The Judges

Black Thought

Black Thought is a co-founding member of The Roots, along with ?uestlove. As the lead MC of The Roots, Black Thought is known for his complex and often politically charged lyrics.

?uestlove

?uestlove (or Questlove) is the drummer for The Roots from Philadelphia. He is also a talented record producer, DJ, and music journalist. In addition to being a member of The Roots, ?uestlove has produced others as well, including Common, D'Angelo, and Al Green. Along with James Poyser, he is a member of the production team, Soulquarians.

Mantis Evar (EVP Artists and Community, Indaba Music)

Indaba Music co-founder Mantis Evar has worked for over twenty-five years as a music producer, mastering, recording, and live sound engineer, production manager, marketing coordinator, and bassist. Prior to joining Indaba Music, Mantis worked at Capitol and Blue Note Records, where he participated in album releases for artists such as the Beastie Boys, Norah Jones, DJ Smash, and St. Germain. He is credited on over one hundred albums and is an active member of the Recording Academy.