Questlove to Executive Produce New VH1 Music Series, ‘Soundclash’
The music world’s busiest drummer-producer just got even busier. Roots mastermind/Jimmy Fallon sidekick Questlove is executive producing a new VH1 music series, Soundclash, in which three artists will perform simultaneously on a single stage, The Associated Press reports. The show will be hosted by DJ-producer Diplo.
Soundclash will feature both up-and-coming acts and high-profile talent “instantaneously” tackling a range of material, from current chart-toppers to cover tunes to collaborative numbers. The premiere episode airs July 23rd and will feature rapper Lil Wayne, emo-rock mainstays Fall Out Boy and British electro-pop act London Grammar; the second episode (which airs on July 30th) includes singer-songwriters Ed Sheeran and Sia, along with alt-rockers Grouplove.
In addition to VH1, the show will also air on digital cable/satellite network Palladia.
The Soundclash format makes sense for Questlove, a man of unending music knowledge who once sported the Twitter tag “Your favorite Twitterer’s favorite music snob.” Though he’s a pioneer in modern hip-hop and soul, Quest told Rolling Stone last month about a somewhat surprising penchant for rock legends Kiss. “I was obsessed with them,” he said.
These days, TV is the norm for Questlove. In addition to his bandleader gig on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he also recently fulfilled his lifelong dream of appearing as a corpse on an episode of Law & Order: SVU. And in Roots news, the hip-hop legends will release their new studio album, …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin, on May 13th.