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Ahmir Thompson, AKA Questlove

Fresh Air

Published September 1, 2005 at 11:00 PM CDT

Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove, is the drummer for the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Roots. The Philadelphia-based sextet has seven albums to its credit, the latest of which is The Game Theory.

Their music melds styles: Chuck Berry-style rock 'n' roll, jazz fusion, funk, poetry, shout-outs to hip-hop pioneers, lyrical slaps at money-mad rappers, black nationalism and groove-laden neo-soul musings. (This interview originally aired Feb. 6, 2003.)