Amir Questlove–Thompson

It was risky. Yeah, it was risky because, again, this song is released right on the edge of the razor. Like, there's always a time in American history and, you know, today is no different. There's always a time in American history where we're just right on the edge, right on the precipice of like, you know, a kind of.

Explosive end result, you know, and for someone to sort of come in waving a proverbial like white flag, that's a risky thing because, you know, one, we do see the evidence of the abuse that's given. But it's also like who's going to be the first person to kind of come to half court, right? You know, to the 50-yard line.

Explosive end result, you know, and for someone to sort of come in waving a proverbial like white flag, that's a risky thing because, you know, one, we do see the evidence of the abuse that's given. But it's also like who's going to be the first person to kind of come to half court, right? You know, to the 50-yard line.

Explosive end result, you know, and for someone to sort of come in waving a proverbial like white flag, that's a risky thing because, you know, one, we do see the evidence of the abuse that's given. But it's also like who's going to be the first person to kind of come to half court, right? You know, to the 50-yard line.

Who's going to cross the aisle and, you know, start a kumbaya moment and sort of dismantles whatever conflicts that we have? And that's the role that Sly's music played. Whereas... the messaging of his music was always encouraging, always a cheerleader of justice and a cheerleader of positivity. And unfortunately, even though the music spoke of that optimism,

Who's going to cross the aisle and, you know, start a kumbaya moment and sort of dismantles whatever conflicts that we have? And that's the role that Sly's music played. Whereas... the messaging of his music was always encouraging, always a cheerleader of justice and a cheerleader of positivity. And unfortunately, even though the music spoke of that optimism,

Who's going to cross the aisle and, you know, start a kumbaya moment and sort of dismantles whatever conflicts that we have? And that's the role that Sly's music played. Whereas... the messaging of his music was always encouraging, always a cheerleader of justice and a cheerleader of positivity. And unfortunately, even though the music spoke of that optimism,

Inside, he was sort of falling apart at the seams because there's a pressure of or a burden, which is why we call it the burden of black genius. There's a burden when one puts themselves in that position where they often have to come up with the solutions or the answers to why society is the way it is.

Inside, he was sort of falling apart at the seams because there's a pressure of or a burden, which is why we call it the burden of black genius. There's a burden when one puts themselves in that position where they often have to come up with the solutions or the answers to why society is the way it is.

Inside, he was sort of falling apart at the seams because there's a pressure of or a burden, which is why we call it the burden of black genius. There's a burden when one puts themselves in that position where they often have to come up with the solutions or the answers to why society is the way it is.

Stand proud, yes.

Stand proud, yes.

Stand proud, yes.

So basically Sly makes the song Stand. And he completes the song and he has a kind of a test pressing demo made of it. And, you know, he takes this record demo to Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, which was, you know, the nightclub of the moment. And he gives the DJ the 45 to play. And the DJ puts it on.

So basically Sly makes the song Stand. And he completes the song and he has a kind of a test pressing demo made of it. And, you know, he takes this record demo to Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, which was, you know, the nightclub of the moment. And he gives the DJ the 45 to play. And the DJ puts it on.

So basically Sly makes the song Stand. And he completes the song and he has a kind of a test pressing demo made of it. And, you know, he takes this record demo to Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, which was, you know, the nightclub of the moment. And he gives the DJ the 45 to play. And the DJ puts it on.

You know, it's like a proto-disco in 1969 where teenagers are dancing in the club. And, you know, the teenagers are dancing and the song ends. And Sly was, like, really disappointed. He's like, man, like, that song didn't hit the way I wanted it to. And at the time, the girl that he was with was like, well, you know... you didn't put a get down part in. And he's like, well, what do you mean?

You know, it's like a proto-disco in 1969 where teenagers are dancing in the club. And, you know, the teenagers are dancing and the song ends. And Sly was, like, really disappointed. He's like, man, like, that song didn't hit the way I wanted it to. And at the time, the girl that he was with was like, well, you know... you didn't put a get down part in. And he's like, well, what do you mean?

You know, it's like a proto-disco in 1969 where teenagers are dancing in the club. And, you know, the teenagers are dancing and the song ends. And Sly was, like, really disappointed. He's like, man, like, that song didn't hit the way I wanted it to. And at the time, the girl that he was with was like, well, you know... you didn't put a get down part in. And he's like, well, what do you mean?

He's like, you got to have a part in the song that just like wakes people up and makes them want to like really get down. And he's like, oh, get down part. And so he leaves the club that night and around one in the morning, he calls the band together and says, hey, we need to add something to the song that really just wakes it up out of nowhere.