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Hip-Hop Is History
In Hip-Hop is History, Questlove, one of the major and most revolutionary figures of that genre, unpicks one hip-hop song from each of the years since the sound of breakbeat drums first burst out of a house party in the Bronx on 11 August 1973. Clive Campbell, a Jamaican-born teenager threw the party. Questlove wants to talk about the present. In this book he analyses the conditions of each song's creation, its lyrical and musical content, and its role in pushing the genre forward and shining a light on Black American History. Questlove was there at the beginning. He's still creating and influencing in the present. He is the perfect companion on this journey through the music, the context and the lasting impact.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2024
About the author
Questlove
13 books74 followersAhmir K. Thompson (b. 1971), known professionally as Questlove, is an American musician, drummer, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thought) for the hip hop band the Roots. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 12, 2024
So interesting! Highly recommend the audio as Questlove reads it himself.
July 3, 2024
AUDIOBOOK SPOTLIGHT
Thank you #partner @macmillan.audio for the #gifted audiobook. #macaudio2024
Hip-Hop is History
Questlove
(Ben Greenman contributor)
I listened to this in June for Black Music Month, and found it both entertaining and enlightening! Recorded at the iconic Electric Lady Studios in NYC, and narrated by the author, Questlove takes listeners on a fifty year journey through the evolution of hip-hop. Blending commentary on the cultural, social, and political impact of hip-hop, with his own personal stories, Questlove's Hip-Hop is History is engaging and immersive. The audiobook is really well done! Questlove's narration is conversational and easy to follow, and the added sound effects are a fun touch. 🎶
This book is a must read for hip-hop lovers!
📖 Synopsis: In Hip-Hop is History, Questlove, one of the major and most revolutionary figures of that genre, unpacks one hip-hop song from each of the years since the sound of breakbeat drums first burst out of a house party in the Bronx on 11 August 1973. Clive Campbell, a Jamaican-born teenager threw the party. Questlove wants to talk about the present. In this book he analyses the conditions of each song's creation, its lyrical and musical content, and its role in pushing the genre forward and shining a light on Black American History. Questlove was there at the beginning. He's still creating and influencing in the present. He is the perfect companion on this journey through the music, the context and the lasting impact.
📌 Available now!
Thank you #partner @macmillan.audio for the #gifted audiobook. #macaudio2024
Hip-Hop is History
Questlove
(Ben Greenman contributor)
I listened to this in June for Black Music Month, and found it both entertaining and enlightening! Recorded at the iconic Electric Lady Studios in NYC, and narrated by the author, Questlove takes listeners on a fifty year journey through the evolution of hip-hop. Blending commentary on the cultural, social, and political impact of hip-hop, with his own personal stories, Questlove's Hip-Hop is History is engaging and immersive. The audiobook is really well done! Questlove's narration is conversational and easy to follow, and the added sound effects are a fun touch. 🎶
This book is a must read for hip-hop lovers!
📖 Synopsis: In Hip-Hop is History, Questlove, one of the major and most revolutionary figures of that genre, unpacks one hip-hop song from each of the years since the sound of breakbeat drums first burst out of a house party in the Bronx on 11 August 1973. Clive Campbell, a Jamaican-born teenager threw the party. Questlove wants to talk about the present. In this book he analyses the conditions of each song's creation, its lyrical and musical content, and its role in pushing the genre forward and shining a light on Black American History. Questlove was there at the beginning. He's still creating and influencing in the present. He is the perfect companion on this journey through the music, the context and the lasting impact.
📌 Available now!
June 26, 2024
breakbeats are evidence of how we were once broken, and i want nothing more than to bring about a healing.questlove (née ?uestlove) — phily-born drummer, dj, producer, filmmaker, author, publisher, polymath, curator, music encyclopedia, founding member of the legendary roots crew, and ambassadorial hip-hop figure — is not only an elder statesman of rap (do you want more?!!!??! turns 30 next year!), but also a sage, self-reflective chronicler of the art form's past and present. his latest outing, hip-hop is history, "celebrate[s] the hip-hop genre in all its diversity and vision, not to mention all its flummery and flaws."
quest's new book is a chronological account (in chapters covering five-year segments) of the most notable emcees, djs, producers, records, tracks, moments, innovations, beefs, and ongoing legacy of hip-hop's first half-century. published following the genre's 50th anniversary in 2023, hip-hop is history celebrates, elucidates, and excavates. it de-mythologizes, it honors, it reconsiders. it venerates and it scrutinizes. most of all, it finds questlove offering a tour of hip-hop in a personal (and personable) style, with his own fervor, bias, perspective, and tastes amply displayed and argued.
hip-hop is history (written with ben greenman, as with quest's memoir, mo' meta blues [greenman is also the author of dig if you will the picture: funk, sex, god and genius in the music of prince, with foreword by questlove]) is for the casual and hardcore fan alike. whereas jeff chang's seminal can't stop, won't stop offers a comprehensive account set within its proper sociopolitical context, hip-hop is history traces the same massive arc, but does so in a more intimate, personal way. questlove holding court on nearly any subject is worth undivided attention, but when he serves as rap docent, there's not a better guide in all the game.
June 25, 2024
Questlove is a far better musician than writer. This is more a rambling stream of consciousness than a book. His knowledge is certainly encyclopedic (if severely lacking in female artists, especially in his most listened to index) but the digressions and on and on paragraphs all start to blend together making this hard to get through. The indexes and his ending (he writes a chapter from the future!) are the most interesting things about this book. I had been wanting to read his previous book "Music is History", but think I will skip it now.
May 10, 2024
Farrar, Sraus and Giroux provided an early galley for review.
Back in 2021, I read Questlove's Music Is History and enjoyed it. I knew his knowledge would again provide an entertaining and enlightening read with this new book.
I was at just the right age for music discovery (my teen years) when hip-hop came into being. Thus, I appreciated that the first chapter dives right in at the start in 1979. My own exposure to the evolution of hip-hop over that first decade was reinforced by the next couple of chapters as well.
What I liked about this book was that it is not meant to be a thorough history of hip-hop. In fact, it mostly a primer that is built around Questlove's own experiences in the genre first as a consumer and later as a musician. It is meant to serve as a beginning and an introduction that should be followed by the reader's own indepth exploration.
I also enjoyed the section that came at the end - the hip-hop songs that Questlove wanted to put some extra focus on. There was a lot here I myself will need to look into in the future. I suspect this homework will be quite enjoyable
Back in 2021, I read Questlove's Music Is History and enjoyed it. I knew his knowledge would again provide an entertaining and enlightening read with this new book.
I was at just the right age for music discovery (my teen years) when hip-hop came into being. Thus, I appreciated that the first chapter dives right in at the start in 1979. My own exposure to the evolution of hip-hop over that first decade was reinforced by the next couple of chapters as well.
