Stars React To O.J. Simpson’s Death, Billy Dee Williams Gets Cringey, R. Kelly’s Wife Spills More Tea and More

A collection of The Root’s best posts of the week in entertainment

Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography

R. Kelly’s Ex-Wife Drea Kelly Reflects on Alleged Physical, Financial Abuse—What Else Does She Know?

Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography

R. Kelly’s ex-wife Andrea “Drea” Kelly is speaking up and shedding light on her alleged physical and financially abusive marriage to the disgraced R&B singer. – Shanelle Genai Read More

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Meet Tiffanie Barriere: The Drinking Coach Making History at the NYSE

Celebrities React to O.J. Simpson’s Death, And It’s Not Pretty

Screenshot: Screenshot taken from X Screenshot: Screenshot taken from X

News of O.J. Simpson’s death after battling cancer sent shockwaves across the country, with many stars sharing their thoughts on his polarizing legacy. – Candace McDuffie Read More

Black Twitter Reacts to Sudden Death of O.J. Simpson and … They Ain’t Sad

Photo: Wikicommons Photo: Wikicommons

I audibly said, “Wait, what?!” when I looked down at my phone to see the notification.

“O.J. Simpson dead at 76,” a headline read.

Orenthal James Simpson was arguably America’s most sensationalized human being. He was an NFL star for 11 seasons but his stardom was stained by his widely controversial trial on murder charges in connection to the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ron Goldman. – Kalyn Womack Read More

WTF?! Billy Dee Williams Is About to Piss Everyone Off With These Blackface Comments

Photo: Getty Images Ethan Miller/FilmMagic Photo: Getty Images Ethan Miller/FilmMagic

Billy Dee Williams, 87, has been giving outspoken interviews left and right since the release of his memoir, “What Have We Here?: Portraits of A Life,” in February. But his latest comments about the use of blackface in acting might get him into a whole lot of trouble with Black Hollywood. – Shanelle Genai Read More

K. Michelle Caught Debating Homosexuality and Religion on Social Media, And She Made a Big Point

Photo: Getty Images Jeff Hahne Photo: Getty Images Jeff Hahne

Singer K. Michelle wants people to know that while she considers herself a Christian, she’s not going along with people who use the Bible as an argument against homosexuality. – Angela Johnson Read More

A Judge Ruled on Jonathan Majors’ Fate, but Will Hollywood Allow Him to Return?

Photo: Getty Images Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan Photo: Getty Images Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan

On Monday, Jonathan Majors learned his legal fate with regard to the domestic dispute trial in which he was convicted of third degree reckless assault and harassment back in Dec. 2023. – Shanelle Genai Read More

Rihanna Just Gave the Best Interview, But Some Can’t Get Past the Cover Photo

Screenshot: YouTube Screenshot: YouTube

Rihanna just gave fans the next best thing to new music – a revealing magazine interview and photoshoot. RiRi is the cover girl for the Spring 2024 issue of Interview magazine where she talks about everything from how she met her partner A$AP Rocky to what she keeps in her diaper bag. And while fans usually love to soak up every bit of the “Rude Boy” singer they can, this time, some online have a lot to say about her look. – Angela Johnson Read More

People Are Not Feeling Jerrod Carmichael’s Sexual Slave ‘Jokes’ With White Boyfriend

Photo: Getty Images Rich Polk Photo: Getty Images Rich Polk

Comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s new HBO show may be lauded for making folks necessarily uncomfortable, but there was nothing necessary about his latest quip about allegedly engaging in “slave play” with his white boyfriend. – Candace McDuffie Read More

Wendell Pierce Is Hyped About His New Show ‘Elsbeth’, Reminisces on His Iconic Roles

Pierce, who gained notoriety in ‘The Wire’ and ‘Waiting to Exchale’, is starring in the new CBS drama whose titular character was spun-off from ‘The Good Wife.’

‘The Walking Dead’ & Other Top TV Shows Released in 2024 You Should Be Watching

Slim pickings on new shows this week so we’ve compiled the top 3 shows featuring some of our favorite Black characters and actors.

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Latest from The Root

'Sinners' Cast: Where Are They Now?

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Now that Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic ‘Sinners’ has officially won the 2026 Awards season, let’s take a look at the next major moves for Michael B. Jordan and the cast! …
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Hey Timothy Chalamet! Ballet is Alive, and Black Women are Sustaining It

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Black Models on 'The Price is Right' Share Shocking Experiences

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A Sad Ending to the Breonna Taylor Case

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Officers accused of faking court documents for the “no-knock” warrant leading to Breonna Taylor’s killing have now received good news …
Meagan Good Finally Reveals Wedding Photos to Jonathan Majors

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Meagan Good and Jonathan Major wed during a private ceremony in March 2025. And now we’ve got a look at their love-filled day! …
Justin Timberlake’s 2024 DWI Bodycam Is Finally Out, and It’s Hilarious

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Newly released bodycam footage shows Justin Timberlake during his 2024 Hamptons arrest for driving while intoxicated, capturing his interactions with Sag Harbor police and fans’ reactions online …
You Won’t Believe This Black Chicago Mom’s Real-Life Goldilocks Nightmare

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A Running List of Everything President Trump Is Planning to Name After Himself

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Meet the Trailblazing Black Woman Who Made FaceTime and Zoom Possible

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Exclusive: The Root caught up with Dr. Marian Rogers Croak, a trailblazer who leads Google’s work in human-centered AI and machine learning …
Black Americans Have Strong Reactions to Trump's Deployment of ICE Agents at U.S. Airports

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Trump announced ICE agents will be stationed at airports across the country starting on March 23, and you can bet Black folks had plenty of thoughts …
 Doja Cat's Father Blames Her White Mother for 'Deadbeat' Claims

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After making allegations about her parent being a deadbeat and trolling him on social media, Doja Cat is now embroiled in a messy back and forth with her own father! …
100 Years After Black Family Is Run Out of White California Town, Their Descendants Claim What's Rightfully Theirs

100 Years After Black Family Is Run Out of White California Town, Their Descendants Claim What’s Rightfully Theirs

Sidney Dearing and his family became the first Black people to ever buy a home in Piedmont, Calif. Then, they were chased out within a year …
All About Nene Leakes Long-Awaited Return

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What We Know About Usher, Justin Bieber’s Confrontation at Beyonce’s Oscar Party

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Black Women Are Being Forced Into C-Sections—With The Court's Backing

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Devastating Update for Billion-Dollar Whiskey Brand 'Uncle Nearest' Amid $100 Million Lawsuit

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