Photo by Victoria Ford/Sneakshot Photography
Source: Victoria Ford for Okayplayer
Questlove on how a Spike Lee commercial inspired The Roots' early busking days
Last month, Questlove joined a New Orleans busker in an impromptu curbside performance that found The Roots drummer in rare, but familiar territory. In today's installment of a special five-part stretch of The Questions, Questo reveals how a case of mistaken identity finally brought The Roots out of the ground and into the industry garden by way of buckets, pans, and a Levi's commercial.
WATCH: The Questions: Questlove on Roots Picnic Prep and Finding The Perfect DJ
Speaking on the 25th anniversary (to the day) of the formation of The IllaFifth Dynasty, Questlove shares the full sequence to the historic South Street performances; catching a train back from NYC with Black Thought after a Julliard audition, running into the woman that inquired as to whether he was "Chocolate," the bucket-drummer from a Spike Lee-directed ad-spot, the pull to grab their own kitchen utensils and follow suit after seeing that very commercial during an episode of Soul Train. And so, it was written: the most prolific performers in hip-hop history (creeping up on music's all-time list with ease) caught the spark from a one-minute profile on an NYC bucket-drummer by Uncle Spike.
READ: The Faces of Roots Picnic 2017: Backstage Portraits by Shayan Asgharnia
Watch Questlove tell the whole tale in the clip below and tune in tomorrow for the third part in the series.
