Published Works:
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The Fierce, Flourishing World of Battle Rap
A deep dive into the competitive yet deeply fraternal world of battle rap for The New York Times.
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Lizzo Was Never as Progressive as We Wanted Her to Be
On Lizzo, “progressive-core”, and what happens when we make our pop stars out to be anything more than they actually are.
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When Pop Stars Take Over the Classroom
A new crop of college courses has emerged that center around the lives and careers of pop stars like Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Bad Bunny. But are they actually legit?
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“Spinal Tap” and the Superiority of the Music Satire
Why are the best music movies the ones that poke fun at the genre?
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Where Have All the Dancing Pop Stars Gone?
Tate McRae is Gen Z’s most prominent dancing pop star. What does that say about the state of the pop multi-hypenate?
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Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga Focus on their Friendship
A review of the duo’s flawed yet poignant new record.
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Reflections on Year 2
A series of reflections on 2021, including my piece on Jadakiss’ stunning”Who Shot Ya” freestyle.