Erik Nielson

Erik Nielson is Associate Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Richmond, where he teaches courses on African American literature, hip hop culture, and advanced writing. He received his M.A. in English from University College London and his Ph.D., also in English, from the University of Sheffield. He lectures widely and has published articles in several peer reviewed journals, including African American Review, MELUS, Race and Justice, International Journal of Cultural Studies, and Journal of Popular Music Studies. He also writes regularly for popular outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and NPR and has been interviewed by a wide range of national media organizations. He has been lead author on three amicus briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court, which included support from artists such as Killer Mike, Chance the Rapper, Meek Mill, T.I., Big Boi, and Luther Campbell. He is co-editor (with Travis Gosa) of the Hip Hop & Obama Reader (Oxford, 2015) and co-author (with Andrea Dennis) of Rap on Trial (New Press, 2019).