Think you're unfair to the list, More than half were born before the 60s and the protests and legislation. So the list does not predominantly reflect "post-civil-rights cool".

I see only 3 rappers. Musicians and actors dominate, though. Since cool is not wisdom, I'm OK with that.

Good Lord, this is mind-numbingly asinine.

Asinine? No, I don't think so. Very, very superficial? Yeah, IMNSHO.

If Miles was cool (which he undoubtedly was, no matter how you define the measuring device), what about Herbie Hancock? If Muhammad Ali, why not Jackie Robinson, who without coolness would never have survived his first season? Compared to Sam Cooke, both Sammy and Marvin were at least luke warm.

I don't like the concept much, and I kinda hate the list. Then why respond? you ask. Just to show how cool I am, I suppose.

Interesting... a national magazine whose primary audience is African Americans lists what it believes are the "coolest" brothers, Norman makes a comment that the magazine's list seems to focus more on individuals who have "achieved" based primarily on success in the entertainment industry putting forth what he notes is "artificial" -- that is "acting" cool rather than being cool -- and his post is labeled "unfair" "assinine," the list is "superficial"... the list called "shallow."

Now, I am not a regular reader of Ebony (or Jet or Essence or Vibe). I'm also not one who is into lists. I don't wait with baited breath for the the latest from People or Us Weekly or Maxim or FHM or Men's Health or Women's Wear Daily and so on.

On one hand, I get what Ebony is trying to do. On the other, I get what Norman is saying: How interesting that a list of "cool" black men is constructed on the fluidity of the physical -- on stage or screen or sport -- and less the mastery of the mind. Is not Neil DeGrasse Tyson, for example, cool?

But what prompted me to weigh in on Norman's side, (just a moment while I put on my flak jacket and standby for incoming) is this notion (not picking on you specifically, Ben, so bear with me a sec):

I understand your concern, but imagine if there was a similar list of the 25 coolest white dudes of all time. I don't know who'd be on the list

I don't have to imagine. There are such lists. I come across them all the time. Sometimes they are called things like "the Literary Canon," (the best literature of all time, all Euro-centric in its focus) or the best composers of all time or the most historical significant men (and/or women) of all time. Or Forbes' "Top 100 Richest Men (and Women) in America."

Or you can peruse the superficial "Sexiest Man or Woman Alive" or "Most Eligible Bachelors/Single Women". Or the "100 Hottest Celebrities".

The point I'd like to make is that those of you in the "majority culture" take your lists for granted, take your "status" for granted, and very often "push back" against "leveling" of the playing field. Your lists are so commonplace to you, you have conjure up a new one to be able to "imagine" who might be on it.

Your lists are unfailingly "you-centric" and somewhere, someone has made a list that includes Einstein, Schindler, Oppenheimer, and Horowitz, but leaves off Carver (and not because he wasn't Jewish.)

Another example: For most of its existence, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn't even bother to consider the work talented black actors and actesses as good enough to make their "cool" list of Best performers in lead or supporting roles. Heck, it overlooked an entire genre and thousands of films in black cinema but reached across oceans to include foreign films.

Maybe you get what I'm saying. Before you minimize or trash Ebony's list, just try to consider it from a different perspective.

Finally, maybe Mr. Cobbs could have chosen a better word to describe his or Ebony's list. Or defined "cool" a bit differently. Or maybe my definition of "cool" is a bit stagnant.