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The Questlove Show

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The Questlove Show builds on the award-winning Questlove Supreme podcast, bringing listeners into intimate, one-on-one conversations with peers, influences, and friends. Hosted by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, each episode uncovers the unexpected — from morning rituals and hidden talents to the art and experiences that shaped a guest’s journey. Sometimes playful, sometimes profound, always curious, QLS offers rare insight into leaders in music, film, television, comedy, literature, mental health, and beyond. It’s a fresh, unpredictable spin from a trusted source — a place where randomness is encouraged, tangents are welcomed, and conversations are anything but ordinary.

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41 episodes
Avg 1 hr 10 min
English

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S7 · E17
Monday · 46 min
Wallo267 Part 2
In part two of Questlove’s conversation with Wallo267, the tables turn. Wallo takes over, pushing Ahmir to make some changes. They trade questions about the albums that changed their lives, ’80s jackets, Soul Train Saturdays, and the day Wallo flew to London to meet the artist whose music carried him home from prison. The result is raw, funny, and—as Questlove admits—the most public intervention he’s ever received. Wallo's latest book, Yes To You, No To Them is available now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Sunday · 1 hr 45 min
QLS Classic: Danyel Smith
In 2022, while promoting her latest book Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop, acclaimed music journalist and author Danyel Smith joined Questlove Supreme for an episode. She spoke with Questlove and Team Supreme about the book, her years leading VIBE magazine, and her experiences writing about Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, and Arrested Development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E14
September 19 · 21 min
A Reaction To The Joe Kay / Soulection Episode Of The Questlove Show
Following the Roots Picnic backstage conversation between Soulection founder Joe Kay and Questlove, Open Mike Eagle and Cousin Jake unpack the discussion and its broader significance. They trace L.A.’s beat scene from the Good Life Café through Sketchbook and Low End Theory, and examine Joe’s thoughts on Stones Throw Records’ early influence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E16
September 14 · 53 min
Wallo267 Part 1
Wallo267 visited The Questlove Show to discuss his latest book, Yes To You, No To Them. Instead, he ended up disrupting Ahmir’s day—in the best possible way—with an experiential pep talk that captures why so many people need this book. The acclaimed Million Dollaz Worth of Game co-host, motivator, and music lover looks back on his journey—one that began just across town from Questlove’s—and how misinformation led him into life-changing circumstances. The two men compare notes on life and discuss how, after a quarter century behind bars, Wallo has spent the past decade embracing freedom to the fullest while cultivating possibility and hard-earned wisdom. Along the way, Wallo explains his profound appreciation for Anthony Bourdain, challenges Hollywood’s misconceptions about prison, and much more. The result is a vulnerable and deeply powerful episode of QLS—and only the first half of their full conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S4 · E12
September 13 · 2 hr 5 min
QLS Classic: Bob James
One of our most-played and most-beloved episodes of 2023. For Jazz Appreciation Month, Questlove and Team Supreme sat down with a living legend of the genre. Bob James recalls his incredible journey and his intersections with Sarah Vaughan, Creed Taylor, Idris Muhammad, and others. He also discusses becoming a beacon for hip-hop DJs and sample-based producers—and how he went from being a source to a collaborator with artists such as RZA, Talib Kweli, and, yes, still, Questlove. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E12
September 13 · 25 min
A Reaction To The Maseo Episode Of The Questlove Show
Open Mike Eagle and Cousin Jake reflect on Questlove’s deep conversation with Maseo of De La Soul, pulling out its funniest reveals and heaviest emotional moments. This touches on nuggets from Gorillaz’ "Feel Good Inc." and salute the artistic integrity of scrapping big-name collabs when the music isn’t right. Along the way, they point out connections De La Soul to Bushwick Bill, Geto Boys, and ’80s Rap lore, and sit with Maseo’s vulnerability around loss, legacy, and the unseen work behind great performances. The duo also riff on the quiet comeback of CDs as fans return to tangible ways of supporting artists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E15
September 7 · 1 hr 37 min
Vince Staples
Vince Staples sits down with Questlove for a rare, unflinching conversation about community, survival, and growing as an artist without losing yourself. Speaking about his latest album, Crybaby, Vince shares hard-earned truths and wisdom from his life, cutting through myth and memory with his trademark clarity and dark humor. The two artists explore happiness, death, faith, hobbies, and the music industry’s shifting gaze on Black artists—while tracing Vince’s journey from riding the bus to Hollywood studios to becoming one of music's sharpest minds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S4 · E14
September 6 · 1 hr 58 min
QLS Classic: Jean Carne
