Friday night in Los Angeles proved to be the picturesque scene to honor and celebrate Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for his invaluable contributions to society, art, and of course, Black culture. On October 10th, Questlove was honored with the third annual Peabody Trailblazer Award, recognizing specifically his work as a musical archivist, documentarian, and cultural steward.
The Peabody Trailblazer Award honors visionary storytellers whose contribution to art and media help to drive social change. The purpose of the Peabody Awards themselves is to champion such works that generate conversations leading to better understanding and acceptance of diverse lived experiences — fitting for the body of work Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has given to society. In particular, the evening’s honor and subsequent fireside chat focused on his work as a music documentarian which includes projects he directed such as the Oscar-winning “Summer of Soul,” “Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius),” “Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music,” and a forthcoming Earth Wind and Fire documentary to be released in 2026.
Ahead of the ceremony, Questlove spoke to ESSENCE about what this recognition means to him and how it will invigorate his work going forward. In sum, “this [recognition] tells me that I’m on the right path,” he shares. He speaks candidly about the experience of imposter syndrome that artists face when entering a new chapter of their artwork, especially Black artists. For him though, he came to realize how cathartic filmmaking is as a medium. At a mere five years old he was introduced to the world of music and knew his purpose was to be a drummer and music director. Now, “my mission is a little bigger, and I’m accepting that responsibility.”
As a figure who has contributed much to the culture in meaningful ways, he offers some insight for younger Black artists and media hopefuls looking to do the same: “It’s human nature for us to dismiss our inside voice, and I’ve been guilty of it as well. I often say, ‘I’m not ready yet, or it’s not ready yet,’ but it’s really just about going with my gut, my heart. That’s where it starts. It starts with going with your heart first.”
Later into the evening he offered a connective thought on outer perceptions and inner authenticity while reflecting on his journey of leadership. “We’d rather be likeable than to live in our light. So letting that go and owning who you are is a lot of necessary work.” To this, he got a resounding hum from the intimate crowd of artists and friends in the audience.
Joined by industry colleagues and friends such as longtime collaborator and The Roots bandmember Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Quinta Brunson, Gabrielle Union, Journee Smollett, Robin Thede, Elaine Welteroth, Yvonne Orji, Marissa Bode, Jabari Banks, Kerry Gordy, and many industry executives, Questlove sat in the full weight of his artistic accomplishments and responsibilities, an act that feels fairly new to him.
While he is getting used to accepting the flowers given, his colleagues had bouquets to give. About the work Questlove is doing, Kerry Gordy underscores the importance, and the risk of erasure particularly under the current presidential administration. Similarly, comedians and actors Robin Thede and Yvonne Orji speak to the necessity of representing layered Black experiences on-screen in all their complexities with dignity. Thede illuminates how Questlove’s documentary work uplifts the contributions of lesser known Black musicians across generations. “By exposing the work of these cultural icons it keeps that legacy alive and inspires younger artists.” Affectionately, she proclaims that the storytelling community is championing for Questlove to achieve “PEGOT” status, a spin on the honor of the EGOT, with the addition of a Peabody Award, of course.
To further set the scene for the night, we were welcomed into a swank, jazz club-esque venue called The Sun Rose Room located in Hollywood’s Sun Rose Hotel. Surrounded by dim lighting and plush velvet chairs the audience settled in as they awaited opening remarks from The Peabody Award’s Executive Director Jeffery Jones, followed by the official award presentation given by fellow artist, previous award-honoree, and Philadelphia-native, Quinta Brunson. The fireside chat saw Jones engage Questlove in a series of topics spanning from his upbringing and early musical inspirations, his organic love for archiving, and what brought him to the directorial role he now occupies. He spoke of his affinity for physical archives which he inherited from his father who filled his childhood home with thousands of musical records, leading to his own collection of roughly 200,000 records and counting. Offering a peek into his film curation process, he tells the room that he keeps every television in his home and office on a constant loop of archival footage, taking notes on anything that stands out – a practice inspired by the late Prince who he says would have “Finding Nemo” on loop in his own home, for creative purposes. He also teased the focus of his upcoming Earth Wind and Fire documentary, which centers the band’s ability to teach their fanbase about the spirituality within metaphysics.
The evening concluded with a celebratory toast and more pleasantries. For final thoughts on his archival work, Questlove jokes with ESSENCE that he sees himself as a “creative hoarder,” stating, “I’m sentimental and I don’t like throwing things away.” But in a time such as the one we are living in, and, he argues, that we have always similarly lived in — wherein threats to our existence and history have always been present — it is vital work to record, preserve, and contextualize what we have done, where we have been, and what it all means for us as people.
“I’m glad that I took that position, and I take that responsibility to heart.”