Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Drummer/producer Ahmir Thompson is an innovative link between the digital science of modern hi-hop and the flesh and blood textures of vintage R&B. He co-founded the Roots, hailed as one of the most sonically inventive hip-hop acts. Yet, his collaborations with such artists as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Common have reasserted the importance of realtime playing in a style dominated by sampling and programming.

Although Ahmir's performing life is primarily centered around the fusion of programming with live performance, "human feel" is bred into his bones. His father was the leader of a '50s doo-wop group Lee Andrews and the Hearts, and Ahmir literally grew up onstage. Ahmir's family was involved playing the oldies circuit with groups like the Coasters, the Drifters, and the Chiffons. Because his parents didn't believe in baby-sitters, at the age of 7 he was playing percussion gigs, at 13 was the musical director, and remained in that musical genre until a record deal with Roots at age 22.

Ahmir is into the game of making people guess whether it is a machine or is it him? From that comes his aka ?uestlove, pronounced Questlove. One famous example is Roots biggest hit, "You Got Me," which sounds like a programmed sidestick pattern until he cuts loose with a blazing drum-and-bass groove that is startling, witty, and funky. The challenge according to Ahmir, because hip-hop is based in rhythm, repetition, and perfect time, is to sound disciplined with a total human feel. They do this by playing as perfectly as possible and then deliberately insert a little glitch that makes it sound messed up.

While working on Roots' sixth album, "Introducing the Roots," Ahmir continues to use several Yamaha kits to experiment with getting different drum sounds to match their aesthetics. Even though they are from the long-gone era of the '50s, '60s, and '70s, Ahmir and his group feel that they must cater to the fast food, just-add-water audience of today. But regardless of the thrust of his music, there will always be something to wonder about – is it really Ahmir?

Together with “The Roots” has become the band for US´late night show with Jimmy Fallon, playing with musics biggest acts, night after night. Questlove plays a PHX kit that gives him the versatility of finding a wide variety of sounds.

On tour with the Roots Questlove plays Yamaha Oak Custom.