Musician, filmmaker and activist Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson received the 2025 Peabody Trailblazer Award on Friday (Oct. 10) at The Sun Rose Hotel in Los Angeles.
Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson presented Questlove, 54, with the award, which “recognizes visionaries whose innovative storytelling styles impact culture and effect social change.” Previous recipients include Brunson and Issa Rae.
“I am so honored to be here tonight to present an award from one Philly kid to another Philly kid,” Brunson said on stage. “By using his platform to advocate for representation, equity, and cultural preservation, Questlove has transcended the role of musician to become a vital cultural archivist.”
In his acceptance speech, Questlove encouraged artists to follow their creative instincts and push past self-doubt, saying, “Now is the time more than ever… because it’s cathartic, it’s therapeutic, but it’s necessary. And right now, joy is an act of rebellion, so I thank you for celebrating me with this honor.”
During an on-stage conversation with Peabody Awards executive director Dr. Jeffrey Jones, Questlove shared a secret of his success. “Every morning: five minutes of gratitude, silence, stretching, and affirmations. It sounds small, but that’s how I stay grounded as an artist and a human.”
Questlove’s work has had a profound cultural and social impact by reshaping music, preserving Black history, and amplifying underrepresented voices. As the co-founder and drummer of The Roots, he revolutionized hip-hop by introducing live instrumentation and blending genres, helping shape the Neo-Soul movement and influencing artists across generations.
Beyond performance, Questlove has become a cultural historian and storyteller through his Oscar- Grammy- and Peabody-winning documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), which revived the forgotten legacy of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and highlighted the erasure of Black artistry from mainstream narratives, as well as the Primetime Emmy-nominated Sly Lives! (Aka the Burden of Black Genius).
Questlove has won six Grammys (three of them with The Roots) and an Oscar and has received three Primetime Emmy nods.