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Spike Lee Wants Us to Respect Our White Allies: 'White People Have Died For Justice'
Spike Lee is well-respected as one of Hollywood’s biggest and blackest directors. On Friday, his latest, BlacKkKlansman arrives in theaters; the movie tells the story of Colorado Springs undercover detective Ron Stallworth, a black man who joined the Klu Klux Klan in the 1970s. Lee admits that he had never heard of Stallworth’s story, much…
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Is Watermelon Racist or Nah?
Did you know the watermelon is from Africa? Or that it’s actually a berry? And that they’re delicious AF? Yet given its history via racist white America, the watermelon can be triggering for black folks. “I refuse to eat fried chicken or watermelon in front of white people,” my friend told me during one of…
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MC Lyte Talks Racial Bias, Female Rap Beef and the Longevity of Hip-Hop
MC Lyte recently performed with a nostalgic lineup at the Cincinnati Music Festival, proving once again that black don’t crack. Lyte (born Lana Michelle Moorer) looks and sounds like what happens when you mind your business and drink water. As one of the largest R&B music festivals in America, CMF caters to the grown and…
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Jesus, Take the Wheel Because Your Shepherds Have Turned Into Sunken-Place Sheep
Black people meeting up with Donald Trump never ends well. So please tell me why these “urban” pastors of “inner-city” churches decided to sit down with The Orange One? Naturally, they started their Sunken Table Talk with a prayer. In a room full of pastors, there were so many to choose from, but ultimately OWN’s…
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Danielle Brooks Shines Bright as Her Character Faces Darkness in Season 6 of Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black took Netflix by storm. The chronicle of a white woman’s prison sentence gave us glimpses into the world of women in prison, particularly women of color. From petty thieves to murderers, shows like OITNB remind us of the humanity in everyone. One of the standout performers on the show is…
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Judge of Characters: Stand Your Ground Only Works for White People
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law faced heavy scrutiny back in 2012 when George Zimmerman, a white-passing neighborhood watchman saw Trayvon Martin walking down the street minding his own business. Zimmerman deemed Trayvon scary and a “punk” and followed him. Their confrontation left Trayvon dead and his killer a free man. Stand Your Ground, which allows…
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The Pop Up: pineappleCITI Just Might Be Your New Favorite Rapper
Some say hip-hop is an overstuffed musical genre. That’s both a gift and a curse because it means there’s a variety of ways to express yourself as a hip-hop artist. And that’s what rapper pineappleCITI loves about music—self expression. “Considering the oversaturation of hip-hop, it is embedded in me to keep going because I’m so…
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The Root Packs the House for Very Smart Brothas' and The Glow Up's Boss Moves Event in Washington, D.C.
Do people still call Washington, D.C., Chocolate City? I’m asking for a friend and also because my people, my people, you guys showed up and showed out at our Very Smart Brothas and The Glow Up Boss Moves event on Thursday, July 19th—sponsored by Toyota—filling the Long View Gallery with beautiful boss blackness that could…
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Michael Arceneaux's Debut Book, I Can't Date Jesus is For Those Who Unapologetically Bop…With Chicken Wings
“I just want to be in Miss Tina’s book club,” Michael Arceneaux says in a matter-of-fact way as he’s chatting about life, love and all things Beyoncé when he bopped his way to The Root’s office for an interview. Writer, Houstonian, practicing homosexual, Beyoncé life partner and now, author, Michael Arceneaux just dropped his debut…
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Michael Bae Jordan Attempts to Use Milk Analogy to Explain His Love For Black Women
We love Michael B. Jordan. He’s a dreamy man with a face you wanna squeeze, but also lick. But his dating habits have left a lot to be desired by black women. Michael B. usually canoodles with the likes of Becky and Karen. And many black women are upset, mostly because they think they deserve…
