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How does this work? Each newsletter you’ll see one reader’s answer to the previous question. Then you’ll see the question they have for the list, which you can respond to if you’d like. Or you can just read and enjoy.
Previous ask:
What's the last phrase / word you couldn't get out of your head?
Kevin answers:
The last phrase that got stuck in my head, and has been in my head intermittently since the early aughts, when I was in high school, is "lyrically handsome." Specifically, it's that phrase as it was uttered by Mos Def (Yasiin Bey,) in the song “Re: Definition.” Acknowledging and shuddering at the song's couple of reprehensible moments of homophobia and misogyny --- the everlasting burdens of loving a certain era of hip hop --- it's one of my favorite songs ever.
This answer isn't really about the song, though. It's about the phrase. I've been fascinated by what the artist meant and the amount of bravado it takes to start a verse by half-shouting "LYRICALLY HANDSOME" since I heard the song for the first time over twenty years ago. The easy approach is that maybe he means he's so gifted that you can only do the lyrics justice by characterizing them as visually attractive. Hundreds of listens later, I've never been able to escape a different conclusion: the opening salvo of this portion of the song is an explicit, intentional admission that Yasiin/Mos is not good looking (I've never thought he was particularly bad looking); however, he thinks that he is such a talented rapper that he is attractive nonetheless OR his lyrical prowess is so transcendent as to render him aesthetically pleasing to look at because he is associated with such good words.
I dunno. It's hard to do it justice unless you hear the conviction with which he says "lyrically handsome." In any case, it's something of an affirmation for me. As someone who has vacillated between liking and abhorring my physical appearance, when the phrase has popped into my head it's always like, "Kevin, just try hard/be good enough at something to get out of your head and hope that you can think of yourself as [conversationally/civically engaged-ly/dishwashingly] handsome. Your appearance will inevitably degrade. Your commitment to craft never will.
Kevin asks:
What is one object that you've sold, given away, thrown out, lost, etc. that you wish you could get back and why?
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Odds & Ends
Shoutout to
for linking to my YouTube playlist of great concerts to put on in the background. You should check out Austin’s newsletter, it’s full of all sorts of great cultural recommendations.“Woke Rodney” is one of the funniest bits I’ve heard in a long time. Starts about halfway through this video. “
Finds Out” has been truly excellent lately.Next live show is less than a month away! February 22nd in NYC. We’ve got a couple special guests lined up, to be announced soon, but snag your tickets now.
I’ll have lots more to say about this soon, but we’ve got some cool new plans for the This Day newsletter. I’m really hoping that we’re building a space for some great historical conversation. So, subscribe if you haven’t!
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