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Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

Obama On Hip-Hop

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Apr 20 2008, 11:16 PM ET Comment

Barack has some kind words--and some deserved criticism--for hip-hop. Unlike Marsalis and Cosby, Obama actually enjoys some of the music and--most importantly--has considerable respect for it as an art form. Also in his criticism he adds one oft missed problem with the music to the frequently cited duo of misogyny and violence. That would be rank materialism. Anyway here's the clip. Props to Farragut for the link.



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