In one memorable passage from Nick Hornby’s book, Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius (Bookshop|Amazon), the author wrestles with the question of what factors come together to make someone a creative genius. This is part of a complete...
Can reading poetry make you a better writer? The way poetry pushes up against the rules of grammar makes it a great teacher even for the writing of standard prose. And while plenty of poems are best comprehended by the wise and mature, hip-hop is a...
ill na na adj.—Gloss: very good. “Ill” is old-fashioned hip-hop slang meaning good or great, “na na” is a euphemism for the vagina. Note: Probably from a 1996 Foxy Brown album Ill Na Na. «If you are an existing iPhone customer in good standing, you...
gorgeois adj.— «The message came from a friend on the West Coast: “What’s up, gorgeois?” Confused, we called our friend back, only to learn the word is enjoying a moment in the stylist lexicon. It has even eclipsed genius. “It’s like bourgeois...
ringle n.— «Universal Music Group and the major labels are about to begin rolling out something called a “RINGLE.” You know, like a single? Except this will be 3 songs packaged together with a ringtone and wallpaper image for your cell phone. The...
genomania n.— «The scientist responsible for this latest little outbreak of what has been dubbed “genomania” in foreign media—best defined as a fixation with simplistic pseudo-science purporting to link genetic variation with various human...