The Root

Jada Pinkett-Smith is opening up once again about her friendship with Tupac Shakur, revealing in a new interview that the late rapper asked for her hand in marriage back in 1995.Read more...

Well, look what we have here. First, former Councilman Gil Cedillo had the balls to speak up about his role(ish) in the viral LA City Council phone leak scandal. Now, the main character, former Council President Nury Martinez, followed suit addressing the mouthful she gave on the call.

Some artists are such an essential part of our lives, they feel like family. From celebrations to memorials, their music is the soundtrack to every major occasion. That's how many of us feel about The Isley Brothers. On Thursday, we lost a member of that family when Rudolph Isley, one of the group's founding members,...Read more...

A trip to Walt Disney World is on almost everyone's wishlist, but it feels out of reach for a lot of people. However, if you do manage to save up and finally take the leap, there are a few tips and tricks to navigating the most magical place on Earth. I've made multiple visits to the Orlando resort, so here's my...Read more...

On Wednesday, President Biden commented on the horrors of the Israel-Hamas war while addressing Jewish community leaders. However, the White House had to clear up some of his claims.Read more...

Los Angeles high school history teacher Donald Singleton has nearly 30 years of teaching experience. But he still finds joy in watching the students in his Advanced Placement African American Studies class immerse themselves in the class content.

Never heard of Mikey Williams? Let me educate you.Read more...

Last night Beyonce and Taylor Swift ended fan wars by cheesing together on the red carpet for Swift's concert film premiere! Nowadays Bey rarely walks carpets for events, opting to show up on her own time instead (if she even decides to show up). However, the times that she has graced red carpets with her presence she...Read more...

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The cops have been trying to hunt down former NFL player Sergio Brown for the past few weeks after he disappeared following his mother's death. He's finally been found and brought into custody as a suspect in her alleged murder.

The NBA needs to cut its losses and get rid of Miles Bridges for good. They should've already done it, but now they need to cut their losses.Read more...

A Florida woman ended up with over 50 stab wounds after an online date gone wrong in February 2022. That's not even the worst part. This week, she had to go back to court on charges she was slammed with after the incident and the guy who stabbed her walked away free.

It's been a rough year for celebrity relationships. It seems like we hear about a new break up every day. One of the most surprising splits came in September, when rapper Jeezy filed for divorce from former The Real co-host Jeannie Mai. Court documents revealed that their marriage is irretrievably broken" and they're...Read more...

Shawn Amos is a children's book author and musician who also happens to be the son of entrepreneur Wally Famous" Amos, one of the GOATs of the cookie game. Now himself a father of three, Amos is sharing his sweet memories of life with the famous cookie maker with a new generation through a series of books for...Read more...

Way back in 2021, a few Los Angeles City Council members came under fire for a leaked conversation with racist jokes and schemes to maintain Latino political power in redistricting. One of the callers was former Councilman Gil Cedillo. After over a year, he finally spoke out.

Innocence Projects across the country have been hard at work to free innocent Black men who have been wrongfully convicted.Read more...

As Jada Pinkett-Smith's memoir Worthy prepares to hit shelves on Oct. 17, the Girls Trip star is dropping mini-spoilers to wet our whistles. The latest? That Chris Rock once asked her out back in. the day (cue fake shock and awe.)Read more...

If the Beyhive and Swifties are joining forces, the rest of the world better watch out!

Carlee Russell-who confessed to faking her own abduction over the summer-has been found guilty of two misdemeanor charges related to the case, per WBMA and WVTM. She had pleaded not guilty to one count of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and one count of falsely reporting an incident.Read more...

Will Smith. Jada Pinkett-Smith. Two names in the cannon of Hollywood that have endured their fair share of speculation and gossip about everything from their marriage, how they raise their children, past and/or alleged lovers and more. And with Jada's forthcoming memoir Worthy set to hit shelves in less than a week,...Read more...

In an Instagram video posted on her Instagram on October 7, Gabrielle Union reflects on beginning motherhood later" in life saying, Hell yeah, it's been worth it."

Over the last two decades, efforts to stem the tide of mass incarceration appear to have made inroads. A new report from the Sentencing Project found that the imprisonment rate for Black men was nearly cut in half since 2000.Read more...

Georgia native and rapper Latto has made it her mission to give back to her hometown of Clayton County, Georgia and over the weekend she decided to honor that mission, donating to her alma mater Lovejoy High School.

For weeks, rumors have been swirling that Breakfast Club host DJ Envy has been promoting a real estate venture of a friend, Cesar Pina, that was a straight up Ponzi scheme.

Barbara Walters interviewed everyone from celebrities, to presidents, to royalty. She was known for having an endless amount of fascinating stories from her life. Some of the more messy ones have been coming out lately, and we may have just gotten the wildest one of all. On Wednesday, while Joy Behar was appearing on S...Read more...

