[15] Publishers Weekly's review noted, "When Willis-Abdurraqib meditates on the dangers of being young and black in America, the power of his poetry is undeniable".

[23] In April 2017 his chapbook Vintage Sadness had a limited edition release by Big Lucks, selling out its print run of 500 copies in just under six hours.

The Huffington Post named his essay on Fetty Wap's song "Trap Queen" to its list of "The Most Important Writing From People of Color in 2015.

"[31] Discussing Abdurraqib's essay on the late Muhammad Ali as inspiration to a generation of hip-hop artists, critic Ned Raggett called the piece a "standout" among the many elegies.

[33] The Chicago Tribune named it to a list of "25 must-read books" for the fall of 2017[34] and Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, calling the collection "mesmerizing and deeply perceptive".

[38] A special five year anniversary edition of the collection will be released on November 15, 2022, featuring three new essays and an audiobook version recorded by Abdurraqib himself.

Abdurraqib published Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest in 2019 as part of University of Texas Press's American Music Series,[39][40] edited by Jessica Hopper, David Menconi, and Oliver Wang.

[41] It debuted at number 13 on The New York Times bestseller list for paperback non-fiction[42] and received strongly favorable reviews from critics.

It is a book that conveys the wonder of being a fan and the visceral impact of experiencing the feeling of having oneself reflected back in music and pop culture.

"[51] The first book in the Random House deal was retitled A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance and was released March 30, 2021.

[52] A Little Devil received a starred prepublication review in Publishers Weekly, which wrote: "Filled with nuance and lyricism, Abdurraqib's luminous survey is stunning.

"[52] Kirkus called the book: "A thoughtful memoir rolled into a set of joined essays on life, death, and the Black experience in America....Another winner from Abdurraqib, a writer always worth paying attention to.