Jack Hamilton
Music
You Never Thought That Hip-Hop Would Take It This FarWhy only certain rap hits endure—and why “Juicy” may be the exception.
Sports
Whole Lotta LoveESPN’s 20-hour documentary Basketball: A Love Story left me longing for Ken Burns.
Books
“The Great Minor City of America”A portrait of Oklahoma City as seen through its basketball team, its weird citizens, and its tornadoes.
Music
Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th CenturyNo one sang as well as her, and no singer changed pop music more.
Music
XXXTentacion’s Death Deserves More Than IndifferenceEven if you don’t mourn for the controversial, violent rapper, his story, and his fans, shouldn’t be casually dismissed.
Music
On Kanye West’s New Album, the GOOD Music Rapper Focuses Simply on Good MusicKids See Ghosts is his first release in years that isn’t about his image.
Music
Eminem’s New Album Is a Fiery and Much Needed Denunciation of Trump. It’s Also Terrible.Revival tries to be both a crowd-pleasing pop album and a middle finger to white America. It fails, but it might also get you back on his side.
Music
A New History of Rolling Stone Reveals Its Complicated, Compromised Relationship to Rock StarsThe first biography of the magazine’s founder is much more critical than HBO’s conveniently timed new documentary, and it’s a better tribute for it.
Brow Beat
The Parts of Stephen King’s It the Movie Shouldn’t Have Omitted (No, Not the Child Sex Orgy)
Television
Big Mouth Is So Good It Almost Makes You Miss Middle School“Hormone monsters” and cartoon genitalia enliven a compassionate and nuanced depiction of teenage turmoil.
Movies
Quincy Jones Has Accomplished So Much That Even Netflix’s New Doc About Him Can’t Capture It AllThough it does capture the music legend at his most irreverent.
Music
Aretha Franklin Was Also One of R&B’s Greatest PianistsEven if she’d been born without a voice, she would have made a killer session musician.
Television
Castle Rock Is a Smart, Addictive Dive Into Stephen King’s World and WorkThe Hulu anthology is thick with references, but it’s not just for hardcore fans.
Books
The New Book About The Simpsons Is Hilarious, Joke-a-Minute, and Overstays Its WelcomeSpringfield Confidential recreates the best and worst of the game-changing sitcom.
Music
Pusha T’s New Album Is a Gift That Keeps on GivingDaytona is outstanding. The feud it stoked could be even better.
Movies
Unsuspicious MindsHBO’s new two-part Elvis documentary offers a treasure trove of footage but whitewashes some aspects of his story.
Sports
King’s RansomThe Cavaliers just blew up their entire roster to try to please LeBron James. It probably won’t work.