Hanif Abdurraqib

Hanif Abdurraqib

Poet, essayist, and cultural critic

Host of Season 3 of Lost Notes, 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 first full length poetry collection, The Crown Ain't Worth Much, was released in June 2016 from Button Poetry. It was named a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Prize, and was nominated for a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. With Big Lucks, he released a limited edition chapbook, Vintage Sadness, in summer 2017 (you cannot get it anymore and he is very sorry.) His first collection of essays, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, CBC, The Los Angeles Review, Pitchfork, and The Chicago Tribune, among others. He released Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest with University of Texas press in February 2019. The book became a New York Times Bestseller, and was met with critical acclaim. His second collection of poems, A Fortune For Your Disaster, was released in 2019 by Tin House. He is a graduate of Beechcroft High School.

Hanif Abdurraqib on KCRW

In 1980, anti-disco sentiment was at a high and Grace Jones was coming off a trilogy of disco albums. If she stayed stagnant, it felt like her career could be swept away.

Lost Notes: 1980 - Ep. 7: Grace Jones

In 1980, anti-disco sentiment was at a high and Grace Jones was coming off a trilogy of disco albums. If she stayed stagnant, it felt like her career could be swept away.

from Lost Notes

Most know Minnie Riperton because of one part in one song. “Lovin’ You” was Riperton’s biggest hit, and she doesn’t sing that magic, piercing note until around the 3-minute mark.

Lost Notes: 1980 - Ep. 6: Minnie Riperton

Most know Minnie Riperton because of one part in one song. “Lovin’ You” was Riperton’s biggest hit, and she doesn’t sing that magic, piercing note until around the 3-minute mark.

from Lost Notes

In December of 1980, two exiled artists and freedom fighters attempted return to their home in South Africa for a concert.

Lost Notes: 1980 - Ep. 5: Hugh Masekela & Miriam Makeba

In December of 1980, two exiled artists and freedom fighters attempted return to their home in South Africa for a concert.

from Lost Notes

More from KCRW

A year ago, living in Miami, Lēya Graham’s passion for dance was waning. Then she discovered the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in LA, which served as a lifeline.

from KCRW Features

Expansions of The Broad museum and the Colburn School represent investments in the arts on Grand Ave. Neither design is oriented toward drivers or parking.

from KCRW Features

Grammy-winner Corinne Bailey Rae expands into punk and free jazz playing cuts from her audacious 2023 LP “Black Rainbows,” live From Apogee Studio.

from Live From

Lost Notes explores how Fela Kuti’s time in LA in 1969 was instrumental in the creation of his legendary Afrobeat sound.

from Lost Notes

Adrian Quesada and Eric Burton of Grammy-nominated psych-soul band Black Pumas deliver a tour de funk that makes their new LP “Chronicles of a Diamond” pop.

from Live From

Fanatic! We have devised what will hopefully be a great spring time listening experience. Here are some bands you might want to check out. There’s never enough new music.

from Henry Rollins

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni report on the latest in the Disney proxy battle, and the banter partners examine the outrage of NBC staff following the brief, yet confounding, hiring of…

from The Business

Kiefer Sutherland on Jack Bauer and William Friedkin, Jovan Adepo on “3 Body Problem,” NPR’s Scott Simon on The Treat.

from The Treatment

Khruangbin aren’t the only ones reaping desert rewards… you’ll find the Coachella bump all over this week’s Top 30.

from Music Special Programming