The crack epidemic has had seismic impact on American culture, from music to TV and film. This week, Brittany Luse talks to Donovan X. Ramsey, author of When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era, about why pop culture can't let go of the "crack fiend" or the drug dealing anti-hero. They discuss how both those tropes miss some very big marks, where the stereotypes originated and who tried to set the record straight.

You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at [email protected].

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy