First Album: Dr. Cornel West

My first album would probably be What's Going On. I had purchased so many albums before that had meant much to me, but in terms of a sophisticated, musical piece of art that was political and spiritual, it would probably be What's Going On. I already was politically oriented, but to see someone like Marvin Gaye, who was already a towering figure within popular music but had not really made any type of political intervention, to see him fuse the politics and the music, his personal anguish and his life - on the one hand he was talking about society, and the world on the other hand. It just made me more mature in terms of trying to be more responsible for what I think and do and more accountable for my actions.

Check our exclusive interview with the honorable Dr. West here; and don't forget it is Black History Month!