?uestlove and Woody? A Found in Malcolm X Park Mystery Deepens!
Commenter Rae has made a startling identification of one of the subjects of a photo in the Found in Malcolm X Park series:
That photo is wonderful. I believe that is a photo of now drummer, Amir Thompson, aka. ?uestlove of the Roots.
He grew up very near to Malcolm X Park. It looks a lot like him.
He would have been about 12-13 in 1983.
Here’s is the photo in question (click to expand for a better look):
And here is a photo of ?uestlove as an adult:
(Photo by flickr user frankflix)
What do you think? I think it’s possible! Of course, Malcolm X Park would have been known as Black Oak Park back then. Any readers who know ?uestlove want to try confirming it with him? Send me a note! It would be fantastic to be able to return these photos to their rightful owner and hear the real story behind them.
After all, the folks at Found Magazine do it all the time.
somegirl1114 said,
May 23, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
maybe you can get in touch with him via this site: http://www.twoonefivemagazine.com/contact_us.cfm
I think he’s involved in it, if not, he was on the cover of the last issue so someone there knows how to reach him…
adam said,
May 24, 2008 @ 2:27 am
It is definitely him and I think his sister. I can get in touch with him and will email him…
?uesto said,
May 25, 2008 @ 12:20 am
damn….who the hell let this one out?
andrew said,
May 25, 2008 @ 1:02 am
I found this and two other photos that appear to be from the same trip blowing around in Malcolm X Park. I’d love to know if this really IS Amir Thompson.
?uesto said,
May 25, 2008 @ 6:38 am
a-H-mir? yes…but this is me at disneyland in 83. about 3000 miles away from my “roots” (grew up 52nd and Osage)—how did yall get this photo? my dad have something to do with this? lol
andrew said,
May 25, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
I was hoping you might have an idea of where it came from. I literally found it blowing around in Malcolm X Park and thought it was just a kind of charming and innocent photo from back in the day. Do you still have family at 52nd and Osage? There is a prevailing wind that blows east across the park, and it’s possible that the photos could have been in the trash on or near 52nd street and blown into the park. You’ll see in the right hand column of the site that I have a series of posts called “Found in the Park” where I post pieces of trash or other discarded items that I find while walking in the park. I think it gives an interesting perspective on what kind of use the place gets. I would be happy to send you the originals if you’d like!
?uesto said,
May 26, 2008 @ 12:02 am
lol…..
:::Philebrity…media, culture, music and more::: » Blog Archive » Thursday Afternoon ?uestlove Doubleshot: What And WHAT? said,
May 29, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
[...] Woody circa 1983, I am the portrait of style and comfort in my Gordon Gartrell cargo pants.” MalcomXPark: Ahmir, IS THAT YOU??? TheDailySwarm: Some Of My Best Friends Are Dead Or Almost-Dead White Rock [...]
Phillybits said,
May 29, 2008 @ 8:03 pm
Lol. Andrew, this post is defintely one of your tightest pieces now.
Chris Paquette said,
May 29, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
This post is great! I love the instantaneous results! If anyone wants to see some absolutely incredible photos of the Roots…. my friend Hilary Allen followed them during their recent studio sessions in Philly and New York….she shoots mostly Polaroid and medium format film…. she told me that ?uestLove and the rest of the group were fantastic to work with and it really shows in her photographs…..
Sol Exposure
andrew said,
May 30, 2008 @ 8:54 am
I have no way of independently verifying, of course, but someone credibly identifying himself as Questlove has e-mailed me to confirm that this is indeed him and his sister Donn. Though he’s as perplexed as I am about how the photo ended up on the ground in Malcolm X Park!
Make Major Moves » Blog Archive » Make Major News: ?uestlove Is Emo Edition said,
September 4, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
[...] Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson (picture at left provided by malcolmxpark.org) sent an email blast this morning to “about 200 musicians, actors, writers, bandleaders, [...]
Javier Salgado Jr. said,
March 22, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
Quest Youngen! Had the pleasure of opening for you guys in Milwaukee ’08!