Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson Delivers Commencement Address to LMU Class of 2025
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson served as the keynote speaker at Loyola Marymount University’s undergraduate commencement celebration on May 17, 2025 • Photo Credit: Loyola Marymount University
LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2025 (ENTERTAINMENT INTERVIEWS) — Musician, filmmaker, and author Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson delivered the undergraduate commencement address at Loyola Marymount University’s 2025 ceremony. Thompson delivered remarks centered on navigating uncertainty and personal growth through four core principles: gratitude, breathing through fear, movement, and self-affirmation.
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Speaking at LMU’s Westchester campus, Thompson told graduates, “This isn't just for people with framed credentials. This is for anyone who's felt small in a big moment — or too big in a world that wanted you to feel smaller.”
Thompson discussed how daily practices have shaped his resilience. “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 said.
Addressing stress and anxiety, he stated, “Your lungs can't distinguish between a panic attack and a standing ovation — so only your breath decides which story you're living.”
On emotional processing, he added, “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.”
He concluded with a message on self-talk: “Transformation begins with how you talk to yourself — by flipping that question … 'Am I good enough?' into 'I am good enough.'”
Thompson is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, a six-time GRAMMY winner, and the musical director for “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” His documentary Summer of Soul won the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary, and his latest film Sly Lives! premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
More than 2,880 students are participating in LMU’s commencement ceremonies. The university’s graduate and law school commencement will take place on May 18, with physicist and author Brian Greene scheduled to speak.
For more information, visit www.lmu.edu.
Source: Loyola Marymount University
