In What's Going On, Nathan McCall firmly establishes himself as a commentator for our times, drawing on personal experience and current events to deconstruct the social, cultural, and political tensions that, in clearly seen and not so obvious ways, affect us every day.

In the chapter "Gangstas, Guns, Shoot-'Em-Ups," he advances the debate over violent rap lyrics with powerful firsthand evidence of the harm macho pop culture does to young minds. In "The Revolution Is About Basketball" he shows how the stereotype of blacks' sports supremacy makes a casual game between blacks and whites turn gravely serious. "Old Town" looks at the racial unfairness present in the gentrification of historic African-American neighborhoods.

Whether discussing the cultural significance of Muhammad Ali, defending Alice Walker and Terry McMillan from black critics, or illuminating the strained position of the black middle class, Nathan McCall is always straight-shooting and provocative.