Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Simply put, Questlove is a musical genius as well as the very personification of Black excellence. Not only has he used his platform to educate the public about the complex history of Black contributions to the music canon, he also stands up for important and timely social justice causes. The legendary Roots drummer has spoken out against everything from police brutality to voter suppression; he’s challenged everyone from die-hard capitalists to Trump supporters. Questlove has also put his personal stamp on the Black experience by changing the way we consume media as a co-founder of Okayplayer and OkayAfrica. And he has used his power and influence to elevate Black culture by serving as musical director of the Academy Awards, as well as being the show’s in-house DJ (in 2020 and 2021, respectively). After Questlove made his directorial debut last year with the documentary Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), we had a feeling there would be big things in store for him. The film chronicled the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and featured performances by Nina Simone, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Mavis Staples and Mahalia Jackson. And in March 2022, he received a well-deserved Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Questlove has stated that the film's themes are just as relevant today as they were in 1969: “This is about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain. Just know in 2022--this is not just a 1969 story about marginalized people in Harlem."