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In Defense of Our Sins

On Kendrick Lamar, Trayvon Martin, and mercy

Hanif Abdurraqib
Aug 23, 2017 · 13 min read
Illustration by Trevor Fraley

I. Good Kid

II heard the news outside a rap show, which seems fitting for this story. February 26, 2012, was the night of the NBA All-Star Game — something I rarely missed, but I missed it on this day to drive several hours north of Columbus, Ohio, to attend an…

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Hanif Abdurraqib

Written by

Poet. Writer. | Poetry editor @MuzzleMagazine | Author of The Crown Ain't Worth Much & They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us. | Ohioan

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