Kelefa Sanneh facts for kids

Kelefa T. Sanneh (born 1976) is a well-known writer and music critic. He was born in Britain but is also an American citizen. He is famous for writing about different kinds of music, like rock and roll, hip-hop, and pop music.

From 2000 to 2008, Kelefa Sanneh wrote for The New York Times newspaper. Since 2008, he has been a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. In 2021, he published a book called Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres.

Early Life and Education

Kelefa Sanneh was born in Birmingham, England, in 1976. He spent his early years in Ghana and Scotland. In 1981, his family moved to Massachusetts in the United States. They later moved to Connecticut in 1989.

Family Background

Kelefa's father, Lamin Sanneh, was a professor. He taught about religious history at Yale University. His mother, Sandra, is a linguist. She teaches the isiZulu language at Yale.

College Years and Music Interests

Kelefa Sanneh went to Harvard University and graduated in 1997. He studied literature there. While at Harvard, he worked for Transition Magazine. He also helped with music at WHRB, the college radio station.

Sanneh played bass guitar in several bands during college. He was interested in how music, books, and culture connect. His college paper explored how music and culture helped African Americans overcome challenges.

Writing Career and Music Criticism

Kelefa Sanneh is known for his interesting articles about music and culture. He has written for many famous publications.

Debating "Rockism"

In 2004, Sanneh wrote an important article for The New York Times. It was called "The Rap against Rockism." This article talked about a debate among music critics. They were discussing "rockism."

Sanneh explained that "rockism" means preferring old rock music over new pop music. It's like thinking classic rock is always better than a catchy pop song. He asked people to stop thinking that serious rock songs last forever and pop songs are just for fun. He pointed out that some old pop songs are still very popular today.

Reviewing Beyoncé's Music

In 2003, Sanneh wrote a review of Beyoncé's first solo album. The review was titled "The Solo Beyoncé: She's No Ashanti." This headline became very popular online and is still shared as a funny internet "meme" today.

Other Writing and Topics

Before writing about music for the Times, Sanneh was an editor for Transition. This magazine focused on race and culture. His articles have also appeared in magazines like Rolling Stone and The Source.

In 2008, Sanneh wrote an article for The New Yorker called "Project Trinity." This article explained the background of a church and its pastor, who was connected to Barack Obama. Sanneh helped readers understand the history of the church.

Joining The New Yorker

In 2008, Kelefa Sanneh left The New York Times. He joined The New Yorker magazine as a staff writer. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Published Book

In October 2021, Kelefa Sanneh released his book. It is called Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres. The book explores the history of popular music through different styles.