Black History Episodes

Bar-Kays legend James Alexander joins the Questlove Show for a deeply personal conversation, tracing his journey from a teenage musician playing segregated clubs in Memphis to becoming a cornerstone of Stax Records and a young artist mentored by Otis Redding. James reflects on the spontaneous birth and enduring impact of “Soul Finger,” the hard truths of touring in the 1960s, and the business wisdom Otis shared with him about publishing and ownership. He also speaks with profound honesty about t...

For Black History Month, QLS opens up the archives to look at accomplishments in the media. Questlove selects and annotates clips involving legends of stage, screen, and broadcast — while dropping some thoughts of his own. This clips, featuring Donnie Simpson, Wayne Brady, Erika Alexander, Big Lez, and others highlight the progress, impact, and accomplishments of so many.

As QLS celebrates Black History Month, look back at poignant clips from Chris Rock, Ben Vereen, Jenifer Lewis, Solange, and others. Questlove offers some insights on why this podcast makes it a point to create a platform for Black History year 'round—now more than ever.

Ben Vereen joins Questlove Supreme with his daughter Kabara. What begins as a conversation about a legendary, award-winning career in theater, film, and television organically goes someplace much deeper. Ben Vereen shares discoveries about his identity and traces his knowledge of self while speaking about Roots, Sweet Charity, and his unforgettable appearance on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. This QLS episode is a powder keg of emotions, realizations, and timely calls for history and truth from one of our great elders, who is finishing his memoir.

This Questlove Supreme interview defies the typical order of things. Questlove and Team Supreme ask Corinne Bailey Rae about the inspiration, iconography, and real-life events that inspired her refreshing and recent Black Rainbows concept album. Then, the conversation heads backward through the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter's discography, dynamic musical journey, and Leeds upbringing.