Questlove is one of the most celebrated musicians of the present day. The Grammy Award-winning artist’s latest business venture is the perfect avenue for him to bridge together his wide array of passions. In a new interview with The New York Times, the entertainer (real name Ahmir Khalib Thompson) revealed that he’s launching his own book imprint at MCD Books.
Named in homage to the late Prince, Auwa Books will feature, in his words, “a mix of fiction and nonfiction that ranges from memoirs to books about music history and business.”
The first release slate to be released from the company is funk music icon Sly Stone’s memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) written with Ben Greenman. Next year, Thompson and Greenman will team up for Hip-Hop Is History, an examination of hip-hop’s first 50 years.
When asked about what inspired him to launch the imprint, Thompson said, “With the rapid influx of death happening with Black creators and no one to pass the recipes down, I wanted to bring action to a dire situation.” This was the driving force behind his Oscar Award-winning documentary Summer Of Soul.
He later added, “I’m in a phase of my life where I’m trying to rebuild the world I never had myself as a kid,” he said. “Through this imprint, I’m offering a platform.”
Questlove has already written several books of his own, including Mo’ Meta Blues, Creative Quest, and Music Is History; with a children’s book on the way, there’s no doubt Auwa Books will be a success.
