Hanif Abdurraqib’s writing is filled with lyricism, rhythm, people and precision. In his essays and poetry, he introduces readers to a soundscape of Black performance and Black joy: we hear hip-hop and jazz, we hear Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and Little Richard. Music and performance of every kind are the source of his fascination, focus and wisdom: what makes people cry, or feel safe, or brave; held in struggle, joy, or love. Hanif is interviewed by our colleague, Pádraig Ó Tuama, a poet himself and the host of On Being Studios’ Poetry Unbound podcast, now in its third season.
Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His poetry has been published in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American, and various other journals. His essays and music criticism have been published in The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. His books include, A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, The Crown Ain’t Worth Much, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest, and A Fortune for your Disaster. He’s also the host of the podcast, Object of Sound.
This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode "Hanif Abdurraqib — Moments of Shared Witnessing." Find the transcript for that show at onbeing.org.
[Unedited] Avivah Zornberg with Krista Tippett
Eugene Peterson — Answering God
[Unedited] Eugene Peterson with Krista Tippett
Mary Oliver — “I got saved by the beauty of the world.”
[Unedited] Mary Oliver with Krista Tippett
BONUS: An Invitation from Pádraig and Krista
J. Drew Lanham – Pathfinding Through the Improbable
[Unedited] J. Drew Lanham with Krista Tippett
[Unedited] Kate DiCamillo with Krista Tippett
Mario Livio — Mathematics, Mystery, and the Universe
[Unedited] Mario Livio with Krista Tippett
“Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower” by Rainer Maria Rilke
Gal Beckerman — How Newness Enters the World
[Unedited] Gal Beckerman with Krista Tippett
Sharon Salzberg and Robert Thurman — Love Your Enemies? (Really?)
[Unedited] Sharon Salzberg and Robert Thurman with Krista Tippett
John O'Donohue – The Inner Landscape of Beauty
[Unedited] John O'Donohue with Krista Tippett
Trabian Shorters – A Cognitive Skill to Magnify Humanity
[Unedited] Trabian Shorters with Krista Tippett
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney
Selected Shorts
This American Life
The Frank Skinner Show
Judge John Hodgman