Ethan Lazenby
Ethan Lazenby
MA Student
Ethan Lazenby (he/him) is a Master’s student in American Studies, beginning in fall 2024 at GW. He earned his BA in Individualized Study from NYU’s Gallatin School in 2023, focusing on cultural aesthetics and notions of race in American history. His primary interest revolves around how race functions in American popular music, on both a cultural and sonic level.
What are you currently reading?
I am revisiting one of my favorites, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. It is poignant to read in the actual year the book began, and while living in the sprawling, walled suburbs of Southern California.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life what would it be and why?
I would listen to J Dilla’s The King of Beats, Vol. 1 (or any J Dilla beat tape, for that matter). This collection of J Dilla’s instrumentals has been a regular listen for nearly nine years, now. I’ve likely heard this album hundreds of times, whether driving to high school or sitting on the NYC subway. I have cried to it, laughed to it, and everything in between. In particular, J Dilla’s use of sonic texture, sample manipulation, and repetition creates a sense of home every time I come back to the beats. It is like holding a well-loved coffee mug every morning: the familiarity offers comfort and safety.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
My favorite place in the world is the Berkshires in central and western Massachusetts. I spent much of my high school years mountain biking through the rolling green hills and fern forests, and it remains the place that holds some of my fondest memories in life.
Why American Studies and why GW?
The biggest draw to American Studies for me is the interdisciplinary approach. It continues what I loved about my undergraduate experience and affords me the most holistic approach to scholarship. I was drawn to GW, in particular, because of the faculty and how many of my interests align with theirs.