culture
-
Sometimes a Bitch-Ass N–ga Is Just a Bitch-Ass N–ga
Considering the considerable stigmas still attached to mental health—how we talk about it, how we treat it, how we regard people who have mental-health issues—our collective tendency to shoehorn some sort of untreated psychological disorder into the profiles of people who’ve committed especially heinous crimes is (somewhat) understandable. It allows us to finally have the…
-
8 Songs You Probably Didn’t Know Were Touched by Prince’s Magic
Prince Rogers Nelson was arguably the most musically gifted artist in history (and by “arguably” I mean “definitely,” and I will fight anyone who says otherwise). Luckily for us and the music industry, he was willing to share those musical gifts with a wide range of artists. From helping to launch the careers of Sheila…
-
‘But I’m Here to Tell You, There’s Something Else’ … Prince Week at The Root
Man, 2016 really took a weird turn after Prince died. Russians invading our elections. Wave after wave of surprising deaths. The ascension of Donald Trump against all the best logic and reason. So much happened, it made you wonder if the only thing holding the fabric of the universe together was a petite man with…
-
Do Heathens Go to Heaven?
I have a confession: Apparently, I need Jesus—or so I’ve been told. “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior?” The grinning eyes of my cab driver inquire through the rearview mirror. I cringe. The gospel music I’d been enjoying a moment before suddenly feels invasive. I’m literally trapped in a conversation I’m…
-
A Heathen’s Guide to Black Church on Easter Sunday
Easter—or, as the “woke” Christians call it, Resurrection Sunday—is one of my favorite holidays. Not because of the deep, symbolic weight of the day, but because of the fashion. Black folks are aesthetically creative on a regular day—yet, on Easter, everyone is a black dandy. There will be pastel suits, white hats and reflective sunglasses,…
-
Young Black Men Are Missing in DC, Too, and They’re Not Coming Home as Quickly
Weeks ago, as social media alerts from Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department ignited an outcry about the number of missing black girls in the District, we witnessed the synergism of our community at work. We retweeted, reposted and reshared their photos and information. Folks discussed and debated the prevalence of contributing social factors. Celebrities, politicians…
-
For Those Considering Blaxit, I Present to You: Stockholm
It’s been nearly a year since Ulysses Burley III first coined the term “Blaxit,” a tongue-in-cheek hypothetical response to the hypothetical question: What if black people decided to blaxodus their black asses elsewhere? The question of what would be exported began with the NBA, Beyoncé and Neil deGrasse Tyson, but then Awesomely Luvvie got on…
-
Control+Assault+Delete: When Cops Destroy Video Evidence
Out of the rise of #BlackLivesMatter and the intense media scrutiny of police killings came a narrative about a brand-new, magical tool that could miraculously end police brutality by shining a light on law-enforcement misconduct. Somehow, as the public watched the endless stream of cop killings on video, everyone unquestioningly accepted the theory that more…
-
Scandal Recap: What if Fitz Never Became President?
To commemorate Scandal’s 100th episode, ShondaLand treated us to an alternate timeline that answered the question, “What if Fitz never became president?” At the top of the episode, Jake Ballard posits to Olivia Pope that her life and Fitz Grant’s life would be “a million times worse” if she hadn’t rigged Fitz’s election. From Olivia’s…
-
Watch: Chicago’s Love Letter to Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper is just days shy of his 24th birthday, and he’s already regarded as one of the most important figures to ever come out of Chicago. “He’s a true role model,” says Emily Jones, a Chicago native. “It’s kind of like what Barack was for us in 2008.” The love is reciprocal. Chancelor…