What I liked about this book was that it is not meant to be a thorough history of hip-hop. In fact, it mostly a primer that is built around Questlove's own experiences in the genre first as a consumer and later as a musician. It is meant to serve as a beginning and an introduction that should be followed by the reader's own indepth exploration.
I also enjoyed the section that came at the end - the hip-hop songs that Questlove wanted to put some extra focus on. There was a lot here I myself will need to look into in the future. I suspect this homework will be quite enjoyable
June 23, 2024
Reminiscent and Enlightening
Questlove’s well paced book pulled back the curtain on the Hip-Hop scene, past and present. I appreciated how he put the music and the artists into musical and political context. I was motivated to simultaneously listen to Hip-Hop classics on Spotify, both to reacquaint and to discover.
Questlove’s well paced book pulled back the curtain on the Hip-Hop scene, past and present. I appreciated how he put the music and the artists into musical and political context. I was motivated to simultaneously listen to Hip-Hop classics on Spotify, both to reacquaint and to discover.
July 6, 2024
Audiobook (11 hours) narrated by the author, Questlove
The narration and audio are excellent.
While there aren't any songs included in the audiobook, there are some notes that you will recognize.
Also the editing is fantastic, which due to who is narrating the book, you would assume it would be, but at one point he says that after the book was completed, the news about Tupac had come out so he edited it in. The edit was flawless! There was no discernible break or cut in the audio to tell you that this peace of audio hadn't always been there. The volume, the pacing, everything was in line with everything before and after.
If you have never heard of Questlove, click and take a gander.
You may have seen his documentary Summer of Soul (in theaters and on Hulu) .
YouTube trailer: https://youtu.be/slFiJpAxZyQ?si=mD0R0...
This book is a labor of love.
Questlove speaks of the history of music from his own life and worldview, from childhood to adult, beginning in 1979 and going into the future for a bit of speculative fiction, or not but we will have to wait to see if he actually hitched a ride with the latest Doctor until we see how accurate he is.
I loved hearing Questlove tell it in his own voice. Speaking about how he got his sisters new boyfriend to gain favor with his sister by taking him to the music store for a new record. He sets the scene of the state of the world, how it related to music and how music related to it and the people.
As Questlove goes through the years, he related everything close to his heart. What he sees, hears, and feels. There's a lot of love in this telling of history. You can look up the history yourself, but here, you get to ride along with someone both before and after he enters the music world as a musician. What a ride it is!
We hear everything from Michael Jackson, well I can name drop but you already know these names! He includes details of politics and politicians in the US and how it effected music, the old school east coast vs. west coast bravado, terrible losses, and so much more. There is a lot packed into 11 hours.
Recommend!
The narration and audio are excellent.
While there aren't any songs included in the audiobook, there are some notes that you will recognize.
Also the editing is fantastic, which due to who is narrating the book, you would assume it would be, but at one point he says that after the book was completed, the news about Tupac had come out so he edited it in. The edit was flawless! There was no discernible break or cut in the audio to tell you that this peace of audio hadn't always been there. The volume, the pacing, everything was in line with everything before and after.
If you have never heard of Questlove, click and take a gander.
You may have seen his documentary Summer of Soul (in theaters and on Hulu) .
YouTube trailer: https://youtu.be/slFiJpAxZyQ?si=mD0R0...
This book is a labor of love.
Questlove speaks of the history of music from his own life and worldview, from childhood to adult, beginning in 1979 and going into the future for a bit of speculative fiction, or not but we will have to wait to see if he actually hitched a ride with the latest Doctor until we see how accurate he is.
I loved hearing Questlove tell it in his own voice. Speaking about how he got his sisters new boyfriend to gain favor with his sister by taking him to the music store for a new record. He sets the scene of the state of the world, how it related to music and how music related to it and the people.
As Questlove goes through the years, he related everything close to his heart. What he sees, hears, and feels. There's a lot of love in this telling of history. You can look up the history yourself, but here, you get to ride along with someone both before and after he enters the music world as a musician. What a ride it is!
We hear everything from Michael Jackson, well I can name drop but you already know these names! He includes details of politics and politicians in the US and how it effected music, the old school east coast vs. west coast bravado, terrible losses, and so much more. There is a lot packed into 11 hours.
Recommend!
April 9, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this! I appreciate the writing style and I like the structure (half decades). Full disclosure this is a genre I know very little about, but it's my partner's favourite (with R&B). It's a good sign for me when I'd already downloaded another Questlove book by the time I was half through!
I really enjoyed this! I appreciate the writing style and I like the structure (half decades). Full disclosure this is a genre I know very little about, but it's my partner's favourite (with R&B). It's a good sign for me when I'd already downloaded another Questlove book by the time I was half through!
June 29, 2024
In honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Hip Hop is History takes us on a journey through milestone artists, producers, albums, songs, style developments, and events over time that have made the genre what it is today. Interwoven with this are stories from the life of Questlove, lover of hip-hop and history-maker in his own right, that give us unique insight into his perspectives on music and how the industry works. Along the way, this book looks at important issues like black pain, toxic ego, and the dangers of an industry that is often steeped in violence and drug use. Finally, it closes with musings about what the next 50 years of hip-hop might look like. While this book is special for its encyclopedic knowledge of hip-hop, as well its passion for the genre’s music and people, this piece’s strength and clarity are undermined by major issues with the quality of the writing itself, especially in the first half.
I’ll begin with some things that worked well for me. First, this book drips with both Questlove’s knowledge and passion. It is carefully researched and provides a wealth of information about MCs, DJs, and producers; albums and individual songs; and trends in the development of the genre, among other things. And that knowledge is lent impact by how much Questlove’s love for the genre and the people who have and continue to make it comes through. A stand-out moment is when we learn about how much the music of Public Enemy impacted him when he was young, another is in the introduction, when we learn about how invested he was in creating a 50-year-anniversary Grammy performance that did the history of the genre justice.
The moments of memoir are also engaging and easy to get invested in. In particular, my favorite moments in the entire book are those in which we get to watch Questlove’s opinions about hip-hop (as well as his overall perspectives on life) evolve when he encounters new music and people. For example, it was fascinating reading his description of coming to terms with the popularity of the Wu-Tang Clan’s seemingly low-brow music and deciding that he didn’t need to be elitist about how producers use music samples.
I am impressed by the ways that the book manages to put the experience of listening to songs and musical styles into words, too. Writing about music is not an easy thing to pull off, and the book does so with a casual poetry that I enjoy. One of my favorite moments is when the writers compare the Bomb Squad’s album No One Can Do It Better to Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic in the following way: “The Bomb Squad had layered sample upon sample, like a display rack at a carpet store. Dr. Dre just put down carpet and let you walk on it.”
