Today, many know the 52-year-old drummer and musician Questlove (born Ahmir Thompson) from his role as a co-founder of the Roots hip-hop group. Others know Quest from his time as the bandleader on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. More still know him from his recent Oscar win for the musical documentary Summer of Soul.
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But while he has all those to his credit, many might not know the Philadelphia-born Questlove wrote songs for other artists, too. Indeed, Quest is known and beloved for his work with his band the Roots and its lead lyricist Black Thought, but he has worked with numerous others, honing their tracks.
Here are four such songs you likely didn’t know Questlove wrote for other artists.
1. “Cinco Minutos Con Vos,” Elvis Costello
Written by Elvis Costello, Questlove and Steven Mandel
Released in 2013, British-born songwriter Elvis Costello created the album Wise Up Ghost with the Philadelphia hip-hop group The Roots. One song to come from that collaboration was “Cinco Minutos Con Vos,” which Costello talks about in this American Songwriter interview from almost 10 years ago. Quest and Elvis worked on almost every song on the 2013 LP.
I stood at the kerb trying not to disturb
The dark carnival crew and a glittering voice
Far off there said, “Rejoice”
“As the casualties are but few”
Going to tell you now
Before I forget myself
I could let you loose
But the key won’t undo the lock
And the face of the clock
Seemed to merrily mock
These five minutes with you
2. “Otherside of the Game,” Erykah Badu
Written by Erykah Badu, Questlove, James Poyser, Hub, Peter Nichols
Released on Badu’s debut solo LP, Baduizm, in 1997, “Otherside of the Game” showcases the vocalist’s knack for pop tints, jazz foundations, and alluring sensibilities throughout. On it, you can hear Questlove’s tight rhythms around distant horns and beeper blips. It’s smooth—as the kids say today, a vibe. It’s all about the singer saying she has a baby on the way but her man is often in trouble.
Now, me and baby got this situation
See, brother got this complex occupation
And it ain’t that he don’t have education
‘Cause I was right there at his graduation
Now, I ain’t sayin’ that this life don’t work
But it’s me and baby that he hurts
Because I tell him right, he thinks I’m wrong
But I love him strong
3. “Geto Heaven, Pt. Two,” Common
Written by D’Angelo, Common, Questlove, James Poyser
“Geto Heaven, Pt. Two,” appears on Common’s breakout album, Like Water for Chocolate, and it also features vocalist Erykah Badu (a former romantic partner of Common). The beat in the background, built by Quest, is sharp and capable of including samples, raps, or jazz piano. As the story goes, the track was originally meant for D’Angelo and his 2000 album, Voodoo, but it was traded to Common for (the song below), “Chicken Grease.”
4. “Chicken Grease,” D’Angelo
Written by Michael Archer, James Poyser, Questlove
On “Chicken Grease,” D’Angelo skats over staccato samples and instrumentation. It’s a hot track, as the name may insinuate.
The song came about while working on music for Common’s Like Water for Chocolate. “By mid ’99 the Soulquarians were in full swing (D, Me, Jay Dee, James Poyser) and we were working on Common’s Like Water for Chocolate when we came up with this lethal jam,” Questlove remembers. “It was so good that D pulled me to the side and said ‘I ain’t no Indian giver … but I ain’t lettin’ Com walk off with this song.’ He called me 3 times that morning begging to ask Com for that track. Com agreed, and we named it ‘Chicken Grease’ after a phrase that Prince uses when he wants his guitarist to play a 9th minor chord while playing 16th notes.”
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
