Craig Jenkins is a critic who writes about music and television and comedy and video games. He was a 2021 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism.
legacy
Diddy’s Open SecretsThe rap mogul shook off decades of rumored bad behavior with wholesome PR revamps.
beeves
We Need Cooler HeadsKendrick’s latest song takes aim at a new target: hip-hop influencers pushing propaganda.
The Clipse Missed ThisIt’s been 15 years since their last album, but things unfolded “beautifully and better than it ever could have been planned” for the duo.
album review
Billie Eilish Doesn’t Have to Do It AllHit Me Hard and Soft can be gleefully disorienting, but it’s saddled with the timeless plight of the moody junior installment.
What Are We to Do With All This Nastiness?Kendrick versus Drake was a race to design the most insulting sentence — until the rappers and their admirers redefined what “too far” means.
Our Sweetheart of the RodeoBeyoncé’s Cowboy Carter chronicles an artist with a voice pliable enough (and a following large enough) to crash whatever scene she pleases.