The Roots co-founder Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is set to launch his book imprint dubbed AUWA Books.
The new company’s name takes its inspiration from Prince’s signature screech.
AUWA Books, which will publish fiction and nonfiction, aims to connect readers with inspiring new stories and help them discover lost voices. Questlove’s interests are diverse, ranging from music to a vast array of topics, and he intends to share his passion with others through his imprint.
The imprint’s first book, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” will be written by the legendary Sly Stone and is set to hit the shelves on October 17th, 2023.
Sly Stone, known for his exceptional contributions to pop music, created a new kind of music by mixing soul, funk, and rock and is responsible for many iconic anthems from the 1960s and ’70s, including “Everyday People” and “Family Affair.”
“For as long as I can remember, folks have been asking me to tell my story,” explained Sly Stone. “I wasn’t ready. I had to be in a new frame of mind to become Sylvester Stewart again to tell the true story of Sly Stone. It’s been a wild ride, and hopefully, my fans enjoy it too.”
In collaboration with Sly Stone’s manager Arlene Hirschkowitz, “Thank You” was written by Sly and Ben Greenman, who has written memoirs with other music icons such as George Clinton and Brian Wilson.
Questlove is excited to publish his books under the AUWA Books imprint, which he feels is a natural step in his writing career.
“I have been writing books for over a decade,” said Questlove, “so it seemed like a natural step to publish them too. I’m very excited about AUWA Books, from the books we have lined up to the books we haven’t discovered yet. Let’s take it to the page.”
His book “Hip-Hop Is History,” co-written with Ben Greenman, will be published in 2024 and undoubtedly become a seminal book about hip-hop’s first 50 years.
Other books expected to be published under the imprint include Drew Afualo’s inspiring first book, Josh Luber’s Building the Hype Economy, and Derrick Palmer’s urgent Handbook for the Revolution: The Essential Guide for Workplace Organizing.