Very Smart Brothas
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Complex’s “Best of” Lists Are Garbage
The media company never seems to get their rankings right...I wonder why...
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Why We Need To Raise the Minimum Wage To $15
“Anyone who has struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor.” — James Baldwin I’m not poor, but I’m not rich; according to my W2, I’m middle-class. I’ve never had sleep for dinner, but I’m very familiar with poverty because I’ve witnessed it firsthand. In my neighborhood, nobody was “fly on your eyeball,…
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5 Reasons Maurice White Stayed Winnin'
By now you’ve heard that musical impresario Maurice White, 74, has gone on to the great “Boogie Wonderland” in the sky. Damn, damn, damn—I’ve been breaking crystal punch bowls all week! White was the iconic co-founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, the premier live funk band for, like, 89 summers. And if you’re over 30,…
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A Primer On Bitchassness Courtesy of Love & Hip Hop New York
On Monday nights, VH1 broadcasts Love & Hip Hop New York (LHHNY) bringing to us the shenanigans of a beloved group of super-villains, all of whom are on the “cusp” of fame and dangling their legs off of the cliff of notoriety. If you were to tell me that you hate everybody on that show,…
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The Agony Of Being A Kanye West Fan In 2016
“You hear about Kanye?” You see the message flash across your phone, and your heart jumps. And then stops. Then jumps. Then stops. Your heart becomes Zach Lavine. Your mind races. “What did he do this time?” you think. You hope perhaps he said something inane but innocuous. Maybe something about dolphins. Yes, that’s it.…
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Ask Agatha: "I Like Her, But She Says I'm Just A Friend" And Why "I'm Fine" Is Usually A Lie
Wayne from Edgewater, NJ asks: I’ve liked my friend Tanya for three years. When we met we were both single but to be honest I was intimidated by her (she’s bad) and instead of making a move I somehow ended up becoming her friend. I guess I was playing the long game but in the…
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If Beyoncé Has Gone Full Black, I'm Here For It.
Based on the events of the past weekend related to Beyoncé, it’s entirely possible that she’s trolling America, all of it. Beyoncé dropped the video for the song “Formation” on Saturday, converting (my) Facebook into a de facto Beyoncé fan site. “Formation” is an unapologetically black- and Southern-ass song and video. The words to the…
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The Way We Talk When We Talk About Athletes Is Dumb As Fuck. Understandable, But Dumb As Fuck
For many good and obvious reasons, Michael Jordan is considered the gold standard for contemporary athletes. His career and his success and his level of sustained greatness are the benchmarks other dominant athletes are judged by; in fact, it’s considered an honor to even be included in the same conversation. (And, occasionally, an insult to…