like MJ’s “Night of the Living Base...

Back in 2022, the Questlove Supreme's Team Supreme began doing 1-on-1 interviews with some of their favorites. Ahmir captured an amazing two-parter with one of his drumming heroes, Steve Ferrone. In part 2, Steve tells a great story about meeting Prince and recalls amazing years with Average White Band, pivotal time with Duran Duran, Chaka Khan, Rick James, and Tom Petty. Make sure you've heard th...

On this mini episode of The Questlove Show , Open Mike Eagle and Cousin Jake react to the recent two-hour interview between Ahmir and Posdnuos. In a mutual celebration of the Native Tongues movement, they highlight moments from the conversation involving De La Soul’s Turtles lawsuit, newly revealed details about subliminal lyrics, and the emotional weight of songs like “I Am I Be&rdquo...

Raheem DeVaughn joins Questlove to trace his journey from a Washington DC Go-Go kid to internationally known “Love King,” radio host, and independent R&B force. He breaks down the spiritual meaning of love, the art of the perfect slow-jam mixtape, and how Go-Go culture shaped his sound and hustle (including his current band). Raheem also tells stories about his father touring with...

Back in early 2022, for a very special Questlove Supreme 1-on-1 episode, Questlove interviewed one of his heroes, Steve Ferrone. In part 1, Steve talks about growing up in England, tap dancing, his major influences on the drums, and going from Bloodstone into Average White Band. This interview is a soulful delight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questlove welcomes bestselling author Brianna Wiest ( The Mountain Is You , 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think ) for a vulnerable, funny, and wide‑ranging conversation about self‑sabotage, creativity, and learning to “just show up.” Brianna explains how she writes from her center, why nature and long drives unlock her best ideas, and how she separates the heart’s &ldqu...

As we approach the 2025 Roots Picnic, look back at one of the most requested episodes, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter sat down in a New York City studio with Questlove Supreme at the end of 2023. Tariq discussed how he approached penning his new memoir, The Upcycled Self. In the process, Ahmir and Tariq also opened up about how they have separated brotherhood and business. Meanwhile, Team Supreme a...

Questlove reconnects with Open Mike Eagle, picking up a conversation that began on a 2025 episode of the show. As Mike reflects on his time with Project Blowed, the two artists-turned-podcast hosts dive into The Good Life Cafe and its influence on the West Coast Underground Hip-Hop scene, as well as touring on the left side of the country. This mini-episode is entertaining and insightful—and...

Posdnuos of De La Soul sits down with Questlove for a long-awaited conversation fans have been asking for. Ahmir digs into the group's catalog with fan-driven questions, while Plug 1 shares stories from the studio, reveals which classic tracks were originally intended for other artists, and reflects on the legacy of his brother, Dave aka Trugoy the Dove. The discussion celebrates one of Hip-Hop's...

Back in October of 2022 DJ Clark Kent joined the Questlove Supreme podcast to discuss performing with Dana Dane, his incredible work with JAY-Z and Biggie Smalls, and signing Das EFX. The esteemed veteran also spoke about his fantastic sneaker collection and turning his passion into meaningful brand partnerships. Sadly, Clark passed two years after this interview, leaving behind one of the greates...

This segment from the Questlove Show was so powerful, we had to share it on its own. Georgia Anne Muldrow breaks down the deeply personal origins of her “Stay Woke” lyric from Erykah Badu’s “Master Teacher Medley" over 18 years ago, and reflects on how its meaning has evolved—and been distorted—over time. Questlove and special guest Open Mike Eagle share their r...