Thomas Golianopoulos is a writer and editor based in New York City. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Grantland, Vibe, The Ringer, and many other publications. He is the author of The Life of Singleton: From Boyz N the Hood to Snowfall, a biography of the writer/director John Singleton (2025, Andscape Books).
Though he is a generalist, most of his work—or at least the best of it—is about the ugly and the absurd. He has profiled Eminem, The Undertaker, pastor Joel Osteen, Nas, and Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. His investigative feature writing includes pieces on a federal sex slavery case, the mysterious prison murder of a Hollywood actor, and the definitive story on Kobe Bryant’s rap career.
In 2008, 2010, and 2011, his stories were cited for excellence in Da Capo’s Best Music Writing. His feature on Chris Kanyon, the man who aspired to be professional wrestling first gay superstar, was cited in Best American Sports Writing 2012. His 2018 feature for BuzzFeed, “F**k That Gator! How Tommie Woodward’s Last Words Haunt his Family”—an investigative piece on the first person to die from an alligator attack in Texas since 1836 and its fallout—received a Sidney Award from the New York Times’ David Brooks.
Thomas graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and history. He lives in The Bronx with his wife and children. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @golianopoulos.
Thomas [dot] golianopoulos [at] gmail [dot] com