Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson Inspires LMU Graduates with Message of Gratitude, Growth, and Self-Affirmation

Malaysian Reserve

18-05-2025

LOS ANGELES, May 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Academy Award-winning filmmaker and multiple GRAMMY Award-winning Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson shared with Loyola Marymount University's Class of 2025 four guiding practices that helped him navigate uncertainty and success as part of his deeply moving address to undergraduates.
In his remarks to a captivated audience on LMU's Westchester campus, he connected with the crowd by sharing the fears, struggles, and emotions many graduates grapple with as they face the next chapter. 'This isn't just for people with framed credentials,' he said. 'This is for anyone who's felt small in a big moment — or too big in a world that wanted you to feel smaller.' See the press kit with images and Questlove's commencement video HERE.
Drawing from personal experience, he shared what helped him remain grounded through life's milestones: Wake with gratitude. Breathe through fear. Move what is frozen. Speak kindness to yourself.Questlove explained how these daily habits became a foundation for resilience and growth. Reflecting on gratitude — also a cornerstone of Ignatian spirituality — he noted that his relationship with gratitude evolved with time. 'Without gratitude, we become entitled … But gratitude is what keeps you human, reminding us that even with our hustle and willpower, something bigger is at work.'
He stressed the importance of conscious breathing during periods of stress and anxiety. 'Your lungs can't distinguish between a panic attack and a standing ovation — so only your breath decides which story you're living,' Questlove said.
Stressing the importance of movement, he underscored the physical toll of unprocessed emotions: 'What we don't process, we still carry — first in our hearts, then it's in our bodies. What we don't express will find a way to express through us anyway.'
In one of the most personal moments of his speech, he shared the power of self-affirmation: 'Transformation begins with how you talk to yourself — by flipping that question … 'Am I good enough?' into 'I am good enough.''Questlove is a visionary creative who elevates dialogue, curiosity, and representation through artistic expression. An Academy Award-winning filmmaker, drummer, DJ, producer, director, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and member of 'The Roots,' Questlove is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia's most influential hip-hop group. He is also the musical director for 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,' where his beloved Roots crew serves as the house band. A six-time GRAMMY Award-winning musician, Questlove has worked as a musical director for acclaimed artists including D'Angelo and Jay-Z, and as a producer for Elvis Costello, Common, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Jay-Z, Nikka Costa, Booker T. Jones, Al Green, and John Legend. He is one of the producers of the 2015 cast album of the Broadway musical 'Hamilton,' and his 2021 directorial debut 'Summer of Soul,' exploring the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, won the 2022 Academy Award for 'Best Documentary.' He directed 'Sly Lives!' — also known as 'The Burden of Black Genius' — a kaleidoscopic, genre-bending portrait of Sly Stone that premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim, and he co-directed 'Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL,' the highly praised feature documentary celebrating the music legacy of 'Saturday Night Live.'
More than 2,880 students will join LMU's weekend commencement ceremonies. Brian Greene, a leading theoretical physicist and sought-after communicator of groundbreaking scientific concepts, will speak at the graduate and LMU Loyola Law School commencement on Sunday, May 18.