The Root

Though the phrase “Listen to Black Women” has risen in prominence over the last few years, “Amplifying Black Women” looks to be the new name of the game thanks to an upcoming original series from YouTube and LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s production banner, Springhill Company.

While it may still be some people’s perception that the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap incident is no laughing matter, the man at the center of it all, Chris Rock, appears to feel differently. Actually, scratch that—I know he feels differently, because he recently joked about it once again during a set in London just…Read more...

The world is pretty much a dumpster fire right now. Just look at the news over the past week to see how chaotic things have become. Most networks would take that as a sign to add some lighthearted comedies to their schedule. But not Netflix, which is literally choosing violence and bringing back Black Mirror for…Read more...

A Black family from Forney, Texas caught camera footage of a young white boy cracking a whip (yes, you read that correctly) at their front door, reported NBC 5 Dallas Fort-Worth. Dezerrea and Carissa Nash said they wanted to share the video to show that racism is real and very much alive.

For its new fall schedule, NBC is working under the premise of “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The network is only premiering two new series in the fall, saving a few reality shows and comedies for the spring.Read more...

For a party that claims to believe in limited government–especially when it comes to healthcare–Republicans have a weird obsession with handing the government power over women’s wombs. Conservatives have spent a generation jerry-rigging Congressional and state legislative voting maps and pouring money into senate…Read more...

Unlike other awards shows, there’s not a lot of mystery involved in the Billboard Music Awards. Since the honors are based on sales and streams during the eligibility period, it’s easy to figure out who the winners will be. The show itself is really about the performances. However, before we get to Silk Sonic’s sexy…Read more...

Michelle Obama is speaking out on the Supreme Court’s impending decision to overturn Roe V. Wade. In a series of tweets on May 14, the former First Lady expressed her disappointment in the ruling that is likely to come out of the high court in the coming months.

It looks like Frank R. James, the accused Brooklyn subway shooter, has been making some friends while he’s in jail awaiting his trial, R. Kelly, according to the New York Daily News.Read more...

The white 18-year-old who shot and killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket had searched for the demographics of the local area ahead of the shooting, reported the Associated Press. Reports say he picked out Buffalo because of its high ratio of Black residents and even arrived a day in advance.

Seventy-one years ago, Betty Brown of Elgin, Illinois was refused entry into the nursing school of Advocate Sherman Hospital because she was Black. Now in 2022, the 90 year retired nurse is being named as the “honorary chief nursing officer” of the institution.Read more...

After five years, Kendrick Lamar finally blessed eagerly awaiting fans with a new project with the release of “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” While many have been quick to claim their favorite tracks like “Purple Hearts,” featuring Summer Walker and Ghostface Killah, and “United Grief,” the album’s opening track,…Read more...

As the nation awakens this morning, we face the aftermath of yet another mass shooting. This time at the hands of an 18 year old white male who shot 13 people on Saturday afternoon, leaving 10 dead in Buffalo, NY. According to the Associated Press, the shooter, identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, New York, drove…Read more...

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Now there’s a few things Black folks don’t play about, (well let’s keep it honest this close to Sunday, there are many). As a short list, I offer up; spades, “who made the potato salad?”, and the Vocal Bible herself, Brandy. Because these list items are sacred to the Black community only, it’s of no wonder when those…Read more...

Since the onset of the Coronavirus, the NYPD has reported that hate crimes against Asians have skyrocketed. Sadly for a city as diverse and robust as New York City, it had become the center of the spike by the end of 2020, with the NY Post reporting a 900 percent surge from the year prior. While white conservatives…Read more...

Sasha and Malia Obama recently reunited at the LAX airport, and now I’m getting a little misty eyed. This past Wednesday, TMZ captured a video of Sasha picking up Malia after her flight into LA, and the two jump and dance before meeting in the middle for a sweet embrace. In the video you can see the videographer…Read more...

Former NBA star-turned-coach Amar’e Stoudemire had smoke for one of the team’s franchise players, calling out Kyrie Irving for messing up the team’s chemistry with his lengthy absences all season.

On Thursday, NBC Sports revealed its newest host for Football Night in America and it’s none other than former ESPN anchor Maria Taylor.Read more...

As a teenager in the 90s, I almost always had a Mary J. Blige CD on repeat (yes, I said CD). Her music got me through painful breakups and inspired me to get out there and “Be Happy” rather than sobbing in my room. The R&B diva known as The Queen of Hip Hop Soul has been doing her thing for 30 years, and she’s showing…Read more...

Frank R. James, the 62-year-old man arrested and accused of firing 33 shots on a Brooklyn subway that resulted in 29 people being injured, has pleaded not guilty to federal terrorism charges, according to the New York Daily News.Read more...

Everybody else better step up their game, because Taraji P. Henson is taking all the jobs. Fresh off the news that her TPH Entertainment has signed an overall deal with BET Studios, the partnership is set to deliver its first big project.

