Who Is Questlove? Age, Biography and Wiki
Questlove, born on January 20, 1971, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an acclaimed American hip-hop musician, DJ, producer, and author. As of 2025, he is 54 years old and continues to gain recognition for his musical prowess and creative contributions to the industry. Best known as the drummer and joint frontman of the legendary band The Roots, Questlove’s passion for music started at a young age, leading to a remarkable career that transcends traditional boundaries.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 20, 1971 |
| Age | 54 Years |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Questlove's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Standing tall at approximately 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) and weighing around 215 pounds (98 kg), Questlove possesses a distinctive presence both on and off stage. His body stats, including his athletic build, have been a point of admiration for fans and a testament to his energetic performances.
Ahmir K. Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ?uestlove), is an American drummer, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thought) for the hip-hop band the Roots.
The Roots have been the in-house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since 2014, after having fulfilled the same role on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Questlove is also one of the producers of the 2015 cast album of the Broadway musical Hamilton. He has also co-founded the websites Okayplayer and OkayAfrica.
He joined Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University as an adjunct professor in 2016, and hosts the podcast Questlove Supreme.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
While Questlove has kept much of his personal life private, he has been linked to various personalities in the past. As of 2025, he remains single but has been focusing on his career and personal growth. There have been whispers regarding his former relationships, but his current status suggests he is navigating his life independently.
His father was Arthur Lee Andrews Thompson, from Goldsboro, North Carolina. A singer, he became known as Lee Andrews and was lead with Lee Andrews & the Hearts, a 1950s doo-wop group. Ahmir's mother, Jacquelin Thompson, together with his father, was also part of the Philadelphia-based soul group Congress Alley.
His parents did not want to leave him with babysitters so they took him with them when they were on tour. He grew up in backstages of doo-wop shows. When he was 7 years old, Questlove helped prepare his father’s performance outfits and when he was 10, he operated stage lights for his father’s performances.
At age 12, Questlove filled in as a drummer for his father’s band, debuting as a performer at the Radio City Music Hall.
Net Worth and Salary
Questlove has built a substantial wealth over his multifaceted career. As of 2025, his net worth is estimated to be around $16 million. His earnings stem from multiple sources including his music sales, live performances, DJ gigs, and various investments in entertainment and the arts. Despite the significant increases in his wealth, Questlove maintains a grounded lifestyle, prioritizing creativity over extravagance.
Career, Business and Investments
Questlove’s career is nothing short of illustrious. Beginning with The Roots, he has expanded his repertoire by producing music for various artists and contributing to numerous projects. His ventures include the successful television show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where The Roots serve as the house band.
In addition to music, Questlove has authored several books, tackling topics around music, culture, and his personal journey. He is also involved in various business investments, focusing on culinary arts and wellness with his ventures into restaurants and food products.
In September 2022, it was announced that Questlove would executive produce a feature documentary about J Dilla titled Dilla Time, adapted from the Dan Charnas biography of the same name. Joseph Patel, who also produced Summer of Soul, and Darby Wheeler are slated to co-direct.
In the same year, Questlove executive produced Descendant, a feature documentary on the historic discovery of The Clotilda—the last known slave ship to arrive in America illegally transporting enslaved Africans.
The documentary, which made its world premiere at Sundance in 2022, was acquired by Netflix and Higher Ground, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's production company.
The film earned several award nominations at the 2022 Critics Choice Documentary Awards, 2023 NAACP Image Awards and was also named one of the "Top 5 Documentaries" of 2022 by the National Board of Review.
Social Network
Questlove is highly active on social media platforms, including Instagram and Twitter, where he engages with fans, shares insights into his life, and promotes upcoming projects. With a strong following, he often uses his platform to discuss current events, musical tastes, and his personal philosophy, making him a relatable figure in the celebrity landscape.
Questlove served as executive producer for Mos Def’s 1999 album Black on Both Sides, D'Angelo's 2000 album Voodoo, Slum Village's album Fantastic, Vol. 2, and Common's albums Like Water for Chocolate and Electric Circus.
Besides the aforementioned albums, he has also contributed as a drummer or producer to Erykah Badu's Baduizm and Mama's Gun, Dilated Peoples' Expansion Team, Blackalicious's Blazing Arrow, Bilal's 1st Born Second, N*E*R*D's Fly or Die, Joshua Redman's Momentum, and Zap Mama's Axel Norman Ancestry In Progress, Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine, an
d Zack De La Rocha's currently unreleased solo material.
In 2001, he collaborated as the drummer for The Philadelphia Experiment, a collaborative instrumental jazz album featuring Christian McBride and Uri Caine, and the DJ of the compilation Questlove Presents: Babies Making Babies, released on Urban Theory Records in 2002.
He played drums on Christina Aguilera's song "Loving Me 4 Me" for her 2002 album Stripped. In 2002, he and the Roots released the critically acclaimed Phrenology, which went gold.
Education
Questlove attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, which played a pivotal role in shaping his musical abilities. He later enrolled at the Questlove Center, a unique school dedicated to the study of hip-hop culture, where he further honed his skills and expanded his knowledge base. His educational background has been instrumental in carving his path as an innovator in the music field.
From the PBS television series, Finding Your Roots, hosted by Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Questlove learned in December 2017 that he was descended in part from Charles and Maggie Lewis, his three times great-grandparents, who had been taken captive in warfare and sold as slaves in the port of Ouidah, Dahomey (now Benin) to American ship captai
n William Foster.
They were among 110 slaves smuggled illegally to Mobile, Alabama, in July 1860 on the Clotilda. It was the last known slave ship to carry slaves to the United States. Questlove is the only guest to have appeared on Gates's program to be descended from slaves known by name, ship, and where they came from in Africa.
