Amir Questlove–Thompson

But then Sly knows the importance of unison. Unison singing is where everyone sings in the same register. So like... Think of the idea of when Billy Joel's Piano Man comes on. That's the type of song that you hear in a bar and everyone sings together as they hold their mug of beer and sing along. So that's a very inclusive type of thing.

So when everyone's singing in the same key without harmony, it's not intimidating. Like the worst singer and the best singer. can unify. So he knew the power of unison singing, which is included, and harmony singing, which is a spectacle and type of dance rhythms and innovative bass sounds.

So when everyone's singing in the same key without harmony, it's not intimidating. Like the worst singer and the best singer. can unify. So he knew the power of unison singing, which is included, and harmony singing, which is a spectacle and type of dance rhythms and innovative bass sounds.

So when everyone's singing in the same key without harmony, it's not intimidating. Like the worst singer and the best singer. can unify. So he knew the power of unison singing, which is included, and harmony singing, which is a spectacle and type of dance rhythms and innovative bass sounds.

Just every new idea that was unexplored in 1967, 68, and 69, Sly was the pioneer and the first person to do those things.

Just every new idea that was unexplored in 1967, 68, and 69, Sly was the pioneer and the first person to do those things.

Just every new idea that was unexplored in 1967, 68, and 69, Sly was the pioneer and the first person to do those things.

Sly's role, Vernon Reed of Living Color kind of paints it that way. You know, this marks the first time that a Black singer is kind of stepping out of the roles that we were traditionally playing. You know, before Sly was like, you were strictly singing about love songs, in particular about relationships.

Sly's role, Vernon Reed of Living Color kind of paints it that way. You know, this marks the first time that a Black singer is kind of stepping out of the roles that we were traditionally playing. You know, before Sly was like, you were strictly singing about love songs, in particular about relationships.

Sly's role, Vernon Reed of Living Color kind of paints it that way. You know, this marks the first time that a Black singer is kind of stepping out of the roles that we were traditionally playing. You know, before Sly was like, you were strictly singing about love songs, in particular about relationships.

You really weren't giving any commentary about everyday life or things that are relatable in the present to the audience that you're serving. It's almost like... Music before Sly was almost kind of a fantasy, if you will, like a means to escape your present situation. And Sly kind of uses his music as a means to sell humanity and everyday people's a great example.

You really weren't giving any commentary about everyday life or things that are relatable in the present to the audience that you're serving. It's almost like... Music before Sly was almost kind of a fantasy, if you will, like a means to escape your present situation. And Sly kind of uses his music as a means to sell humanity and everyday people's a great example.

You really weren't giving any commentary about everyday life or things that are relatable in the present to the audience that you're serving. It's almost like... Music before Sly was almost kind of a fantasy, if you will, like a means to escape your present situation. And Sly kind of uses his music as a means to sell humanity and everyday people's a great example.

Um, where he's essentially saying that, Hey, like I breathe air like you do. I bleed like you do. There's some things that we have in common. There's some things that we don't have in common, but we're all the same person. And sometimes, uh, especially, you know, during that period, during the civil rights period, especially with, um, that time in which, um,

Um, where he's essentially saying that, Hey, like I breathe air like you do. I bleed like you do. There's some things that we have in common. There's some things that we don't have in common, but we're all the same person. And sometimes, uh, especially, you know, during that period, during the civil rights period, especially with, um, that time in which, um,

Um, where he's essentially saying that, Hey, like I breathe air like you do. I bleed like you do. There's some things that we have in common. There's some things that we don't have in common, but we're all the same person. And sometimes, uh, especially, you know, during that period, during the civil rights period, especially with, um, that time in which, um,

Martin Luther King has died and Malcolm X has died and Mecca Evers has died and the Kennedys died and kind of the dream of the civil rights period died. That kind of messaging at the time seemed very necessary for, you know, there was questions in the air, like, what do we do now? So Slide kind of accidentally inserts himself in the leadership position, kind of in the name of just...

Martin Luther King has died and Malcolm X has died and Mecca Evers has died and the Kennedys died and kind of the dream of the civil rights period died. That kind of messaging at the time seemed very necessary for, you know, there was questions in the air, like, what do we do now? So Slide kind of accidentally inserts himself in the leadership position, kind of in the name of just...

Martin Luther King has died and Malcolm X has died and Mecca Evers has died and the Kennedys died and kind of the dream of the civil rights period died. That kind of messaging at the time seemed very necessary for, you know, there was questions in the air, like, what do we do now? So Slide kind of accidentally inserts himself in the leadership position, kind of in the name of just...

trying to find relatable content to his lyrics because a lot of his music is very self-confessional and very relatable, kind of in a way that Dylan was also affecting music with his songs at the time. And I guess Sly wound up being the unofficial spokesperson for black people.