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The publisher, producer, television host, philanthropist and billionaire multimedia entrepreneur launched the Oprah Winfrey Network, with partner Discovery Communications, at noon on Jan. 1, 2011. Leading cable and satellite companies will distribute OWN, through which Winfrey pledges to “entertain, inform and inspire people to live their best lives,” 24-7. Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Suze…

No one sang about love quite like Teena Marie. And as seen in the ‘Lovergirl’ video, no one wore ’80s fashion quite like her, either. Captions by Abdul Ali The Fugees have Lady T and “Ooo La La La” to thank for their 1995 hit “Fu-Gee-La,” which samples the song. Wonder if Lauryn Hill first…

“Shine” was tacked onto John Legend’s collaborative album with the Roots, Wake Up! The song was recorded for the end credits to the documentary Waiting for Superman, which spotlights America’s public school crisis. Water the seeds and they’ll grow, ya know? Captions by Alvin Blanco Tongue-in-cheek rappers Das Racist (The Root surveyed them in “The…

Martin surprises Gina at the last minute with a trip to Philly for the holidays. But instead of enjoying family fun on Christmas Eve, they get snowed in at a Detroit bus station. From a bootleg Santa singing “Deck the Halls” to Ms. Jeri stomping on Martin’s tuna sandwich, there are plenty of laughs in…

With both an album and a hit single under her belt in 1961, 19-year-old Aretha Franklin was well on her way to stardom. Captions by Abdul Ali Franklin, holding up a Grammy in 1970, is one of the artists most honored at the Grammy Awards. To date, she’s racked up 18 of the statuettes. The…

Remember when you had to figure out how to get those speaker wires across the room? Not an issue when you buy the Jambox speakers. They’re colorful, deliver good sound — and connect wirelessly to your iPhone or computer. The Jambox also doubles as a speakerphone, making a conference call a lot easier to manage.…

Lauren is a former Deputy Editor of The Root. Originally recorded in 1965 by Otis Redding, the song, which Franklin won two Grammys for in 1968, truly came alive when she sang it. In 2002 the Library of Congress added her “Respect” to the National Recording Registry, and it’s been named, by Rolling Stone and…

Vol. III, pt. 1, fig. 32; Vol. II, pt. 2, fig. 174. Albrecht Dürer. Adoration of the Magi, 1504. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. The reception of the Three Kings by the Virgin and Child is subtly depicted by Dürer. The old king worships the Christ Child, the middle-aged king looks toward the young black…

“1) Peace of mind. So much has happened to our troops, our families and our world that stresses me out. 2) [I want to star in] a blockbuster action movie with Angelina Jolie. I have been working out, and I am ready to blow off some steam, kick some ass and take some names. 3)…

Lauren is a former Deputy Editor of The Root. A Pulitzer Prize-winning play by African-American playwright Lynn Nottage, Ruined tells the story of a Congolese madam who is trying to protect herself and the women of her brothel during the nation’s civil war. Oprah Winfrey is now in talks to executive-produce and star in an…