Marcus J. Moore: Dare To Be Different

Marcus J. Moore is a music journalist, editor, curator, pundit, professor, and author of The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America. He has co-led the jazz-focused “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love…” series at the New York Times. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, NPR, Pitchfork, TIME, TIDAL, GQ, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. Follow him on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

In this interview, Marcus discusses how leaning into his own unique voice helped him write his new biography, High and Rising (A Book About De La Soul), his hope for readers, and more.

Name: Marcus J. Moore
Literary agent: William LoTurco, Founder of LoTurco Literary
Book title: High and Rising (A Book About De La Soul)
Publisher: Dey Street Books / HarperCollins
Release date: November 19, 2024
Genre/category: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Music History and Criticism
Previous titles: The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America
Elevator pitch: Not only does High and Rising tell the story of one of the most influential rap groups of all time, it’s a deeply personal coming-of-age story about my own journey through life with De La as a backdrop—a tale about staying the course, and how holding true to your virtue can lead to dynamic results. Fans of the writers Hanif Abdurraqib and Danyel Smith will appreciate the mix of reported biography and first-person narrative, while fans of De La Soul will enjoy this stroll down memory lane.

Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?

I like to write books that celebrate legends who’ve been somewhat underrated by time. I also want to highlight musicians who warrant deeper study in the literary space. We can read several books about Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles and Miles Davis, but what about the next crop of cornerstones? With Black music books especially, there’s this notion to write them off as “too niche.” Ever the disrupter, I believe artists like Kendrick Lamar and De La Soul deserve flowers the same as the aforementioned acts, and with High and Rising, I wanted to assess De La while also examining my own upbringing alongside their music. I grew up with their work, and I remember when the albums 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul Is Dead, Buhloone Mindstate and Stakes Is High were released. I felt it was time to highlight these and other albums while discussing the grand impact De La has made on music and pop culture overall.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I first had the idea to write a De La Soul book in 2020, a few months before my Kendrick Lamar book was released. I locked in the deal, then life took hold, and I had to push the book aside for a bit. Then Dave from De La passed away and my mother soon after. From this sadness came the final push to finish the book, because it would allow me to salute Dave and my mother in a raw, emotional way. The focus of the book shifted about midway through. At first this was going to be a straightforward biography. But after thinking about it, I decided to make it a memoir as well. While there is reporting and research in the book, I thought it was important for me to assert my own voice, which I believe made for a stronger story. Plus, if I’m being honest, I grew frustrated with the number of people who either flaked or didn’t respond to interview requests. That’s when I realized I have a voice, and—thankfully—I’ve reached a point in my career where fans of certain genres want to know how I feel about certain topics. I decided to lean into that.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I think the biggest surprise was the ease with which I wrote. Of course, writing a book isn’t easy, but High and Rising felt like a conversation with the reader. I wanted to say things plainly and honestly without belaboring the point. I was also surprised by how much I could pull from within — the memories, the joy, the personal hurt and the suffering, the good and mixed feelings I felt all those years ago listening to De La. As a semi-regular journalist who’s spent years self-assessing and running down the work before it publishes, I was surprised by how self-assured I’ve been through this process. Will everyone like the book? No, of course not. But High and Rising feels right in all aspects. I’m surprised by this newfound confidence I have within the literary landscape.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

Even if you’re on the fence about De La Soul, I hope readers can appreciate the bravery with which they operated. They paved the way for many rappers, instrumentalists, and comedians to be their fully authentic selves. And they did so at a time when it was risky. Without De La Soul, there is no Common, Queen Latifah, The Roots, or Mos Def, and therefore a large swath of artistic excellence doesn’t come to fruition. I hope readers can appreciate the revolution of De La, as a band who showed others that it’s OK to show love, have fun, and experiment with music. Because it’s partially a memoir, I also hope readers get to learn a little more about me as a writer and a person.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Dare to be different. As enticing as it might be to write about the same topics as everyone else, don’t be afraid to cover things that aren’t being covered. It may be a lonely road initially, but if you keep writing with force and sincerity, you’ll build a genuine fanbase. The world needs more writers willing to explore the unknown, because those are the stories that need to be told.