Go Ahead in the Rain by Hanif Abdurraqib / 5 stars

[Meli]

Go Ahead in the Rain, as its subtitle notes, "is a love letter to a group, a sound, and an era." The central subject is the hop-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, but I think it fits the BLM bonus tag for a couple reasons. First, the group was political in their celebration of Black people and culture, and second, Abdurraqib himself weaves commentary about race relations and the movement of the 90s, drawing parallels to our current cultural climate, throughout this book.

"Like all black stories in America, it begins first with what people did to amend their loss in light of what they no longer had at their disposal... here is the story of how, even without our drums, we still find a way to speak to each other across any distance placed between us."

Abdurraqib is one of my favorite contemporary writers. He is a culture critic, music lover, essayist, and poet, and all these seemingly different writing skills come together beautifully to pay tribute to the group. This is equal parts biography of and love letter to A Tribe Called Quest, also including history of peripheral / relevant hip-hop groups / artists coming of age in the late 80s / early 90s.

Abdurraqib has a wonderful flow to his writing, where his poet chops shine through, a kinda of stream-of-consciousness style that while it seems to be effortless I am sure there was very careful thought put into his words.

I wasn't a huge A Tribe Called Quest head growing up, although I was into hip-hop and of course aware of the group, but I love Abdurraqib's writing (after reading They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us) so I immediately got this as soon as it came out. I have a much greater appreciation for the group, their style, and contribution to the genre after reading this book. Abdurraqib is such a huge fan and his love for the group really comes through. It reads as if he knew the group intimately. He also has a knack for showing why hip-hop is a viable genre worthy of artistic merit.

"...I've been thinking about how the art of the sample is also the art of breathing life into someone who doesn't have a life anymore."

I would recommend this to any reader with a passing interest in hip-hop, with a focus on the early 90s even without a strong love for Tribe. Definitely a MUST read if you are a Tribe fan. Expect to get much more out of the book than just a biography of the group. Beautiful writing, thoughtful history of a group clearly loved immensely by the writer.

[Joi]

Recommending this to hubby, a BIG BIG Tribe fan.

[Meli]

Oh yay!! Must read for him for sure!