The flaws in the book are too detrimental to the overall reading experience to ignore, though. First of all, I think this book is trying to do too much in too little space. It’s a lot to ask writers to cover 50 years of history, while also providing critical commentary on that history and adding elements of memoir in about 300 pages (fewer really, since there are blank pages between chapters). The result, in my opinion, is that the book is sometimes underdeveloped. In the first half, we would have been better served if there had been discussions about events in the broader culture and how they impacted the development of hip-hop, if for no other reason than to provide us grounding in history we are more familiar with. In the second half, I was happy to see that some events outside of the industry (the election of Obama, for example) were introduced, but they were often dropped quickly without the writers saying much about their consequences for hip-hop. There was also a really limited amount of critical discussion of some important issues in rap music like homophobia and misogyny, the second of which is especially notable since the writers also said little about women artists themselves. Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim, Azealia Banks, and Doja Cat were the only women artists who were granted more than a couple sentences. (I���m going to give the writers the benefit-of-the-doubt and blame that on a lack of space instead of misogyny on their part, though.)
The weaknesses in the book’s craft also create major issues in clarity. Transitions between ideas within paragraphs and between paragraphs are often so rough as to impede understanding. The best example I can think of happens during a section in the 1987-1992 paragraph. We are moved rapidly between information about The Bomb Squad, the Beastie Boys, Cherry Hill Mall (an actual shopping mall), and Prince’s soundtrack for Tim Burton’s Batman, which little connection made between them. I’m still not sure what I was supposed to get from that page and a half.
Sometimes points are also so underdeveloped as to leave major logic gaps. For example, I am still trying to figure out why Kurt Corbain’s suicide led to The Roots having to almost immediately go on a European tour, even though it came up twice in the book. (Did the record label send them out because, having lost a major source of income, they needed money NOW?)
Probably most frustrating, though, is the use of frequent and sometimes very long asides that interrupt the flow of the narrative, making it difficult to figure out what the important points are and how they connect to each other. At one point I counted an aside in parentheses that was 17 lines long; later I counted one that was 19 lines. Oddly enough, there is also a section of nested asides that the writers note by spelling out “open parentheses,” “open parentheses within parentheses,” and “open parentheses within parentheses within parentheses,” which I might have found funny if I hadn’t been so dang confused.
Overall, this book frustrated me because it had so much potential that just wasn’t realized.
CW: domestic violence, gun violence, murder, sexual assault, n-slur, suicide, misogyny, homophobia, racism
I’ll begin with some things that worked well for me. First, this book drips with both Questlove’s knowledge and passion. It is carefully researched and provides a wealth of information about MCs, DJs, and producers; albums and individual songs; and trends in the development of the genre, among other things. And that knowledge is lent impact by how much Questlove’s love for the genre and the people who have and continue to make it comes through. A stand-out moment is when we learn about how much the music of Public Enemy impacted him when he was young, another is in the introduction, when we learn about how invested he was in creating a 50-year-anniversary Grammy performance that did the history of the genre justice.
The moments of memoir are also engaging and easy to get invested in. In particular, my favorite moments in the entire book are those in which we get to watch Questlove’s opinions about hip-hop (as well as his overall perspectives on life) evolve when he encounters new music and people. For example, it was fascinating reading his description of coming to terms with the popularity of the Wu-Tang Clan’s seemingly low-brow music and deciding that he didn’t need to be elitist about how producers use music samples.
I am impressed by the ways that the book manages to put the experience of listening to songs and musical styles into words, too. Writing about music is not an easy thing to pull off, and the book does so with a casual poetry that I enjoy. One of my favorite moments is when the writers compare the Bomb Squad’s album No One Can Do It Better to Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic in the following way: “The Bomb Squad had layered sample upon sample, like a display rack at a carpet store. Dr. Dre just put down carpet and let you walk on it.”
The flaws in the book are too detrimental to the overall reading experience to ignore, though. First of all, I think this book is trying to do too much in too little space. It’s a lot to ask writers to cover 50 years of history, while also providing critical commentary on that history and adding elements of memoir in about 300 pages (fewer really, since there are blank pages between chapters). The result, in my opinion, is that the book is sometimes underdeveloped. In the first half, we would have been better served if there had been discussions about events in the broader culture and how they impacted the development of hip-hop, if for no other reason than to provide us grounding in history we are more familiar with. In the second half, I was happy to see that some events outside of the industry (the election of Obama, for example) were introduced, but they were often dropped quickly without the writers saying much about their consequences for hip-hop. There was also a really limited amount of critical discussion of some important issues in rap music like homophobia and misogyny, the second of which is especially notable since the writers also said little about women artists themselves. Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim, Azealia Banks, and Doja Cat were the only women artists who were granted more than a couple sentences. (I���m going to give the writers the benefit-of-the-doubt and blame that on a lack of space instead of misogyny on their part, though.)
The weaknesses in the book’s craft also create major issues in clarity. Transitions between ideas within paragraphs and between paragraphs are often so rough as to impede understanding. The best example I can think of happens during a section in the 1987-1992 paragraph. We are moved rapidly between information about The Bomb Squad, the Beastie Boys, Cherry Hill Mall (an actual shopping mall), and Prince’s soundtrack for Tim Burton’s Batman, which little connection made between them. I’m still not sure what I was supposed to get from that page and a half.
Sometimes points are also so underdeveloped as to leave major logic gaps. For example, I am still trying to figure out why Kurt Corbain’s suicide led to The Roots having to almost immediately go on a European tour, even though it came up twice in the book. (Did the record label send them out because, having lost a major source of income, they needed money NOW?)
Probably most frustrating, though, is the use of frequent and sometimes very long asides that interrupt the flow of the narrative, making it difficult to figure out what the important points are and how they connect to each other. At one point I counted an aside in parentheses that was 17 lines long; later I counted one that was 19 lines. Oddly enough, there is also a section of nested asides that the writers note by spelling out “open parentheses,” “open parentheses within parentheses,” and “open parentheses within parentheses within parentheses,” which I might have found funny if I hadn’t been so dang confused.
Overall, this book frustrated me because it had so much potential that just wasn’t realized.
