culture
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Rap Mogul Murder-for-Hire Trial Under Way
When James Rosemond, aka Jimmy Henchman, was out on the street, he was living two lives. As James Rosemond he was a well-respected music industry executive who worked with popular artists like Brandy, Salt-n-Pepa, Sean Kingston, the Game and Akon. As Jimmy Henchman, he was a well-respected gangster whose beef with rapper 50 Cent’s G-Unit…
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Beverly Johnson: From Model to Mogul, 40 Years After Iconic Vogue Cover
It’s been 40 years since fashion icon Beverly Johnson became the first African-American model to grace the cover of American Vogue, and while a lot has changed since then for black models in the business, she says it’s not nearly enough. During a recent panel discussion for Fashion Week in New York City, Johnson said she…
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L.A. News Anchor Mistakes Samuel L. Jackson for Laurence Fishburne on Live TV
Ouch. A Los Angeles reporter did a number on himself on Monday when he apparently mistook Samuel L. Jackson for fellow actor Laurence Fishburne during a live TV interview with the star, TMZ reports. KTLA Entertainment anchor Sam Rubin was having a virtual sit-down with Jackson, who was in Atlanta for his new movie, RoboCop, when…
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Michelle Obama Calls Michael Sam an ‘Inspiration to All of Us’
Michelle Obama is once again standing behind gay athletes, this time calling University of Missouri football player Michael Sam “an inspiration to all of us” in light of his coming out on Sunday. The first lady sent the message from her official Twitter account: Vice President Joe Biden also showed his support, sending out a…
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Jamaican Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall Dies at 82
Stuart Hall, a celebrated Jamaican cultural theorist, has passed away at the age of 82, the Voice reports. Hall had, in recent years, disappeared from the public eye due to various health problems, including kidney failure, the news site notes. Yet his admirers remained strong. Just last year, one such admirer, acclaimed director John Akomfrah,…
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How a Gay Football Star Could Change Black America
On Sunday night, Michael Sam made history. The college football standout and likely top NFL draft pick publicly acknowledged that he is gay, which would make him the first athlete in a major American professional team sport to announce he is gay at the very beginning of his career. Sam’s announcement is already one of…
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Michael Dunn’s Girlfriend Fights Tears on Stand in Jordan Davis Trial
In a rare Saturday court session in the trial of Michael Dunn, Rhonda Rouer took the stand to tell her side of what happened Nov. 23, 2012, the night her boyfriend, Dunn, fatally shot 17-year-old Jordan Davis. Rouer told the jury that her boyfriend had “maybe three or four” rum and sodas at his son’s…
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Marcus Smart Suspended 3 Games for Shoving Fan
The punishment is in, and Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart is going to watch his team play without him for three games. He was suspended for shoving a Texas tech fan in the final seconds of Saturday’s game, ESPN reports. The three-game suspension was announced Sunday by Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “I want to apologize…
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The World Insists That I’m ‘Exotic,’ but I Just Want to Be Black
The first time I remember someone saying that I looked more “other” than African American, I completely misunderstood the comment. My second-grade teacher told my mother that I looked Samoan. I had no idea that “Samoan” referred to an ethnic group and wasn’t some frivolous adjective like “cute.” In my 7-year-old mind, the word sounded…
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From Khalil Gibran Muhammad: A Message to Our Young Futurists
I recently taught history to a group of Harlem’s best and brightest teens. They are kids from all walks of life. Some are outgoing and energetic. Others are shy and reserved. All of them are leaning forward, toward a brighter future, leaving the past behind. These young people are very much like you. Their optimism…