American Book Awards
2 appearances
-
Edition 14 (1993) Winner
-
Edition 20 (1999) Winner
Nelson George
ネルソン・ジョージ
Neruson Joji
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1957-09-01 （Brooklyn, New York, US）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Columnist, Music and culture critic, Filmmaker, Journalist
- Active Years
- 1978-
- Nominations
- National Book Critics Circle Award (1988, 1998)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's University (New York City) | — | — | — | — | United States |
St. John's University (New York City)
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Grammy Award, Album Liner Notes | James Brown: Star Time box set (liner notes) | Album Liner Notes | The Recording Academy | won |
| 1993 | American Book Award | — | — | Before Columbus Foundation | won |
| 1988 | National Book Critics Circle Award (nominated) | The Death of Rhythm & Blues | — | National Book Critics Circle | nominated |
| 1998 | National Book Critics Circle Award (nominated) | Hip Hop America | — | National Book Critics Circle | nominated |
Grammy Award, Album Liner Notes
1991
Work:
James Brown: Star Time box set (liner notes)
Category:
Album Liner Notes
Organization:
The Recording Academy
Result:
won
American Book Award
1993
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
won
National Book Critics Circle Award (nominated)
1988
Work:
The Death of Rhythm & Blues
Organization:
National Book Critics Circle
Result:
nominated
National Book Critics Circle Award (nominated)
1998
Work:
Hip Hop America
Organization:
National Book Critics Circle
Result:
nominated
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Michael Jackson Story
1983 Non-fictionA biographical non-fiction account of Michael Jackson's career and cultural impact (summary information).
pop cultureformation of stardom
Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound
1986 Music history / Non-fictionTracks the rise and decline of Motown and analyzes its musical and cultural significance.
Motownmusic industrycultural change
The Death of Rhythm & Blues
1988 Music criticism / Non-fictionCritically examines the trajectory of R&B, arguing that mainstreaming affected the genre's identity.
R&Bassimilationcultural criticism
Hip Hop America
1998 Cultural studies / Non-fictionA comprehensive discussion of the emergence, development, and social impact of hip-hop culture.
hip-hopurban culturerace and representation
Post-Soul Nation
2005 Cultural criticism / Non-fictionDevelops the concept of 'post-soul' and examines facets of Black culture since the 1980s.
post-soulBlack culturegenerational analysis
Bibliography
- The Michael Jackson Story
- Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound
- The Death of Rhythm & Blues
- Elevating the Game: Black Men and Basketball
- Buppies, B-Boys, Baps & Bohos: Notes on Post-Soul Black Culture
- Blackface: Reflections on African-Americans and the Movies
- Seduced
- One Woman Short
- Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, and God (contributor)
- Show & Tell
- Night Work: A Novel
- Hip Hop America
- Post-Soul Nation
- The James Brown Reader (co-authored)
- City Kid: A Writer's Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success
- Thriller: The Musical Life of Michael Jackson
- The Plot Against Hip Hop: A Novel (A D Hunter Mystery)
- The Hippest Trip in America: Soul Train and the Evolution of Culture & Style
- The Lost Treasures of R&B (A D Hunter Mystery)
- The Accidental Hunter (A D Hunter Mystery)
- The Darkest Hearts (A D Hunter Mystery)
- The Nelson George Mixtape Volume 1
Adaptations
- Life Support (HBO TV film)
- Brooklyn Boheme (documentary, co-directed)
- Finding the Funk (documentary)
- A Ballerina's Tale (documentary)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, critical, and conversational proseJournalistic approach that crosses music and cultural commentary
- Recurring Motifs
- Black American cultureMusic (R&B, soul, hip-hop, funk)Urban life and communityIdentity and assimilation
Legacy
Nelson George is an important chronicler and critic of music and Black culture; as a non-fiction author, filmmaker and critic he has had broad influence. His work contributed to discussions of the post-soul concept and reached popular culture through film and television documentaries.
In Popular Culture
- Contributed to the presentation and reevaluation of hip-hop, R&B and funk history through documentaries and TV (e.g., VH1 and HBO projects).
Trivia
- Won a Grammy in 1991 for album liner notes.
- In 1986 helped finance Spike Lee's debut feature She's Gotta Have It.
- Longtime resident of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, and has produced work documenting the local arts community.