Rather see the above links in your inbox or feed reader?
Subscribe to our Links for hand-picked items from around the web
Book Review: People’s Instinctive travels and the Paths of Rhythm · by Sach O
Hip Hop sociology makes me more nervous than a label head in front of a young Kris Parker. I’ve read enough longwinded academic diatribes on the place of 2Pac’s poetry within the black cultural discourse to know that most of the stuff is A) boring and B) written from Viacom’s perspective of “Hip Hop history”. The problem is that most writers with book deals would prefer to have their teeth pulled out rather than discuss the actual music on a rap record and as in all things Hip Hop, it’s the story that sells, not the music. This said, when I learned that the 33 and 1/3rd book on Tribe’s debut was going to be equal parts memoir and album analysis, I got ready for a bumpy ride. It’s to author Shawn Taylor’s credit that People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm works as both a look back at how A Tribe Called Quest changed Hip Hop as an art form and a culture as well as one individual’s coming of age story within that same cultural framework.
The one thing to know from the get-go: you probably won’t gleam much new information about the album from this book. Though an interview with Bob Power offers a few choice anecdotes, Shawn Taylor mostly uses Tribe’s debut as a means to discuss his youth and how Hip Hop changed his life. This isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds: as a young black outcast struggling through high school when Travels dropped, Taylor was Tribe’s target audience and his own story meshes effortlessly with the album’s themes and concerns. By recounting his discovery of Tribe’s music, Taylor manages to paint a sympathetic portrait of the segment of young Black America that didn’t fit amidst the New Jack Swing, Gangsta rap, political riot starting and latent Prince-related freakiness of the late 80’s.
At the book’s core lie two separate album reviews: one culled from excerpts of Taylor’s diary written in early 1990 and a reassessment written years later. The difference in perspective is shocking and a little heart wrenching. It’s hard to read a 17 year old’s enthusiasm for black power when you know Puffy was less than a decade away. Similarly, it’s hard to sympathize with a guy who counts Dilated Peoples and Atmosphere as current favorites while taking pot shots at Hyphy. Yet the book is no rant against the current state of rap and by the time Taylor has finished reevaluating his favorite album, he’s come to terms with the fact that his own musical inflexibility may be one of the causes that “they just don’t make em like they used to”. Additionally, the written breakdowns of each song make for a comprehensive look at the album: what the hell were those frogs anyways?
In light of current Hip Hop’s asphyxiating and limited choice of personalities for fans to look up to, Shawn Taylor makes a strong case for offering today’s youth a greater variety of options to emulate and build upon. Though Taylor’s distaste of aggressive posturing is obvious, he’s far more interested in how Tribe extended a life-line to disaffected youth and how similar music could do so again, rather than remaining fixated on those who never escaped their own socio-economic stereotypes. If anything, this exploration of Tribe’s debut is an interesting look at society’s potential for growth through music, as well as the harshness of the reality surrounding those who refuse to accept the roles imposed on them.
And if you’re one of those for whom “Description of a Fool” rarely got play as the last track of a 70 minute album, this book will assure it a spot on your next mixtape, guaranteed.
Comments for "Book Review: People’s Instinctive travels and the Paths of Rhythm"
Damn,this is out already. Gonna cop it.
— R.H.S. Aug 28, 04:41 PM
looks interesting, thanks for the heads up, one.
— CommishCH Aug 29, 10:52 AM
thx for the review. this one takes a different approach than the hendrix one. i’m glad i read the review 1st. i’ll pass on this one….
— bongo Aug 30, 12:42 PM
Hip Hop sociology makes me more nervous than a label head in front of a young Kris Parker.
========
Dude.
Thats the best opener I seen in a HOT ass minute.
It’s hard to read a 17 year old’s enthusiasm for black power when you know Puffy was less than a decade away.
========
Puff as the Grinch that stole boom bap.
Nice.
— m.dot Sep 3, 02:52 AM