With an eye towards music and current events, we recommend Killer Mike’s speech on Mike Brown. Earlier this week at Pitchfork, David Turner wrote about hip-hop’s response to Ferguson. Brooklyn Vegan has an up-to-date overview of musicians’ reactions nationwide.

This essay from Bijan Stephen is also essential reading.

Chuck Wendig has a good piece up about social media and empathy.

Emily St. John Mandel reviewed the latest from Lars Iyer at The Millions.

Ali Eteraz wrote about not being an American writer.

Antony Hegarty was interviewed about transfeminism.

Eric Harvey interviewed Eric Weisbard about the latter’s book Top 40 Democracy. Weisbard addressed some of the book’s themes in this piece for the Los Angeles Review of Books as well.

New writing from Zohra Atash at The Talkhouse.

Dusted has a review of Grouper’s new album Ruins.

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