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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.
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Billy Dee Williams says "Young man, pull up your pants..."

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Nov 3 2008, 12:45 PM ET Comment

Hah, Obama on the question that vexes all black people over 40. You know where I am on this one. When I was a kid Negroes were wearing their pants backwards--literaly. A few years back, when I worked at the Voice, I couldn't walk through the East Village without seeing a young lady in low-riders with her thong showing. I didn't have a problem with that. Hmmm, that's not the same thing, I guess.

Uhm, moving on...I thought the "Brothers need to pull their pants up" line was pretty funny. It's good to see a dude operating at that level who still has a sense of humor.



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