CW: domestic violence, gun violence, murder, sexual assault, n-slur, suicide, misogyny, homophobia, racism
May 30, 2024
Questlove’s phenomenal new book Hip-Hop Is History is a must read for any hip-hop fans and music fans in general. Questlove starts by discussing the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop’s start, and how he was tasked with organizing the celebration for the Grammy Awards. It is an interesting story that begins to give readers who may be unfamiliar about the scope and depth of Hip-Hop, trying to organize all the different styles and contributors, as well as their egos and personalities, into a short, allotted time frame. I really enjoyed reading about the stress involved in this process, and this story provided an effective set up for the history of Hip-Hop, according to Questlove. While I don’t dispute that Questlove is one of the strongest advocates and most knowledgeable people about Hip-Hop, I did find some places where there were some omissions in his chapters. Thankfully, his list at the end of the book incorporated more artists and groups that I felt were deserving of more time. It’s also just a great snapshot of different eras in Hip-Hop. Interestingly, Questlove organizes the book chronologically, but also pairs each era in Hip-Hop with its drug of choice. I thought this was an interesting choice, but he makes a compelling point showing not necessarily how the drugs themselves, but the social impacts and influences from the drugs (including legality, police enforcement, prison, etc) have impacted the music. It’s why he spends some time discussing PE’s “Night of the Living Bassheads” in the “Back in the Incredible” chapter detailing the golden age of Hip-Hop from 1987-1992, and then exploring the influence of The Chronic, both album and drug, on the “While I Get My Proper Swerve On” (1992-1997). While I loved how Questlove discusses these albums and singles and how he conveys his own personal connection with much of the music in these chapters, he goes beyond just being a fan (or musical contributor) and delves into critical analysis of the music, the styles, and the rhymes. He brings in not just a historical perspective, but also a sociological perspective, examining issues happening in society and relating these events to styles and innovations in Hip-Hop. I was especially surprised to hear how critical and honest Questlove was in this book. He not only discusses calling out certain MCs (Da Baby), but also discusses not initially liking some music and questioning the work of other artists he looked up to (1991 albums from PE and Prince). I really appreciated his candor and honesty in discussing this music, but also appreciated how he sometimes revisited certain songs or music and gained a new appreciation. I think that this book not only provides a history and sociology of Hip-Hop, but also provides new ways to listen to music across different eras. I think that my favorite chapters were those dealing with the early to golden age of Hip-Hop from about 1979-1997. I related to a lot of Questlove’s experiences, remembering the first time I hear Wu-Tang or PE and feeling a kind of transformation—although he mentioned not liking the production values of Enter the 36 Chambers, I felt like it was the varied styles of the MCs that really drew my interest. I also remember having to sneak Hip-Hop into my house since my parents held certain assumptions about it. Now, my mom knows Snoop Dog from his work with Martha Stewart and my kids know Snoop Dog from his cartoon work. I was wondering where DITC fits into some of these chapters- especially Showbiz & AG, but for the most part, Questlove is a completist, and I know that he was trying to keep his list focused and representative of the best Hip-Hop. Although as the book progresses into more recent times and the chapters become shorter, Questlove provided me with some great points of entry for accessing today’s Hip-Hop. I loved how Questlove references artists like Kendrick Lamar who are going back to other eras from Hip-Hop to represent. It’s reassuring to know. This book is not just for music fans, but I could see teachers making excellent use of this book for their students. I would love to use this book to have students develop their analytical skills, researching different eras and identifying and explaining the differences between the eras of Hip-Hop—or taking the historical events and seeing how songs and artists from those eras dealt with or addressed some of the events. There’s so much to consider in this book. Highly recommended.
April 27, 2024
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advance copy of this history of a musical genre, combined with the personal reflections of a person who was made, by the music, what certain songs, and performers mean to him, and where Hip-Hop might be going in the future.
There are a few things I know for sure. Water is wet, one needs oxygen to breath, and Questlove has forgotten more about music than I will ever know. All music. Questlove, aka Ahmir K. Thompson was founder of the band The Roots, was musical director for the Tonight Show and won an Oscar for his documentary Summer of Soul, and is also the writer of several books on music, life and food. Hip-Hop Is History, written with Ben Greenman is an oral history of the genre told by a man who has been a fan since the beginning, and traces both the rise of the music with his career, and interactions with other performers.
The book has its origins with the author's inability to say no. Questlove was asked by the people putting together the Grammys to produce a segment on the history of hip-hop. This was not only a tremendous honor, but also a tremendous burden. How to tell a history of music, with so many songs, so many performers, popular, unpopular, singers who faded away, and performers who never got their due. In thirteen minutes. Questlove loves the difficult and even with lots of problems, network interference, artists egos and more, pulled it off. In doing this Questlove began to look at his relationship to hip-hop, how his life was made and changed by music, and the many people he met on the way. The starts with the origins of the music, the beats and samples that would become famous, along with stories about Questlove finding the music, hitting record stores, reading magazines, sharing mixtapes and more. The book is not a complete history, but is an overview, along with stories, behind the scenes information, along with Questlove's commentary on why certain songs work, don't work, or why a song shouldn't work, but they were able to pull it off and here is how.
The book is a history and a biography about a genre, and about Questlove. This is not a ranking book a top 500 songs list or anything like that. Questlove talks about the performers, and their music, and what they mean to him. Questlove is honest about what he missed, what he didn't get, or was late to the party in picking up, which is refreshing. What comes across most is that Questlove loves music. Making music, listening to music, talking about music, and what music does for the soul. This is not a book one goes, I can't believe he likes that, why didn't he mention this guy. This book is based on his ears, his heart and what he loves. The writing is very good, loaded with information, funny stories, scary stories and sad stories. And lots of great music. I was unfamiliar with the artist J Dilla, now I can't seem to stop listening to him, especially his final album. I have Questlove to thank for that.
Music fans will enjoy this immensely. There is a lot to take in, and a lot to learn. And a lot to listen to. Questlove is like that cool older brother, though I think we are the same age. Listen to this, this why this song is big, you never heard of this guy, well play this. I enjoyed this book quite alot, not just for the music, but for what I learned about Questlove.
There are a few things I know for sure. Water is wet, one needs oxygen to breath, and Questlove has forgotten more about music than I will ever know. All music. Questlove, aka Ahmir K. Thompson was founder of the band The Roots, was musical director for the Tonight Show and won an Oscar for his documentary Summer of Soul, and is also the writer of several books on music, life and food. Hip-Hop Is History, written with Ben Greenman is an oral history of the genre told by a man who has been a fan since the beginning, and traces both the rise of the music with his career, and interactions with other performers.
The book has its origins with the author's inability to say no. Questlove was asked by the people putting together the Grammys to produce a segment on the history of hip-hop. This was not only a tremendous honor, but also a tremendous burden. How to tell a history of music, with so many songs, so many performers, popular, unpopular, singers who faded away, and performers who never got their due. In thirteen minutes. Questlove loves the difficult and even with lots of problems, network interference, artists egos and more, pulled it off. In doing this Questlove began to look at his relationship to hip-hop, how his life was made and changed by music, and the many people he met on the way. The starts with the origins of the music, the beats and samples that would become famous, along with stories about Questlove finding the music, hitting record stores, reading magazines, sharing mixtapes and more. The book is not a complete history, but is an overview, along with stories, behind the scenes information, along with Questlove's commentary on why certain songs work, don't work, or why a song shouldn't work, but they were able to pull it off and here is how.
