Music
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An Interview With Dr. Kinitra Brooks, Who Teaches A Class On Beyoncé
A few weeks ago, I saw on Facebook that somebody was teaching a class on Beyoncé and specifically Lemonade at the University of Texas-San Antonio. I thought to myself, that’s pretty cool. Well, as luck would have it, a friend of hers who reads VSB reached out and said that the professor was both an…
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Panama and Shamira Discuss Solange's "A Seat At The Table"
Panama: So, Solange dropped an album recently that has the internet’s buzzing: A Seat At The Table. Let Facebook tell it, it’s the best, Blackest album that’s been released in quite some time. I’m not sure I’m in that camp, though I can understand why folks love it so much. But I don’t think it’s nearly…
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If Mos Def’s Black On Both Sides Came Out Today, It Might Be Considered The Blackest Album of All Time
On September 30, Solange released her third album, A Seat At The Table, to remarkably favorable reviews. Social media lit up like the Empire State Building at Christmas with folks proclaiming how woke and Black the album is. Interspersed with interludes speaking to the Black experience from her mother, father, and Master P, the album…
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Atlanta Episode 6: "Value" Recap
Atlanta has thus far been able to paint a lush picture of black life for television, a portrait that includes the various shades of black masculinity and how it can sometimes feel pigeon-holed to certain stock archetypes, essentially robbing black men of their humanity. The show through use of stunning cinematography, stellar scripts and sharp…
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Join The Root as We #RiseUpAsOne Through Music
The Root is heading to San Diego on Oct. 15 for Univision and Fusion Media Group’s “RiseUp AS ONE” concert. This show is a celebration of music, diversity and unity. All of this awesomeness will be staged along the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego and will feature a talented lineup of artists, musicians and performers.…
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On Kid Cudi And Trying To Save Your Own Life
I’m a Kid Cudi fan. In fact, to know me and speak to me about music, you will likely hear me say, at some point during our musical relationship, that Kid Cudi is the best accessory artist in music. In fact, I contend that ALL songs are made better by the addition of Kid Cudi or…
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An Ode To DeVante Swing On His Birthday
Today is Donald Earle “DeVante Swing” Degrate Jr.’s birthday. According to Wikipedia – the world’s most reliable source of information – he is now 47 years old. Based on the series of unfortunate sightings of Jodeci in both its parts and its formation, I think I speak for everybody in saying that it’s an amazing…
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Atlanta Episode 5: "Nobody Beats The Biebs" Recap
Atlanta hasn’t been afraid to tackle race in America head-on, specifically how black men are forced to walk the delicate line between being individuals and being a statistic in a country that assumes they have already lost this rigged game. Atlanta doesn’t just tackle the capital “R” racism, however. It delves into the murky waters…
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Mary J. Blige Singing To Hillary Clinton About Police Brutality Is As Awesome(ly Horrible) As It Sounds.
I’m going to say something that’s slightly controversial: Mary J. Blige ain’t the best at singing. I’ve said this before. In fact the last time I said this publicly, I received this message in my FB inbox: Aye retarded down syndrome looking faggot did you really just try to convince people that Mary Jane Blige…