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Reviews

Craig Charles
Hip Hip is not History, it's Our story. Brilliant book.
Guardian
Hip-Hop Is History melds a detailed chronological retelling of the genre's story with occasionally hair-raising memoir
Moonbuilding
With Questlove, his world is wrapped up in that history. So you get the story mixed with his personal experience. It's also beautifully written
Publishers Weekly
Questlove interweaves sharp and lyrical analyses of hip-hop's evolution with fascinating, up-close recollections of the genre's turning point...It's an exuberant account of a dynamic musical genre and the cultural climate in which it evolved
Kirkus Reviews
A memorable, masterful history of the first 50 years of an indelible American art form...[Questlove's] observations spanning the entirety of hip-hop's history are consistently illuminating... [His] instincts as a superfan and artist take this history beyond the hype to something very special
Booklist
This is a must-read for music lovers, cultural history buffs, and hip-hop fans... Questlove's illuminating and insightful survey is as personal as it is expert
Financial Times
Sharp insights...[an] engaging chronology...entertaining
Herald
Hugely readable...an encyclopaedic and idiosyncratic personal history of rap music now that it is more than 50 years old...[Questlove is] great at catching the sonic thrill and originality of the music. Nearly every page will have you jumping onto YouTube just to listen to the tunes he's talking about
Observer
Nobody knows more about hip-hop, and perhaps popular music in general, than Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson...a wonderful ride, coloured by personal digressions and crisp observations
The Week
The musician and Oscar-winning director traces the first 50 years of hip-hop... Questlove pairs the history of hip-hop with a personal reflection on how the genre shaped his identity during his childhood in Philadelphia
Buzz Magazine
Engaging and deeply knowledgeable
Time
A must-read for old-school hip-hop heads and burgeoning fans alike