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With Black Panther We Have a Black Movie and a Black Movie Soundtrack. It’s Like 1994 All Over Again
The soundtrack for Black Panther, the Top Dawg Entertainment-helmed Black Panther: The Album, dropped today. While Black Panther is a Marvel Cinematic Universe product, it’s still a black movie. From Ryan Coogler to Wakanda to kente cloth in videos to the two capital letters and the apostrophe in the lead character T’Challa’s name, there’s no…
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How in the Hell Are People Paying for Weddings?
Since I became engaged at the end of 2017, my household has been in constant wedding-planning mode. From creating guest lists—we possibly know way too many people—to seeking out and touring venues to general discussions about budgets, one thing has constantly kept coming up in our talks: Just how in the hell do people afford…
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Um, Cocaine Really Is a Hell of a Drug
Listen, I’ve never done cocaine in my life. I’ve never really felt compelled to do so, either. While I can’t pretend like those “This is your brain; this is your brain on drugs” commercials entirely deterred me from a life of occasional recreational drug use, cocaine—for me—has always just seemed like a bridge too far.…
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Pre-K Teacher Leigh Bishop Matching Her Student’s Hairstyle Has Me All Up in My Dad Feels
The story of Leigh Bishop (recent #WCW at The Glow Up), the pre-K teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in Sugar Land, Texas, who told her student August that she loved her hairstyle and then showed up the next day wearing it, actually brought a tear to my eye. But just one. OK, both. Maybe I…
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10 Blackest Things About Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s ‘All the Stars’ Video From the Black Panther Soundtrack
1. The video is directed by Dave Meyers. And the little homies. We’re starting off strong. Real strong. 2. This actual video literally starts out with the throwing of the hands in the air and waving them like you just don’t care. Except all of those hands are a sea of blackness while Kendrick glides…
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How Do You Listen to Hip-Hop?
On Feb. 2, 2018, Brooklyn, N.Y., wordsmith Skyzoo released an album called In Celebration of Us. I don’t know exactly how I decided to listen to it—I can’t call myself a Skyzoo fan—but since I did, it’s been in heavy rotation. Skyzoo, as any hip-hop head will tell you, is a noted lyricist in the…
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I Successfully Didn’t Watch the 2018 Super Bowl. Here’s What That Struggle Looked Like
Because I decided long ago not to watch the NFL this season, not watching the Super Bowl was an easy, if annoying, decision. I love the Super Bowl. I love how we pretend that it truly matters in the grand scheme of things. I love the commercials and the halftime shows and all that jazz.…
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I Have a Problem: I Keep Ending Up at Target
Hi, my name is Panama Jackson, and I’m addicted to Target. I don’t know how it happened. Look—walking into Target to buy some Mucinex and walking out with a blender, some new bedsheets, a hammer and a new backpack isn’t unique. Nearly everybody who walks into Target leaves $100 lighter than expected. At this point,…
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#GuestsDontPay Would Make Life Easier, but Nobody Would Celebrate Anything Ever Again (Unless They Were Rich)
The Washington Post recently published an article from writer Michelle Singletary titled, “Stop Charging Me to Attend Your Celebrations—#GuestsDontPay.” What’s the beef? Here’s the beef. From the article: I don’t mean any harm, but I am not paying to attend your parties anymore. I want to commemorate your life moments—your birthday, engagement, bridal shower, baby shower,…
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Who Got da Props? Who Got da Props? Cardi B, Runnin’ Things From the Bronx
If you’re a hip-hop head, reading that headline might have made your head explode. You probably recognize that combination of words and syllables from Black Moon’s 1993 song “Who Got da Props?” off of their Enta da Stage album. But they asked a very important question, and the answer to that question is undoubtedly Belcalis…
