-
The 'Thotyssey' Continues: Zola Cast Talk Sex Positivity and the Makings of a Perfect 'Ho Trip'
The Root sat down with the cast of ‘Zola’ to explore ‘ho trips’ and what it means to be a sex positive Black woman.
-
United States vs Billie Holiday Is Rewriting Billie Holiday's Legacy
“Changing our narratives, manipulating our narratives and suppressing our narratives is a huge, integral part of continuing a system of oppression.” —Andra Day, Actor text Jazz singer Billie Holiday was unequivocally a Civil Rights icon, but history doesn’t remember her as such. As the first person to perform “Strange Fruit” on stage, Holiday, a Black…
-
Ma Rainey Director George C. Wolfe on the Legacy of Race and Black Artists in the Entertainment Industry
“We’re all caught up trying to figure out how to have our stories told, how to protect those stories, how to be paid [what we feel is that we deserve], how to fight and protect those stories so they don’t get diluted or transformed. —George C. Wolfe, Director text Know your worth. Period. This idea…
-
Master P Reflects on Becoming His Own 'Master' and Working With Tupac
“I’m constantly trying to educate myself. I’m constantly trying to master whatever I do.” — Percy “Master P” Miller text Master P is indeed a boss. The ex-rapper, actor, record label executive and former NBA player came to prominence in the 1990s and 2000s, but as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. In…
-
'I Am Not Able to Rest': Samaria Rice Reflects on the Life and Legacy of Her Son Tamir Rice on His 18th Birthday
“I have to be on the front lines because I am Tamir’s mother. Tamir is in high demand. When these things [police shootings of unarmed Black people] happen, I am not able to rest. I am not able to be normal. Normalcy went out the window when my son got murdered.” —Samaria Rice text Tamir…
-
Luke's Game of Love: Watch Musician Luke James Talk Love, Sex and Attraction
First things first: don’t call singer-songwriter Luke James a thirst trap. “I honestly think I’m a goofball and people don’t know that about me. I play it well.” The Grammy-nominated singer continued, “I’m not doing anything on purpose. It’s all in your head. If I’m a thirst trap, it’s all in your head.” OK, okay.…
-
Ava DuVernay on When They See Us and How the Press Failed the Central Park Five
There are few things more difficult to watch than the abuse, mistreatment and manipulation of innocent young black and brown people. In her four-part Netflix series, When They See Us, award-winning director Ava DuVernay takes us into the story of the Central Park Five—a case that had the media in a frenzy in the late…
-
Beale Street’s Regina King Breaks Down What It Means to Be a Vulnerable Black Woman
We often speak about the “strong black woman” archetype, but what does it mean to be a “vulnerable black woman?” The reality is that the two characteristics are a bit symbiotic—after all, it takes a great deal of strength to make one’s self vulnerable. As Sharon in If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King so…
-
What's Columbusing, You Say? We've Got You Covered
Every time we hear the name Christopher Columbus, we can’t help but wonder: “What will be stolen next.” The term “columbusing” has been around for a minute. “Columbusing” is when a person—often a white person, let’s be real—or a set of people believes that they discovered something that isn’t new. The term is a close…
-
Janelle Monáe and Angela Rye Have One Message: Go Vote
The midterm elections are coming in November, and this vote comes at a critical point in our nation’s history. After all, we as Americans have the power to decide who will lead our country out of the despair of this Trumpian regime (barring no interference from Russia—let’s be real). Regardless, we must do our part…