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'He's Ruining Women': R. Kelly Accuser Details Gaslighting, Grooming and Abuse in New Interview
Not-so-fun fact: A perfunctory search of “R. Kelly” on our publishing platform brings up dozens of articles alleging years of sexual predation and abuse by the still-enduring R&B singer, featuring testimonials from everyone from his ex-wife to former members of the “sex cult” Kelly purportedly maintains in several homes. Now, in a new interview in…
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Mama Said Knock You Out: Serena Williams Channels LL Cool J in a New Commercial for Chase
As we await Serena Williams’ first appearance at the U.S. Open since giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia, don’t be surprised if we totally fangirl out. Every day, we seem to get a new slice of greatness from the G.O.A.T., and her latest commercial for Chase is, simply put, next level. In a voiceover, Williams…
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On the Court in Off-White: Serena Williams and Virgil Abloh Launch Their Nike ‘Queen’ Collection
When we heard Virgil Abloh and Serena Williams were collaborating on Williams’ 2018 U.S. Open wardrobe, we were understandably intrigued. Two black phenoms at the top of their respective games are exciting—especially when supported by an athletic apparel juggernaut like Nike. Now, we get our first look at the resulting “Queen” collection in motion, as…
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'There Is No Model Survivor': Tarana Burke Warns Against the Derailing of #MeToo
Correction: August 21 at 2:04 p.m. EDT: An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified Rose McGowan as Rose Byrne. Earlier: As the #MeToo movement has gained steam, so have attempts to delegitimize accusers and victims of abuse; all too often, we hear “well, why didn’t she say something sooner?” Or, “this is a money-grab;…
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Non-Compliant: The War Against Black Students' Hairstyles Continues
When it comes to finding low-maintenance hairstyles for our children that are school-appropriate, it’s beginning to seem we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t. Last week, a video of a first-grader in Florida being turned away from his first day of school because of his dreadlocks sparked viral outrage and discussion; this week,…
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What Is Adenomyosis? Gabrielle Union Revealed a Fertility Issue Every Woman Should Be Aware Of
“Towards the end of my fertility journey I finally got some answers,” Gabrielle Union told attendees of the BlogHer conference in New York City on August 8. Union, who has been transparent about her fertility struggles, wrote in her 2017 bestseller, We’re Going to Need More Wine that she’d suffered “eight or nine miscarriages.” But…
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Will Aretha's Most Iconic Hat Become a Part of Obama's Legacy?
If there’s one thing we know about the Queen of Soul, it’s that she loved a “lewk.” Aside from her often extravagant stage attire, Aretha Franklin was fond of a dramatic gesture—the tossing of a train, the shedding of a fur—because, as our loyal reader TheRealMarthaJones3.0 accurately noted, “Auntie understood DRAMA! EMOTION! and EFFECT!” Barack…
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i-D Magazine Debuts Three Earthwise and Black Girl Magical Covers for Fall
We never thought we’d say this, but we might officially be suffering black girl magic fatigue. After all, we’ve spent almost every day this August reporting on a seemingly endless rollout of Fall Fashion issues featuring black models and celebrities on their covers; so many, we’re actually beginning to glaze over a bit. Scratch that.…
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Queen of Soul and Body-Positive Icon: A Look Back at Aretha's Franklin's Memorable Style
The icon we knew as Aretha Franklin was a lot of things: musical prodigy, Queen of Soul, church girl, teenage mother (and possible abuse/rape survivor), Detroit native, shade-master and legendary diva. But while all of those titles may apply, there is one we often overlook: Aretha Franklin, in her own, over-the-top way, was a body-positive…
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En Vogue: This September, Vogue Made a Global Investment in Black Women
We started off August 2018 on an undeniable high as we received word of two history-making events: Beyoncé would appear on Vogue’s September Fall Fashion issue photographed by its first-ever black cover photographer, Tyler Mitchell, while Rihanna would cover her first September issue of Vogue’s British sister, styled by its first black editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful.…
