VIBRATE HIGHER

The life and opinions of a hip-hop legend.

“The truth is that most rappers are supernerds,” writes Kweli early on. “While we live at the top of the nerd food chain, we are, without a doubt, nerds who are good with words.” This memoir confirms what his work has communicated for years, demonstrating the sharp, nimble mind of an insatiable cultural omnivore. Unfortunately, there are instances in which he undercuts his obvious intelligence with self-satisfaction, and he slides easily into lecture mode, regularly interrupting his story to inform readers of his political views in ways that don’t always keep the narrative moving. “While I was thirty-nine,” he writes, “I could feel this newfound attitude approaching. I began to question myself less and others more. In most of the rooms I find myself in, I am often the most experienced….I speak not so much from a place of knowledge but from a place of wisdom. And it feels good. Damn good.” Even readers who share the author’s politics will find their presentation intrusive on what is otherwise such a compelling retrospective of an impressive life. Whether discussing how he used to cut school to hone his rapping skills in Washington Square Park or recounting how he took his maternal grandmother, “the Obama Mama,” as his guest to the White House, Kweli turns back the pages of hip-hop history for music fans and has something to offer readers unfamiliar with his work. By the end of the book, even that latter group will appreciate the author’s standing as one of the most respected emcees in hip-hop. This book has been in the works for a long time. Some may wish that Kweli—who is busy with recording, touring, podcast hosting, activism, and prolific tweeting—left himself more time to polish another classic.

A valuable memoir featuring surprisingly average social commentary—thankfully, more of the former.