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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.

The Brown Bag Unbound

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Oct 31 2008, 2:17 PM ET Comment

Haitian sensation, Afronerd, and all around friend of the room Evan Narcisse is the only person who understands the true significance of Barack Obama:

I had a high-yellow friend who always used to say that light-skinned brothers are gonna make a comeback. Just wait, he'd say, the halcyon days of Al B. Sure will return. I never realized how prophetic he was.
That's what the I'm talking about. All you Morris Chestnut chocolate boy wonders. All you Denzel Washington mocha macks. All you Mekhi Phifer/Omar Epps/Michael K. Williams/Derek Luke/Pete Rock mofos, I got two words for you--Time's. Up.

Of course, this only applies to dudes. I'm straight Jungle Brothers 1989, rocking that "Blacker The Berry" isht. Lauryn Hill--pre-crazy--is the master mold. But all ya'll Idriss Elba mofos need to back up. Christopher Williams is in the house. Khalil Kane mercs Pac. Kid beats Play. Grab your Sportin' Waves, and stocking caps. Break yo'self, fool.

UPDATE: Here's what I mean...You didn't play, you just got played out...



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