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There's a 'Black Movie Test' Floating Around That's Too Easy. Here's a 'Black Movie Test' to See If You're Really Dedicated to the Cause
I love the internet. Along with allowing me to order shit off of Amazon and it be at my doorstep before I hit “Place Your Order,” there are also a tremendous number of tests, quizzes and other things to pass the day. Which brings us to the point of today’s sermon. In a work Slack,…
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Is 'Return of the Mack' the Greatest Song Ever? A Debate With The Root's Shanelle Genai, Who Disagrees (She's Wrong), on Pass the Peas With Panama Jackson
On March 18, 2021, Mark Morrison’s “Return of The Mack” reached its 25th birthday. To commemorate this accoladational (Editor’s note: this is not a word) achievement for this song that really is the best song ever, I shared an article I wrote in 2017 stating as much, titled “Return of The Mack” Is The Best…
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I Think My Kids Tried to End Me (Again) Yesterday: Another Requiem
I have four children—a daughter and three boys. My daughter is 12 and the youngest boy is almost 6 months old. The two in the middle are 6 and 4; the 4-year-old will turn 5 in May. They are a duo of precocious little scamps. They play all day long, turning various rooms in our…
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Can We All Agree That SWV's 'You're The One' Is a First Ballot Hall of Fame Cheat Jam?
Ever since the SWV versus Xscape Verzuz was announced, my soul has been awash with joy and good tidings and cheer. I love SWV. I’m an SWV-stan. An SWV-apologist. I’m an SWV-superfan. I love Coko’s singing and will fight with anybody about her place in the pantheon of R&B singers. She’s in my top 10…
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Derrick Jaxn and Co. Are Living Proof That When STFU Is An Option, It Should Be Strongly Considered
Up until last week, I had a very vague knowledge of Derrick Jaxn. I’d heard his name of course. He and a slew of other chaps’ names are often bandied about when it comes to relationship “gurus;” their videos in cars and places are often shared all over the social medias. In my neck of…
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Introducing Pass The Peas With Panama Jackson, a New Podcast Brought to You by Very Smart Brothas and The Root
Hey, Young World! I’d like to introduce you to a new(ish) podcast brought to you by Very Smart Brothas and The Root, Pass The Peas, hosted by VSB co-founder, Panama Jackson. That’s me. Enough of the third person. Check back in here every Friday for a brand new episode about something or other but always…
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I Miss My Imagination
One of the funnest things to do as a parent is to simply watch your kids. Over the course of every single day (and when I’m not trying to make sure they’re not about to break something or each other) I find myself watching how two of my sons play. One of my sons, in…
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Dear New Sneaker People, Just Because You Usually Wear a Certain Size Doesn't Mean You Always Wear That Size
It’s been documented here before, but the onset of the coronavirus over a year ago seems to have turned everybody and their mothers into sneakerheads (and ultimately rendering most of us winless at the SNKRS app sweepstakes). And while the sneaker culture (and folks attempting to become resellers; good morning to everybody except the Hebert…
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Dear Spades Players, It's Time We Offer an Olive Branch to Our Non-Spades Playing Friends and Unite in the Name of Black Excellence
A few years ago, my family took a trip to Atlanta to celebrate my nephew’s graduation from college. We all stayed with my older sister and, of course, various members of the family came through over the weekend. On one of the nights, as the brown liquor was flowing, the decks of cards showed up…
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10 Thoughts I Had about Coming 2 America—The Sequel to the Best Black Movie of All Time
It’s been almost a week since Coming 2 America dropped on Amazon Prime Video. The movie–highly anticipated by most of African America since it was announced—is the sequel to the 1988 blockbuster, Coming to America. I, a member of African America, highly anticipated it because the original movie is among my favorite movies of all…