Juelz Santana, rapper and member of The Diplomats (Dipset), sparked controversy by claiming that young people no longer need to know how to read. He cited the rise of AI and audiobooks as justification, a stance that drew sharp criticism from many on the left.
Consider Malcolm X, who did not attend high school or college but became a celebrated debater—thanks to his voracious reading and global travels. Similarly, President JFK, despite neglecting his Harvard education and relying on his father’s help, built strong reading habits while bedridden and broadened his perspective through travel. These experiences, rather than traditional academics, helped prepare him for the presidency.
If Santana had instead argued that formal education, such as college, is unnecessary for young people, more critics might have found common ground with his perspective.
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