-
The ‘Best Rapper Alive’ Title Is Some Overused Bullshit
As a writer and English teacher, I’m forced to come to grips with the ever-(d)evolving way we approach our language. We’ve managed to squeeze zeitgeist-y words like “LOL” and “YOLO” into the dictionary and our vernacular. Words and phrases like “I could care less” and “irregardless” are no longer as subject to deserving scrutiny as…
-
I Want Kids, but I’m Absolutely Terrified of Having Them
When I look in the mirror or at pictures of myself these days, the first thing that catches my eye is the patch of gray hair taking residence on my chin in my beard. The patch is like the White Walker army—slowly growing in follicle count until it surrounds the dark hairs in my beard—serving…
-
I Understand Why The DETROIT Movie Was Made, But I Can't Recommend That You See It
Despite living away from my native Detroit for nearly a decade and a half, I stay connected to the city through frequent visits to my immediate family and through friends on social media. As of late, I’ve heard quite a few mixed-to-negative feelings about the upcoming DETROIT film from native Detroiters, so my first goal…
-
Can We All Agree that DJ Khaled is the Best Human Being in all of Hip-Hop?
It’s been established that I’m a Super Saiyan-level hater (h/t Panama), especially when it comes to contemporary mainstream hip-hop. Let’s keep it a buck, though – there’s a lot to hate on in hip-hop right now: We have a XXL Freshman Issue with 10 rappers whose combined bars couldn’t get a cell signal from a…
-
If You Paid Ja Rule $10,000 for Anything In 2017, You Deserve Whatever The Fuck Happens To You
How exactly would Ja contribute to your good time at the Fyre Festival?
-
What I’ve Learned (And What I'm Learning) A Year After My Divorce
Seems that nearly everyone agrees that 2016 was a front-to-back wack-ass year for a lot of wack-ass reasons. For me, the year took a sharp-left shit-show turn in its very first seconds. Literally. During an otherwise wonderful New Year’s Eve wedding with my family in Detroit, my wife and I descended into the worst fight…
-
The Best Hip-Hop Tracks of 2016
A month or so ago, Panama suggested I listen to “We Did It,” a track from Lil’ Yachty’s Lil Boat “mixtape.” He said it was worth peeping because it might be the single worst rap song of all time. Because Panama is one of, like, three or four niggas I know with whom I can…
-
I Dont Know How I'm Supposed To Feel About Kanye
This piece started off quite differently. You see, after years of skating around the margins of the sentiment, I’d finally leaned into full-on “Fuck Kanye West” mode. It followed years of annoyance at his trend of constantly obnoxious and solipsistic behavior. Even his admission during a recent concert that he didn’t vote at all Nov. 8 but…
-
What To Do When You Don't Give A Fuck About Local Sports
My college sweetheart grew up in Cambridge, Mass., walking distance from the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park. Like many of her ilk, she grew up a die-hard Red Sox fan; when they lost the pennant to the New York Yankees in 2003, she flatly rejected me from entering her dorm room to witness her crying.…
-
The Best Rap Beefs Ever
It’s interesting—and somewhat sad—that this decade’s only two meaningful rap beefs have involved attempts to sink the same floating dead body. It started in 2015, when everyone’s favorite manila-folder-complected, suburban Torontonian, Drake, traded “bars” with the somewhat less-meaningful Philly maestro of shout raps, Meek Mill. Though Meek exposed Drizzy for employing ghostwriters—a damning accusation in the world of…
