Mr. Tate’s omnivorous nature was revealed early on. His family moved to Washington when he was 13, and among his new friends was the playwright and poet Thulani Davis. In an interview, she recalled coming to Greg’s apartment to listen to records and arguing with her about music, art, and literature. studied Superintendent Baraka and Rolling Stone in equal measure.
“When he discovered a new sound or set of ideas, he would listen or read obsessively,” Ms Davis said.
In addition to his daughter, Mr. Tate is survived by a brother named Brian; one sister, Geri Augusto; and a grandchild.
He studied journalism and film at Howard, where he also hosted a radio show and began to try his hand at music criticism. Finally, Ms. Davis recommended that music editor Robert Christgau send something to The Village Voice, whom she knew.
Just before he moved to New York permanently, he formed a friendship with Mr. Tate. Arthur Jafa, another Howard student at the start of her own illustrious career as a video artist. A chance encounter outside the Howard library just before Mr. Tate’s move to Harlem turned into an eight-hour conversation on Greek drama, avant-garde film and the latest sound from New York.
The two remained close, becoming famous for bickering and public speaking. When Mr. Jafa needed an essay for an exhibition catalogue, Mr. Tate wrote it overnight. In another case, Mr. Jafa joined Mr. Tate for an event in Minneapolis, where they talked for 10 hours and became a kind of incidental performance art.
“He didn’t accept the wrong boundaries,” Mr. Jafa said in an interview. “It’s hard to describe what it’s like to have a generation’s voice as your friend.”