albums
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28 Days of Album Cover Blackness With VSB, Day 12: Diana Ross' Diana (1980)
You know this album. I know this album. Your neighbor knows this album. Everybody knows this album by the Queen of Motown, Diana Ross, simply titled diana. Even if you can’t tell me what songs are on this album title, if you love Black music, I’m about 100 percent sure you know this cover. Everybody’s…
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Melina Matsoukas, Howard University and Instagram Launch Share Black Stories ‘Future First’ Reels Challenge
If you’re active on Instagram, you’ve probably viewed an Instagram Reel at this point—whether it was sent to you by a friend or you saw it organically on the “Explore” page. There’s a lot of opportunity for creators to show off their skills and this is just one more outlet in the booming world of…
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Mary Wilson, Co-Founding Member of The Supremes, Dies at 76
She was a Motown legend, bestselling author, music activist, former U.S. cultural ambassador and co-founding member of The Supremes—of which she was dubbed “the sexy one.” Entertainer Mary Wilson, best known as the longest-running member of the group she made famous alongside Diana Ross and Florence Ballard (and later, Cindy Birdsong) died on Monday night…
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28 Days of Album Cover Blackness With VSB, Day 8: Guy Warren of Ghana's Afro-Jazz (1969)
I’ll bet if that if I didn’t tell you that this album cover was for an album by a Ghanaian artist in 1969, I’d bet good money that you might assume this was a reference cover for a Kool Moe Dee album in 1989. Or for some gangsta rap artist out of Compton in the…
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28 Days of Album Cover Blackness with VSB, Day 7: Miles Davis' On the Corner (1972)
I mean, I don’t even have to say it, but do you see this cover?? Look at all that animated Blackness permeating that bright yellow background. I like to think that yellow represents the sun, and everybody on the cover is the Black gold of the sun? This cover is for Miles Davis’ 1972 album…
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28 Days of Black Joy: Watching This Soul Train Dancer Makes Me Feel Free
I can’t remember who I was debating the first time I came across the video featuring the bold and confident dancer who hopped on stage during James Brown’s performance of “Super Bad” on Soul Train, but I’m certain the reason for the dispute was about a James Brown lyric. (I’m also certain the person I…
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Mic Drop: A Melodious Start to Black History Month
It’s officially Black History Month, and all I can say is that this month’s music is starting us off with a bang. The diversity of music produced and released is always astounding, and this week is no exception. Bringing us their A-game are artists who I wished I’d heard of sooner, artists I’ve been obsessed…
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T.I. and Tiny Deny 'Egregious' Sexual Abuse Allegations, Threaten to Sue
You may have gotten wind of some allegations that have been swirling across the internet about Atlanta-based rapper T.I. (whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr.) and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris. Sabrina Peterson, reportedly a former friend of the Harris family, shared a post on Instagram earlier this week in which she accused the…
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On the Anniversary of Kobe Bryant's Death, the Sports World Reflects on His Life and Legacy
I think we can all recall the exact moment that we learned of the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi. For me, I was at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, mentally preparing for a panel that I was about to attend when I got an ESPN alert on my…
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Dripped Up, Iced Down: Adidas Reveals New ‘Icy Park Collection’ From Beyoncé
Not only is “I dream it, I work hard, I grind ‘til I own it” an inspiring line from Beyoncé‘s “Formation,” it’s also the exact game plan I plan on enforcing in order to finally obtain the latest drop in her Adidas x Ivy Park collection. (To be honest, I’m getting real sick and tired…