Spring is in full swing and a mask-free life is on the horizon—are you feeling that new energy yet? Here at The Root Presents: It’s Lit!, we’re feeling kinda new ourselves, with a new logo that reflects this writer’s new solo status as host of The Root’s literary podcast (we’ll miss you, Danielle!). If you take a…Read more...

Congratulations! You’ve made it through another week and are headed into a weekend that—at least in New York—will be what one calls “in the streets” weather. You know, where you’re out and about and drinking by 11 am. A summertime warm-up, if you will. But what will you listen to, you ask? Well, you’re in luck, since…Read more...

Well, y’all. Between the countless bots and the global superconductor shortage, it’s looking like obtaining a PS5 or Xbox Series X is going to be a hassle for the foreseeable future. Though, as a wise man once said, that ain’t no problem. There are plenty of bangers you may have slept on the last console generation,…Read more...

OK, we can all retire the term “Megxit” now—yes, us here at The Root, too—even in jest. Meghan Markle’s difficult induction into the royal family and brutal treatment by the British press has long been presumed to be the impetus behind the Sussexes’ exodus from the England to California, and understandably so. But as…Read more...

Are you still bumpin’ “Itty Bitty Piggy” in your car or crib, 12 years later? Well, a second helping of bacon has been served!Read more...

With more and more NBA players using their platforms and resources to inspire change and fight for social justice, the league has unveiled a new method to laud their individual efforts.Read more...

A 16-year-old high school student in Fairfield, Conn., was arrested last week over a racist Snapchat post allegedly directed at another student. School officials and police are still investigating the incident, and the principal of the school has announced the creation of a new organization to address racism and other…Read more...

If you prefer Black voices delivering your news (which you clearly do), there may soon be many more qualified voices entering and rising in the ranks of modern media. On Thursday, during the virtual celebration for the prestigious University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism’s …Read more...

As The Game’s very own Tasha Mack says… “Pow Pow Pow!” Fans, get your Super Bowl snacks ready because The Game has been revived!Read more...

At this point, Republicans are Haley Joel Osment curled up underneath his covers whispering to Bruce Willis, “I see Critical Race Theory.”Read more...

She’s been immortalized on a stamp (albeit amid some controversy), as a Barbie, as the subject of a Broadway-bound script, and even a Google Doodle. And of course, writer-activist Maya Angelou lives eternally in our literary imagination. Now, the renaissance woman will be one of the first American women to appear on…Read more...

One of the continually controversial aspects of the pandemic has been how we should handle a return to in-person learning. For well over a year now, school has primarily been conducted in either a virtual classroom or a hybrid in-person/virtual environment. The head of the second largest teacher’s union in the country…Read more...

I’m continually at a loss for why racists go into teaching. It never ends well for them. A coach at an Illinois high school has resigned from her position after a racist comment she allegedly made to a student resulted in so much outrage that someone called in a bomb threat.

The Tribeca Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary, which is quite the special year. Not only because of the monumental commemoration itself, but because it is returning with a special format post-lockdown featuring a nice compromise of both in-person and virtual programming.Read more...

On Sunday May 16, TV One will air the final interview with late rapper and beloved legend, DMX.Read more...

A judge ruled on Thursday that the trial of the three former Minneapolis cops charged in aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd would be postponed until March of next year.Read more...

It’s official—Ellen DeGeneres is ending her daytime talk show after the completion of its 19th season in 2022.Read more...

We all know that during the whiny wypipo rebellion at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, a lot of MAGAts abandoned their “back the blue” mentality for a new “attack the blue” stance. Well, newly released police bodycam footage taken from one of the attacked Capitol police officers—not the one who was killed, but a different…Read more...

What does it mean to be free?Read more...

One night long ago, the sludge from the bottom of a shrimp boat had meth-fueled sex with a homeless cheerleading boot and the result was Rep. Matt Gaetz.

We’re gonna say this one more time for the cheap seats in the back: Stop. Deliberately. Misgendering. People.

Durrell Babbs aka Tank, the beloved R&B singer behind hits like “Dirty,” “Please Don’t Go,” “When We,” “Maybe I Deserve” and more, has revealed he’s going deaf in a recent post to social media, The Root has learned.Read more...

If attorneys for defendants in trials that involve white supremacy and Black death are nothing else, they are consistent. Their strategy is very much basic: Put the negroes who aren’t alive to defend themselves on trial.Read more...

You cannot be a fan of 90s era hip hop, especially of the Native Tongues variety without being familiar with the name Vinia Mojica. The singer/songwriter from Queens, New York, showed up in an impressive amount of 90s standouts, her hooks adding a purity and clarity of texture to already jamtastic jams. For instance,…Read more...

Black women’s hair is political.

As a celebrity in modern times, having a very large platform doesn’t always end with sponsored social media posts or cute outfit displays—especially if you’re known for using said platform to speak out on societal issues.Read more...

Jaleel White, the actor who hilariously portrayed America’s favorite and arguably original awkward Black boy Steve Urkel on Family Matters, is opening up about his relationship with his former mentor, Bill Cosby.Read more...

Entitled by her whiteness and her QAnon membership, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene seems to believe that she can aggressively rundown on her colleagues and scream at them whenever she so chooses.

It has been nearly 48 years since designer Stephen Burrows brought Black American influence to France in the famed Battle of Versailles in November 1973—and eight years since Kerby Jean-Raymond launched his highly acclaimed label, Pyer Moss. This July, the CFDA Award-winning founder and creative director will make…Read more...

“Y’all knew this was coming,” Yara Shahidi captioned a post on Instagram last week, as she grinned from ear-to-ear, wearing a saffron yellow Adidas track set trimmed in dark green with the label’s signature trio of stripes in white. And we likely should’ve; Shahidi’s been a devotee of the sportswear brand for years (…Read more...

At this point, is there a major partnership the Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven’t inked since relocating to America? In the past year, we’ve counted Netflix, Spotify, Apple TV+ and Oprah, a major speakers’ bureau and more among their lucrative deals...not to mention Harry’s new job with mental health startup BetterUp…Read more...

A retired U.S. Air Force officer, who is white, recently had his conviction overturned by a federal appeals court that found that the his use of the word “nigger” was protected by the First Amendment.

Hella fine husband and wife duo Ciara and Russell Wilson (Umm, hello! Do you see that header pic? My God) are continuing to expand their empire—only this time, they’re headed into the land of tv and films.

When I’m not busy getting internet randos in their feelings, I’m generally reading a large amount of comic books. Bitter Root is one of the best series I’ve read in recent years, with every issue leaving me going “Man, if only Hollywood made cool Black shit.” Well, apparently my call has been answered, as a…Read more...

It’s really hard to have faith in a system that routinely allows cops to get away with things that would see the rest of us locked up, while at the same time incarcerating innocent people over weak cases with questionable evidence. A man in Augusta, Ga., spent two years in jail for a crime he said he didn’t commit…Read more...

Last Friday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law a bill prohibiting Critical Race Theory or any curriculum that might cause white students “discomfort, guilt, anguish or psychological distress” from being taught in K-12 schools in the state. On Monday, the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education…Read more...

In 2019, Nigerian refugee Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi rose to national prominence after New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof shared the story of Adewumi’s ascent from homeless youth to winning the New York State K-3 Championship at only eight years old. And now years removed from such a prestigious honor, his light…Read more...

… It has a way of repeating itself, or that’s how the saying goes. Within that repetition comes new ways in which historians and the general public alike find themselves trying to change the course of history while attempting to record for posterity the profound impact events have had on the country.Read more...

“You learn something once, and it’s yours for life...you’ve got big dreams, you want fame. Well, fame costs, and right here is where you start paying—in sweat.”Read more...

A lawsuit has been filed against Uber and one of its now-former drivers after the driver was caught on camera losing his bigoted mind and shouting the n-word several times at his Black passengers. It’s one of those stories that reminds us that, while the advent of Uber and other ride-sharing companies like it has been…Read more...

If you’re one of the tribe known as the Barbz, you already know Nicki Minaj is about to make it another Pink Friday. As previously reported by The Root, the rapper was once again thinking pink on Monday as she coquettishly posed atop a pink-quilted desk in an office straight out of “Barbie Dreams”—a Chanel-loving…Read more...

It looks like Grammy award-winning artist, icon and legend Janet Jackson will be saying bye-bye to some of her most personal belongings soon—but as People reports, it’s all for a good cause.

The concept of being an “invisible Black woman”—even with very visible pain—is a next-level cruelty that many Black women have long experienced in this society, unfortunately.Read more...

After over a year of isolation, largely indoor living and ever-blurring boundaries between home and work (what is this “work-life balance” you speak of?), you’re likely in need of a little care right now. And while things may be looking brighter, warmer, and hopefully a little bit healthier, you may not know where to…Read more...

Well, that escalated quickly.Read more...

When former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder in the death of George Floyd, there was slight relief but one nagging question in the back of many our minds: “OK, but what’s the sentence going to be?” While there was, and still is, concern that Chauvin will face the lightest…Read more...

Somebody get Martin Scorsese on the line; I got a movie idea I want to pitch.Read more...

Everybody, it’s time to celebrate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2021!Read more...

Let’s play a game for a second.

A brand new book from Stacey Thee Abrams will be headed to a small screen near us soon, The Root has learned.Read more...