EXPLAINED: 2 | Vintage Vibes

Drake v Kendrick Lamar’s rap beef has turned very ugly – who is benefiting from such a spectacle?

This verbal boxing match is great entertainment, but the real winners are the artists and label executives getting rich off the spectacle, says the writer Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · May 9, 2024

What do you call rapper J Cole apologising to Kendrick Lamar? A modern business masterclass

The headlines around the top hip-hop artists focuses on spats and feuds, and obscures the fact that so many are capitalists of genius, says author and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Apr 10, 2024

Kemi Badenoch should value diversity schemes. Attacking them does wonders for her career

The equalities minister knows the Tory anti-woke sweet spot, says author and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Mar 22, 2024

Maybe we should be able to laugh at anything. But slavery?

Nothing should be taboo for comedy or satire. But a Sky TV project raises the question, who is telling the joke and writing the script, asks writer and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Dec 13, 2023

Benjamin Zephaniah was a genuine radical – I’ll never forget the time I spent with him

The muscular multicultural Britain that we enjoy today owes so much to the late poet and writer’s fearless work, says writer Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Dec 7, 2023

Is the term ‘coconut’ controversial, racist – or both?

The insult is commonly used to attack people in minoritised communities but debate persists as to whether it is racist

The Independent UK · Nov 18, 2023

Britain’s the best place to be Black, says Kemi Badenoch. But ask yourself: is it as good as being white?

This is a nation blessed, yes, but on race the Tory isn’t telling it like it is. She’s saying what potential supporters want to hear, says author and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Oct 3, 2023

We need to talk about ‘racism laundering’: what it is, who benefits – and how to be vigilant

The row over claims of ghostwriting at the Daily Mail has sparked debate about how toxic policies are pursued, says writer and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Sep 19, 2023

Hip-hop gave us Public Enemy, Lauryn Hill, Kendrick Lamar: after 50 years, this music demands proper respect

The movement born in 1973 is now global, an instrument for learning and a weapon for protest, says author and broadcaster Nels Abbey

The Guardian - UK · Aug 11, 2023

Boris Johnson’s departure offers relief, but not much hope for change

Letters: Readers respond to the former prime minister’s record and the end of his quasi-Trumpian brand of racist populism

The Guardian - UK · Jun 23, 2023