beyoncé
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The Winners of 2016
Flatly, 2016 as a staff, record label and as a motherf—king crew has collectively sucked. Far too many people have died, and a spoiled, mango-colored racist man surrounded by a bunch of like-minded bigots and sycophants will soon make life hell for many who have survived. However, as draining as this year has felt for…
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What to Make of Kanye West?
This piece started off quite differently. You see, after years of skating around the margins of the sentiment, I’d finally leaned into full-on “F—k Kanye West” mode. It followed years of annoyance at his trend of constantly obnoxious and solipsistic behavior. Even his admission during a recent concert that he didn’t vote at all Nov. 8…
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You Can’t Touch Solange’s Hair, but You Can Ask to Touch Mine
If you have been natural for any length of time, you have more than likely had someone attempt to touch your hair. Strangers and friends of various races and ages seem to be intrigued by the texture, feel and all-around unexpectedness of black hair. Oftentimes this intrigue is expressed through a stray hand inching its…
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Police Brutality Meets the Mannequin Challenge and the Result Is Epic
By now you should have heard about the latest trend sweeping the internet: the mannequin challenge. This is when a group of people get together to pose in various ways without moving as someone makes their way through the room, videotaping the entire mannequin group. Everybody and their mommas are taking part: Kevin Hart, Beyoncé (well,…
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Dear Lifetime, Don't Make a Beyoncé Biopic. Signed, Original Member of the Beyhive
When will everyone learn that when you go against Beyoncé’s wishes, only failure and fury will follow? There are rumors floating that Lifetime is considering making a film based on the life of the finest Creole to twerk the earth. A source tells the Daily Star, “Beyoncé is arguably the world’s biggest star and has…
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We Need a New National Anthem; Here Are 10 Folks Who Could Do It
Despite going to graduate school in the discipline, my greatest education in philosophy happened at the barbershop. Old Man James, my barber since I was in elementary school, once hipped me to some game about the tension between blackness and patriotism in America. “Y’all still singing the national anthem in school, young blood?” he once…
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More Beyoncé, Less Britney: How MTV Can Improve the VMAs
For some years now, MTV has largely relied on nostalgia and the promise of returning to what used to make its Video Music Awards show vital viewing to lure people into watching. You watch—majorly because the performers list is so stacked that you can’t help giving in to temptation—and then you’re let down. This year…
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Unique Views Podcast, Episode 8: Mathew Knowles Knows Talent
Like we always do at this time (Kanye voice), we back, y’all! More importantly, I’m back, y’all, with two co-workers who are here because of a court order. I know that y’all don’t care, but they are the Podcast Pips, aka Patti LaDanielle Young (her real name is Danielle Young, and she makes that clear…
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Jackee Harry and Anita Baker Are Great on Twitter, but Tina Knowles Lawson Is Killing the ’Gram
Older black women are, by and large, my happy place. They often prove themselves to be incredibly honest, wonderfully hilarious and the very best of blackness. I have had an affinity for the group I describe as “black aunties” since I was a child who obsessed over his literal black aunties. However, it is often…