Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib: They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us (2017)
285 pages
English language
Published Nov. 8, 2017
"In an age of confusion, fear, and loss, Hanif Abdurraqib's is a voice that matters. Whether he's attending a Bruce Springsteen concert the day after visiting Michael Brown's grave, or discussing public displays of affection at a Carly Rae Jepsen show, he writes with a poignancy and magnetism that resonates profoundly. In essays that have been published by the New York Times, MTV, and Pitchfork, among others--along with original, previously unreleased essays-- Abdurraquib uses music and culture as a lens through which to view our world, so that we might better understand ouselves, and in doing so proves himself a bellwether for out times." --
I can't describe the depth of emotions this made me feel. It is the kind of writing I want in my life all the time, the way music criticism should be written, the way cultural criticism should be approached. Cannot recommend enough.
