Questlove

Roots co-founder Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson shares his Christmas playlist, which includes songs by DRAM, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Originally broadcast Dec. 21, 2022.

The Roots bandleader says hearing The Sugarhill Gang's 1980 hit felt like a paradigm shift: "Suddenly they start talking in rhythmic poetry and we didn't know what to make of it."

Roots cofounder Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson shares his Christmas playlist, which includes songs by DRAM, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Originally broadcast Dec. 21, 2022.

In Tariq Trotter's new book, "The Upcycled Self: A Memoir On The Art Of Becoming Who We Are," the Grammy Award-winning rapper and co-founder of the hip-hop group The Roots, examines the shame of that moment, as well as other harrowing events growing up in Philadelphia intertwined with joyful moments like discovering music and meeting his fellow bandmate Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. Known by his stage name, Black Thought, Trotter is the lead emcee of The Roots, which he and Thompson founded after meeting as teens in high school.

On Monday night, Jimmy Fallon paid homage to 60 years of Tonight Show history while claiming his own place in line. "I just want to do the best I can and take care of the show for a while," he said. "If you guys let me stick around long enough maybe I'll get the hang of it."