Gerrick Kennedy

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Gerrick Kennedy is an award-winning journalist, cultural critic, and author. He is the author of Parental Discretion Is Advised: The Rise of N.W.A and the Dawn of Gangsta Rap and Didn’t We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston, and he collaborated with R&B icon Brandy on her #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Phases.Kennedy’s work focuses on the intersection of music, pop culture, and identity. A long-time writer for the Los Angeles Times, he has profiled many of the most influential figures in music, including Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, Drake, and Brandy. His reporting and cultural commentary have been featured on The Today Show, Dateline, 20/20, and CNN. In 2012, he was named Emerging Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), and he continues to be a leading voice in music criticism, known for centering the nuance of the Black experience and the technical mastery of iconic performers. He lives in Los Angeles.