theory & essay
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100 Days As A Black Man In Silicon Valley
My mother moved from Jamaica to America to start a new life. My deceased father was the first in his family to go to college, yet he became the first Black to get a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. He also has three patents for fiber optic cables. My younger brother started his…
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I'm A Music Snob…And I'm Somehow Obsessed With Ciara's "I Bet"
Ciara is not known for her vocal prowess. That’s no secret. She has made a career off of being a booty-popper with a cute face and a pleasant tone. And as a self-professed music snob, I have been known to throw shade at those who careers follow similar scripts (Hi J-Lo and Cassie!) But her…
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The Psychic Toll Of Existing While Black
I’ve never been more conscious of the tenuousness of life and finality of death than I have been since I first considered marrying my now-wife. Bringing someone into my life — a person whose safety and well-being I volunteered to be personally accountable for — just changed things. It changed how I assess the present and conceptualize the…
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A Primer On The Use, Usage, Versatility, And Utility Of "Nigga"
During a post-game press conference after losing to Wisconsin Saturday night, a sensitive mic caught Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison saying “Fuck that nigga” under his breath while at the podium. The comment was a response to a reporter’s question about Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky, who is about as far from Black as you’d expect someone from…
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Is Furious 7 A "Black" Movie? (Hint: Yes)
Last weekend, as I watched Furious 7 confirm that it’s both the most ridiculous and the most dependable movie franchise ever — it’s basically the movie version of the cheddar bay biscuit — I couldn’t help but ponder a few metaphysical queries, namely… 1. Is there a person whose job is to spray The Rock with sweat…
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My Son, A Future Morehouse Man, Will Be A Rapper. At Least For A While.
Be that as it may, I appreciate all of the emails, texts, comments on both VSB and social media. As Tupac said to his mother – it was hard hugging on her from a jail cell – you are appreciated. My beautiful son and his mommy are doing just fine and swell. Young Homey (another of…
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McDonald's To Test All-Day Breakfast; Rest Of World Says "What Took You So F**king Long?"
There are only five reasons to willingly walk into a McDonald’s after 10:30am. 1. You really have to shit. Like, really, really, really, really have to shit, and there are no other indoor toilets within walking distance 2. You need food, and there’s nothing else — not Wendy’s, not a 7-11 , not even a…
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The Limitlessness Of Blackness
If you were on the back of a school bus leaving East Hills Elementary School in 1990, or perhaps sitting in homeroom at Penn Hills High School in 1997, waiting for the 1st period bell to ring, you might have overheard or been a part of a ripping session. And, if you overheard or were a part…
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Why I Want T-Pain To Sing At My Wedding
Not to brag about my life, but Wednesday night, I was in the same room eating chicken with T-Pain. I was invited to a listening session for his new Gangsta Grillz mixtape, The Iron Way, which will be released on Friday. This almost made up for the fact that I never got a chance to…
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A Letter To The People Who Share News On The Deaths Of Celebs Who Already Died Years Ago
Stop doing this. Seriously. Please stop doing this. And by “please stop doing this” I mean “don’t ever fucking do this again.” And by “don’t ever fucking do this again” I mean “I hate you.” (Actually, I don’t really hate you. I don’t want to hate anyone. I love myself. But, if that’s what it takes…