Amir Questlove–Thompson

Besides the Oscar, there were 40 other awards that I won also in the circuit of film festivals. By the 20th, I would tell... My manager's there. I'm like, man, can we pull out of some of these things? There's a fear of winning because if you're too successful, then you're singled out. And being singled out for positive reasons or negative reasons is such a nightmare for most black people.

Besides the Oscar, there were 40 other awards that I won also in the circuit of film festivals. By the 20th, I would tell... My manager's there. I'm like, man, can we pull out of some of these things? There's a fear of winning because if you're too successful, then you're singled out. And being singled out for positive reasons or negative reasons is such a nightmare for most black people.

Besides the Oscar, there were 40 other awards that I won also in the circuit of film festivals. By the 20th, I would tell... My manager's there. I'm like, man, can we pull out of some of these things? There's a fear of winning because if you're too successful, then you're singled out. And being singled out for positive reasons or negative reasons is such a nightmare for most black people.

And yes, in this case... Why? Because... you're going to be separated. Like for a lot of black people, it's, you come up in the neighborhood, you, you know, your next door neighbors, you, you spend the night at your cousin's house. And then in the snap, suddenly, you know, I'm, I'm a Macaulay Calkins character staying at the four seasons hotel, like by myself in the lap of luxury.

And yes, in this case... Why? Because... you're going to be separated. Like for a lot of black people, it's, you come up in the neighborhood, you, you know, your next door neighbors, you, you spend the night at your cousin's house. And then in the snap, suddenly, you know, I'm, I'm a Macaulay Calkins character staying at the four seasons hotel, like by myself in the lap of luxury.

And yes, in this case... Why? Because... you're going to be separated. Like for a lot of black people, it's, you come up in the neighborhood, you, you know, your next door neighbors, you, you spend the night at your cousin's house. And then in the snap, suddenly, you know, I'm, I'm a Macaulay Calkins character staying at the four seasons hotel, like by myself in the lap of luxury.

And, um, that's an alienating feeling because you can't take everyone with you. You can't save everyone. Um, Um, you know, I grew up in a neighborhood in which I had between the two neighbors, you know, my grandmother's house and my house, like I had 30 plus friends and now it's just four of us. Like I'm one of four who's not dead or in jail. And so there's, there's a constant, like, why me?

And, um, that's an alienating feeling because you can't take everyone with you. You can't save everyone. Um, Um, you know, I grew up in a neighborhood in which I had between the two neighbors, you know, my grandmother's house and my house, like I had 30 plus friends and now it's just four of us. Like I'm one of four who's not dead or in jail. And so there's, there's a constant, like, why me?

And, um, that's an alienating feeling because you can't take everyone with you. You can't save everyone. Um, Um, you know, I grew up in a neighborhood in which I had between the two neighbors, you know, my grandmother's house and my house, like I had 30 plus friends and now it's just four of us. Like I'm one of four who's not dead or in jail. And so there's, there's a constant, like, why me?

Why was I chosen? My cousin was just as smart as I was. And that person plays drums better than me. Like, they should have been in this position. Like, there's an imposter syndrome thing that happens and just a feeling of guilt that one feels.

Why was I chosen? My cousin was just as smart as I was. And that person plays drums better than me. Like, they should have been in this position. Like, there's an imposter syndrome thing that happens and just a feeling of guilt that one feels.

Why was I chosen? My cousin was just as smart as I was. And that person plays drums better than me. Like, they should have been in this position. Like, there's an imposter syndrome thing that happens and just a feeling of guilt that one feels.

And, you know, the Panthers sort of approached Sly and was like, okay, well, you know, you're talking about these political subjects that we're about, so we want you to be our leader and fund our movement. And Sly fundamentally doesn't... necessarily agree like he's not that revolutionary, even though he has the ability to channel in the feeling of a revolutionary.

And, you know, the Panthers sort of approached Sly and was like, okay, well, you know, you're talking about these political subjects that we're about, so we want you to be our leader and fund our movement. And Sly fundamentally doesn't... necessarily agree like he's not that revolutionary, even though he has the ability to channel in the feeling of a revolutionary.

And, you know, the Panthers sort of approached Sly and was like, okay, well, you know, you're talking about these political subjects that we're about, so we want you to be our leader and fund our movement. And Sly fundamentally doesn't... necessarily agree like he's not that revolutionary, even though he has the ability to channel in the feeling of a revolutionary.

So what winds up happening is for every time the pressure is on Sly to prove his blackness, the more success he gets. He just winds up, his only answer is to create blacker music. So, you know, the pressure of everyday people leads to Stan. And then the pressure of Stan leads to basically the ribbon cutting of funk. The very first funk song, which is, thank you for letting me be myself again.

So what winds up happening is for every time the pressure is on Sly to prove his blackness, the more success he gets. He just winds up, his only answer is to create blacker music. So, you know, the pressure of everyday people leads to Stan. And then the pressure of Stan leads to basically the ribbon cutting of funk. The very first funk song, which is, thank you for letting me be myself again.

So what winds up happening is for every time the pressure is on Sly to prove his blackness, the more success he gets. He just winds up, his only answer is to create blacker music. So, you know, the pressure of everyday people leads to Stan. And then the pressure of Stan leads to basically the ribbon cutting of funk. The very first funk song, which is, thank you for letting me be myself again.

You know, it's kind of like this brilliant deflection thing. Like his version of, hey. Hey, guys, what's that over there? You know, it may turn around and then like he's gone. Instead, he'll just say, here's an even funkier song to prove that I'm super black, you know, and that's that's kind of how he gets out these situations. He he has to performatively. Yeah.

You know, it's kind of like this brilliant deflection thing. Like his version of, hey. Hey, guys, what's that over there? You know, it may turn around and then like he's gone. Instead, he'll just say, here's an even funkier song to prove that I'm super black, you know, and that's that's kind of how he gets out these situations. He he has to performatively. Yeah.