Episode 455
with Hanif Abdurraqib, Andrea Nevins, and Shakey Graves
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reminisce with listeners about the most memorable live performances they've experienced; writer Hanif Abdurraqib discusses his new book A Little Devil in America, in which he unpacks the cultural and historical impact of Black performance; filmmaker Andrea Nevins shines a light on the challenges and triumphs of female comedians in her documentary Hysterical; and Americana singer-songwriter Shakey Graves celebrates the 10th anniversary of his debut album Roll the Bones by performing the title track.
Hanif Abdurraqib
Writer
Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His writing has appeared in Vinyl, PEN American, The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. His first collection of essays They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us was released in 2017 and named a “Book of the Year” by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, Pitchfork, and The Chicago Tribune, among others. Hanif’s second collection of poems A Fortune For Your Disaster (Tin House) won the 2020 Lenore Marshall Prize and his latest book A Little Devil In America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance (Random House) was published in March, 2021. Website •Twitter
Andrea Nevins
Filmmaker
Andrea Nevins is an Emmy award-winning director, producer and writer. Her documentary short, Still Kicking, was nominated for an Academy Award and was followed by her first feature-length documentary, The Other F Word, which was broadcast on Showtime. Her critically acclaimed documentary Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie earned a 2019 Realscreen Award and an inclusion into the American Film Showcase. Nevins newest documentary feature, Hysterical, documents women in stand-up comedy and premiered at SXSW in 2021. Website • Twitter
Shakey Graves
Singer-Songwriter
Shakey Graves is an American musician from Austin, Texas whose music combines blues, folk, country, and rock and roll. His breakout debut album, Roll The Bones, was released in 2011 on Bandcamp, where it was a featured album and has remained among the website’s top selling records. Shakey Graves has since garnered a massive cult following. Roll The Bones X, the special edition reissue celebrating the 10th anniversary of Shakey Graves’ debut album, is set for release on April 2 via Dualtone Records. Listen • Twitter
