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'We Are the Table': I Attended the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon for the First Time and It Was Magic
Sisterhood is unmatched. And for black women, it isn’t just a concept, it is actually lifesaving. The Essence Black Women in Hollywood (BWIH) luncheon is one of the most anticipated events during Oscar week, arguably the most anticipated event for black women, specifically. Guess the hell what? I got to go…as a guest. The honorees…
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From Kickstarter to Kickin' It At the Oscars: Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver Talk Hair Love
Animation raised me. Yes, I know we all grew up watching Saturday cartoons and animated movies, but those little doodles of Roger Rabbit and Mickey Mouse shaped my desire to tell stories. I wanted to create animated films. I wanted to be Cree Summer. I wanted to have anything and everything to do with the…
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They've Gotta Have Us and We've Gotta Have It: What's New and Black on Netflix During February, The Blackest Month?
It’s February, and this year, we have an extra day, thanks to leap year! I mean, black folks still have the shortest month of the year dedicated to us, regardless, but let’s make the most of that extra day with…some black-ass Netflix content! First up, They’ve Gotta Have Us, from the blackest distribution platform, ARRAY.…
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First Look: Boyz N The Hood Is Now Available on 4K Ultra HD With Bonus Tribute to John Singleton, Who 'Changed Hollywood'
I’ll never forget the day I found out that John Singleton died. I was gallivanting about the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, not realizing that my current location would mean so much more than it already did to a cinephile like myself. Having some idle time on my hands, I scrambled to write up a proper…
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Sneak Peek: Black Canary Knows It's a Man's World but It'll Be Nothing Without a Woman or a Girl in Birds of Prey
In a follow-up to Suicide Squad, D.C. Comics is continuing the saga of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) after her epic split with the Joker as she “joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.” James Brown gave us one of the best lyrics of all…
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'I'm Part of the Problem': Joaquin Phoenix Calls Out BAFTA's Diversity Problem—Will Hollywood Actually Take Action or Is the Joke on Us?
In the great circle of strife known as modern Hollywood, we have a routine awards ceremony filled with progressive calls to action made by rich liberals who dare to rebel against the non-political speech taboo. Sometimes, [insert marginalized group here] gets to take home a shiny award or two! And then…we go back to regularly…
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Cherish The Day: Ava DuVernay, Xosha Roquemore and Alano Miller Discuss the Day that Changed Their Lives
In her hit song, “Cherish the Day,” Sade croons about “deep love” and how she won’t be caught “running” from it. Easier said (or sung) than done, right? Cue OWN’s upcoming love anthology, aptly titled, Cherish the Day. Late last year, a group of journalists were invited to the lovely ARRAY Creative Campus in Los…
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What’s Better Than One Billionaire Remaining Seated During the Super Bowl National Anthem? Two
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are taking a stand…or actually, taking a seat. “I think that we forget that Colin’s whole thing was to bring attention to social injustice,” Jay-Z said at the widely-viewed press conference announcing his partnership with the National Football League this past summer. “In that case, this is the success. This is the…
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First Look: The Children Are Our Future In HBO's We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest
It’s Black History Month and The Root is here to give you the most adorable inspiration ever. Growing up black meant realizing that the most important speech ever uttered was by a man named Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Four words, “I Have A Dream,” would be embedded in the minds of every black kid…
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Diddy, to Grammys Academy: Y'all Are Shady to Rap and R&B. Mase, to Diddy: But Did You Hold Me Down, Though?
Wow, Diddy, I guess mo’ money really does come with mo’ problems. One of those problems just happens to be one of your fellow artists calling you out on your hypocrisy. At Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala, Diddy made waves when he decided to “get real” about the Recording Academy’s propensity to sideline the rap…
