Hanif Abdurraqib, VICE

Hanif Abdurraqib

VICE

Columbus, OH, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • VICE
  • Stereogum
  • Medium
  • Pacific Standard
  • Talkhouse
  • Entertainment Weekly

Past articles by Hanif:

Hanif Abdurraqib on Writing History, Black Performance and Music Videos

Read an extract from the celebrated poet and critic's new book 'A Little Devil In America: In Praise of Black Performance' here, along with an exclusive interview. → Read More

Sade's 'Lovers Rock' Came Out 20 Years Ago Today

The world's best music blog. → Read More

The Galvanizing Musicality of the Protest Chant

As people march in memory of George Floyd, music makes the movement more accessible. → Read More

Cooking Complex, Time-Consuming Meals Taught Me to Be Patient With Myself

Making risotto is a lot of work—and that feels like a triumph over hiding in my bedroom and only eating to survive. → Read More

Mourning Dr. John and His Commitment to Honoring the Black Music of New Orleans

Mac Rebennack was a musical preservationist. That work is especially important in places like New Orleans, where, for many reasons, it is all too easy for people and history to be forgotten. → Read More

The White Stripes' Debut Album Turns 20

It is difficult to divorce the blues from its history, though that doesn't stop it from happening in broader discussions of American music history. Part of this → Read More

The Aaron West Cinematic Universe

Hanif Abdurraqib on character arcs, difficult resolutions, and Routine Maintenance. → Read More

Honoring Hal Blaine—and the Other Unseen Laborers in the Music Industry

Often relegated to the small print, session musicians helped create the most iconic songs of the last century. Hal Blaine was one of the greatest, and quietest, among them. → Read More

Why I Walked Out of 'Green Book'

Don Shirley's actual life was remarkable. In the movie, he's a prop for a white person. → Read More

Why Did 2018 Feel So Long?

The Trump presidency feels built to wear people down. → Read More

Why Do We Speak Ill of the Dead?

For people who exercise great power, accountability after death is a small price to pay. → Read More

'Widows' Is a Thriller About Women's Liberation

In director Steve McQueen's new movie, the heist is about much more than money. → Read More

Has the Trump Administration Changed the Way My Brain Works?

If I spend enough of my lived experience fighting my way out of lies, I might find myself too exhausted to receive the truth when I'm done. → Read More

A Politics That Requires Taylor Swift Is Not Healthy or Durable

The singer made news with the first real political statement of her career. It was overdue—and oddly depressing. → Read More

Who Gets to Control a Killer's Story?

On Botham Shem Jean and the American obsession with criminalizing dead black people. → Read More

On 'Tha Carter V,' Lil Wayne chases his own glory: EW review

A deep-dive into the long-awaited release. → Read More

Too Much and Still Not Enough: Mourning Aretha Franklin

The funerals of my Muslim childhood were quick and modest. But I've learned to love the extended gospel funeral. Aretha's homegoing reminded me why. → Read More

'BlacKkKlansman' and the Art of Code-Switching

Beyond tics in dialect, code-switching often requires a shift in ideology. → Read More

What's the Purpose of Empathy?

People love to romanticize empathy. But do they ever act on it? → Read More

How I Said Goodbye to the NFL

It finally got too hard for me to separate the sport from the league's flaws—especially its glaring refusal to countenance protest. → Read More