Questlove attends the Sixth Annual Hamptons Paddle & Party For Pink To Benefit Breast Cancer Research Foundation on August 5, 2017 in Bridgehampton, New York.
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Questlove of The Roots has dismissed claims that he was responsible for two former Tonight Show camera operators being fired, Billboard reports.
Kurt Decker and Michael Cimino claim they were removed from their positions after a racist text message was circulated among a number of employees on the NBC chat show. They say they both received the unsolicited message but did not respond, reporting the incident to executives immediately. Together they are suing Questlove for racial discrimination.
“Questlove denies the ridiculous allegations made in this lawsuit,” a statement obtained by Billboard reads. "Racism is REAL and exists throughout the world and for these gentlemen to claim victim is not only disrespectful to Questlove and his band mates, but to all that truly endure racism on a daily basis. As NBC already stated, the decisions made regarding these employees were made by NBC, alone.”
Decker and Cimino claim in their lawsuit that Questlove “pressured NBC to fire all of the Caucasian employees involved in the incident."
After reporting the issue, the two men, who are white, said Questlove “demanded” they get fired. Questlove is drummer for Tonight Show house band The Roots. It is alleged that Mark Kelley of the group also received the text message, but escaped disciplinary action.
