3. Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest
Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest

Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest

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, 2019-books, better-than-i-expected, history-historical, male, published-2016-2019, philosophy, lit-crit, popular-music-studies, favorites, favorites, Music, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Writing, Poetry, Biography, History, Audiobook, Cultural

How does one pay homage to A Tribe Called Quest? The seminal rap group brought jazz into the genre, resurrecting timeless rhythms to create masterpieces such as The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders. Seventeen years after their last album, they resurrected themselves with an intense, socially conscious record, We Got It from Here . . . Thank You 4 Your Service, which arrived when fans needed it most, in the aftermath of the 2016 election. Poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib digs into the group's history and draws from his own experience to reflect on how its distinctive sound resonated among fans like himself. The result is as ambitious and genre-bending as the rap group itself.

Abdurraqib traces the Tribe's creative career, from their early days as part of the Afrocentric rap collective known as the Native Tongues, through their first three classic albums, to their eventual breakup and long hiatus. Their work is placed in the context of the broader rap landscape of the 1990s, one upended by sampling laws that forced a reinvention in production methods, the East Coast-West Coast rivalry that threatened to destroy the genre, and some record labels' shift from focusing on groups to individual MCs. Throughout the narrative Abdurraqib connects the music and cultural history to their street-level impact. Whether he's remembering The Source magazine cover announcing the Tribe's 1998 breakup or writing personal letters to the group after bandmate Phife Dawg's death, Abdurraqib seeks the deeper truths of A Tribe Called Quest; truths that--like the low end, the bass--are not simply heard in the head, but felt in the chest.

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Title:Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest
Edition Language:English
ISBN:9781477316481
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    Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest Reviews

  • Jessica Hopper

    This book does so many things, and expands the frame of critical biography so crucially. Diving deep in to Tribe's history is only a part of what Hanif Abdurraqib does here -- where the book sings is ...

  • Lucy Dacus

    If only every writer approached their subjects with the generosity, humility, respect, and honesty that Hanif does....

  • Jak Krumholtz

    When this book arrived Monday I sent a pic of my daughter holding it to my sister that introduced me to Hanif’s writing. I said sometimes fans can’t wait until drop dates. Tuesday I was home sick ...

  • Jerrie

    Abdurraqib is a very gifted writer. With amazing elegance and verve, he weaves the story of the early rap group A Tribe Called Quest with observations on race and culture. The group was an important p...

  • Jacob Hoefer

    3 books by Hanif and all 3 have made me cry...

  • Annie

    not trying to be all "hanif is the premier music critic of our time" or anything but "hanif is the premier music critic of our time"...

  • chantel nouseforaname

    I'm not crying. I swear. I'm. Not. Crying... I..I.. just have something in my eye. Yo, Hanif Abdurraqib is a BRILLIANT writer. He really knows how to put you into his life. He fits you right in the...

  • Lindsay

    This book was everything I wanted from a music history and has really got me thinking about writing about music. I've been feeling dreamy all week thinking about this book, made a playlist for it on G...

  • Jimmy

    I love reading reviews on Goodreads because they're not professional reviews. That means they're entangled with memories, hopes, expectations, flaws. The personal lives of the reviewer often adds to m...

  • Darryl Suite

    Have you ever read a book that seems like it was tailor-made for you? This is that book for me. I'm in love. This had everything I'm looking for in a book; a gift for my music-obsessed heart and mind....