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] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other episodes from It's Been a Minute
Transcribed and ready to explore now
Canada hates us, but it's not all Trump's fault.
02 Jun 2025
It's Been a Minute
Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession
30 May 2025
It's Been a Minute
Can doctors test embryos for autism? And should they?
28 May 2025
It's Been a Minute
Brittany needs a couch. Should she buy now, pay later?
26 May 2025
It's Been a Minute
Why can't we (or Ms. Rachel) talk about Gaza's children dying?
23 May 2025
It's Been a Minute
Pop culture has a "bean soup problem."
21 May 2025
It's Been a Minute