The book is a history and a biography about a genre, and about Questlove. This is not a ranking book a top 500 songs list or anything like that. Questlove talks about the performers, and their music, and what they mean to him. Questlove is honest about what he missed, what he didn't get, or was late to the party in picking up, which is refreshing. What comes across most is that Questlove loves music. Making music, listening to music, talking about music, and what music does for the soul. This is not a book one goes, I can't believe he likes that, why didn't he mention this guy. This book is based on his ears, his heart and what he loves. The writing is very good, loaded with information, funny stories, scary stories and sad stories. And lots of great music. I was unfamiliar with the artist J Dilla, now I can't seem to stop listening to him, especially his final album. I have Questlove to thank for that.
Music fans will enjoy this immensely. There is a lot to take in, and a lot to learn. And a lot to listen to. Questlove is like that cool older brother, though I think we are the same age. Listen to this, this why this song is big, you never heard of this guy, well play this. I enjoyed this book quite alot, not just for the music, but for what I learned about Questlove.
May 28, 2024
As a child of Old School Rap (I was 14 when I first saw Run-DMC on Graffiti Rock in 1984), Questlove's "Hip-Hop Is History" spoke directly to my soul. This book is not only a fascinating deep dive into the evolution (and devolution?) of hip hop, it is a captivating commentary on the influence of hip hop on its devoted listeners. The fact that it is told from the POV of a passionate insider/expert allowed for particularly insightful exploration.
Questlove traces hip hop from it's precise(?) origins right up to today with a unique combination of behind the scenes experiences and cultural analysis. His authenticity is a breath of fresh air as we follow him from being a young, avid fan of early hip hop, consuming everything he can get his hands on, through his experiences as a founding member of his own group and, finally, as a contemplative elder statesman for the genre.
What sets this book apart is the author. Far from a wikipedia-esque cataloguing of hip hop's biggest characters/moments/music, Questlove balances his unwavering love of the genre that has immeasurably shaped his life, with a stubborn habit of holding every corner of hip hop accountable. After all, when you love and cherish (worship?) hip hop as much as he does, you better be 100% committed to protecting and serving it. His passion from page to page is truly infectious.
Finally, I loved this books structure. Broken up into 5 year chunks, Questlove not only explores the artists and moments shaping each period, he also delves into the politics, cultural trends and even the prominent drugs that influenced hip hop in each half decade.
.
As a fan of hip hop, or music in general, Questlove's book is a must read. All of those stories you thought you knew about hip hop? You will hear them (and plenty more) with new ears and walk away with a more complete understanding of this fascinating, precious gem of a genre.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Questlove traces hip hop from it's precise(?) origins right up to today with a unique combination of behind the scenes experiences and cultural analysis. His authenticity is a breath of fresh air as we follow him from being a young, avid fan of early hip hop, consuming everything he can get his hands on, through his experiences as a founding member of his own group and, finally, as a contemplative elder statesman for the genre.
What sets this book apart is the author. Far from a wikipedia-esque cataloguing of hip hop's biggest characters/moments/music, Questlove balances his unwavering love of the genre that has immeasurably shaped his life, with a stubborn habit of holding every corner of hip hop accountable. After all, when you love and cherish (worship?) hip hop as much as he does, you better be 100% committed to protecting and serving it. His passion from page to page is truly infectious.
Finally, I loved this books structure. Broken up into 5 year chunks, Questlove not only explores the artists and moments shaping each period, he also delves into the politics, cultural trends and even the prominent drugs that influenced hip hop in each half decade.
.
As a fan of hip hop, or music in general, Questlove's book is a must read. All of those stories you thought you knew about hip hop? You will hear them (and plenty more) with new ears and walk away with a more complete understanding of this fascinating, precious gem of a genre.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2024
5 Shiny Stars!
Questlove's "Hip-Hop Is History" is a captivating and insightful exploration of hip-hop's evolution, delivered with the passion and expertise that only Questlove could provide.
From its humble beginnings in the 1970s to its status as a cultural phenomenon, Questlove traces the roots of hip-hop with a blend of personal anecdotes, cultural analysis, and historical context. As a young Black kid immersed in Philadelphia's music scene, Questlove's journey mirrors the rise of hip-hop itself, making his perspective uniquely intimate and authentic.
What sets this book apart is Questlove's ability to balance reverence for hip-hop's iconic moments with a deep dive into its lesser-known gems. He skillfully weaves together stories of chart-topping hits and influential underground tracks, creating a rich tapestry that celebrates the diversity and creativity of the genre.
Questlove's encyclopedic knowledge shines through as he delves into the creative and cultural forces that shaped hip-hop, offering readers a comprehensive yet engaging narrative. His passion for the music is palpable on every page, making "Hip-Hop Is History" not just a book about hip-hop, but a love letter to the genre and its impact on society.
Whether you're a die-hard hip-hop fan or someone looking to understand the cultural significance of this art form, Questlove's book is a must-read. It's a masterful blend of personal reflection, cultural analysis, and historical documentation, presented with the flair and authenticity that only Questlove can deliver. "Hip-Hop Is History" is not just hip-hop's story—it's Questlove's history, and a testament to the enduring power of music to shape our lives.
Thanks to Questlove the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Questlove's "Hip-Hop Is History" is a captivating and insightful exploration of hip-hop's evolution, delivered with the passion and expertise that only Questlove could provide.
From its humble beginnings in the 1970s to its status as a cultural phenomenon, Questlove traces the roots of hip-hop with a blend of personal anecdotes, cultural analysis, and historical context. As a young Black kid immersed in Philadelphia's music scene, Questlove's journey mirrors the rise of hip-hop itself, making his perspective uniquely intimate and authentic.
What sets this book apart is Questlove's ability to balance reverence for hip-hop's iconic moments with a deep dive into its lesser-known gems. He skillfully weaves together stories of chart-topping hits and influential underground tracks, creating a rich tapestry that celebrates the diversity and creativity of the genre.
Questlove's encyclopedic knowledge shines through as he delves into the creative and cultural forces that shaped hip-hop, offering readers a comprehensive yet engaging narrative. His passion for the music is palpable on every page, making "Hip-Hop Is History" not just a book about hip-hop, but a love letter to the genre and its impact on society.
