Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson · Ben Greenman

Jun 2013 · Sold by Grand Central Publishing

About this ebook

"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.

Ratings and reviews

If you're not entirely familiar with Questlove, the genius behind 'The Roots', he is by far the coolest geek in music today. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to music, records and eloquently elaborates his life via vinyl in this captivating memoir. A must read for anyone remotely interested in music and more so, what's happened to it. Quest is hip hop's Steven Hawkins or Gerry Garcia. Read this, it's brilliant.

This book is very addictive! Questlove takes you on a journey of the early days and amongst the highs and lows of his life and career. It is amazing how The Roots band is linked to many of your favorite soul artists. The book is filled with comedy on how Ahmir struggles to recognize his place and acceptance in the music industry. The Prince stories are hilarious also.

Great story telling of the early days of hip hop from the unique perspective of a self proclaimed "music nerd" and member of the movement. Footnotes add self awareness and a second look on some amazing tales.

About the author

Ahmir Thompson, also known as Questlove, is the drummer and co-founder of the Grammy award-winning hip hop band The Roots. He is also a world-renowned producer, arranger, and songwriter. In 2009, The Roots became the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Questlove has over 2.4 million followers on Twitter and has been known to DJ damn near every night of his life.

Ben Greenman is an editor at the New Yorker and the author of several acclaimed books of fiction, including Superbad, Please Step Back, and What He's Poised to Do. As a journalist and critic, he has written widely on music and pop culture. His most recent novel is The Slippage. He lives in Brooklyn and has never been known to DJ, ever.