food for thought
-
Che Noir is as Authentic as it Gets
The Buffalo rapper speaks on staying true to herself, improving as a lyricist and putting on for her city.
-
In Case You Forgot Oprah Has Much More Lettuce Than the Rest of Us, She Has a Cabbage to Show You
We’ve long lived under the assumption that everything’s bigger when there’s a billionaire involved. But leave it to Oprah to prove that theory true on Thursday, showing off a mammoth cabbage plucked from her presumably all-organic, undoubtedly perfectly manicured garden located somewhere we can’t afford. “I’m telling you, not one chemical used; because we don’t…
-
Watch: Ava DuVernay on 13th, Her Life's Work and Magnifying the Beauty of Black People
Some might call Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13th prophetic. In just over 90 minutes, DuVernay traces the decisions, going as far back as the end of slavery, that led to the creation of the monstrosity known as the prison-industrial complex—and, thus, explains how it is that modern-day slavery exists. Telling the stories of black and brown…
-
Watch: Trevor Noah on South African Apartheid, American Racism and What He Hopes to Offer the World
At the time he was born, Trevor Noah’s mere existence was a crime. The South African native grew up during apartheid—a bleak period in the nation’s past underscored by a white supremacist system intended to segregate and oppress the country’s nonwhite population. It was illegal for interracial couples to have intercourse. To say that Noah,…
-
Watch: Take a Page From Toya Wright's Book
TV personality and New York Times best-selling author Toya Wright wants to introduce you to “Toya.” And her memoir, In My Own Words, does just that. Be clear: The independently published book isn’t about “Toya Wright,” the reality-TV star, the public figure—it’s about a mother, daughter, sister and a wife. In My Own Words is…
-
Watch: Brian Tyree Henry Is All About That Paper Boi
Brian Tyree Henry is Atlanta’s Paper Boi. The Morehouse man and Yale Drama alum had his big break on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning play The Book of Mormon. And now he’s in homes across the nation as one of the stars of Donald Glover’s unapologetically black comedy, Atlanta. Henry’s character, Alfred—also known as Paper Boi on the show—is…
-
Watch: Estelle Tells Her Truth and Serves Food for Thought
Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle is a truth-speaking force. The British singer-songwriter first came on the scene in the early 2000s, and with her charming accent and vivacious spirit, she has made her mark on the music industry—stateside and abroad. Estelle has made herself vulnerable through her willingness to sing about life’s complications. Expect for the enchantress’s music…
-
Watch: Music Innovators King Dish Out Food for Thought
The group King stands tall among this generation’s wave of black musical innovators. “[Black music] is something that we provide to the whole world; it’s something that so much of our culture was founded on,” says Paris Strother, King’s pianist and producer. The trio first emerged in 2011 with their independently released EP, The Story.…
-
Andre Williams, No. 44 of NY Giants, Tackles Fatherhood and Serves Food for Thought
Andre Williams is a running back for the New York Giants, but none of the hard knocks on the football field could have prepared him for perhaps his most challenging matchup yet: fatherhood. In February, Williams and his wife welcomed their firstborn, Barron Zavier Williams. On the cusp of his third pro-football season, The Root caught…
-
Watch: Music Prodigy Jon Batiste Serves Food for Thought
Jon Batiste is something of a musical prodigy. He first performed with his family’s band when he was 8 years old, and nearly a decade later he would go on to self-release his first album, Times in New Orleans. “There was a spiritual connection to the instrument,” Batiste told The Root. Batiste attended the prestigious conservatory Juilliard…