Whether you're a die-hard hip-hop fan or someone looking to understand the cultural significance of this art form, Questlove's book is a must-read. It's a masterful blend of personal reflection, cultural analysis, and historical documentation, presented with the flair and authenticity that only Questlove can deliver. "Hip-Hop Is History" is not just hip-hop's story—it's Questlove's history, and a testament to the enduring power of music to shape our lives.
Thanks to Questlove the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
June 25, 2024
Hip-Hop is History by Questlove is a fantastic ride down music memory lane. It smartly connects the dots between different eras of hip-hop, with each chapter diving into groups of artists or standout tracks from specific periods. Questlove uses cultural references to show how the music changed and influenced future artists.
What's really great about this book is that it's not just a history lesson; it's also a personal journey. Questlove shares his own thoughts and stories about the artists and music he writes about, making it feel like you're having a conversation with the author rather than receiving a history lesson. His insights are always interesting and well-thought-out, even if you don't always agree with them.
If you're a music lover, this book is a must-read. Questlove fills in a lot of blanks about how hip-hop evolved over the years. He mentions right from the start that he had to make some tough choices about what to include and admits that his own perspective is bound to show through. Even if you don't agree with all his opinions, his take is definitely food for thought.
Overall, Hip-Hop is History is a great read that captures the essence of hip-hop's growth and its cultural impact. Questlove's passion and knowledge make this book a highly recommended addition to any music enthusiast's collection.
Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and AUWA for this advanced readers copy in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.
What's really great about this book is that it's not just a history lesson; it's also a personal journey. Questlove shares his own thoughts and stories about the artists and music he writes about, making it feel like you're having a conversation with the author rather than receiving a history lesson. His insights are always interesting and well-thought-out, even if you don't always agree with them.
If you're a music lover, this book is a must-read. Questlove fills in a lot of blanks about how hip-hop evolved over the years. He mentions right from the start that he had to make some tough choices about what to include and admits that his own perspective is bound to show through. Even if you don't agree with all his opinions, his take is definitely food for thought.
Overall, Hip-Hop is History is a great read that captures the essence of hip-hop's growth and its cultural impact. Questlove's passion and knowledge make this book a highly recommended addition to any music enthusiast's collection.
Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and AUWA for this advanced readers copy in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.
July 22, 2024
Hip-Hop Is History is my third Questlove audiobook, and I strongly recommend experiencing it in audio format. While I believe books offer advantages for note-taking and absorbing historical details, Questlove's unique storytelling style truly shines through in his audiobooks. His infectious enthusiasm, deep passion for music, and impeccable sense of humor are lost in translation when confined to the page.
Listening to Questlove narrate his own work is an absolute treat. His audio delivery elevated my enjoyment of Hip-Hop Is History. It was perfect timing to listen to this audiobook right before watching his interview with Trevor Noah; it felt like bonus material. I can't wait to see what he tackles next.
Listening to Questlove narrate his own work is an absolute treat. His audio delivery elevated my enjoyment of Hip-Hop Is History. It was perfect timing to listen to this audiobook right before watching his interview with Trevor Noah; it felt like bonus material. I can't wait to see what he tackles next.
March 22, 2024
Hip-Hop Is History by Questlove is hands down one of the best books on contemporary music history I have ever read. The title may be slightly miscontrued, but it is all about perception and after you read the book, you will likely change it in your mind ot "Hip Hop IS History"
Questlove outlines the book in the introduction and this in itself gave a wonderful taster of this incredibly talented musicians highly knowledgable and personable narrative which immediately hooked me in, detailing the accepted beginnings of HipHop at a party in 1973 but expanding on this and why it could be seen as a springboard for a movement as opposed ot a definitive start date.
The book then goes on to explore the evolution of Hip Hop through the years, from a personal perspective as well as a social one, and on to advancements in technology and culminating in an absolutely blinding playlist that is organised by years in the same way the chapters are (this has my sensibilities firing on all of their happy cylinders!)
If you like music, history, and a really, really good read, then this is for you
Thank you to Netgalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux | AUWA and the author Questlove for this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Questlove outlines the book in the introduction and this in itself gave a wonderful taster of this incredibly talented musicians highly knowledgable and personable narrative which immediately hooked me in, detailing the accepted beginnings of HipHop at a party in 1973 but expanding on this and why it could be seen as a springboard for a movement as opposed ot a definitive start date.
The book then goes on to explore the evolution of Hip Hop through the years, from a personal perspective as well as a social one, and on to advancements in technology and culminating in an absolutely blinding playlist that is organised by years in the same way the chapters are (this has my sensibilities firing on all of their happy cylinders!)
If you like music, history, and a really, really good read, then this is for you
Thank you to Netgalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux | AUWA and the author Questlove for this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
June 9, 2024
(Received gratas from NetGalley)
I really wasn't sure if I needed yet another history of hip-hop book. For one having grown up in it, and for two we already have Dan Charnas's amazing Big Payback, Jeff Chang's exhaustive Can't Stop Won't Stop, Brian Coleman's oral histories, and a growing number of artist-specific autobiographies, the market is thankfully filled with options.
But I'm a huge fan of The Roots and Questlove, and a longtime Okayplayer, and any chance to read Questlove's stream of consciousness (with editing from Brian Greenman), monologues, insider stories, and autobiographical stories is a welcome one. One of these days maybe he'll publish a collection of his Lesson/OKArtist threads (D'Angelo tour diaries, album reviews, etc).
It's the insider stories and personal touches that make this an excellent read. The side tangents and SQUIRREL-ing ("but more on that later", after exhaustively telling more sooner). The future-forecast chapter is a rare miss that I found myself scanning more than reading, because that isn't what we came for, was it? And while it ends with an expected and appreciated playlist, I honestly was hoping for chapter-playlists as we went along. Perhaps we'll get some DJ-sets on Twitch and YouTube as part of the book's promotion...
I really wasn't sure if I needed yet another history of hip-hop book. For one having grown up in it, and for two we already have Dan Charnas's amazing Big Payback, Jeff Chang's exhaustive Can't Stop Won't Stop, Brian Coleman's oral histories, and a growing number of artist-specific autobiographies, the market is thankfully filled with options.
But I'm a huge fan of The Roots and Questlove, and a longtime Okayplayer, and any chance to read Questlove's stream of consciousness (with editing from Brian Greenman), monologues, insider stories, and autobiographical stories is a welcome one. One of these days maybe he'll publish a collection of his Lesson/OKArtist threads (D'Angelo tour diaries, album reviews, etc).
It's the insider stories and personal touches that make this an excellent read. The side tangents and SQUIRREL-ing ("but more on that later", after exhaustively telling more sooner). The future-forecast chapter is a rare miss that I found myself scanning more than reading, because that isn't what we came for, was it? And while it ends with an expected and appreciated playlist, I honestly was hoping for chapter-playlists as we went along. Perhaps we'll get some DJ-sets on Twitch and YouTube as part of the book's promotion...
