Mo' Meta Blues

Review
“In all of this, there are two currents: the personal and the cultural.” When popular hip-hop musician Questlove (or ?uestlove) says this in his 2013 autobiography Mo’ Meta Blues he’s talking about how others perceive his tastes in music, but he very well could have been talking about his own writing. From stories of growing up in Philadelphia under the musical eye of his mother and father to describing how his band The Roots were formed in a high school talent contest, Quest always manages to take his own memories and connect them to something important about society. He touches on topics as important as racial identity, spirituality, and politics, but also manages to entertain the reader with hilarious stories about roller skating with Prince or hiding forbidden records from his strict parents. The story of Questlove’s life is an incredible one: he’s a drummer, producer, DJ, band member on Jimmy Fallon’s show, as well as a writer and philosopher.

Full disclosure before I make my recommendation: I’m a HUGE music nerd. HUGE. I loved this book. This biography is enough to satisfy any music nerd’s hunger for insider tales and origin stories, especially in the world of hip-hop, rap, and R&B. One of the things that’s great about Questlove is that his musical knowledge and interests transcend the boundaries of these genres and explore funk, soul, classic rock, alternative scenes, and indie jams too. You get to travel through the musical history of the 1970s through today with the wisdom and sincerity of Questlove by your side, and it’s awesome. I would strongly recommend this book to “older” young adults (high school and beyond) who have started developing their own independent, unique tastes in music. They will identify with Quest’s own reflections on growing up and fitting in, while also helping them explore both new and familiar worlds of music. The book touches on themes and ideas that may be too abstract or uninteresting to readers younger than high school (though I don’t want to completely over-generalize – all readers are different and some may like it!), so I would most likely tell those young adults to wait a few years before tackling this memoir.

If You Like This Book, Try These Ones Next

 * One Day It'll All Make Sense by Common
 * Cash by Johnny Cash
 * Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop by Jeff Chang

Artist Spotlight
Not sure who Questlove is? Find out more about the prolific drummer, producer, and author in this Artist Spotlight.

Little More Information
Questlove, and Ben Greenman. Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove. First edition. Grand Central Publishing, 2013.

ISBN-13: 978-1455501359

Format: Hardcover, $26.00

Annotation: Musician Questlove tells the story of his life, career, and relationship with music.