The drummer, DJ and Oscar-winning director is a key custodian of Black culture, with 200,000 records to prove it. So why does he think he’s getting too old for rap music?

With a sigh, Ahmir Thompson – better known as Questlove – turns his laptop around, so I can see the inside of his apartment, rather than the beautiful view of the New York skyline through the window behind him. It is a chaos of overflowing boxes and furniture covered with papers. “An ex-publicist of mine decided that they didn’t need their 8x10 photographs and old articles from the NME any more, so they gifted them to me,” he shrugs.

Thompson seems equivocal about this state of affairs. On the one hand, he can barely contain his delight: “Look at this!” he enthuses, showing me a newly acquired invite to the 1984 premiere of Prince’s Purple Rain movie. But, on the other: well, look at the place. “People are saying: ‘I got kids, but they won’t care about this stuff like you will. If this needs to go in a museum or something, I can trust you with history.’ The universe has put me in the position of keeper of the record. So, you know, be careful what you wish for.”

If you want to know what it’s like to be mentored by Prince, act in an Oscar-winning film or collaborate with Grace Jones, now is the time to ask the multi-hyphenate star

After releasing her fourth studio album The Age of Pleasure last year and appearing in Netflix’s hit mystery film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, vocalist and actor Janelle Monáe has cemented herself as a bona fide pop-cultural force. Ready to embark on a UK tour, she will join us to answer your questions about her expansive career which you can post in the comments below.

Born in Kansas as Janelle Monáe Robinson, the musician and actor has now been in the entertainment business for almost two decades. She began singing at church during childhood and got involved with local theatre in her teens. Monáe then went to New York City on a scholarship to study musical theatre – and was the only African American woman in her classes.

She is still touring seven months a year – and loving it. The legendary singer discusses smoking, swimming, sweet potato pie and her phenomenally famous friends: Elton, Otis, Laura Nyro and the Stones

Patti LaBelle is approaching a big birthday. “Eighty good ones, right? Eighty!” she says incredulously. “And it’s still getting better.” How are you going to celebrate on Friday? “It’s a surprise. My son’s not telling me anything, but I have my beautiful gown and my beautiful jewels ready. And I have another hairstyle for my outfit. I’m prepared!”

I ask her if she is still performing. She looks at me, shocked. Is she performing? Is she ever not performing? “Last week I got back from Kentucky, Detroit, Saint Louis and Atlanta. I spend at least seven months of the year touring.”