June 26, 2024
Rooted in Random
Book Review - HipHop is History by Questlove
Music history/memoir
I love music. Anything you can sing to that fits my mood at the moment is the best. I like slow, fast, rap, country, oldies and a little bit of everything else. I have specific memories associated with music. Songs that spark memories and artists I listened heavily to during specific times in my life.
A few of the artists I have a great fondness for are hip hop artists such as The Beastie Boys and Salt N Peppa.
This book was a lot to listen to and took me several days to finish. The sheer amount of names and connections that QuestLove makes is astounding. I like that it reads mostly chronologically, with some flashbacks thrown in for context. I was able to make connections from my personal past when I recognized an artist, song title or event. This is a book full of details. It’s a little bit about QuestLove and his method for discovering music and artists also. I found that to be really interesting. Long but great read that I’d recommend.
#HipHopIsHistory
#QuestLove
#RootedinRandomBookClub
#RootedInRandom
#Music
#ad
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374614075/...
Book Review - HipHop is History by Questlove
Music history/memoir
I love music. Anything you can sing to that fits my mood at the moment is the best. I like slow, fast, rap, country, oldies and a little bit of everything else. I have specific memories associated with music. Songs that spark memories and artists I listened heavily to during specific times in my life.
A few of the artists I have a great fondness for are hip hop artists such as The Beastie Boys and Salt N Peppa.
This book was a lot to listen to and took me several days to finish. The sheer amount of names and connections that QuestLove makes is astounding. I like that it reads mostly chronologically, with some flashbacks thrown in for context. I was able to make connections from my personal past when I recognized an artist, song title or event. This is a book full of details. It’s a little bit about QuestLove and his method for discovering music and artists also. I found that to be really interesting. Long but great read that I’d recommend.
#HipHopIsHistory
#QuestLove
#RootedinRandomBookClub
#RootedInRandom
#Music
#ad
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374614075/...
July 5, 2024
Questlove has an insane breadth of knowledge. I know that a lot of research goes into writing a book like this, but still. There's so many dropped names and references to things that, frankly, are beyond me. He's a bit older than me, but I lived through a lot of what he talks about and I still didn't know a lot of the stories and nuances. I especially like that he is very clear that this is his own interpretation of the genre. He is humble enough to point out where he was wrong and where his blind spots are with how he listens and understands music. I am not sure if this is in the physical copy or not, but I would love a songlist to go along with the book so I could follow along a little. I didn't have the foresight to make notes or anything, but there's a little too much to absorb just by listening. I can't decide if I like that he consistently paired each era with a drug of choice - I don't like the stereotype of pairing any musical genre with drugs, but hip hop is his genre, and not one that I could ever have any cultural or social claim to, so I guess that answers that. But overall, it is a funny, insightful and informative overview of the genre with an eye to the humanity of it.
May 17, 2024
A memoir-like retrospective of hip-hop and rap history
Questlove has a way with words that can near bring me to tears. He presents 50 years' worth of music and culture with humor, insight, and scholarly precision, speaking both as a fan and as a musician within the genre. This is really as much memoir as it is historical nonfiction.
There are spots that could have been reined in a touch more, such as a few Inception-level parentheticals within parentheticals that become hard to follow. An epilogue written as if we are 50 more years into the future is so corny and silly that I think it undermines the more poignant notes the book could leave the reader with.
But on the whole, this is a really valuable and illuminating piece of nonfiction. Beyond worth the departure from my usual genres. I recommended it to several people in person (bordering on everyone I know) before even finishing it, which is a rare occurrence in my reading.
Thank you to publisher Farrar, Strauss & Giroux/AUWA for my advance copy, provided in exchange for an honest review. Hip Hop is History will be published on June 11, 2024.
Questlove has a way with words that can near bring me to tears. He presents 50 years' worth of music and culture with humor, insight, and scholarly precision, speaking both as a fan and as a musician within the genre. This is really as much memoir as it is historical nonfiction.
There are spots that could have been reined in a touch more, such as a few Inception-level parentheticals within parentheticals that become hard to follow. An epilogue written as if we are 50 more years into the future is so corny and silly that I think it undermines the more poignant notes the book could leave the reader with.
But on the whole, this is a really valuable and illuminating piece of nonfiction. Beyond worth the departure from my usual genres. I recommended it to several people in person (bordering on everyone I know) before even finishing it, which is a rare occurrence in my reading.
Thank you to publisher Farrar, Strauss & Giroux/AUWA for my advance copy, provided in exchange for an honest review. Hip Hop is History will be published on June 11, 2024.
June 29, 2024
I truly cannot think of anyone better as a guide to 50 years of Hip-Hop than Questlove. He provides not only an incredibly detailed history of the genre, but also makes it personal to him and his relationship to Hip-Hop. Among many of the incredible anecdotes, one of my favorites was that Questlove found J. Cole’s iPhone in 2013 in the parking lot of a gas station across from a McDonald’s in Montauk. He tells the history in 5 year cycles spanning the very beginning in the 70's up through 2023. His thesis throughout is that "history is about cycles - ideas are born, run their course, and die or give way to afterlife."
Even though I would consider myself more of a casual fan, I learned so much and this book has made me want to start delving back into the beginnings and everything that I have missed in between. I highly recommend for anyone with an interest in the genre, you will end up learning so much and coming out with a new appreciation for Hip-Hop and Questlove.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the advanced copy.
Even though I would consider myself more of a casual fan, I learned so much and this book has made me want to start delving back into the beginnings and everything that I have missed in between. I highly recommend for anyone with an interest in the genre, you will end up learning so much and coming out with a new appreciation for Hip-Hop and Questlove.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the advanced copy.
July 6, 2024
I am a huge fan of Questlove and his relentless pursuits and deep dive into his creative passions, and of course his central passion that drives his professional career, music, and specifically the impact Golden Age and other sun genres affected his musicianship and approach to music making. It even shaped his nickname Questlove!
The Golden Age of hip hop crosses into my teens and early 20s period , as I am aged just a little finer than Questlove…so much in this book resonated as far as the culture zeitgeist. As a college student majoring in history and lifelong practitioner of history education (now professionally supporting such education). I couldn’t appreciate more QL’s thread of cultural and national history through the hip hop culture evolution. He is an astute teacher and learner of history and music’s critical role in it.
What I enjoyed most was learning of all his favorite off-the-main-road tracks across the past 50 years Had my Spotify at the ready to add many of these songs…it was a stellar musical journey as well as a great read.
