The FADER Weekend Reading List

Andrew Nguyen, Lucky Peach

Everyone knows pho is one of the best dishes ever. Here's the sumptuous story of the Vietnamese soup that's more than just soup.

Scott Eden, GQ

"At Rockland, he was being held in 'protective custody,' away from the general population, and could only come out of his cell for 75 minutes each day," Eden writes, beginning Ackquille Pollard's unreal account of his own Bobby Shmurda story. "He was said to be in a mutable state of paranoia, anger, and unreason, a product of being caged indefinitely and solitarily, but on this day, dressed in the classic orange coveralls of the American jailhouse, he was, by turns, calm, cheerful, and cautious."

Anupa Mistry, The FADER

After breaking out at 16, the suburban producer who's worked with the likes of Drake, Jay Z, and Rihanna, just keeps getting better. Here, Mistry catches up with the teen prodigal beat-maker.

Max Chafkin, Bloomberg

How social media influencers — apparently there are 100,000 of them at least — roll in the big bucks via Instagram, and now they're making money on Snapchat too. #FollowBack.

Steve Knopper, Billboard

The rise of streaming has forever changed the way musicians release albums. The strategy basics have shifted. This is how it happened, and the way it may progress.

Bob Dorman, Ars Technica

It's Memorial Day Weekend, so surely you have time to read this five-part in-depth explainer on how the internet really works — with a visit to an underwater cable landing site, it's a pretty cool look at the 'net's origins and ambiguous future.

Danielle Henderson, Esquire

Daveed Diggs is so seriously crush-worthy, I might faint. "The reason you write something that is exciting and visceral is to force people to hear what you have to say, especially if you're in any kind of marginalized community where people don't want to listen," he told Henderson. "You have to come up with tricks to make them listen." Diggs has the tricks — he's a rapper, singer, actor, dancer...and also a stud. Enjoy 😘