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10 Songs for Your Black-Ass Playlist for Days You’re Feeling Particularly Black
I love the movie Cool Runnings. Peace be the journey and all that jazz. I especially love the part where Doug E. Doug—playing the role of Sanka Coffie, the movie’s comic relief and spiritual center—says to other bobsledders on top of the hill, “I’m feeling very Olympic today!” I try to work that into lots…
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I See You, Mona Scott-Young, Trying to Tend to Black Folks’ Health and Wellness. I See You, Boo
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Love & Hip Hop franchise on VH1. You see, I’m a person who is with the shits, and LHH is a program ’pacifically dedicated to being with the shits. In fact, most of my television watching could quite squarely fall into a box that’s called for…
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7 Truisms Creatives Will Appreciate
Are you a creative? Do you create shit for a living? If you answered “yes” to either of those questions, you are a creative. If you are a creative (you answered “yes” to either of the two aforementioned questions), then I’d bet you a plum nickel that while people are happy for you and your…
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I’m Black, Middle-Class and Surrounded by Crime
For somebody with multiple degrees, I’ve been pretty crime adjacent for a significant portion of my adulthood. I’ve also had several petty crimes perpetrated against me or those in close proximity to me more times than you can shake a stick at. For instance, one summer day, I got home to my apartment (the apartments…
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10 Things My Black Paranoia Saved Me From
Hi. I’m black and I’m a man. That makes me a black man (by default), and that means I’m paranoid as fuck. Like, I’m pretty sure you’re plotting against me right now, so I’m looking at you crazy. Or at least you might could be. In fact, who is you? Is you is or is…
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A Prayer for White People Who Don’t Understand That Black Love Doesn’t Mean White Hate (Sometimes)
Congregation of St. Panama Jackson the United Methodist Baptist Pentecostal AME Church of God in Christ Episcopal Primitive Missionary Baptist Downward Dog Down by the Riverside Holiness Church, please bow your heads: Dear 8-pound, 6-ounce newborn infant Jesus, don’t even know a word yet, just a little infant and so cuddly, but still omnipotent, I…
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Hey Y’all, Ray J’s Musical Career Ain’t Half Bad
First, tuck your judgment; it’s not necessary. Second, listen with your mind, not your heart. Your heart made you side-eye the living shit out of the title, but your mind may be a little more open-minded. That’s a pun. Get it? I’m sure you do. Before we get into the shenanigans, a few ground rules…
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It’s Official: Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest Is My Favorite Hip-Hop Album of All Time
The 1993 classic has taken over all contenders at this point
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My Girlfriend Took Her 1st Trip Down South*. Here’s What Happened
One of the most enlightening conversations I had in college happened with a friend of mine who went to Spelman College and is from Nigeria. We were out at IHOP (I think; probably a safe assumption because we pretty much lived at IHOP), and she was telling a few of us about her preconceived notions…
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A List of Places I’d Never Order Grits From
I was recently in Roanoke, Ala., and ventured to McDonald’s because my children are obsessed with chicken nuggets like most American children are. I don’t know what they put in those things, but they’re mm-mm good. Also, how have fast-food prices been the same forever? Inquiring minds would like to know. Anyway, upon reaching the…
