First published 2013
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson excavates the defining moments of his musical journey in this introspective memoir. Growing up in 1970s West Philadelphia as the son of a doo-wop singer, Thompson navigated his own path through the music industry before co-founding the Roots, which he calls the last hip hop band on Earth. Thompson wears many hats: virtuoso drummer, producer, arranger, bandleader for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, DJ, and composer. His narrative weaves together pivotal experiences in black art, hip hop, and pop culture while documenting encounters with music legends from Stevie Wonder to Prince to Jay-Z. The book functions as both personal history and cultural commentary, examining the state of hip hop and music criticism. Thompson reflects on memory, identity, and what it means to be a postmodern black artist. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from his career and explores the deeper currents that shaped his artistic development. This memoir offers readers an intimate look at the creative process and the evolution of contemporary music culture through the eyes of one of its most influential tastemakers.
Genres: african-american, autobiography, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, hip-hop
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-commentary, personal-history
Setting: Philadelphia, West Philadelphia
Period: 1970s
288 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing