Questlove had a surprising wake-up call when he thought Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up” video was dissing The Roots. However, it was actually a tribute to their iconic “The Next Movement” music video.
Questlove, the well-known drummer of The Roots, had quite the awakening when he saw Kendrick Lamar’s new video, “Squabble Up.” He initially believed Lamar was airing a diss, thanks to receiving a deluge of texts alerting him to the surprise. Upon watching the video, he realized it was all a misunderstanding, and instead, an homage to his band was unfolding on screen.
On “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Questlove explained his initial panic, “I woke up to 30 K. Dot texts. I thought, ‘Oh no.’ He just dissed us.” However, the messages soon cleared things up, revealing Lamar was showing appreciation for The Roots by alluding to their “The Next Movement” clip.
Questlove noted the honor of being acknowledged in such a way, stating, “It’s an honor, but it’s also a surprise when you see people acknowledging you after all this time.” It’s not every day that artists tip their hats to predecessors in this creative manner.
Interestingly, Questlove had publicly commented on Kendrick Lamar’s beef with another big name, Drake. Reflecting on the feud, he likened it to a wrestling match missing any real artistic merit, stating on Instagram, “Nobody won the war… women & children (& actual facts) be damned.” He decried the spectacle as a low point, stating “Hip Hop truly is dead.” However, it seems any tension over his remarks didn’t linger.
On the brighter side, the nod from Lamar inspired Questlove to rekindle flames on an overdue project. After seeing a viral tweet comparing “Squabble Up” to “The Next Movement,” he playfully remarked, “Damn now we GOTTA FINISH THIS LP huh? We back BABY!” True to his word, another Instagram post followed, thanking Lamar and confirming a new Roots album was indeed in the pipeline.
Questlove cherished a touching moment while reminiscing about a chance encounter in Germany. Sharing his love for music, he said, “My number one love is the music I create in @TheRoots — that is the fuel to my fire.” The unexpected tribute from Lamar had been a reminder of the impact and connection formed through music.
In the end, what started as confusion turned into an uplifting moment for Questlove and a new chapter for The Roots. The kind gesture by Lamar highlighted the power music has to transcend misunderstandings, leaving Questlove and his bandmates ready to dive back into their creative process.
Questlove’s initial confusion over Kendrick Lamar’s tribute video turned into a heartwarming acknowledgment of The Roots’ influence. The unexpected homage inspired Questlove to revisit his musical projects, proving once again the lasting power of artistic connections.
