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Can 1 Trump Stop a Party? Not This CBC Week
When this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference kicks off Wednesday, there will be the usual convergence of politicos, professionals, subject-matter experts, students, policy wonks and the like who will descend upon Washington, D.C., for a steady slate of panels, discussions, town halls, receptions and award ceremonies, steady with their annual Fab Empire…
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An Ode to an Unsung Atlanta Classic, Lil Will’s ‘Lookin’ for Nikki’
In March 2016, Netflix debuted The Art of Organized Noize, a thrilling documentary that chronicled the beginnings and rise of the legendary Atlanta musical collective of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown—Organized Noize Productions—that brought us Outkast, Goodie Mob, the Dungeon Family, and several musical productions that set the standard for the South and…
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I Threw My Back Out This Morning by … Waking Up. I Think I’m Officially Old Now
I realize that talking about the aches and pains of getting older is a pretty cliché thing to do. But since I try to be at least six or seven stereotypes a day—it really is empowering in an ironic way—I feel like being one age-appropriate cliché is OK. With that being said, I’m feeling old…
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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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Are You a Phone-Charger ‘Borrower’? Stop That Shit
There is a war going on outside from which no man is safe. Sure, you can run, but you can’t hide forever. It’s tearing families apart, and there’s no end in sight. It’s a war predicated upon the most important of household fixtures: the phone charger. My refrigerator is important. But as long as my…
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How Disney Movies (and the Like) Have Ruined Reality for Me
My car was stolen last week. That sucketh greatly. After getting over the initial (minimal) shock, my first thought was that I hope whoever stole the car burns it to a crisp so badly that it can never be recovered and my insurance carrier has to send me a check for the value of the…
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Is ‘Anything’ From Kingdom Come Really Jay-Z’s Worst Song?
Recently, Vulture dropped an article that’s been making the rounds among hip-hop heads, enthusiasts, regular joes and coffee shop denizens alike. Vulture writer John Kennedy did the Lord’s work and ranked Jay-Z’s songs from worst to best. Of course, most people scrolled right to the bottom—the longest scroll ever; it was like a Ta-Nehisi Coates-article…
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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…