As part of 2023's Jazz Appreciation Month, the incomparable Jean Carne joined Questlove Supreme. She reflected on her Atlanta upbringing and growing up around figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as creating Spiritual Jazz in the early 1970s with her former husband, Doug Carn. Jean also shared stories from working with Earth, Wind & Fire, Phyllis Hyman, and Norman Connors—and recalls providing valuable vocal guidance to a teenage Michael Jackson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 4 · 27 min
Philly Cheesesteaks & Escape Rooms — A Rabbit-Hole Mailbag Edition
Questlove and Cousin Jake field some deceptively simple mailbag questions about cheesesteaks and cereal. Ahmir breaks down his fiercely loyal cheesesteak habits, giving way to tempting side quests about ketchup etiquette and Ultramagnetic MC’s memorabilia on South Street. The Q&A then pivots to music nerdery, with Ahmir naming his all-time favorite live album and dissecting what makes a live recording sonically “perfect.” He also shares the story of his first time onstage with his parents’ band as a kid. Along the way, the conversation hits bygone Philly landmarks, 2 a.m. laser tag, and what we can learn from escape rooms. As a reminder, hit QuestloveSupreme.com to submit questions or DM us on Instagram or Facebook. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E14
August 31 · 54 min
Joe Kay of Soulection
Questlove sits down with Soulection founder Joe Kay live backstage at the 2026 Roots Picnic in Philadelphia. The conversation traces the origins of a global movement that grew from zip files and SoundCloud posts into a worldwide community. Joe reflects on his earliest musical memories—from family deep cuts and white-label promos to discovering J Dilla—and how those influences helped shape the unmistakable Soulection sound. He and Questlove dig into the craft of DJing, from set architecture and “go-to” records to reading the room and balancing nostalgia with discovery. Joe also explains why he left Los Angeles for Miami in search of a new international energy. Along the way, they explore the role of curators as culture-shapers, the artists Soulection helped amplify—from Brent Faiyaz to Kaytranada—and what it takes to build a movement that still feels fresh 15 years in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 30 · 1 hr 45 min
QLS Classic: Carlos Santana
Questlove and Team Supreme sat down with the legendary Carlos Santana in late 2021 for a wide‑ranging conversation on spirituality, music, and a lifetime of artistic risk-taking. Santana breaks down his morning gratitude ritual, his concept of grace, and how John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, and African rhythms shaped his sound from Caravanserai through his 1970s catalog. He revisits his journey from Autlán, Tijuana, and the Bay Area to Woodstock, talks about avoiding the dark side of the ’70s Rock lifestyle, and explains why he’s committed “career suicide” multiple times in order to protect his artistic integrity. Along the way, he shares stories about Tony Williams and John McLaughlin at Slugs, Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill collabs, his iconic PRS tone, and his vision for drums, community, and a world less driven by fear. This is Santana in full shaman mode—funny, candid, and deeply philosophical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E10
August 30 · 24 min
A Reaction To The Kurt Loder Episode Of The Questlove Show
In this QLS Mini, Open Mike Eagle and Cousin Jake briefly unpack their stress soundtracks, from comfort spins like XTC and R.E.M. to the way MTV and MTV News quietly raised a generation. Using their recent Kurt Loder Questlove Show interview as a springboard, they revisit formative moments like the Kurt Cobain and Tupac reports, the Real World era, and how Loder became a kind of Gen X Walter Cronkite. The conversation tracks how we used to “lean back” and receive culture versus today’s hyper-controlled feeds, while celebrating the dignity and care MTV News brought to covering cultures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E13
August 24 · 1 hr 44 min
JoJo
Questlove and JoJo are NOT close friends. They aren’t—or at least, that’s how they approached this conversation: two pals from different genres and generations who have bonded in recent years, sitting down to see what else they might have in common. For The Questlove Show, the two get into JoJo’s evolution from teen prodigy to Grammy-winning, multi-platinum artist—songwriting camps, vocal discipline, Broadway chops, creative blocks, and what it means to define success on your own terms. JoJo also gets real about periods of feeling low, her family, and why she’s no longer interested in trauma-dumping in the studio—but still wants the music to hit you hard. And, because this is QLS, we go everywhere: Boston accents, mermaid dreams, theater nerd deep dives, the standards for singing in the age of AI, and the story behind her viral flip of “Marvin’s Room” by Drake. This is a conversation about craft, resilience, growing up in public, and choosing joy without losing the soul. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 23 · 1 hr 33 min
QLS Classic: Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Hornsby joined Questlove Supreme in 2020 for a deep-dive that went way beyond “The Way It Is,” tracing his late-blooming journey from Virginia jock to conservatory-trained improviser to unlikely pop star. Bruce broke down how playing with The Grateful Dead rewired his approach to live performance, why he’d spent decades upsetting soft-core fans, and how a small-town Southern upbringing informed his blunt (and progressive) songwriting about race and class. He shared wild, personal stories about mentoring Allen Iverson, getting discovered by Michael McDonald, and being the piano heartbeat behind (fellow QLS guest) Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Hornsby also talked about doing (fellow QLS guest) Spike Lee scores, his modern Classical influences, and why he’d rather chase new harmonic territory than nostalgia. It was a rare, funny, and candid portrait of a virtuoso who kept reinventing himself—even as his most famous song found new life with artists from 2Pac to Polo G. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E9
