literature
Beat's music literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase musicians.
The Storytellers of Kurdistan’s Capital
Kurdistan’s capital, Erbil, is a city of contradictions. Its streets, ancient yet bustling with modern life, carry stories older than the stones of the Citadel itself. Among its residents are a unique group of people: the storytellers, those who have witnessed upheaval, survival, and the relentless flow of history, and yet continue to speak in voices that resonate far beyond words.
By Irshad Abbasi 15 days ago in Beat
The Shot That Changed Everything
On the evening of May 25, 2020, a routine police call in the city of Minneapolis unexpectedly turned into a tragic event that would soon dominate global headlines and ignite one of the largest waves of social protest in modern history. A 46-year-old man named George Floyd had been detained by officers from the Minneapolis Police Department after a local store employee reported that a customer had allegedly used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. What initially appeared to be a minor investigation rapidly escalated into a deadly confrontation that was captured on video by bystanders standing nearby on the street.
By The Curious Writer16 days ago in Beat
The Role of Poetic Choice in Music in Enhancing the Literary, Ethical, and Cultural Level of Society
The Role of Poetic Choice in Music in Enhancing the Literary, Ethical, and Cultural Level of Society Music in the social life of humans is not merely an artistic phenomenon or a source of entertainment; it is a cultural, educational, and meaning-generating force that directly and indirectly affects the material and spiritual quality of society. Through its influence on emotions, cognition, and collective memory, music contributes to the reproduction of values, norms, and behavioral patterns, making it one of the fundamental tools in shaping public culture. Among its many dimensions, what elevates music beyond sound and melody and gives it a cognitive and social depth is poetry. The words accompanying music carry meaning, worldview, and a system of values. Therefore, choosing poetry is not a matter of personal taste alone, but a cultural and responsible decision with far-reaching literary, ethical, and educational consequences for society.
By Prof. Islamuddin Feroz2 months ago in Beat
The Quiet That Follows the Applause
I didn’t cry at the end of Better Call Saul. I cried three days later, while washing dishes. The water was hot, the sponge worn thin, and suddenly—without warning—I saw Kim Wexler’s hands again. Not in the courtroom. Not in the finale. But in that tiny Albuquerque office, adjusting the blinds just so, trying to control one small thing in a world spinning out of her grasp.
By KAMRAN AHMAD3 months ago in Beat
The Song That Brought Him Back
After my mother passed, grief settled into our home like winter fog—thick, gray, and impossible to ignore. He stopped whistling while fixing the sink. Stopped tapping his boot to the oldies station. Even his laugh, once so loud it startled the dogs, vanished into a silence so heavy it filled every room. For two years, he moved through life like a man walking in someone else’s shoes. So when he said, voice barely above a whisper, “Let’s go south for New Year’s,” I didn’t ask why. I just booked the tickets.
By KAMRAN AHMAD3 months ago in Beat
Tyla’s Chart-Topping Rise
Introduction When South African singer Tyla released her self-titled debut album in late 2023, few predicted it would ignite a global movement. But by 2025, her name was everywhere: on Billboard charts, Grammy stages, and playlists from Lagos to Los Angeles. Fueled by her breakout hit “Water”—a seductive fusion of amapiano, R&B, and pop—Tyla didn’t just enter the global music scene; she reshaped it.
By KAMRAN AHMAD3 months ago in Beat
