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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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Jean Grae Goes Dark Phoenix

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jan 11 2012, 2:00 PM ET Comment

This new joint popped up over the weekend from Jean. In the tradition of Kane, Biggie and Jay, Jean's humor has always stood out for me. Even in these sort of sad love songs which I love. (Shout-out "Love Song.") But like all MCs she has a great sense for the sheer musicality of words. Again we're back to Jennifer Grotz and "Poppies" but at that lizard-brain level, "What I had thought was gold, was only gold-plated\Thinking of all the ones, I could have just left and up and dated." sounds good.

I'm not sure why she's constantly compared with Nicki Minaj. But I love her response to the comparison. 


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