Amir Questlove–Thompson

It's hard to escape it. Yeah, all throughout, like, first and second grade, like, every Christmas pageant, I think it was expected that I was supposed to play Little Drummer Boy.

It's hard to escape it. Yeah, all throughout, like, first and second grade, like, every Christmas pageant, I think it was expected that I was supposed to play Little Drummer Boy.

It's hard to escape it. Yeah, all throughout, like, first and second grade, like, every Christmas pageant, I think it was expected that I was supposed to play Little Drummer Boy.

Because I was a drummer, right?

Because I was a drummer, right?

Because I was a drummer, right?

Exactly. But oftentimes in school, at the Christmas pageant, even if it were something totally the opposite, like our production of The Nutcracker or something like that, they would find some sort of excuse to give eight-year-old Amir a drumming spotlight in the program.

Exactly. But oftentimes in school, at the Christmas pageant, even if it were something totally the opposite, like our production of The Nutcracker or something like that, they would find some sort of excuse to give eight-year-old Amir a drumming spotlight in the program.

Exactly. But oftentimes in school, at the Christmas pageant, even if it were something totally the opposite, like our production of The Nutcracker or something like that, they would find some sort of excuse to give eight-year-old Amir a drumming spotlight in the program.

This is so hilarious to me. I'm sorry.

This is so hilarious to me. I'm sorry.

This is so hilarious to me. I'm sorry.

This song, this particular song is my one. This is my introduction to Christmas music. Two, it's my introduction to James Brown.

This song, this particular song is my one. This is my introduction to Christmas music. Two, it's my introduction to James Brown.

This song, this particular song is my one. This is my introduction to Christmas music. Two, it's my introduction to James Brown.

Yeah, my first James Brown was this. No, it was just that, you know what it is? You know, I was a kid of the Muppets era and there was a tortured...

Yeah, my first James Brown was this. No, it was just that, you know what it is? You know, I was a kid of the Muppets era and there was a tortured...

Yeah, my first James Brown was this. No, it was just that, you know what it is? You know, I was a kid of the Muppets era and there was a tortured...

genius musician on Sesame Street and his name was Don Music and he was always full of self-doubt and insecurity and whenever he couldn't find the right words or the right chord he just like you know he'd bang his head on the piano like a tortured soul not you know it was exaggerated so I used to think it was funny and James Brown has a voice similar to my grandmother's

genius musician on Sesame Street and his name was Don Music and he was always full of self-doubt and insecurity and whenever he couldn't find the right words or the right chord he just like you know he'd bang his head on the piano like a tortured soul not you know it was exaggerated so I used to think it was funny and James Brown has a voice similar to my grandmother's