Black Thought has found a way to inspire other Black men, helping them begin their internal healing process with his upcoming memoir, The Upcycled Self.
Variety reports that the new book by Black Thought (real name Tariq Trotter) explores the rapper’s life and upbringing. Throughout the course of the memoir, he will discuss the tragedies in his life, including a fire that destroyed his family home.
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The book, which is expected to be released on November 14, paints a “riveting and moving portrait” of the Roots MC as a young man, as well as giving readers “a courageous model of what it means to live an examined life.”
The novel also serves as a “coming of age” story that “illuminates the redemptive power of ‘the upcycle,’ which it defines as ‘to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item,’ and ‘to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value).'”
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On Tuesday (May 9), the Grammy-Award winner shared the news about the book’s upcoming release, as well as it’s cover via Instagram. “The storytelling continues. The medium is ever evolving. I’m so proud of this work. It’s been years in the making. The story of the Upcycled Self — a focus on childhood forged from the fire,” he wrote.
He continued: “I hope in sharing so much about my upbringing we can find new courage to start the difficult conversations that prompt healing, with ourselves and others. As men. As Black men. As humans.”
Black Thought isn’t the only member of the Roots camp who has taken on the role of author. In April, Questlove released a young adult novel, called The Rhythm of Time.
Following its release, the book landed on the Top 5 of Amazon’s bestseller list under the “Children’s Action and Adventure Books” category.
In an appearance on The View around that time, Questlove told the hosts he dedicated the book to his 9-year-old self, who loved reading but never saw himself represented in the books available to him.
Though the book isn’t autobiographical, Questlove drew inspiration from his Philadelphia upbringing. “I want Black nerds to see themselves as well,” he said.
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The Rhythm of Time tells the story of seventh-grader Rahim Reynolds and his friend Kasia Collins, who spend their time building and testing seemingly crazy gadgets. But Rahim suddenly gets transported back to 1997 when he gets his hands on one of Kasia’s special cell phones. He must find a way to get back to the present, while dodging some nefarious obstacles in his way.
