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Belly Is the 2nd Greatest Music Video of All Time Behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
Let me be very clear, I love Belly. I love love it. When Mary J. Blige sang about “Real Love” in 1992, a whole ass six years before Belly would be released to the masses, she had no idea that she was singing my soul’s affinity for Hype Williams’ best music video ever. And what’s…
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The Hate U Give Isn't a Very Good Movie and It's Very Hard to Say That Out Loud
On October 3, Wesley Morris, in a piece for the New York Times Magazine titled “The Morality Wars,” sounded the alarm (in a nutshell) about the difficulty in critiquing black art in today’s political climate in favor of protecting the culture. Basically, he said that because the stakes are higher for black art, it has…
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From My Fingers to God’s Ears: The Lord Clearly Loves SpelHouse Homecoming
SpelHouse Homecoming, the joint celebration between Spelman College and Morehouse College, happened this past weekend in Atlanta. If you’ll remember, last week, I had to ask God for a little assistance because in the forecast even up to the day before the event, there was a strong chance of rain on Friday and Saturday, two…
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10 Blackest, Funnest, Littest Parts of the Haunted Pink Trap House in Atlanta (Okay, Waaaay Outside of Atlanta)
I’m not a fan of haunted houses. Hell, I’m not even really a fan of scary movies. It’s not that I scare easy; it’s just that I don’t like surprises. Haunted houses are all about surprises and startling the shit out of you. Don’t startle me, bro. Ya know? However, outside of Atlanta exists a…
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8 Observations About a Ridiculous Beer Robbery in Texas
When I was alerted to a beer robbery in Arlington, Texas, that happened last week, I assumed some white dude ran into a convenience store, pulled a pistol out, and headed out with some hops. I assumed as much because that story would make sense, or as much sense as any crime can make. That’s…
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I Tried a Pumpkin Spiced Latte for the Culture So You Won’t Have to
I’m a pretty open-minded chap. I’m not a foodie but will try almost anything. I even listen to country music. That open-mindedness led me to a pumpkin-spiced debacle last week. I’ve been humored at how pumpkin spice has become synonymous with whiteness. Until a few years ago, I’d never heard of that shit and assumed…
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Dear God, It's Me, Panama. I See Rain in the Forecast for Spelhouse Homecoming Next Weekend. Let's Talk
Dear God, What up, doe!?! How you doing, Big Homie? I be reading the news, so I can tell you’re either super busy or taking naps upon naps. No shade, Big Bro. I’m just saying I noticed that chaos is abundant. You know what, this isn’t starting out well. I really wanted to write you…
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Reflections on My #VerySmartWedding Less Than A Week After It Happened
To quote Shug Avery from The Color Purple, “I’se married now!” Last Friday, in glorious fashion and with glorious weather—and three wardrobe changes—by the end of the night, I had a wife and great memories of a wonderful wedding experience. Quite simply, ‘twas a ball … all day long. As a culture commentarian, and because…
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Dear Drivers Who Veer Left to Turn Right, I Hate You. WTF Is Wrong With You?
This goes out to you and you — you know who you are, so stop me if you’ve heard this one before. You’re driving along a thoroughfare, minding your own business. Maybe you’re even listening to your favorite true-crime podcast as you venture into work, traffic court, or to that Brazilian wax appointment you’ve been putting…
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Elizabeth Warren May Not Be Native American, But She Might Be Black, Talking About 'I Got Some Indian In My Family'
Earlier this year, several folks in my family (including myself) did some variation of DNA testing. You know what I’m talking about; the tests where you send in your DNA and apparently, the government owns and can clone you, but you get to find out, especially if you’re black, that maybe your family originates from…