The Golden Age of hip hop crosses into my teens and early 20s period , as I am aged just a little finer than Questlove…so much in this book resonated as far as the culture zeitgeist. As a college student majoring in history and lifelong practitioner of history education (now professionally supporting such education). I couldn’t appreciate more QL’s thread of cultural and national history through the hip hop culture evolution. He is an astute teacher and learner of history and music’s critical role in it.
What I enjoyed most was learning of all his favorite off-the-main-road tracks across the past 50 years Had my Spotify at the ready to add many of these songs…it was a stellar musical journey as well as a great read.
July 7, 2024
So, I admittedly don't know a ton about rap/hip-hop. Questlove has been a fan since the beginning, then an active artist, and now is kind of serving in a self-appointed historian role as he worries about history being lost and/or misrepresented. So, while not an objective take, it's one that comes from a place of love and care and concern, and from my perspective, it encompasses a pretty thorough recounting of rap's history, trends, and the artists that have shaped it (both the massively popular and the overlooked). One of the most interesting aspects of the history was how he saw it as breaking down in 5-year periods before trends flipped, and how that was influenced by the drugs popular in Black communities at that time, and was a reflection of what was going on in America as well. Questlove narrates the audiobook himself and I thought it was a pretty engaging listen. Recommended for those interested in musical history, especially casual fans or those seeking a timeline of high water marks from which to glean a playlist of the most important/influential tracks and artists.
June 30, 2024
With a great intro and prologue filled with life experiences, humor, misadventures all all that must go wrong will go wrong, QuestLove dives us into a human experience of a life along Hip Hop (first as a child being at awe then as a musician) and growing up with it as air is relevant in life. Smart, sharp, easy to follow, and understand through his experience and sensibility. An amazing document/documentary on how a culture influenced so much and was born of so many influences allowing for expression, activism, and freedom. Great for music and history lovers, it hits a lot of the 80s pop culture as well, always making it a great listen/read. Fulfilling, educational, and interesting. Makes a great gift, too. Also love the list of music suggested by the author.
I listened to the audiobook, which was the best format to read this book. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the copy.
I listened to the audiobook, which was the best format to read this book. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the copy.
July 6, 2024
I get that this was about history but it was like reading an encyclopedia about the topic, only the person writing the encyclopedia really loved the topic and was still excited about al the details. This book goes from one topic to another, one artist to another, one time to another, yet everything feels as though it fits within a pattern. The writing on this was so amazing, and other people writing history books could learn a lesson from the way this was organized and written. Hip-hop is history, and has an effect on not just music but society. Choosing to use one song at a time helped frame a complicated topic and contextualize so much recent history. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
April 14, 2024
Synopsis: An in-depth history of hip hop thought out the last 40+ years.
Thoughts: Since I was born in 1980, hip hop has been a part of my life but this book takes my knowledge to another level. At times the history and all the song references were intense- lots of dates, artists and song names. I needed to pull up a lot of the songs I wasn’t aware of and listen. It taught me a lot and learned about new songs too! A bonus at the end is a list of Questlove’s top songs which I immediately made myself a Spotify playlist because it was that good of a list!
Thank you to Questlove: Farrar, Straus & Giroux; and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Thoughts: Since I was born in 1980, hip hop has been a part of my life but this book takes my knowledge to another level. At times the history and all the song references were intense- lots of dates, artists and song names. I needed to pull up a lot of the songs I wasn’t aware of and listen. It taught me a lot and learned about new songs too! A bonus at the end is a list of Questlove’s top songs which I immediately made myself a Spotify playlist because it was that good of a list!
Thank you to Questlove: Farrar, Straus & Giroux; and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
July 1, 2024
I experience the beginning Hip-Hop years as a mother of 2 high schoolers and a counselor to 600 high school students in San Diego CA. Listening to that music now brings back a lot of gum memories &
lots of energy, though my adult mind tried filtering a lot of new words, expressions, and culture I wasn’t used to.
In spite of the adult criticism and fear of my peers, I loved dancing to the music at Proms & parties at the high school.
Questlove’s book filled in a lot of the lack of understanding I had back at the beginning of Hip-Hop.
I loved Questlove’s documentary of “Black Woodstock.” That was my music too.
lots of energy, though my adult mind tried filtering a lot of new words, expressions, and culture I wasn’t used to.
In spite of the adult criticism and fear of my peers, I loved dancing to the music at Proms & parties at the high school.
Questlove’s book filled in a lot of the lack of understanding I had back at the beginning of Hip-Hop.
I loved Questlove’s documentary of “Black Woodstock.” That was my music too.
July 12, 2024
I am unabashedly a Questlove fan. I am still in the nascent era of my hip-hop literacy. I learned a bunch here. Laughed a bit. Got really sad a few times. But all-in-all got some good education and a lot of entertainment.
I appreciate Quest's cerebral aspect while keeping it in-the-trenches real. He has worked with most of the biggest players. He has all his bonifides. I feel like I'm sitting under the lotus tree at Buddha's feet and just soaking in every little nuance.
Even if you're not a fan of the genre, you would be smart to read or listen for the history part. The parts make so much more sense in the context of the whole.
I appreciate Quest's cerebral aspect while keeping it in-the-trenches real. He has worked with most of the biggest players. He has all his bonifides. I feel like I'm sitting under the lotus tree at Buddha's feet and just soaking in every little nuance.
Even if you're not a fan of the genre, you would be smart to read or listen for the history part. The parts make so much more sense in the context of the whole.
July 21, 2024
This book is a telling of Hip-Hop music from the view of music star, Questlove. I found most of this audio extremely fascinating. I loved his opinions and observations on most events I had taken for granted. Listening to him tell his history and path with music was beyond enjoyable for me. I usually listen to audiobooks on 1.8-2.5 speed, but I slowed it down to 1.4 to really get the feeling he was portraying, all of his emotions that were involved. Music is such a sacred thing, I think Questlove for sharing his experience with us.
Thank you for the audiofile, this is my honest opinion.
Thank you for the audiofile, this is my honest opinion.
June 26, 2024
Choosing the audiobook format to ingest this book was a smart move because Questlove's vocal enthusiasm for the material adds another level to this book.
From the age of 13 to around 30 I was obsessed with hip-hop music and getting to hear about artists that I missed or forget about throughout the last 50 years of the genre has me excited to check them out.
So many stories I was unaware of and I really enjoyed Questlove using his own childhood and growing up in hip-hop's infancy as a way to add his personal story to which could have otherwise just been a straightforward history book.
From the age of 13 to around 30 I was obsessed with hip-hop music and getting to hear about artists that I missed or forget about throughout the last 50 years of the genre has me excited to check them out.
So many stories I was unaware of and I really enjoyed Questlove using his own childhood and growing up in hip-hop's infancy as a way to add his personal story to which could have otherwise just been a straightforward history book.
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