Questlove Recalls Times During His Career Where He Had To Musically Code-Switch: ‘It’s Not Just In The Office Space. But, Even In Entertainment’

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson opens up about how he’s had to code-switch throughout his career while discussing his upcoming feature film “Summer of Soul.”

For the first time, Thompson took on the role of director for Searchlight‘s “Summer of Soul,” a music and history documentary about the almost-forgotten but legendary Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place in 1969 Harlem. For six weeks and no charge, the community of Harlem was able to watch legends of that era perform live right in their neighborhood. Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and more, all came together to bring music and joy to Black and Brown people despite the endless amount of hardships they were going through at the time.

While discussing the film’s emotional impact, Thompson shared a conversation with The 5th Dimension‘s Billy Davis Jr. and Merilyn McCoo about their performance at the Harlem Cultural Festival versus their other, more mainstream performances. Thompson said he noticed Davis changed up how he was singing when he was in front of the predominately Black crowd. It was an earlier version of code-switching.

“I’ll say that the emotional component of the film was something that I wasn’t preparing for…and really didn’t’ know it was going to happen. It wasn’t like the Barbra Walters moment where she’s going to ask that question carried on a stick, and it’s, ‘I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to cry.’ That sorta thing. But, you know, only in conversation if they touch on something I might investigate it,” said Thompson during a Tuesday press conference about the docufilm.

“This sort of emotional trigger moment, at least for the Billy Davis and Merilyn McCoo portion, was the fact that…I couldn’t quite put my hand on it. But, my memory of all the 5th Dimension performances that I saw were sort of composed and steady and very posh and sophisticated. And um, this performance of theirs at the Harlem Cultural Festival was closer to that of a Gospel revival. I had never heard Billy – with the exception of their songs on their solo records – a song called like “You’re Love,” I’ve never heard Billy Davis Jr. use his raspy, Gospel baritone. You know that sort of James Brown-ish, sock it to me. That sorta thing. So, you know, I thought it was humorous. I was like, ‘Wow, Billy. I’ve never heard you use your Gospel register before.'” And you know, they kind of opened the door and said, ‘It was kinda cause like, we were comfortable and excited to be there. Like, it wasn’t a pressure of, ‘We’re on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” or we’re on the “Jack Parr Tonight Show.”‘”

Thompson said he came to realize that Davis, McCoo, and many other artists were working under the pressure of having to code-switch, a strategy Black people often use when communicating with people outside of their communities as a form of protection, typically with white people.

He continued: “And I realized then. Like, I had a memento moment, and I realized, ‘Oh, so Black people have to code-switch all the time. It’s not just in the office space. But, even in entertainment. Because I related to that, you know, I’m a guy that has to adjust his show if we’re performing. If we’re touring with Beck, we gotta do a show a certain way. If we’re doing Wu-Tang Clan, it’s a certain way. If it’s System of a Down, certain way. Then next week is Erykah Badu. So, no one has more stress of, you know, call my agent, ‘What town are we in? What’s the audience look like?’ Like, I had to code-switch. Like, all my shows aren’t transferrable to each audience; I had to adjust to every place we go to. And I noticed that. And that was [Davis and McCoo’s] way of telling me that they too had to go through that pressure. Probably the most telling moment of that festival that goes over people’s heads is that when I’m looking at David Ruffin’s performance… it’s the middle of August, and he’s wearing a wool tuxedo and a coat. And I’m like, ‘Why?’ And, it hit me that, you had to be, back then, you had to be professional, even to the detriment of your own comfort.”

“Summer of Soul” is set to hit theaters and Hulu on July 2.

“In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park),” reads a description on the Searchlight Pictures’ website.

“The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past, and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more,” it continues.