Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker and drummer for The Roots, has added yet another exciting project to his list of upcoming endeavors: a documentary delving into 50 years of music on Saturday Night Live (SNL), the long-running NBC sketch comedy program. Thompson directed the three-hour documentary alongside Oz Rodriguez, a former segment director on SNL.
Titled Ladies and Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music—a nod to the introductions the show’s high-profile hosts traditionally give to each episode’s notable musical guest—the three-hour documentary features untold stories behind the show’s musical performances, sketches, and cameos from throughout its half-century run. The film is due to debut on NBC and its streaming platform, Peacock, on January 27th ahead of SNL‘s 50th anniversary primetime special on Sunday, February 16th.
Per Deadline, the documentary features interviews with a wide range of artists including Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rock, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, and Jack White. Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music is executive produced by Lorne Michaels, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Zarah Zohlman, Erin David, Dave Sirulnick, Jon Kamen, Meredith Bennett, Alexander H. Browne, Shawn Gee, and Tariq Trotter. Oz Rodriguez serves as producer. The special was produced by Questlove’s Two One Five Entertainment, RadicalMedia, and Broadway Video.
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“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello, Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Questlove said in a statement. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and now get to share it with everyone.”
As Thompson added in a comment on his post about the project, “This secret was kept under wraps for about a year & some change. We locked film yesterday but we never made an announcement 📢 … you can peep it January 27th.”
In recent years, Questlove has ramped up his work as everyone’s favorite music appreciation educator. His documentary on the oft-overlooked 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), earned him his first-ever Academy Award in 2022 (Best Documentary Feature) among various other honors. As of last year, he was also reportedly directing a hybrid live action/animated reboot of Disney’s The Aristocats. In addition to the SNL music doc, Questlove has announced upcoming documentaries about Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly Stone slated for release in 2025.
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