Hank Aaron, the legendary baseball slugger who overtook Babe Ruth as baseball’s Home Run King, died on Friday at the age of 86. The Atlanta Braves outfielder, also known as Hammerin’ Hank, was a 25-time all-star, the 1957 National League MVP, a three-time Gold Glove winner and of course, a Hall of Famer. Aaron’s impact, however, was felt most off the field. The subject of racism and death threats as he closed in Ruth’s record, Aaron handled himself with class and grace and proved to be a role model for all Americans. His iconic 755 home runs would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds surpass him. Aaron remains Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in RBIs. With so many musicians being baseball fans, the outpouring of tributes to Hammerin’ Hank poured in on Friday morning. “Hank Aaron, my ch...
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher of the ’80s group Whodini reportedly passed away on Wednesday, but if the reactions to his death are any indication, the early rapper’s legacy will still be felt for decades to come. A who’s who of hip hop history shared their condolences and stories of how Fletcher had influenced them, with social media eulogies coming in from Ice Cube, Chuck D, Q-Tip, Questlove (who was the first person to report of the death), DJ Premier, and more. Thank you Ecstasy for showing us how to do it. RIP pic.twitter.com/ppfUZeZesp — Ice Cube (@icecube) December 23, 2020 Fletcher, Jalil Hutchins and J Grandmaster Dee released six albums throughout the ’80s as Whodini (who are now considered hip hop legends of the era, second only to Run-DMC). The trio helped lay the groundwork to t...
Source: The Balvenie / The Balvenie Questlove of The Roots fame has managed to not only be one of the most sought-after music minds but can also count himself as a valuable creator of content outside his usual confines. With the announcement of an exciting new partnership with The Balvenie Scotch, the drummer and DJ will also be the host of a new series in conjunction with the spirits company. The artist born Ahmir Thompson has entered into a multi-year partnership with The Balvenie to create a content series titled Quest for Craft, which will follow the exploits of Questlove as he examines, cuisine, cocktails, and culture. The series will make its debut in the fall of 2021, with the hope from our side that the world will be open for widespread travel befitting of such a series. “I have al...
The Roots co-founder Malik B. died earlier on Wednesday at the age of 47. After his cousin, Don Champion, delivered the news, tributes from the music community began to pour in, but none were as powerful as those from his former Roots bandmates. Black Thought and Questlove remembered Malik B. — who was in the group from 1987-1999 and made a few sporadic appearances in the 2000s — but in different fashions. Black Thought honored the memory of Malik in a solemn Instagram post. “We made a name and carved a lane together where there was none. We ressurected [sic] a city from the ashes, put it on our backs and called it Illadelph. In friendly competition with you from day one, I always felt as if I possessed only a mere fraction of your true gift and potential. Your steel sharpened my steel as ...
Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is a man of many fine tastes be it Hip-Hop music (obviously), sneakers and food, amongst other interests. The Roots drummer’s culinary affinities have led to his hosting a brand new Food Network special called Questlove’s Potluck at the end of May. Questlove’s Potluck will premiere on the Food Network on Thursday, May 28th at 10pm ET. We’re in the midst of a pandemic, so you won’t be able to physically participate, but you will see Quest kick it with guests that include Tiffany Haddish, Patti LaBelle and Hannibal Burress, and more. With Quest holding down the virtual hosting duties, those tuning in will see an eclectic group of stars breaking bread and sharing their fav dishes and drinks. Besides the aforementioned, those o...
Source: NBC / Getty As members of The Roots, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter have been rightly heralded as one of Hip-Hop’s brightest acts and now they’re taking their talents to new levels. It was recently announced that the longtime bandmates and friends have signed a first-look deal with Universal Television Alternative Studio and Universal Television. The new three-year deal will have the pair overseeing the development of a series of original programs, including both scripted and unscripted works, via their Two One Five Entertainment brand. This adds to the Questlove and Black Thought’s ongoing relationship with NBC as members of Jimmy Fallon’s house band for his late-night television program. “This deal is very important to us as we’ve been content produc...