Amir Questlove–Thompson

The very beginning. So my Saturday Night Live obsession really starts with, you know, the epicenter of my entire music world is Soul Train. And it just so happens that, you know, for most of America, especially with Soul Train in its prime form, You know, everyone has a Saturday afternoon, 12 p.m., cleaning the house, watching Soul Train Experience.

The very beginning. So my Saturday Night Live obsession really starts with, you know, the epicenter of my entire music world is Soul Train. And it just so happens that, you know, for most of America, especially with Soul Train in its prime form, You know, everyone has a Saturday afternoon, 12 p.m., cleaning the house, watching Soul Train Experience.

But in Philadelphia, kind of weird, my Soul Train Experience was always at 1 in the morning. And so I had parents that were very forward-thinking, very cool. And, of course, I'd have to be in bed at, like, 8.30 p.m. So whenever, like, the Love Boat theme starts, it's like, got to go to bed. Not with that deep voice, but yeah, basically got to go to bed.

But in Philadelphia, kind of weird, my Soul Train Experience was always at 1 in the morning. And so I had parents that were very forward-thinking, very cool. And, of course, I'd have to be in bed at, like, 8.30 p.m. So whenever, like, the Love Boat theme starts, it's like, got to go to bed. Not with that deep voice, but yeah, basically got to go to bed.

But in Philadelphia, kind of weird, my Soul Train Experience was always at 1 in the morning. And so I had parents that were very forward-thinking, very cool. And, of course, I'd have to be in bed at, like, 8.30 p.m. So whenever, like, the Love Boat theme starts, it's like, got to go to bed. Not with that deep voice, but yeah, basically got to go to bed.

And the agreement was that be in bed at 8.30 and then at 12.30, midnight, we will wake you up. And by 12.30, Weekend Update is over for SNL. And then their music guest does two songs. And so... I would go downstairs, turn on the TV, watch the two songs from SNL, whoever the music guest was, and then Soul Train comes on at 1 in the morning, and then I'm in bed at 2 a.m.

And the agreement was that be in bed at 8.30 and then at 12.30, midnight, we will wake you up. And by 12.30, Weekend Update is over for SNL. And then their music guest does two songs. And so... I would go downstairs, turn on the TV, watch the two songs from SNL, whoever the music guest was, and then Soul Train comes on at 1 in the morning, and then I'm in bed at 2 a.m.

And the agreement was that be in bed at 8.30 and then at 12.30, midnight, we will wake you up. And by 12.30, Weekend Update is over for SNL. And then their music guest does two songs. And so... I would go downstairs, turn on the TV, watch the two songs from SNL, whoever the music guest was, and then Soul Train comes on at 1 in the morning, and then I'm in bed at 2 a.m.

and up for church at 7.30 in the morning. That's pretty much my life from 5 until maybe 11. Then Soul Train started coming on in the afternoon, but... I never stopped watching SNL. So, you know, I was there from the very, very beginning. It was nothing like it. I know that's the cliche that you're going to hear a lot about this 50th anniversary, but there was truly nothing like it on television.

and up for church at 7.30 in the morning. That's pretty much my life from 5 until maybe 11. Then Soul Train started coming on in the afternoon, but... I never stopped watching SNL. So, you know, I was there from the very, very beginning. It was nothing like it. I know that's the cliche that you're going to hear a lot about this 50th anniversary, but there was truly nothing like it on television.

and up for church at 7.30 in the morning. That's pretty much my life from 5 until maybe 11. Then Soul Train started coming on in the afternoon, but... I never stopped watching SNL. So, you know, I was there from the very, very beginning. It was nothing like it. I know that's the cliche that you're going to hear a lot about this 50th anniversary, but there was truly nothing like it on television.

Hey, no one can.

Hey, no one can.

Hey, no one can.

What?

What?

What?

It's the most iconic, nondescript theme song. And kind of in my... That was my first realization back when I would... Pretty much any Saturday that the Roots aren't touring and they're taping, I'm in the audience watching. And... That, to me, is one of the most humorous things ever. Like, wow. Like, you know it when you hear it. You know that's SNL. But no one can—it's a feeling.

It's the most iconic, nondescript theme song. And kind of in my... That was my first realization back when I would... Pretty much any Saturday that the Roots aren't touring and they're taping, I'm in the audience watching. And... That, to me, is one of the most humorous things ever. Like, wow. Like, you know it when you hear it. You know that's SNL. But no one can—it's a feeling.

It's the most iconic, nondescript theme song. And kind of in my... That was my first realization back when I would... Pretty much any Saturday that the Roots aren't touring and they're taping, I'm in the audience watching. And... That, to me, is one of the most humorous things ever. Like, wow. Like, you know it when you hear it. You know that's SNL. But no one can—it's a feeling.