"From one of our generation’s most powerful artists and incisive storytellers comes a brilliantly crafted work about the art—and war—of becoming who we are."
Publish Date: November 14, 2023
As a hip-hop fan and avid listener of The Roots, I was very excited to read The Upcycled Self by Tariq Trotter. While I had sifted through stories about the group from Questlove's books, I looked forward to reading personal accounts from Tariq Trotter. The Upcycled Self did not disappoint!
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know more about Trotter through the stories he told. I felt as though I was walking down the streets with him as his beautiful words painted pictures of Philadelphia. It was a treat getting to learn more about him through his descriptions of his loved ones and those he was most influenced by. And I appreciated the vulnerability he possessed when sharing early stories about "the fire," his mother, and parts of himself I'd never heard him speak candidly about before.
The Upcycled Self was a treat for me as I know it will be for fans and others as well. The only thing I wished for was that the book was longer. I found myself wanting to know more about this brilliant man I've grown to adore through verse and style over the years.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the eBook!
Will you be adding The Upcycled Self to your reading list?
I can remember that thang like yesterday (via Big Boi's voice from Spottieottiedopaliscious) when I first heard Nas's Illmatic booming through my uncle's speakers in his bedroom. His room was reminiscent to Rap City's The Bassment, complete with crates of records, tapes, 8-tracks, discs, and enough hip-hop magazines to feed the curious child's appetite. I WAS IN HIP-HOP HEAVEN. As The World Is Yours is playing in my head in retrospect to the memory, I recall dissecting the lyrics as the were spewed from the speakers. I really wanted to feel what Nas was talking about. Wanting to know what Nas was talking about led to wanting to know what 2Pac, A Tribe Called Quest, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang, and all those other cats were talking about. My curiosity soon became a craving for the lyrics, the rhymes, and the infectious beats. Thus began my love affair with Hip-Hop.
While I'm a little too young to say I started rocking it out with Slick-Rick, Dougie Fresh, or the SugarHill Gang, I can say I'm old enough to appreciate the art-form of Hip-Hop that originated in NY in the 70's. To show my appreciation, I would like to highlight 10 songs that introduced me to hip-hop, made me fall in love with hip-hop, and has forever bound my heart to its early message of social-consciousness, despite the attempts to dilute its originality.
Check the list and tell me all about your faves.
Note that these are in no particular order but are the first ones that come to mind.
Happy Tuesday, guys and dolls! How are you all doing today? I hope your week started off on a positive note and you're all in good spirits! As it usually goes, I would like to thank you guys for stopping by here today and checking out the tunes I've been grooving to so far. I appreciate each and every one of you and hope that you hear at least one song you like or can reminisce to or vibe with while listening along today.
Request Line by Zhane'- This used to be my jam back in the day! I remember turning up my mom's living room radio (or what you would now call a boom box) whenever this song came on. It always played during the midday jams on Saturdays, the day mama went to make groceries and left me at home to babysit my younger siblings and get the house cleaned up. My friend D would come over, we would delegate chores to my siblings, and we would turn the radio up super loud and clean to the beat lol. Those were the days! It also reminds me of those middle school days when I used to call the radio station and request songs just so I could dub them on a tape! I know I wasn't the only one who did that! Either way, I loved every single Zhane' put out, but this one was my favorite. Does anyone know where these ladies are nowadays? On The Radio by Nelly Furtado- Listening to Nelly Furtado this morning brought back memories of 2001. This was a pivotal point in my life, as I was learning many lessons in self-love. Ironically enough, lyrics in Nelly's song declare that she had decided to stay true to herself-- something I was learning to do at that same time. While she was clearly talking about her switch to mainstream, her message spoke to my high school self perfectly. I didn't have to fit in with others. It was okay if I was a nerd, or loved to read & write ALL THE TIME, or didn't have a million name-brand pieces in my wardrobe. I decided back in 2001 to stay true to myself no matter what. I lost a few friends, but looking back at everything, I realized they weren't my friends to begin with. If any young ladies and gentlemen are reading this, always remember to love yourself first. If you have to change