Discuss the significance of the Djembe and its impact on Coates in (The Beautiful Struggle). Be sure to use quotes from the text to support your ideas.

Coates notes that although he initially had no interest in the black story as contained in the books his father collected and published as they related to Africa, he came to love the music of Africa. Coates writes that he was especially drawn to the beat of the djembe drum. He was so enthralled by the sound that he decided to learn how to play the djembe. He had never showed any interest in playing music before but the beat and sound took him to another place – a place of comfort and belonging.

Coates writes that once he learned to play the djembe drum well, he joined a dance troupe as a musician. He loved the troupe and it was the drum and its music and beat that drew the shy reserved kid out and made him more sociable. In the end, he knew that he wasn’t an elite musician but, rather, a workman. Coates had been convinced that the music had moved and transformed him in many ways just as rap had in earlier times.