culture
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Nicki Minaj Wax Figure Reduces Famous Rapper to Famous Rump
Nicki Minaj isn’t shy about showing off her assets. If her derriere were included in a police lineup, a lot of hip-hop fans would have no problem identifying the “pink princess’s” posterior. It’s almost as famous as her latest single—if not more so. Can you name it? The track, not her rump? Having reached a…
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Step Afrika! Celebrating 20 Years of Dance
When the brothers of the fictional Gamma Phi Gamma Fraternity joined together in rhythmic unison, clapping and stomping, in a scene from Spike Lee’s 1988 film School Daze, for many it served as an introduction to the art form of stepping. The sharp, synchronized body movements, mixed with call-and-response, are characteristics of stepping, which may…
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Should I Propose to My Man?
Dear Demetria: A friend is considering proposing to her boyfriend. I am against it, not because of gender roles but because a man will commit to you when he is good and ready. How do you feel about women proposing to men? —Anonymous In theory, I’m not against women proposing to their boyfriends. I was once a…
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Turn Your Passion Into a Product
Harriette Cole is the author of the book of meditations 108 Stitches: Words We Live By and a contributing editor at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
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Actor Joe Morton Talks Papa Pope and a Psychic Encounter
Veteran actor Joe Morton was familiar to most of us before he ever hit Scandal. In addition to appearances on Broadway, he has appeared in several films, including the cult classic The Brother From Another Planet and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and on TV as Henry Deacon in Eureka, among other roles. The Root caught…
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What if Black Lives Really Mattered?
On the first anniversary of the controversial death of Michael Brown last week, protesters in Ferguson, Mo., took to the street with the urgent message that “Black lives matter.” The phrase has come to symbolize a movement largely focused around instances of alleged police abuse against black citizens, a problem that many in the movement have…
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Stevie Wonder Surprises 3 Cities With Free Pop-Up Concerts
It was a covert operation worthy of the Navy SEALs. In a little more than 36 hours, Stevie Wonder and his management and publicity teams succeeded in collaborating with three U.S. city governments to plan and execute the free, one-day pop-up concert series of the summer. Hundreds of Washington, D.C., workers played hooky from their…
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Here Are 7 Black Shows We Want to Reboot Instead of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Reports swirled last week that Will Smith hopes to bring a modern version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air back to television. Now, as much as we love the Fresh Prince, the show wrapped with a tear-jerking series finale that doesn’t warrant a new version of the story. So we’ve decided to play TV exec and suggest…
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Why It’s Important to Remember Cuba’s Connection to Africa
Since President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations with Cuba—culminating with the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Havana last week after being shuttered for more than 50 years—much has been written about the country’s ties to black America. But this renewed relationship with Cuba allows African Americans to explore not only those connections but also Cuba’s connections…
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Racism in the Air You Breathe: When Where You Live Determines How Fast You Die
Countless African-American neighborhoods are plagued by some of the worst ongoing environmental disasters that exist on the planet. There’s often a landfill, highway, airport or oil refinery next door. Nearby you can find contaminated bus depots, nasty subway stops, plus the lead in old houses, which can lead to neurological disorders and learning difficulties (pdf).…