any aspect of who you are to fit in with others, chances are you don't need to be around them in the first place. Never dim your light to satisfy others. People who don't want to see you doing your best don't have your best interest at heart anyways! Listen to the song :) Good Good Love by Rapsody- Hearing Rapsody, or any of the very talented artists from the JAMLA roster always make me feel proud to rep North Carolina. This track, which is probably my favorite from the album, talks about the perils of that tricky love thang we call break-up to make-up. In the chorus BJ the Chicago Kid sings "For him she packed all her Louie, all her Fendi, all her Prada, but somehow she left her heart." Many if not all of us can relate to not being able to walk away from the one we love so easy. If you like what you hear, be sure to purchase her project The Idea of Beautiful from iTunes here. You will not be disappointed! Bonita Applebum by A Tribe Called Quest- Now this one right here is a guilty pleasure for me. When I hear the lyrics, "Do I love you... Do I lust for you... Am I sinner 'cuz I do the two?" I get all kinds of hype waiting for the beat to drop. Q-tip is pretty much begging Ms. Bonita Applebum to "put him on" with his witty lyrics and even compares her to a hip-hop song! Bonita Applebum just has such a laid-back feel to it, I could listen to it over and over. Are you a fan of this track? Were you a fan of A Tribe Called Quest back in the day? I Do Love You by GQ- Now this song right here! Man, they don't make music like this anymore! Of course this song isn't from my day or time or whatever, but I fell in love with it after hearing it on the movie Baby Boy years ago. I played it for my mom a few times and she asked me, "What do you know about GQ, girl?" lol. I know it's good soulful music, with a smooth feel, and lyrics that make you want to fall in love over and over again. Are you feeling this one as much as I am?
Happy Tuesday, ladies and gentlemen! How is your day going so far? I hope all is well with each and every one of you. I also want to thank you all for stopping by my little corner of the web today. You could have been on any other site right now, but you're here rocking with me. And for that, I am very appreciative :-)
For this week's installment of Tuesday's Tunes, I would like to share with you a few songs on my playlist today. I hope you enjoy the selections!
Miss My Love by Antoine Dunn- What can I say about Antoine Dunn and his smooth Baptist Church soul- stirring vocals? I became a fan of Antoine Dunn after hearing his single "Can't Forget" a while back. So I was pleasantly surprised to hear the release of another single in "Miss My Love." If you like this song and are asking yourself "Who is Antoine Dunn?" please get familiar by visiting his site at www.antoinedunn.com. His debut album Truth of the Matter will be released on October 16, a week from today, so be on the lookout!
I Don't Know Why I Love You by Brand New Heavies- Anyone who has ever heard this song cannot ignore the beautifully painful lyrics N'Dea Davenport is forcing out of herself in "I Don't Know Why I Love You." I never knew love and pain coupled could sound so good! As a fan of the Brand New Heavies, I must say this is one of my favorites by them.
Cheers 2 U by Playa- The first time I heard "Cheers 2 U" I was riding in my mom's minivan enjoying a chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar. We had just left the grocery store and it was apparent that music and the ice cream were all that would ensure a peaceful 30 minute ride home for mommy and her four precocious children. It's crazy what songs memories attach themselves to. After hearing this song I went home and begged my cousin to buy me Playa's album by the same name. As my siblings can probably recall, this allowed me the opportunity to play the tape repeatedly in the car and house until everybody got tired of hearing it. I wonder if any of them grew to love the late-great Static Major as much as I did.
Never Make a Promise by Dru Hill- This was such a touching song. I love each sentiment that the song leader "Jazz" expressed in these lyrics. "I promise I'll never hurt you, I'll never make you cry... I'll keep you safe, I'll keep you warm, I'll keep you satisfied." And he vowed to keep these promises in the video, when he learns his pregnant girlfriend is being abused by her stepfather. This one is definitely a tear-jerker for you.
Cherry Wine by Nas featuring Amy Winehouse- If you know me well, you know I Stan for three rappers. Nas happens to be one of them, so you can probably imagine how much I have played out Life Is Good since its summer release. My favorite track from the album, "Cherry Wine," features the vocals of the late Amy Winehouse in the chorus. In the video, Nas serves the drinks in this classic bar setting as projections of Amy performing adorn the walls.
Are you a fan of these tunes? What are you listening to?
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