And this, folks, is talented journalism.
The work of writing had always been, for me, the work of enduring failure. It had never occurred to me that one would, too, have to work to endure success.
I don’t even care what it is he’s writing about. I mean, how am I supposed to know this Kanye West fellow? But I could read it and read it.
I’m like, fire everybody else and let him write the whole magazine. Because this stuff is really good.
The words are put together nicely, but this isn’t “journalism.” “Journalism ” reports “news” — facts and true information.
This is a stream-of-thought essay about what it’s always meant to Coates to be black in a world that he believes hates and is constantly trying to crush black people. (That’s ALL he seems to be able to write about, ever. Different music, but the lyrics are always the same. )
What he’s saying here is that rapper Kayne West has betrayed all black people and turned his back on his blackness (and is somehow trying to be white) by daring to praise a white man like Trump.
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Trump is a genius erudite compared to Kanye West.
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I understood from the context that he’s some sort of a rapper. But who cares. This is beautiful writing.
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Like I said: Beautiful music, ridiculous lyrics.
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Kanye West or Coates?
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I knew somebody would ask! Coates, of course.
Rap has terrible music and lyrics. West’s songs are certainly no exception.
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You probably never listened to Eminem. Who is one of my favorite artists, so tread lightly everyone.
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“You probably never listened to Eminem.”
I just did for the first time — four of his atrocious songs on Youtube. Now I have to go listen to an hour of 1950’s rock and roll music to clear that rap garbage out of my head. Thanks!
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A conservative literary critic and college professor
Clarissa's Blog 
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