Questlove turns celebrity game nights into The Next Move
The Roots drummer’s new web series brings his starry game-night circle, oddball questions and party-table chemistry to viewers.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Questlove’s private game-night universe is getting a public table.
The Roots drummer, producer, DJ, author and filmmaker has launched The Next Move, a web series inspired by the celebrity game nights that have pulled in names including J.J. Abrams and Taylor Swift, according to Rolling Stone’s Jeff Ihaza.
The show premieres July 16 and is produced by Two One Five Entertainment, the company from Questlove and Black Thought, Rolling Stone reported. Its hook is familiar enough: famous people talking on camera. Its twist is the room. The guests come from Questlove’s existing game-night circle, giving the interviews the feel of a social hang rather than a standard press-tour stop.
Questlove told Rolling Stone that his hosting style comes with one very specific rule: round tables. He said rock manager Shep Gordon once advised him to avoid square setups at social events, because circular seating keeps guests looking at one another.
That detail fits the whole project. The launch event took place in a Chelsea townhouse that Ihaza was told once belonged to Lady Gaga. The night was not billed as one of Questlove’s official game nights, but the setup still leaned hard into play: six floors, each stocked with different board games.
Rolling Stone reported that guests at the event included Katie Holmes, Jon Hamm and Ayo Edebiri. Ziwe was seen running an Uno game, while another nearby group played a table-slapping game. Kilo Kish was also among the people Ihaza recognized. Janelle Monáe had a game of her own invention there, called Kaboom.
Questlove said the unpredictable mix is part of what makes the format work. He pointed to an episode involving Roy Wood Jr. and comedians, saying the conversation’s tone shifted in a way he did not expect, with Robert Glasper and Michael Che emerging as the funny ones.
The series also grows out of Questlove’s long-running curiosity as an interviewer. On Questlove Supreme, the podcast he has hosted since 2016, he told Rolling Stone he divides questions into two broad types: career details, including how songs and recordings came together, and technical questions for music obsessives.
His favorite lane, he said, is more personal and less expected. Rather than staying on microphones, demos or studio gear, Questlove likes asking artists about everyday details, including old jobs, favorite cereal and awkward bodily moments. He said that instinct also drives The Next Move.
The atmosphere at the launch drew a comparison from Ihaza to TV Party, Glenn O’Brien’s late-1970s New York public-access salon. Questlove said Fab 5 Freddy introduced him to the show’s archives during a podcast interview, prompting his surprise that such a thing had existed.
Questlove’s dream booking for the new series is Michael Jordan, he told Rolling Stone, because he watched The Last Dance twice during the pandemic.
As the Chelsea event rolled on, guests moved between floors while food from local restaurant vendors included burgers, pasta and pizza, according to Rolling Stone. For Questlove, the larger idea is simple: music is one shared human experience, and making room for fun is another.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.