California is taking an important step to help bring missing Black women and children home safely. This week, the state's Governor, Gavin Newsom, signed Senate Bill 673, a new law allowing police to request the activation of notifications, known as Ebony alerts," when Black women and children ages 12-25 are reported...Read more...

Although the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards was recorded on Oct. 3, fans were able to watch the entire show in full on Tuesday. Hosted by Fat Joe, the award show took place in Atlanta and featured the most beloved, legendary, and popular figures in the genre including Ludacris, Kid Capri, Jermaine Dupri, Nelly, Sexxy Red,...Read more...

Missing homecoming is like missing a family reunion. It simply doesn't happen.

Horror is a fascinating genre. It's often used as a conduit into deeper stories and themes. Audiences are so busy screaming they don't notice how thought-provoking the plot is until the credits are rolling. However, the jump scares and gore aren't for everyone. If you're like me, and just can't handle horror movies...Read more...

Jada Pinkett Smith is known for sharing jaw-dropping revelations about her personal life - none more shocking than that she and Will Smith have been separated for six years. But there's a lot more to this triple threat than what we read in the tabloids. From her early roles in hit TV shows like A Different World to...Read more...

Morgan State University announced plans to build a wall around its campus. The new security measure comes after a campus shooting that left five people injured and forced the cancellation of the remaining Homecoming events.

In 2018, Marsha Ervin, a Florida Black woman, was released from prison after finishing her prison sentence. In 2020, she voted in the presidential election. In 2022, she voted again in the primary election.Read more...

As part of the 2023 Root Institute, a group of medical professionals and Black healthcare advocates assembled for an urgent conversation about maternal health in the Black community.Read more...

I'm in my 40s, so I definitely wasn't the demographic for the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards. I was expecting to feel old and out of touch, but I also thought I would at least be entertained by the music. I was very wrong. While there were a few moments of fun nostalgia, it was mostly a wild mess of an affair.

Trigger Warning: The following article discusses suicidal ideation.Read more...

For the next two days, your Amazon Prime membership can unlock a world of dope deals on some of your favorite beauty and wellness products. Makeup, hair products and beauty tools galore are marked way down during Prime Big Deal Days, happening October 10 and 11. If you don't know where to start, check out a few of our...Read more...

Move over, Margot Robbie. It's s time for Black Barbies to take centerstage!

Westerns are one of Hollywood's most enduring genres, but Black cowboys have never truly gotten their due. Yes, we've seen standout Black gunslingers from Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and Idris Elba, but it still doesn't feel like enough. However, the newest entry in the popular Yellowstone universe...Read more...

On Monday, Hughes Van Ellis-one of the very last survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre-died at the age of 102. Van Ellis, who went by Uncle Redd," survived the 1921 harrowing act of terrorism that destroyed Black Wall Street" in Tulsa. A white mob descended on the neighborhood, with around between 75 and 300 Black...Read more...

Though it's been nearly a month since Dwayne The Rock" Johnson and Oprah Winfrey joined forces to help the people of Maui recover after devastating wildfires displaced hundreds of residents, the Fast X star is finally responding to the backlash.Read more...

After endless back and forth, Alabama finally has new congressional lines. Last week, federal judges approved a new map with a second district where Black voters make up a large percentage of the electorate.Read more...

Two months ago, Johnny Hollman, a deacon at an Atlanta-area church died after an encounter with an Atlanta police. At the time, he had called 911 after being involved in a car crash.Read more...

Updated as of 10/10/2023 at 11:30 a.m. ETRead more...

Fat Joe is hosting the BET Hip Hop Awards for the second year in a row. Since this is also a celebration of the genre's 50th anniversary, he wanted to surprise fans with a performance from one of its biggest names: Will Smith a.k.a. the Fresh Prince. Unfortunately, the Oscar-winning actor is busy with the latest Bad...Read more...

Black creators on TikTok have expressed their disappointment with Youthforia's very first foundation, Date Night. The brand launched in 2021 and co-founder Fiona Chan stated that Date Night would contain its most innovative formula yet.Read more...

Just as Bowie State University students, alumni, and faculty were enjoying a fun-filled weekend of homecoming activities, it was ruined by a shooting that injured two people.Read more...

About this time last year, photos were leaked of a Colorado Springs Police Officer smiling a little too hard while showing his bloodied knuckles after violently arresting a Black man. He and his colleagues escaped punishment from the police brutality allegations but the DOJ is asking to spin the block with their own...Read more...

No one matched all six numbers in Monday night's Powerball drawing. But that's good news for the rest of us. The jackpot continues to grow, and will be an estimated $1.73 billion for the next drawing, happening on Wednesday night.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul doesn't talk about his personal life, specifically his relationship with superstar Adele. Of course, that didn't stop Gayle King from trying her best to get some details on their romance during the entrepreneur's recent appearance on CBS Mornings. On Monday, while promoting his new book, Luc...Read more...

Tia Mowry is getting all the way real about how her dating life has panned out since her divorce from ex-hubby Cory Hardrict-and unfortunately, pissing off some folks in the process.Read more...