*Hip Hop’s premiere band, The Roots, demonstrated fierce musicianship, electric showmanship, and a set filled with golden nuggets from their Grammy-winning discography.
The Tonight Show House Band, led by drummer Amir Khalib “Questlove” Thompson and Black Thought (Tariq Luqmaan Trotter) on the microphone, provided lyrical annihilation, cosmic arrangements, and austere instrumentation.
The Roots band included stellar performances from Damon Eugene Bryson, also known as Tuba Gooding Jr., Captain Kirk Douglas on guitar, James Poyser on keys, Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax, Raymond Angry on organ & synths, Sto Elliott on electronic beats, Dave Guy on trumpet, Kamal Gray on keys, and Mark Kelly on bass.
The Roots conjured the club vibe, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall was on tilt as the clock ticked away at 2025. For many, it was a year to forget.
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The music uplifted fans of all ages and cultures, whether or not they were intimately connected to the Roots’ journey from South Street in Philadelphia to being proclaimed the top band in Hip Hop.
Questlove remains a formidable force across music, media, and education. A producer on the original 2015 Broadway cast album of Hamilton, he is also the co-founder of culture-driving platforms Okayplayer and OkayAfrica.
Questlove is so prolific that he wrote the book on Hip Hop, literally. He is the author of Hip Hop is History, which was released in Hip Hop’s golden year.
The Grammys gave him the dubious task of Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary tribute. The ever-cool Questlove lost a tooth due to the stress of it all.
That is now in the rearview mirror. All roads lead to more history-making moments and memorable kick-azz music.
In 2016, Questlove joined the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University as an adjunct professor and continues to shape industry dialogue as host of the long-running Questlove Supreme podcast.
His production credits span genre and generation, including work with Elvis Costello, Common, D’Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Jay-Z, Al Green, and John Legend. Questlove is the recipient of an Academy Award, six Grammy Awards, and a BAFTA Award.
The 2026 LA Phil season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall celebrates Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel’s final year with LA Phil. Enjoy a yearlong celebration honoring the extraordinary music he and the orchestra have created together and the indomitable spirit of Los Angeles.
From daring new commissions to enduring masterpieces, this season is a powerful celebration of connection, expressed through sound. For more information, go to: www.LAPhil.com
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