By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Music Alliance
Drummer, DJ, Producer, Composer, Musical Director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson joined Score: The Podcast to discuss his career. One of the things he talks about is the upcoming Roots album for 2026.
Questlove loves working for SNL, has made friends and built relationships, and has become a better musician. In addition, The Roots have been a big part of his life and success, changing his life forever.
He details the group’s early contract deals and the plans for the new album.
“When we signed to Geffen Records, Nirvana had made the combination of Nirvana and Aerosmith and Guns and Roses in the billions back in ’91, ’92,” Thompson explained. “When we got our deal, they had money to burn. It was obvious that Guns and Roses wouldn’t have a follow-up to ‘Use Your Illusion’ albums anytime soon.”
Thompson goes on to say that it took 21 years for that follow-up record to happen. Many people don’t know about that part regarding Guns N’ Roses. As for The Roots, it took them 10 years to do a follow-up record.
“Our fifth Beatle, Richard Nichols, passed away in 2014,” Thompson said. “This will mark the first time in which both Tariq and I have always been used to just being in the passenger seat or in the backseat and having Rich drive, meaning like communicate to Rich like ‘I don’t like the chorus he wrote, so tell him to write something else.’ We would communicate passively aggressively through him, and he would smooth things over.”
It definitely won’t be the same without Richard, but Questlove and Tariq “Black Thought” had to adjust and go through therapy on how they will approach the sound and style of The Roots from now on. They had to take the situation into their own hands.
Working at The Tonight Show has helped Questlove so much as a songwriter. It became an education.
“Because of that enlightenment and that education, this Roots album sounded like no other Roots album before it.”
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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