documentary
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Oprah, Apple TV+ Abandon Russell Simmons Accuser Documentary; Filmmakers and #TimesUp Chief Respond
Is something rotten in the cotton? After further consideration, Oprah Winfrey will not participate in a high-profile documentary focusing on one of several women who have accused hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons of sexual violence. On Friday, the media mogul announced that she would “no longer be executive producer” on the untitled documentary, which is set…
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First-Look: The Last Days of Richard Pryor Documentary to Include Never-Before-Seen Interviews With Legendary Comedian
“You never knew what was going to happen because…he was Richard Pryor.” Fifteen years after Richard Pryor’s death (Dec. 10, 2005), we are getting a new look into the life of the one man every black comedian (hell, every comedian period) cites as their inspiration. In an exclusive debut trailer obtained by The Root, fellow…
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Faith Evans Blasts Lifetime for Sensationalizing Marriage to Notorious B.I.G. in 'Hopelessly In Love' Documentary
Lifetime has found a way to piss off another former spouse of hip-hop royalty. Faith Evans is mad as a Mickey Fickey about Lifetime’s new documentary Hopelessly In Love: Biggie and Faith Evans, detailing her life with late rap kingpin, Notorious B.I.G. The Grammy Award winner revealed to Page Six’s Carlos Greer that she got…
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50 Cent Doubles Down On Criticism of Oprah Winfrey's Upcoming Russell Simmons Sexual Abuse Documentary
50 Cent is not backing down with his remarks about Oprah Winfrey and her forthcoming documentary about Russell Simmons’ sexual abuse accusers. On Friday, the hip hop icon doubled down on his previous remarks criticizing the media maven for biased treatment of black men accused of sexual misconduct, but not white men—some she has had…
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Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning to Premiere in January, Will Feature Interviews With More Survivors
Surviving R. Kelly was not only a documentary series, it was a significant moment in time that we’ll never forget. In addition to fostering further difficult conversations surrounding the continued saga of Robert “R.” Kelly, it truly gave a voice to the voiceless: black girls. The Emmy-nominated series certainly made an impact, racking in over…
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Ayanna Pressley Introduces Legislation to End the ‘Pushout’ of Black Girls
We are all magicians. This country practices a particular kind of wizardry that can make black votes disappear; turn a black radical into a whitewashed moderate and hypnotize an entire population into somehow believing that “illegal immigrants” can trespass on stolen land. But the most wondrous trick of all is how we treat black girls.…
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Report: Apple TV+ and Oprah Winfrey Announce #MeToo Documentary with Russell Simmons Accuser as Primary Subject
Trigger Warning: The following article contains details of an alleged sexual assault. The lineup for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival was announced on Wednesday and there is one particular mysterious project that stands out. According to an Apple TV+ press release, the untitled Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering documentary, executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and…
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Black Woodstock: Questlove to Direct Documentary on Untold Story of the Harlem Cultural Festival
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots (sidenote: for all the times The Root, the publication, gets mistaken for The Roots, the band, it would be dope if one time we, The Root, hosted a meta panel with live sounds from The Roots) will be making his directorial debut in the upcoming feature documentary titled, Black…
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About Damn Time: Comedy Central Will Honor Patrice O'Neal with Documentary
Comedian Patrice O’Neal never received his due while he was still with us, and Comedy Central is looking to (at least somewhat) correct course by celebrating his life and legacy with a new documentary. According to a press release provided to The Root, the film will utilize “a vast archive” of never-before-seen footage to “recount…
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Wait a Minute…Suge Knight Reportedly Signed Over His Life Rights to Ray J
If Ray J had one wish, would it have been to tell the authorized story of Suge Knight? Well, if it was, Marion “Suge” Knight has granted that wish! According to TMZ, Suge wants Ray J to take over his life story. TMZ reports: Sources close to the former Death Row Records boss tell TMZ…