culture

That the career of Isaac Hayes could be neatly packaged into two generationally specific cultural touchpoints like Shaft and the Comedy Central animated series South Park says volumes about the man’s longevity. But the timeless soundtrack that Hayes produced in support of Gordon Parks’ groundbreaking blaxploitation film, the animated character of Chef (a hammer-like nod…

Between the start of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing—or, if you’re feeling particularly pretentious, the Games of the XXIX Olympiad—and the closing ceremonies on Aug. 24, more than 5,000 hours of live competition will be broadcast in this country by NBC and its affiliated platforms (cable and online). That is more than the amount…

Does it really matter whether LeBron James endorses Barack Obama for president? And why should anyone care that he recently threw his support—and money—behind the presumptive Democratic nominee’s campaign? After all, James is 23 years old, plays basketball for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and is one of the stars of the 2008 Olympic hoops team.…

This week’s trade of legendary Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets should make Packer fans happy and the NFL brass must be elated. But, how do the Jets fare? The fans in Packer land should be delighted for several reasons. Favre, the team’s all-time leader in many passing categories, as well…

When a weary and jet-lagged Barack Obama took the stage on the last day of the UNITY Journalists of Color convention in Chicago last month, most of the attendees had already left. But there was still a healthy crowd of over 2,500 there to hear the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. That is when, according to…

Before we begin this discussion of HIV prevention, a few questions: · More than a handful of studies show that any American adult who’s made it past seventh grade knows how AIDS is transmitted and how to prevent it. So why do we still need to raise awareness about the disease? · How many of…

People-watching in the United States can be a taxing endeavor. Besides the unfavorable ratio of plants to concrete and pollutants, the West Philadelphia, Central Harlem and East Baltimore neighborhoods that I have called home over the last decade are filled with legions of morbidly obese, diabetic and hypertensive adults and children who struggle daily with…

Summer means different things to different people. And it can mean different things depending upon the region of the country you’re in as well. I grew up in California but now reside in the Northeast. My understanding of summer has changed enormously, and how I measure a good one versus a bad one has never…

When I was about five, my mother spent lots of money on swimming lessons at the local YMCA near my hometown of Yeadon, Pa. Sadly, most of the money went down the drain. At the end of my first session, my progress was so stunted that the instructor asked my mom to join the class.…

America likes to consider itself exceptional, a nation blessed with unshakeable good fortune and driven by unyielding ambition. I think that sentiment explains why we so often get caught with our pants down. Our self-absorbed exceptionalism breeds a lazy arrogance that consistently confuses just getting started with finishing the job: Iraq. Al Qaeda. Katrina. It’s…