Tired of reading the same recommended books from the usual sources? Just think of our bi-weekly What We’re Reading column as your non-committal book club with FADER and some of your favorite bands, artists and tastemakers. For this installment, rising Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins talks about reading slept-on Bible verses, people and The Giver.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver is one of my favorite books to date. They're actually coming out with a movie that will probably ruin it but I'ma see it anyway. Even within a society run completely different than ours there are striking similarities in the areas of control and corruption. It's a great 'coming of age' read, and was definitely a book that inspired me to do what I want—pursuing my dreams.
People
Jane Elliott, in her "Blue Eyes Brown Eyes" experiment, introduced the idea that a lot of the time we are not listening [but], rather, waiting to speak. In wanting to refute that nature, as well as develop other abilities, Derren Brown is someone I've been reading up on. He is an illusionist and a master of persuasion. He had a show on the history channel I believe, about the way the mind works. Most of his tricks involved PAYING ATTENTION. Reading people, predicting what they'd do based off of precedent. I'm not trying to be the next Derren Brown. But I've been reading people in this same manner, just trying to develop discerning skills.
The Bible
I try to read the King James Version of The Bible everyday. For so long I have skipped around through different verses and chapters. In the last two months I've made the decision to read it straight through. I'm excited to get into some of the stories that aren't so popular.
Wax Poetics
I got turned onto Wax Poetics out of boredom in Borders one day. There was a piece written on George Benson that caught my attention. Since then, it has become the only publication I read with any hint of regularity.
Signs
Cause they're like, everywhere.