August 21 · 23 min
A Reaction To The DJ Muggs Episode Of The Questlove Show
In this Questlove Show mini episode, Open Mike Eagle and Cousin Jake unpack their recent sit-down with legendary producer DJ Muggs. They explore Muggs’ evolution from boom-bap architect to self-mastered, independent creator who—as he told Ahmir—built his own musical universe. The conversation digs into the so-called “drumless” beats wave, how lowering drums in the mix opens new space for MCs, and what artistic maturity and freedom really look like after decades in the game. Along the way, the two QLS affliates touch on some highlights and key points from the episode, and the power of real, in-person collaboration in Hip-Hop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E12
August 17 · 2 hr 13 min
Maseo of De La Soul
De La Soul’s Maseo sits down with Questlove for an unfiltered deep dive into his Hip-Hop journey, his approach to deejaying, and the making of a true original. From volatile days in Brooklyn and Long Island to early block parties and the creation of classics like “Me Myself and I,” “Afro Connections,” and the epic “Cool Breeze on the Rocks” splice session, Mase breaks down the art, risk, and innovation behind De La’s catalog. He explains how a skipping record sparked a 20-minute freestyle, how an eight-second guitar pedal became his first sampler, and how the same laugh he was once teased about eventually became a defining element of Gorillaz’ “Feel Good Inc.” Plug 3 also opens up about the Nitro Tour, navigating music-industry politics, pioneering De La’s Kickstarter era, and processing the loss of Dave while keeping the group’s legacy alive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 16 · 1 hr 37 min
QLS Classic: Seth Rogen
Back in late 2019, Seth Rogen joined Questlove Supreme in-studio to trace his journey from Vancouver teen comic and Superbad writer to Hollywood multi-hyphenate, unpacking weed culture, comedy craft, and the struggles and rewards of making big, risky movies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 14 · 26 min
DJ Cash Money Backstage At The Roots Picnic
The LEGENDARY DJ Cash Money joins Questlove live from the 2026 Roots Picnic at Philadelphia’s historic Belmont Plateau for a mini masterclass on the city’s turntablism legacy. A renowned turntable wizard, collector, and beacon of Philly Hip-Hop history, Cash traces the city’s evolution from Grandmaster Nell and Cosmic Kev at Hotel Philadelphia to the birth of the Transformer scratch at Central High—breaking down how Philly quietly rewrote the rules of the DJ. Cash also traces his own evolution from house party selector to technical innovator, inspired by Latin Rascals edits, Gemini mixers, and his own dancer’s sense of rhythm. Along the way, he reveals the wild story behind his “Pump Me Up” routine, which later found its way into Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” and the Def Comedy Jam theme. This mini-episode is merely an appetizer for a much bigger discussion to come. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S7 · E11
August 10 · 1 hr 56 min
Eric Benét
Questlove sits down with R&B icon Eric Benét for a deeply human, wildly musical conversation tracing the singer’s journey from Milwaukee family harmonies to gold plaques and Grammy nominations. Benét opens up about early sonic imprints like Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, and “Wichita Lineman,” his Alabama and Mobile roots, and how discovering Questlove’s own lineage story reshaped the way he thinks about ancestry, Haiti, and spirituality. The two dig into Prince vs. Michael Jackson, a legendary James Brown clip, and what it really meant to grow up in Milwaukee during the Jeffrey Dahmer years. Benét breaks down his path from band life to major labels, the making and shelving of Better and Better, how David Foster and Dean Parks helped shape Hurricane, and why songs like “Spend My Life With You” and “Sometimes I Cry” never get old on stage. Along the way, the longtime friends talk vocal maintenance, the emotional cost of fame, the rise of Neo-Soul, and what Benét would tell his 16-year-old self. Benét's latest single, "Who's Gonna Save Us," is newly available now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 9 · 1 hr 29 min
QLS Classic: The Avalanches
According to our Questlove, Australian powerhouse The Avalanches—Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi—single-handedly changed his perspective on how music could be made and delivered. Their acclaimed album, Since I Left You, not only “cracked our skulls open,” it remains one of Quest’s “top 10 albums of ALL time.” For two decades, the duo has left no stone unturned in mastering the art of building an entire sonic landscape from the ground up. So how do they do it? And, perhaps more importantly, why? Listen as The Avalanches break it all down on this week’s episode. They weigh in on how many samples were used, how Prince Paul was an inspiration, and why sometimes archaic technology is more preferred than the cutting edge. Listen back to this classic QLS episode recorded in 2021, during the height of the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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