There are no simple answers, only oversimplified ones. But the cure to all social ills lies in uncovering the truth. In this timely, wide-ranging collection of essays, William Jelani Cobb uses cinema, music, literature, politics, and pop culture to reveal some discomforting realities. "On the Stroll: Pimping Three 6 Mafia" is a fascinating take on the first hip-hop group ever to win an Oscar. In "The Devil and Dave Chappelle," Cobb discusses Chappelle's decision to walk away from a $50 million contract as not just a comedic choice but also a social and political choice, with Chappelle realizing that one wrong laugh could put him on the wrong side of the line between genius and Uncle Tom.