Mo' Meta Blues
By Questlove & Ben Greenman
- Release Date: 2013-06-18
- Genre: Social Science
Description
"You have to bear in mind that [Questlove] is one of the smartest motherf*****s on the planet. His musical knowledge, for all practical purposes, is limitless." --Robert Christgau
A punch-drunk memoir in which Everyone's Favorite Questlove tells his own story while tackling some of the lates, the greats, the fakes, the philosophers, the heavyweights, and the true originals of the music world. He digs deep into the album cuts of his life and unearths some pivotal moments in black art, hip hop, and pop culture.
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is many things: virtuoso drummer, producer, arranger, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon bandleader, DJ, composer, and tireless Tweeter. He is one of our most ubiquitous cultural tastemakers, and in this, his first book, he reveals his own formative experiences--from growing up in 1970s West Philly as the son of a 1950s doo-wop singer, to finding his own way through the music world and ultimately co-founding and rising up with the Roots, a.k.a., the last hip hop band on Earth. Mo' Meta Blues also has some (many) random (or not) musings about the state of hip hop, the state of music criticism, the state of statements, as well as a plethora of run-ins with celebrities, idols, and fellow artists, from Stevie Wonder to KISS to D'Angelo to Jay-Z to Dave Chappelle to...you ever seen Prince roller-skate?!?
But Mo' Meta Blues isn't just a memoir. It's a dialogue about the nature of memory and the idea of a post-modern black man saddled with some post-modern blues. It's a book that questions what a book like Mo' Meta Bluesreally is. It's the side wind of a one-of-a-kind mind.
It's a rare gift that gives as well as takes.
It's a record that keeps going around and around.
Reviews
Excellent book
5By Justin PiggA very well written, unique book that takes on a journey through the development of the Roots through the eyes of ?uestlove. Includes tons of personal stories and brilliant insight on music in general.Echelawn
5By EchelawnGreat read. Very relatable and look forward to vol 2.I appreciate the narrative, information, and snark
5By Brandon, LVThis book was a quick read for me. Even the meticulous sections were interesting-- I never got bored, and I'll probably read it again. I like the fact that his manager did the footnotes. That left a lot of room for objectiveness, honesty, insight, and snarkAmazing!
5By AjV8675309I really enjoyed this book. I learned so much and I thank you ?uestlove.Can't get enough of those Mo Meta Blues
5By Allie B.Questlove is a brilliant, multifaceted musician, DJ, historicist and critic that documents so many fascinating and hilarious moments with artists from D'Angelo to Tracy Morgan, and Dave Chapelle to Prince. His intertwining of vulnerable personal experiences with collective history are incredibly dynamic as he threads to many popular icons and moments together. The most important message he relays in his work, in addition to his creative and innovative display of post-modern self-consciousness, is to own the music you love and cherish the feelings that music creates. It's ok to love the Beach Boys and simultaneously obsess over Yeezus.