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The Devil and Dave Chappelle: And Other Essays
An unflinching collection of essays that takes on the subjects of Biggie Smalls, Three 6 Mafia, The King Family, and what it takes to be black at the turn of the twenty-first century.
331 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 20, 2017
There are 2 main reasons why I picked up this book: (1) I had just started a college course on essay writing and wanted to read essay examples that I thought more relevant to me, and (2) the collection had Dave Chappelle in the title (I'm a Chappelle Show stan).
Now, of course, I'd find out that the collection is much more wide-ranging than Chappelle or even black popular culture. Cobb is a good writer (I usually make sure to catch his regular pieces in the New Yorker), and I enjoyed the majority of his essays--some I thought remarkable. But having learned to digest and analyze essays also from a pedagogical standpoint, I feel that many of the essays (there are 53 in total here) are not very compelling and his writing style sometimes just lacks oomph, for lack of a better word. In particular, he doesn't really diversify enough the type of model he approaches when these were written. Most of them can be outlined like so: (1) Issue/Problem/present cultural reference here, (2) example from history that helps illuminate the problem, and then (3) return to the primary issue with some concluding words.
Now with that said, it's clear he knows his shit because he adeptly extracts whatever little nugget of historical knowledge, many times not well-known, to analyze the present-day phenomenon he's covering. I especially liked "OutKast and Indians" and "Forgetting Where We Came From." The latter is about ambivalence among black people on issues of immigration and that our collective memory forgets that we faced literally the same obstacles in the North during the Great Migration, plus not to mention that historians don't talk much about how many black "illegal aliens" also fled south to Mexico before the Civil War for refuge from slavery but also for some time afterward.
Overall, I'd recommend this collection, but not to read them in order. Take from them what you can.
Now, of course, I'd find out that the collection is much more wide-ranging than Chappelle or even black popular culture. Cobb is a good writer (I usually make sure to catch his regular pieces in the New Yorker), and I enjoyed the majority of his essays--some I thought remarkable. But having learned to digest and analyze essays also from a pedagogical standpoint, I feel that many of the essays (there are 53 in total here) are not very compelling and his writing style sometimes just lacks oomph, for lack of a better word. In particular, he doesn't really diversify enough the type of model he approaches when these were written. Most of them can be outlined like so: (1) Issue/Problem/present cultural reference here, (2) example from history that helps illuminate the problem, and then (3) return to the primary issue with some concluding words.
Now with that said, it's clear he knows his shit because he adeptly extracts whatever little nugget of historical knowledge, many times not well-known, to analyze the present-day phenomenon he's covering. I especially liked "OutKast and Indians" and "Forgetting Where We Came From." The latter is about ambivalence among black people on issues of immigration and that our collective memory forgets that we faced literally the same obstacles in the North during the Great Migration, plus not to mention that historians don't talk much about how many black "illegal aliens" also fled south to Mexico before the Civil War for refuge from slavery but also for some time afterward.
Overall, I'd recommend this collection, but not to read them in order. Take from them what you can.
August 14, 2008
I'll admit that I picked up this book because of the title - Dave Chappelle's resignation from Comedy Central and ensuing random appearances around the world have intrigued me, both as a fan and as a student of popular culture. I wish Cobb had written a whole book on the subject, as I found his brief essay on Chappelle way too short. Regardless, this is a nice first collection of pieces by a rising star from Spelman. I look forward to his next work.
November 20, 2008
This was a mandatory read for a class. I love getting the perspective of a young black intellectual. The books gives you alot to think about and question when it comes to the state of todays society and the events that shape our history.
October 17, 2007
How important it is to decipher the "leather from the vinyl."
Quoted text from William Jelani Cobb
Quoted text from William Jelani Cobb
August 7, 2008
Really interesting read about many different topics. I rather enjoy the writing style.
September 4, 2009
best work of it's kind since "Nobody Knows My Name".
December 10, 2012
Some essays are hit some are miss.
May 30, 2014
good stuff here.
November 27, 2007
It was truely an amazing read. Concise and to the point. Relevent and on the cutting edge.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews