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Sabrena Khadija realized just how much of a BTS fan she was one freezing morning in Times Square back in 2017. A friend invited her to stand in line at 4 a.m. to be one of the first people to buy the seven-member band from South Korea’s BT21 merchandise…and she didn’t say no.Read more...

Every stallion needs a fabulous mane, and hip-hop’s hot girl Megan Thee Stallion is no exception. The H-Town hottie may be best known for her growing body-ody-ody-ody of hits and epic wig game—but underneath it all, she’s been on a natural hair journey, announcing in December that she and stylist Kellon Derryck were…Read more...

I cannot stress to you how much I love this album cover for the Kay Gee’s 1974 album, Keep On Bumpin’ & Masterplan (alternately released with the title Hustle With Every Muscle). Shot by Howard Winters and designed by Frank Daniel, this album cover for the Kay-Gees debut album is a masterclass in Black cool and chill.…Read more...

Originally, when I started thinking about what to write for this piece, I was gonna dedicate it to three Black women who have single-handedly gotten me through quarantine.

The year known as 2020 was unfathomably challenging by anyone’s estimation; but as Essence magazine celebrated its 50th anniversary, the pioneering and enduring imprint and lifestyle brand, by its own admission, proved not to be immune. Now, nearly a year after the lockdowns that literally stopped us in our tracks,…Read more...

Right now, House impeachment managers are making a case for why ex-President Donald Trump should be held accountable for inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.Read more...

A group of Black teenagers flying home from a basketball game were kicked off an Allegiant Airlines flight for not wearing masks. Problem is, both the teens and the people sitting next to them have said that they were wearing their masks.

The tired and already debunked myth that white people support Trump because they are economically anxious is being dug up again to help rationalize the vile actions of the Capitol insurrectionists.

Following weeks of negotiations between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union, an agreement has been ratified for a return to in-person learning.Read more...

On Wednesday, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2021 class of nominees, and wow—what good taste it has.Read more...

Happy Wednesday, folks! In addition to being the best day in wrestling (we rep All Elite Wrestling in this house), it’s also the best day to play some video games. What better way to forget you have to work two more days this week than by copping some bangers?

On Juneteenth in 2019, lawmakers met with Black activists and scholars to discuss H.R. 40—a bill to create a reparations commission to examine the impact of slavery and the possibility of compensation for the descendants of enslaved Africans—during a hearing by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution,…Read more...

Do you like to get hit? I don’t.

A woman who reportedly was one of the last people to be seen with Quawan “Bobby” Charles, a Black teen who was found dead in a ditch near a sugar cane field in Loreauville, La., has been arrested in relation to the disturbing case.

Prosecutors in Fulton County, Ga., are opening a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to reverse the election results in the state, with a focus on his phone calls to several elected officials, The New York Times reports.Read more...

One of the buzziest celebrity launches of the decade seems to have met its demise. On Wednesday, a spokesperson from LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) confirmed that the international conglomerate and Rihanna have agreed to cease operations of Fenty Maison, the Paris-based luxury fashion venture she launched in 2019…Read more...

Last week, The Root dropped our nominations for the second annual The Blackest Awards, or more simply, the 2021 Skippies. The categories, both fun and serious, are fairly non-controversial. The nominations though, can sometimes tread into “Yo, how are you going to include X but not Y?” One such situation this year…Read more...

Fellow The Root staff writer Tonja Renée Stidhum and I have a running list of entertainers who never sleep—John Boyega is rapidly climbing up the power rankings—and almost always taking the top spot is the Awkward Black Girl herself, the incomparable Issa Rae.Read more...

Last December, we told you that the CW was developing a new series revolving DC Comics character “Naomi,” with Ava DuVernay at the helm. Now, it looks like things are ramping up.

Why do white people fear Black liberation?Read more...

When I wake up in the morning and prepare for the long day ahead, I know that I can never skip the most important meal of the day. And for all of my breakfast needs, only one brand will do: *holds up box* Pearl Milling Company.Read more...

Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic details of domestic violence.Read more...

The coronavirus pandemic continues to expose and exacerbate some of the worst inequities in America, especially those that disproportionately impact Black people.

These many (many) months of quarantine may not have been the most socially stimulating of our lives, but they have provided ample opportunity to step our virtual community up—and to make the best of a socially distanced situation. Then, there have been the pleasant virtual pop-ups—like this time last week, when…Read more...

House impeachment managers will release never-seen-before footage of rioters storming the Capital that will show elected officials were in far greater danger for their lives than previously known or realized, according to the Washington Post.Read more...

I know the Electric Slide is supposed to come at the end in Black movies, but I have to start off this blog with a celebratory Slide! Y’all, there is going to be a TV series based on The Best Man!Read more...

When it comes to nailing the intersection of sports, race and culture, ESPN’s The Undefeated has been holding us down since 2016. With its masterfully executed articles, personality profiles and captivating conversations with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, it’s a must for every sports head…Read more...

If you’ve paid attention to Robin Roberts’ rich career and life, you’ll probably describe her as tenacious and celebrate her strength.Read more...

To be Black (especially in America) is to know the Brothers Johnson. They had several No. 1 singles on the R&B charts in the ’70s and ’80s. Even though they didn’t write “Strawberry Letter 23"—that distinction goes to Shuggie Otis—their rendition is probably the one most of us are familiar with. They also gave us the…Read more...

I live in the Blackest part of Stone Mountain, Ga.—which is predominantly Black anyway, but here it’s two churches and two chicken spots every two-mile radius Black.

Echo Dot Kids Edition (Tiger) + Echo Glow | $70 | Amazon

New York City mayoral candidate Shaun Donovan is calling for police officers to be removed from public schools, Rikers Island to be closed by the end of 2027, plans to track interactions between police and civilians among other mandates detailed in his 14-page criminal justice platform provided exclusively to The Root.

The pilot period for a program in Denver that sends healthcare workers to respond to calls for mental health and substance abuse issues has so far been a success, according to local officials.

The first day of the historic second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump provided his lawyers an opportunity to prove that the trial was unconstitutional and therefore should not proceed, an argument the Senate rejected in a mostly party line vote of 56 to 44.Read more...

An effort is underway by activists and attorneys in Florida to have charges dropped against a Black woman who fired at an officer during a narcotics raid.Read more...

You ever hear that saying about people who pull up the ladder behind them right after they’ve gotten where they want to be? I’d say it perfectly describes Austin Chenge, a Nigerian-American and Black Republican who is running for governor of Michigan against incumbent Gretchen Whitmer, who is up for re-election next…Read more...

“What is Soulcare?” a promotional video for Alicia Keys’ then-upcoming Keys Soulcare platform and skincare line asked last September—and rightly so, because I, for one, wanted answers. After all, “self-care” is a much talked-about but ultimately elusive and highly subjective concept—and also an overused one as we’ve…Read more...

The more information that comes out about the Capitol riot, the clearer it becomes that it was attended by a lot of folks who really had no business being there. I mean no one had any business rioting at the Capitol, but a former FBI employee who held top secret security clearance really should’ve known better than to…Read more...

If you’re active on Instagram, you’ve probably viewed an Instagram Reel at this point—whether it was sent to you by a friend or you saw it organically on the “Explore” page. There’s a lot of opportunity for creators to show off their skills and this is just one more outlet in the booming world of short-form content.Read more...

Two years ago this month, I gave myself a challenge: realizing that I wasn’t walking the talk I preached daily on TGU, I launched a Black-Owned Beauty Month challenge in February of 2019, restricting myself to only Black-owned cosmetics and personal care products for Black History Month. The results were, at turns,…Read more...

Stiff where? St—well, you get it.Read more...

In the year since the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, speculation has been plentiful, but actual answers have been in short supply.Read more...

As jurisdictions across the country work to implement policing reforms in response to last year’s nationwide protests against police killings of African Americans, lawmakers in Maryland are fighting an uphill battle in pushing for transparency into law enforcement misconduct.

I’ve always had a fascination with Run Lola Run.Read more...

The office of the secretary of state of Georgia is opening an inquiry into whether or not former president Donald Trump broke state laws when he tried to overturn the election results there, The New York Times reports.Read more...

Any makeup lover is all-too-familiar with the ubiquitous black lacquered displays and striped shopping bags of Sephora—but until recently, finding Black brands on its shelves proved a bit more challenging. The world’s premiere beauty marketplace has been working to change that image, inside and out: after becoming the…Read more...

It would appear that Colin Kaepernick Appreciation Day was a resounding success.Read more...

Michael B. Jordan, star of the Creed franchise and Just Mercy is continuing to build upon his relationship with Amazon Studios.Read more...

Y’all hungry? Well, Michelle Obama is whipping up something extra special and delicious on Netflix.Read more...