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June 23, 2021
Quntos KunQuest's Playlist for His Novel "This Life"
In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Previous contributors include Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Roxane Gay, and many others.
Quntos KunQuest's novel This Life is a powerful debut about one man's experience in the U.S. prison system.
Publishers Weekly wrote of the book:
"KunQuest's searing debut depicts a man's unrelentingly brutal life in the U.S. prison system. . . . Using an effective experimental combination of prose and rap lyrics, KunQuest brilliantly captures the cadence and rhythm of prison. Confident and unrelenting, this one hits hard."
In his words, here is Quntos KunQuest's Book Notes music playlist for his debut novel This Life:
1. The first song without hesitation would be Bob Marley’s "Redemption Song." Because prison feels like you’ve been sold “to the marching ships.”
2. Jimi Hendrix’s "All Along The Watchtower." “There’s gotta be a way out of here…”
3. Bob Dylan’s "Like a Rolling Stone." The lyrics really capture the feel of being robbed of your sense of belonging. More than homeless. Tribeless. An invisible man.
4. 2Pac’s "Me Against the World." Not just the song, also the album. It’s nostalgic. Passionate in a way that conveys rage as a focused disposition. And, the most disturbing disillusionment. Begs the deepest profound remorse, but offers none. And no regrets.
5. LL Cool J’s "I Need Love” … because you miss it. Oh! Do you miss it.
6. R. Kelly’s “If I Could Turn Back The Hands of Time.” Every new prisoner has to grapple with this empty impulse.
7. Staind’s “Outside.” Too intimate. No statement. It is what it is.
8. Goodie Mob’s “Still Standing.” An evolved "Me Against The World.”
9. JayZ’s “Hard Knock Life.” Acceptance and Determination.
10. Erykah Badu’s “Time's A Wastin.” Awareness and composed urgency.
11. Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” Marching orders…
12. 2Pac’s “Life Goes On.” For Chris.
Quntos KunQuest was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1976. Since 1996, he has been incarcerated at the Louisiana State Prison in Angola, Louisiana. He is a musician, rapper, visual artist, and novelist.
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