culture
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TV Review: Did We Really Need a Roots Remake? No, but …
I vividly recall the original iteration of the TV miniseries Roots. It was January 1977 and I was 17. As with most young people that age, my life was rapidly growing independent of my parents, who were increasingly consumed by the vagaries of their workplaces. Yet when the series debuted, it was must-see TV in…
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Don’t Know Malachi Kirby? He’s About to Become a Household Name for His Searing Portrayal of Kunta Kinte in Roots
Malachi Kirby has snagged the biggest role of his budding career: portraying the iconic Kunta Kinte in the updated version of Alex Haley’s epic, Roots. More than 100 million Americans—more than half the United States and nearly 85 percent of all TV households—watched the Roots finale on Jan. 30, 1977. The original Roots made LeVar…
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Watch: It’s All About Bossing, Branding and Building When You’re Young, Fabulous and Female in NYC
It was an evening to remember as women of diverse professions and educational backgrounds came together to talk “bossing, branding and building” at The Root’s Young Fabulous and Female event in New York City on May 25. The event featured panelists Tricia Clarke-Stone, co-founder and CEO of Narrative; Caralene Robinson, senior vice president of VH1’s…
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Anika Noni Rose on How She Came to Play the Powerful Role of Kizzy in the Roots Reboot
Like Viola Davis, another great actress from the stage, Anika Noni Rose is finally being recognized for her great talent outside of theater. The latest example of this is her anchoring role as Kizzy in the History Channel’s ambitious Roots reboot. The Root caught up with Rose to talk about her initial reservations regarding the…
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Why #AllGritsMatter
The Great Grits Debate of 2016 continues to rage and is bringing out the worst in two groups that are really two sides of the same coin—people who love savory grits calling those who love sweet grits savages; those who prefer sweet grits saying that the savories don’t know nothing about good eating. At times…
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Is It Cultural Appropriation? I’ll Be the Judge of That
Much as it pains me to admit aloud, maybe there’s something to all those stupid-ass memes that your “woke” Facebook friends like to share that compare real-life “ignored” atrocities to the asinine s—t that makes BuzzFeed headlines. That Blake Lively’s delusional Instagram post dominated an entire Wednesday lends credence to their gripes. Even I couldn’t…
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Celebrating Being Young, Fabulous and Female in NYC
Every young black woman who’s fabulous, ambitious and committed to her growth was in attendance for The Root’s Young, Fabulous and Female event in New York City. Professional women from every level of their respective careers gathered to hear the stellar panel give its advice on everything from managing relationships to networking, building a brand,…
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If NYC Top Cop Bill Bratton Wants to Discuss ‘Thugs,’ He Should Start With the NYPD
New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, one of the architects of New York’s racist stop-and-frisk policy, has weighed in on the fatal shooting that took place at a hip-hop concert at Manhattan’s Irving Plaza Wednesday night, and his statement was as prejudiced and hypocritical as one would expect from New York City’s top cop.…
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How to Stop Jay Z From Threatening Us With New Music
For the past two years, malicious rumors of a joint Beyoncé-Jay Z album have terrorized us on the Internet. Vague “sources” have been quoted everywhere from Rap Up to Vanity Fair, claiming that the cursed release is set to have a surprise stream on Tidal. This is a particularly harmful threat to a longtime Jay Z…
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Watch: Misty Copeland Bedazzles the World and Offers Food for Thought
Misty Copeland has gone from living in a motel to dancing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House. Literally. In June 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Still, she strives for more. At 33, the prima ballerina has amassed innumerable accolades, and…