"He Had Such An Energy About Him": Questlove Recounts Kanye West's Performance For "Dave Chappelle's Block Party"

The Roots bandleader recalled the moment he was superseded by the Chicago artist.

During a "Storytellers" talk at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, Questlove spoke on Kanye West's performance for "Dave Chappelle's Block Party," and how he was in awe of the Chicago artist.

"I knew it wasn't going to last forever and so there was this moment I describe in which we were sound checking Kanye's moment for 'Jesus Walks,'" Questlove recounted according to Page Six. "Kanye was the only figure in that particular film that wasn't in the original nucleus of the fable…and so even at soundcheck, he had such an energy about him, a new energy about him, that just brought the audience alive. And then as I was drumming, I was like, 'Oh no.' It was like a sixth sense moment. Like, 'I'm dead!' Like, 'This is it for me. Like I'm no longer the spiritual epicenter of this clique. He's about to be."

During the talk, Quest went on to say that he was "overdramatic" about the experience but it taught him not to "[take] any second for granted," while saying that he and the Roots "got a new lease on life" after becoming the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Last year, Questlove wore a shirt with the words "Kanye Doesn't Care About Black People" and "This Is An Alt-Right Dream" during the Concert for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. The shirt was a response to West's vocal support of Donald Trump at the time.

Source: Page Six