culture
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You Called Out The Root, Umar Johnson, and You Played Yourself; Here’s Why
Umar Johnson, aka the Prince of Pan-Africanism, has said our name. In his last posting from a hotel room somewhere in the continental United States, a much more subdued and skullcap-less Johnson has apologized for his behavior and profanity-laced tirade to everyone but black media and, more specifically, The Root. According to Johnson, black media…
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The Climate Change Debate: Black People Are Being Left Out and That Can Be Deadly
When Bloomberg Media convened an invitation-only forum of notables on “The Future of Climate Change” during the first weekday of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last summer, there was only one black person at the table. When that person, economist Julianne Malveaux, finally asked what that event’s cross section of environmentalist elite were doing…
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The 6 Worst Diet Quick Fixes You Need to Quit in 2017
Shortcuts are great. When you’re on a road trip, yes. When you’re trying to transform your health, not so much. So if you plan to start 2017 on the healthier side of things, check out what quick fixes you should leave in 2016. As tempting as it may be, beware of jumping on the “I…
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Beyond the Hashtag: Black Films Have Shown Much Promise Since #OscarsSoWhite
As remote as 2015 now feels, it’s hard to forget, as the award season rolls around again, the groundswell caused by the hashtag that became the David to Hollywood’s Goliath. After the Academy Award nominations in February 2016 essentially shut out people of color in several categories two years in a row, social media erupted…
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New Year’s Resolutions Y’All Can Actually Keep
For far too many well-intentioned souls, New Year’s resolutions are the life-affirmation equivalent of a deadbeat dad telling his kid he’ll be right back before hightailing it to a place only an expensive private investigator can find. Some of you will indeed join a gym, but only a few of you will make it beyond…
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17 Wishes for 2017
If I squint with my good eye and drink something potent out of a red Solo cup, 2016 doesn’t seem so bad—from an entertainment perspective, anyway. So, as we move forward into the new year, here are some things I’d very much like to see. That is to say, if 2017 doesn’t end early because…
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What Will 2017 Bring for Black People? We Have 5 Guesses
So The Root asked me, “Hey, L, do your best and think about what’s gonna happen in 2017.” And I was like, “Bet!” As I’ve said before, I may not be Negrodamus, but I’m damn sure Negrodamus’ play cousin, so I’m pretty sure that these are not the only things that we’ll see in 2017.…
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In Memoriam: 2016 Nearly Broke Us by Taking Some of Our Biggest Stars
The year 2016 was brutal. Remembering all of the lives we lost and putting them in a list was heavy. From Prince to Tommy Ford, Maurice White, Afeni Shakur, Phife Dawg, Gwen Ifill, Muhammad Ali and too many other names to mention, the black community took countless L’s this year. We had to say goodbye…
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If You’re a Black Man Mad About Serena Williams’ Engagement, I Have Questions
Pardon me. I need to preface what you are about to read with a … not so much an explanation, but a statement of awareness of how it may be received. If you are a person, male or female, who ascribes to Hotep and ankh-right beliefs, you will probably be pissed before the end of…
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Unique Views Podcast, Episode 24: It’s a Funkdafied Year With Da Brat
Da Brat joined Unique Views to brag about how no one ever forced her into a sexy image to be successful in hip-hop, how she and Jermaine Dupri formed their own dynamic duo (they are still making beautiful music together) and why she’s on reality TV (Rickey Smiley for Real, Dish Nation, The Rap Game, Growing…