Questlove will be honoured with the 2025 Peabody Trailblazer Award in Los Angeles on October 10 for his expansive contributions to music, documentary storytelling and the preservation of Black culture.
The Peabody organization announced the award earlier this week, citing the Oscar-winning filmmaker and longtime drummer of The Roots as a “vital cultural archivist and social commentator.” The honour celebrates individuals whose creative work drives cultural progress and social change.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who first rose to fame as co-founder and drummer of The Roots, has built a career that stretches far beyond the stage. The Roots, known for their genre-blending sound and live instrumentation, currently serve as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
His 2021 documentary Summer of Soul unearthed long-forgotten footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and took home both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance. It also earned a Peabody Award.
