culture
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The Opposite of ‘Monkey’ Isn’t ‘Royalty’; It’s ‘Human’
Fashion brand H&M raised the ire of many when it released a racist ad of a young black boy in a green hoodie with “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” inscribed on the front. The ad sparked immediate backlash on social media and prompted boycotts of the Swedish retailer. Even one of its celebrity spokesmen, the…
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What’s Genius? The Making of Yeethoven II, the Kanye West, Beethoven Orchestral Mashup
“I personally don’t like that word and just avoid it in general,” says Johan, the co-creator and arranger of Yeethoven II, premiering at New York City’s Lincoln Center on Jan. 18. He’s talking about the word “genius” and whether it applies to Kanye West, a term the rapper-producer has bandied about—about himself—for years. “I think…
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What The Chi Gets Right (and Wrong) About Chicago
Chicagoans are protective of their city, and for good reason. Over the past few years, the City of the Big Shoulders has been the go-to dog whistle for Republicans and what-about-black-on-black-crime enthusiasts alike. The city’s spot on America’s Wheel of Sensationalism has dominated the larger national media gaze as the premier symbol of the black…
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Azealia Banks (I Know, I Know) and 17 Others Who Deserve a 2nd Chance in 2018
In the last couple of days of any given year and the first few of the one that follows, you may often hear people declare that they are cutting off people from their lives. Now more than ever, such proclamations are more visible thanks to social media. Unsurprisingly, this heightened visibility has spurred retaliatory announcements…
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I Bought Legal Recreational Weed in California for the 1st Time
Like most Californians, I have been waiting for the day I could walk into a dispensary and buy marijuana without the required medical recommendation. Mine expired nearly four years ago, and I have been relying on other means to get my stash as of late. On Jan. 1, weed went mainstream in my state, but…
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Oprah Is Not America’s Mammy; Please Don’t Ask Her to Clean Up This White President’s Mess
On Sunday, in her best presidentially coiffed hair and geek-chic specs, Oprah Winfrey delivered the speech at the Golden Globes as she took home the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. While her speech touched on historical racism and sexism, which are woven into the fabric of Hollywood’s ethos, her speech transcended the moment,…
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Rosa Parks, Recy Taylor and Gertrude Perkins Are Mothers of the #MeToo Movement
In 2016, former Oklahoma City Police Officer and rapist Daniel Holtzclaw was sentenced to 263 years in prison for the rapes and sexual assaults of seven black women and one black girl, ranging in age from 17 to 58. He was found guilty of 18 of 36 charges, including four charges of first-degree rape, one…
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A Firsthand Account of the Legal Hearing, Support Rally, Church Service—and Attack—of Umar Johnson
Two things can be true at the same time. It is possible to believe that Oprah Winfrey might be the transformational black woman of our generation while simultaneously believing that she is not qualified to be president. One can believe that Kanye West is an attention whore who exists somewhere on the fuckboy spectrum and…
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Idris Elba Talks Molly’s Game and Working With Aaron Sorkin
Idris Elba has had a very busy year when it comes to movies. From starring in The Dark Tower, The Mountain Between Us and Thor: Ragnarok, not to mention getting a chance to become a kickboxer, downtime is something he’s had very little of. But he’s most proud of his role in the Jessica Chastain-led film…