Foreword / by Questlove -- Introduction: the end -- Man, music. Life can be so nice: his life and its beginnings ; Baby I'm a star: his music and its beginnings ; Brand new groove: his music and its properties ; Musicology: his music and its imitators -- Meaning. Girls and boys: sex in his music ; Walk by the mirror: self in his music ; What time is it?: others in his music ; I wish u heaven: virtue and sin in his music ; America: race and politics in his music -- Methods, madness. What's my name: why he changed his name, and what that wrought ; MPLS: how his hometown made him and how he, in turn, made it ; Call the law: how he grew frustrated with fans and the internet ; It's gonna be a beautiful night: when he was onstage ; The work: how he produced so much for so long -- Memory. Such a shame our friendship had to end -- Appendix: Let's work: annotated discography and song index.