chance the rapper
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A Tribe Called Quest, Chance the Rapper, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars and the Time Resuscitated the Grammys
Whether they were showing us how magical black women can be, making political statements, paying homage to a GOAT or taking your ass to church, the black artists who performed at Sunday night’s Grammys gave the world something to talk about. I praised sweet baby Jesus for allowing Beyoncé to perform within the first half…
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The Black Viewer’s Guide to the Grammys
Stuck between the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, the Grammys have always seemed like the red-headed stepchild of the awards season. But I always look forward to the Grammys because the show always seems less uptight than awards shows that focus on movies and TV, and it’s also a chance to see some of…
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Chance the Rapper Honors Obama Family With #ThanksObama Fashion Line
Chance the Rapper and his black-boy joy just doesn’t quit. And this time he’s using his notoriety and fan base to pay tribute to the Obama family with a new clothing line. Chance announced the project Thursday on Twitter with a link to ThankUObama.us. “With this project i wanted to timestamp a period in my…
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Young M.A.: The Most Visible Black Queer Woman in Hip-Hop Is a Misogynist
Young M.A., a gritty rap phenom who channeled the swagger of Brooklyn and the heart of ’90s East Coast hip-hop, slid onto radio airwaves across the nation in the throes of Drake’s Summer Sixteen Tour. “Ooouuu,” her viral single, is the first mainstream hip-hop record by an out, masculine-presenting lesbian that contains explicit affirmations of…
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Panama and Shamira Discuss Solange's "A Seat At The Table"
Panama: So, Solange dropped an album recently that has the internet’s buzzing: A Seat At The Table. Let Facebook tell it, it’s the best, Blackest album that’s been released in quite some time. I’m not sure I’m in that camp, though I can understand why folks love it so much. But I don’t think it’s nearly…
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Unique Views Podcast, Episode 11: Colin Powell Is Blacker Than Lil Wayne
Who would have thought that we would make it to 11 episodes? We sure didn’t. But nevertheless, here we are, back at it again, and this time I won’t waste your time telling you that I sing a cappella on this show. That’s right—I bring my dove tonsils out of retirement to give you guys…
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The Root’s Young Futurists, Where Are They Now: Chance the Rapper
We. Love. Chance. Chancelor Bennett, also known as Chance the Rapper, is a 23-year-old who is soaring high within the music industry, even without a record deal. From his first mixtape, 10 Day, which was released in 2012, to his 2016 release, Coloring Book, the artist has defied the odds as a self-released superstar. The best…
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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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On Reclaiming ‘Boy’ and Giving Young Black Men Something to Celebrate
A few days ago I was so inspired by Chance the Rapper’s unfiltered and unwavering joy during MTV’s Video Music Awards that I had to write about it. And after chatting, my co-workers and I came up with the idea to hashtag #BlackBoyJoy. This tag already existed on social media, often used at the ends…