Welcome to the latest edition of my monthly digest where I share cool and interesting stuff I’ve been reading, watching or listening to lately.

✍️ WRITINGS ✍️

Jayson Buford @jaysonbuford

I profiled Maxo Kream on pain, grief, family legacy, and his excellent new album, Weight of the World.

rollingstone.comMaxo Kream Confronted Pain and Grief to Make His New Album ‘Weight of the World’Rapper discusses his new LP, intergenerational trauma, and his patient rise to stardom

7:03 PM ∙ Oct 21, 2021

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324Likes66Retweets

REVOLT @revolttv

We spoke to NBA star @Dame_Lillard, aka Dame D.O.L.L.A., about his new studio album and the respect he wants as a rapper in the game — music game, that is. | ✏️ : @shirju

revolt.tvDame D.O.L.L.A. wants respect in the rap game: “I’m not a basketball player that raps, I’m a rapper”REVOLT spoke to NBA star Damian Lillard, aka Dame D.O.L.L.A., about his new studio album and the respect he wants as a rapper in the game — music game, that is.

5:02 PM ∙ Oct 26, 2021

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152Likes19Retweets

Kevin 楊可峯 @KevinHFY

For @Passionweiss, I wrote about the new Miles Bridges mixtape, Flint rappers, NBA rappers and the best Miles Bridges lines that Adam Silver might try to fine him for

passionweiss.comMiles Bridges Isn’t Just Another NBA RapperAs the NBA seasons returns, Kevin Yeung celebrates Miles Bridges moonlighting as a rapper who would never be allowed within a mile radius of Adam Silver’s NBA.

7:08 PM ∙ Oct 20, 2021

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The Guardian Long Read @gdnlongread

"One problem with political hip-hop: rappers did not always make great politicians." Does hip-hop have to be revolutionary? by Kelefa Sanneh

theguardian.comThe message: why should hip-hop have to teach us anything?The long read: Almost since it first emerged on the streets of the Bronx, audiences have expected hip-hop to express a revolutionary purpose. But perhaps this music shouldn’t have to take a political stand

11:55 AM ∙ Oct 7, 2021

Otto Von Biz Markie @Passionweiss

A truly phenomenal interview with the legendary AZ about the creative process, the wisdom of having quiet money, his earliest influences, the importance of sticking to your guns, and his latest "Do or Die 2." By the great @ZillaRocca. passionweiss.com/2021/10/13/az-… @quietAZmoney

passionweiss.com“We Opened That Gate of Get Fly, Get Money:” An Interview With AZ16 years after his debut studio album, AZ delivers ‘Do or Die 2.’ He joins Zilla to talk Quiet Money philosophy, the next generation and more.

4:57 PM ∙ Oct 13, 2021

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📚 BOOKS 📚

Eric Harvey @ericdharvey

Okay, I've been waiting for this: here's the first couple thousand words from the conclusion to my book, posted at the greatest rap blog in the world, a huge thanks to @Passionweiss for literally everything

passionweiss.comAn Excerpt from Eric Harvey’s ‘Who Got the Camera?: A History of Rap and Reality’It’s hard to find two sectors of popular culture that reflect the democratic possibilities, consumerist ideologies, and emotional flare-ups of American life more than reality TV and reality rap, Er…

5:15 PM ∙ Oct 22, 2021

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Adam P. Newton @dryvetyme

Over at @BeardedGMusic, I wrote about "Who Got the Camera?," the incendiary and profound new book about the intersection of reality rap and tabloid television by @ericdharvey for @UTexasPress.

beardedgentlemenmusic.comEric Harvey - Who Got the Camera? | Bearded Gentlemen MusicRants, Reviews, Interviews, and Independent Music Coverage.

2:20 PM ∙ Oct 6, 2021

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Dave Lindquist @317lindquist

New "Who Got the Camera?" book by @IUBloomington alum @ericdharvey revisits era when NWA, Ice-T, "Cops" and tabloid talks shows redefined entertainment. Via @ForbesLife: bit.ly/3oOKH0g

12:40 PM ∙ Oct 10, 2021

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Shea Serrano @SheaSerrano

we did it we made it two years of work 32 chapters 90,000 words 70+ illustrations 400+ footnotes our fourth book together @arturodraws HIP-HOP (AND OTHER THINGS) is officially in stores today amazon.com/Hip-Hop-Other-…

12:47 PM ∙ Oct 26, 2021

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854Likes61Retweets

Hachette Book Group @HachetteUS

Happy pub-day to HIP-HOP (AND OTHER THINGS) by @SheaSerrano! It combines the smooth hipness of A Tribe Called Quest, the quirky brilliance of Missy Elliot, and the sheer, unstoppable flow of Jay-Z into one enlightened compendium of hip-hop greatness. linktr.ee/twelvebooks

5:38 PM ∙ Oct 26, 2021

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🎙️ PODCASTS 🎙️

The FADER @thefader

On the latest episode of The FADER Interview, @MAXOKREAM tells @jordandarville about growing up in Houston, his fashion line Persona, and getting in fights at church. link.chtbl.com/thefaderinterv…

3:00 PM ∙ Oct 20, 2021

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brandon / jinx / big jinx @brandonjinx

NO SKIPS WITH JINX AND SHEA 🗣🚫⏭ Ep 21: UGK "Ridin' Dirty" 🤘🏿 We talk about the pithy genius of Pimp C, the ambidextrous bars from Bun B, together one of rap's best duos 🎤 LISTEN: open.spotify.com/episode/0zCnts…

2:56 PM ∙ Oct 21, 2021

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It's Been A Minute @NPRItsBeenAMin

💃🕺 NEW EPISODE 🕺💃 In the first episode of the IBAM music series, we reflect on @SoulTrain for the 50th anniversary of its syndication. @NifMuhammad breaks down the simple joy of Soul Train and why there hasn’t been a show like it since. LISTEN 👇 bit.ly/soultrain50

bit.lyThere Was Nothing Like ‘Soul Train’ On TV. There’s Never Been Anything Like It Since : It’s Been a Minute with Sam SandersWhen<em> Soul Train </em>was first nationally syndicated in October 1971, there was nothing else like it on TV. It became an iconic Black music and dance show — a party every weekend that anyone could join from their living room. In the first episode of a three-part series exploring crossover in pop…

4:40 PM ∙ Sep 28, 2021

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👀 VIDEOS 👀

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