Very Smart Brothas
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Donald Trump Calls Oprah ‘Insecure,’ Challenges Her to Run for President, Has Obviously Lost His Damn Mind
So, Oprah Winfrey is (probably) not running for president. We have to make that clear. She is (more than likely) not running! Of course, she can if she wants to. Because she’s Oprah, and if Oprah says, “Hey, y’all. I want to do this thing,” you don’t say, “No, Oprah, you cannot do this thing…
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Perfect Music Moments in Black History: The Roots and Common ‘Act Too (The Love of My Life)’
The Roots’ fourth album, 1999’s Things Fall Apart, is largely regarded as the album that put them over the top. While Organix, Do You Want More?!!!??! (personal fave) and Illadelph Halflife were all dope albums with superb hits—“Silent Treatment,” “Clones,” “Proceed” and “What They Do” immediately come to mind—Things Fall Apart is the one where…
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Whiteness Means It’s Never Your Fault
One of the few somewhat positive aspects of Donald Trump’s presidency (and really, Donald Trump’s entire stint as a political figure) is that he’s an easy example and a synopsis of America’s patent-pending brand of white supremacy—a concept that, even for those who regularly study and speak about it, can be difficult to articulate in…
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A Spoiler-Free Review of Black Panther With No Plot Points or Facts in Roughly 250 Words
I had the opportunity to see Black Panther on Tuesday afternoon. If you’ll remember, I don’t know shit about Black Panther. That all changed on Tuesday. I still don’t know as much as most folks who got backstories and histories, but now I know more. With this newfound knowledge and my excitement in tow, I…
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Perfect Music Moments in Black History: Nina Simone’s ‘4 Women’
For a certain segment out there, I imagine that Jay-Z’s song “The Story of O.J.” introduced them to Nina Simone (born Eunice Waymon). The song samples her famous 1966 song “Four Women,” released on the Wild Is the Wind album. For those who were introduced to her through Jay-Z, I’m both happy and sad: happy…
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Schools Are Supposed to Be Safe
My first job out of college was as a full-time substitute teacher at Wilkinsburg Junior/Senior High School. A week into my time there, the ninth-grade English teacher unexpectedly quit, and I took over that classroom for the reminder of the year. I have myriad takeaways and memories from that six-month stretch and the rest of…
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Perfect Music Moments in Black History: Rick James and Smokey Robinson ‘Ebony Eyes’
I’m not saying that I embarrass my kids often, but I can’t lie; I rather enjoy the fact that I have a child who has already found it possible to be ashamed of things I do. One of those things that absolutely go Full-On Embarrassing Dad is singing Rick James and Smokey Robinson’s “Ebony Eyes”…
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Apparently a Wax Museum in Niagara Falls Thinks This Sculpture of a White Manager at Hot Topic Is Beyoncé
Full disclosure: I am not an expert on wax. I didn’t study wax history in college; I haven’t been to a wax museum in decades; I didn’t attend 2017’s National Candle Association Annual Conference and Expo; and the only wax I’ve ever been intimate with is what my ears produce. Still, despite this obvious ignorance…