Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Ben Greenman

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Thompson, Ahmir “Questlove,” and Ben Greenman. Mo’Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2013. Print. ISBN-13: 9781455501359. Hardcover. Cost: $26.00.

Awards:
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Annotation:
How do you get started in the music business while making sure you still love what you do and are good at doing it? Here, Questlove can tell you.

Mini-Review:
Chronicling the life of iconic hip-hop musician Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Mo’ Meta Blues is a memoir that is told in a most unique manner, reflecting the very name that Mr. Thompson has chosen for himself. Follow the growth of a virtuoso drummer as he becomes a founder of the “last hip-hop band on Earth,” and finally part of the house band for a late night talk show. Both a music history and a reminder of an accomplished life lived at a young age, Mo’ Meta Blues makes it clear that it is likely only the beginning of an influential career that most people are unaware they are being influenced by.

Whether you are a music lover, fan of the Roots or hip-hop, enjoy a fun story, or someone who simply wants to know more about the band doing all of the funky songs and antics on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (now The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon) this book should be a must-read. Young adults will relate to the constant feeling young Ahmir had of being a new kid on the outside of a society he did not fully understand, while gaining an insight into life growing up in a very unique family during the 70s and 80s. At the same time, any musician or lover of music will appreciate the reverence with which Ahmir describes the music he experienced throughout his life. This book would make a sterling addition to a biography, special music book, or general non-fiction collection that teen readers would enjoy because of the familiar references to the culture they know as well as being able to discover a culture their parents would remember fondly.