Amir Questlove–Thompson

That's kind of the empathetic way that we wanted to paint this story that, you know, because people often just say like, wow, he he had everything and he was a genius. And then he chose drugs.

That's kind of the empathetic way that we wanted to paint this story that, you know, because people often just say like, wow, he he had everything and he was a genius. And then he chose drugs.

Yeah. For me, it's like what happened in his life that made him want to choose drugs? And that's the question that no one could answer. Like, especially like when I interviewed Clive Davis and Clive has a history of, you know, there's Janis Joplin, there's Whitney Houston, there's Sly Stone, there's, you know, all these artists that have sort of famously succumbed to darker demons.

Yeah. For me, it's like what happened in his life that made him want to choose drugs? And that's the question that no one could answer. Like, especially like when I interviewed Clive Davis and Clive has a history of, you know, there's Janis Joplin, there's Whitney Houston, there's Sly Stone, there's, you know, all these artists that have sort of famously succumbed to darker demons.

Yeah. For me, it's like what happened in his life that made him want to choose drugs? And that's the question that no one could answer. Like, especially like when I interviewed Clive Davis and Clive has a history of, you know, there's Janis Joplin, there's Whitney Houston, there's Sly Stone, there's, you know, all these artists that have sort of famously succumbed to darker demons.

And, you know, I kind of asked him like, well, you know, I think it's more than just like, oh, he was hanging with the wrong crowd and, you know, chose cocaine instead. And, When I asked him, like, what circumstances do you think that he was going through during that period he was on your label that you might not have been aware of? And this is definitely not just a story of Sly Stone.

And, you know, I kind of asked him like, well, you know, I think it's more than just like, oh, he was hanging with the wrong crowd and, you know, chose cocaine instead. And, When I asked him, like, what circumstances do you think that he was going through during that period he was on your label that you might not have been aware of? And this is definitely not just a story of Sly Stone.

And, you know, I kind of asked him like, well, you know, I think it's more than just like, oh, he was hanging with the wrong crowd and, you know, chose cocaine instead. And, When I asked him, like, what circumstances do you think that he was going through during that period he was on your label that you might not have been aware of? And this is definitely not just a story of Sly Stone.

This is a story of anyone I've ever worked with. This is a story of Frank Ocean or Lauryn Hill or Dave Chappelle, Kanye West. Like, anyone who's ever been mired in trouble. Anyone you ever ask, like, why are they doing this? Like... Everyone goes through this.

This is a story of anyone I've ever worked with. This is a story of Frank Ocean or Lauryn Hill or Dave Chappelle, Kanye West. Like, anyone who's ever been mired in trouble. Anyone you ever ask, like, why are they doing this? Like... Everyone goes through this.

This is a story of anyone I've ever worked with. This is a story of Frank Ocean or Lauryn Hill or Dave Chappelle, Kanye West. Like, anyone who's ever been mired in trouble. Anyone you ever ask, like, why are they doing this? Like... Everyone goes through this.

Um... One, to the pressure of writing game-changing music. You know, Sly's the first person to use a drum machine. Sly's kind of the pioneer of the bedroom do-it-all-yourself musician. You know, there's the pressure of feeding the machine, of writing the hits, of keep winning. You know, there's the idea of what... you are versus who you really are.

Um... One, to the pressure of writing game-changing music. You know, Sly's the first person to use a drum machine. Sly's kind of the pioneer of the bedroom do-it-all-yourself musician. You know, there's the pressure of feeding the machine, of writing the hits, of keep winning. You know, there's the idea of what... you are versus who you really are.

Um... One, to the pressure of writing game-changing music. You know, Sly's the first person to use a drum machine. Sly's kind of the pioneer of the bedroom do-it-all-yourself musician. You know, there's the pressure of feeding the machine, of writing the hits, of keep winning. You know, there's the idea of what... you are versus who you really are.

As the generations go on, like Sly was unable to do that. And when he drops the baton, there was someone in the wings waiting to pick that baton up. And at the time that person was 12 years old and that person's name was Michael Joseph Jackson. So Michael Jackson will wind up picking up the baton of what should have happened to Sly.

As the generations go on, like Sly was unable to do that. And when he drops the baton, there was someone in the wings waiting to pick that baton up. And at the time that person was 12 years old and that person's name was Michael Joseph Jackson. So Michael Jackson will wind up picking up the baton of what should have happened to Sly.

As the generations go on, like Sly was unable to do that. And when he drops the baton, there was someone in the wings waiting to pick that baton up. And at the time that person was 12 years old and that person's name was Michael Joseph Jackson. So Michael Jackson will wind up picking up the baton of what should have happened to Sly.

And then 10 years later in 1982, Michael himself will go through that same process of being the chosen one, being the God, being the unifier, being the center of attention. And then suddenly he'll just wind up on a kind of a hamster wheel of chasing perfection. And this happens to everyone. Prince, Whitney Houston.

And then 10 years later in 1982, Michael himself will go through that same process of being the chosen one, being the God, being the unifier, being the center of attention. And then suddenly he'll just wind up on a kind of a hamster wheel of chasing perfection. And this happens to everyone. Prince, Whitney Houston.

And then 10 years later in 1982, Michael himself will go through that same process of being the chosen one, being the God, being the unifier, being the center of attention. And then suddenly he'll just wind up on a kind of a hamster wheel of chasing perfection. And this happens to everyone. Prince, Whitney Houston.