Prosecutors have shared one of the reasons for the delay in the Jam Master Jay murder case. The Run-DMC member, born Jason Mizell, was shot to death in a Queens recording studio in 2002. In a new 34-page court filing, prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York said defendants, Karl Jordan, Jr. and Ronald…Read more...

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, told The Root today that cases of the deadly Covid-19 virus are slowly rising again across the country and warned that Black Americans could be particularly at risk in the event a more aggressive variant should appear.

Little Fires Everywhere and Scandal star Kerry Washington and Da Five Bloods star Delroy Lindo will be bringing their impressive acting chops together for a new comedy series on Hulu, titled Unprisoned.Read more...

As NBCU prepares to unveil its new programming slate, E! has announced that some familiar faces are coming to the network. Wait, are they actually going to take a break from showing Sex and the City all the time?Read more...

As the daughter of a wedding singer, Gabourey Sidibe has been to her fair share of weddings. And that’s exactly why she knows her wedding will be anything but traditional. In a recent interview for the style issue of Brides, the 39-year-old actress shares why she and her fiancé plan to shake things up when they tie…Read more...

Sundiata Acoli (Clark Edward Squire), 85, will be released from prison after 49 years as decided by the New Jersey Supreme Court, reported The Guardian. Acoli was the oldest former Black Panther to be incarcerated for the violence related to the Black liberation struggle from the 70s.Read more...

After speaking about what changes he would make and letting certain users back on the platform, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he is putting his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter on hold, CNN reports.

Damn, Kendrick Lamar moves fast.Read more...

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Parents across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to get their hands on formula for their infants and toddlers these days. Although manufacturers say they haven’t slowed down their production, they haven’t been able to keep up with families’ demands. According to reports from Datasembly, seven states…Read more...

The family of a Black man who was fatally shot by a Houston police officer a month ago says an independent autopsy shows that he was shot in the back of the neck, according to CBS News.Read more...

The three Louisiana State Police officers who bragged over text messages about violently beating motorist Antonio Harris are being charged by state prosecutors, reported NPR. The officers are facing misdemeanor simple battery charges for using excessive force against Harris.

Like many colleges and universities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has revisited the ways their campus has honored racist figures. The school has decided to rename a residence hall and student affairs office that have been named after people with white supremacist ties, reported The Associated Press.

Amid rumors of a possible sale, which could mean a shift in its scheduling format and programming, The CW made major changes to its lineup. The network canceled damn near its entire schedule yesterday, and sadly that includes Naomi.Read more...

Basketball star Brittney Griner received bad news on Friday, as her Russian detention was extended once again. According to the Associated Press, during a court hearing, her incarceration was extended for another 30 days. Her lawyer, Alexander Boykov, said he thinks the “relatively short extension of the detention”…Read more...

The Root is sending our condolences to the family and friends of The Daily Show host Trevor Noah who recently shared that his beloved Grandmother, more affectionately known as Gogo, had passed away and been laid to rest.

Every weekday morning, KCEN viewers in Temple, TX, are getting a whole lot of Black girl magic with their news. Since May 2, Taheshah Moise, Jasmin Caldwell and Ashley Carter have been the lead anchors on the Texas Today morning show, the first time in television history that three black women have held down a local…Read more...

After years of waiting, wondering and praying for Kendrick Lamar to drop an album, fans finally got their wish. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, his final album on Top Dawg Entertainment, is here.Read more...

A recent round of polling shows that Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is looking at a close race, presuming GOP candidate Herschel Walker wins the Republican nomination for the upcoming Georgia Senate race, according to Newsweek.Read more...

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Several schools were added to a list of federally-recognized places that officially memorialize the 1954 Supreme Court decision desegregating public education across the country.

Everybody knows 50 Cent right? When he first burst on the scene in 2003 with his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, 50 rose to become one of the most popular artists in the world. His charisma, personality, and straight-up pettiness have entertained his fans for years.Read more...

The tragic murders of rappers Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke and Young Dolph will be at the center of a new television special airing exclusively on FOX Soul.Read more...

Ahead of its big fall schedule reveal, NBC has made a few tough decisions about its current lineup. Luckily, for us the slate still includes a couple of our favorites.

Many Americans took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd and the state of police brutality in America in the summer of 2020. In New York, videos showed the NYPD charging crowds and even going as far as punching people. According to the New York Times, New York City’s police oversight agency, the…Read more...

Racial disparities in sentencing for federal crimes have long plagued Black communities more than any other group. Yet there’s never been a Black person at the helm of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, a federal agency tasked specifically with addressing those gaps and the biases that caused them.

Kent County prosecuting attorney Christopher Becker, must decide whether the officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya will face criminal charges, reported NPR. The official and independent autopsies on Lyoya’s death confirmed he died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Advocates and Lyoya’s family demand…Read more...