Jon Caramanica is a music writer at The New York Times.

“I like to interview people very early in their careers or very late in their careers. I think vulnerability and willingness to be vulnerable is at a peak in those two parts. Young enough not to know better, old enough not to give a damn. … The story I want to tell is—how are you this person, and then you became this? Then at the end, let’s look back on these things and let’s paint the art together. But in the middle when your primary obsession is how do I protect my role? How do I keep my spot? How do I keep the throne? I’m not as interested in that personally as a journalist or as a critic. ”

Thanks to MailChimp, Read This Summer, Google Play, and Pitt Writers for sponsoring this week's episode.

@joncaramanica

Caramanica on Longform

[3:35] "The Education of Kanye West" (New York Times • Aug 2007)

[4:00] Caramanica's archive at The New York Times

[4:05] Popcast

[13:30] "Pitched to Perfection: Pop Star's Silent Partner" (New York Times • Jun 2012)

[25:45] "Two SoundCloud Rap Outlaws Push Boundaries From the Fringes" (New York Times • Mar 2018)

[28:45] "Dick Cavett in the Digital Age" (Alex Williams • New York Times • Aug 2018)

[28:55] "Hip-Hop’s Elders and Youth Go to Battle (Again)" (New York Times • Jan 2017)

[34:10] "Into the Wild

With Kanye West" (New York Times • Jun 2018)

[57:10] "Post Malone and Rae Sremmurd, Hip-Hop Impressionists Shaping the Stream" (New York Times • May 2018)

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