The Root

In today’s edition of #ExistingWhileBlack, we learn that something as innocuous as leaving your apartment building is grounds for being harassed and accused of engaging in criminal behavior.Read more...

For every family who revels in reuniting with each other this time of year, there is another for whom the holidays feel more like survival than a celebration—painful truths are choked down with the meal, and more words are eaten than leftovers. Such a family is the Jones clan of Lee Edward Colston II’s The First Deep…Read more...

Rihanna’s lucky number of the day is 200. Two hundred, as in the number of weeks her album, ANTI, has spent on the Billboard 200 list. This is a huge deal because it means Rihanna is now the first black woman with an album to last that long on the list in the chart’s history. As Billboard reports, the Billboard 200…Read more...

It’s only appropriate for a decade defined by the steady mainstreaming of internet memes to end with one so powerful it may have changed a presidential campaign. In the last couple of years, the political rise of Kamala Harris, from California Senator to presidential hopeful, has been met with a terse but effective…Read more...

In the years since they left the White House *sniff*, the Obamas have proven to be the gift that keeps on giving—whether it be writing bestsellers, elevating black artists or simply reminding us to live our best lives in defiance of Trump’s America. Now, for #GivingTuesday, they’re setting an example of philanthropy…Read more...

In news that should be shocking to no one with opposable thumbs, a report by House Intelligence Committee Democrats confirms that President Trump was more concerned about his own personal gain than the well-being of the country when he tried to finesse a quid pro quo arrangement with the Ukrainian president.

There was a time when nothing sounded more romantic to me (in the fun and adventure sense of the word) than driving across America and seeing all that she had to offer. I grew up as an Army brat overseas in Europe, so I’ve been to most of the European countries that were a simple hop, skip or drive away. I remember…Read more...

American albatross and the president of people who believe in UFOs sat across from the president of France—a real president—who continuously embarrassed Trump in a tense meeting that the U.S. president made tense by being an asshole.

Throughout the course of its history, the NFL has gone to great lengths to curtail touchdown celebrations. It’s handed out fines, dished out 15-yard penalties and pissed off millions of fans in the process. But now that the league has come to its senses and embraced the beauty of a well-orchestrated touchdown…Read more...

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), the spitfire with the HBCU bonafides, has dropped out of the 2020 presidential race amid rumors that her campaign lacked direction, had no cash and “no real plan to win,” according to one campaign staffer who resigned and burned the bridge on her way out the door.

As the world prepares to enter into a new decade, we’d be remiss if we didn’t revel in nostalgia about some of our favorite things from the last ten years. With that idea in mind, some of The Root’s talented (and hilarious) staff decided to share their hot takes on all things black from the 2010s—and what a black…Read more...

It was a great night to be black and beautiful at the 2019 British Fashion Awards, where black women took center stage and made unprecedented wins during the 31st annual ceremony held Monday night at London’s Royal Albert Hall.Read more...

I am convinced—and no one can unconvince me—that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and her husband, Mr. Kellyanne Conway, have a sex game that looks like this: Kellyanne, aka Lil Half-Dead, will work for one of the most powerful racists in the country and Mr. Kellyanne Conway (I think his name is George or Bill…Read more...

1. As a kid, what music did you listen to?Read more...

With the advent of Google’s Stadia, Sony’s recently-cheaper PlayStation’s Now, and Microsoft’s developing xCloud, game streaming might finally be on the verge of becoming normal. Are at least usable for some people. If someone on your list is in that category, they still might need a little bit of hardware. Here’s…Read more...

For years, we’ve been asking Annie if she’s okay, but I think it’s time to ask Johnny—Depp, that is.Read more...

There’s no denying it; black girls are magical. They are resilient, beautiful, strong beings, so it’s no wonder we call their accomplishments #BlackGirlMagic. But, their achievements are not wrought from magic. Black girls are, well, girls. Not magicians. And the constant stress of creating “magic” without political,…Read more...

As if they haven’t done enough irreparable harm to our taste buds, it appears that the latest contestant in the ongoing Chicken Wars is none other than McDonald’s.Read more...

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots (sidenote: for all the times The Root, the publication gets mistaken for The Roots, the band, it would be dope if one time we, The Root, host a meta panel with live sounds from The Roots.) will be making his directorial debut in the upcoming feature documentary titled, Black…Read more...

At 82 years old, Billy Dee Williams is not only making moves as an iconic actor but as an iconic person.Read more...

Growing up, I was constantly told to “shhh!” Whether I was right or wrong, happy or in distress, I was repeatedly reminded to lower my voice and take up less space—even while being simultaneously assured that I could be anything I wanted to be and that my gifts were worth sharing with the world. Granted, I was a…Read more...

Look, it’s time that we stop hemming and hawing around what we know to be the truth: Trump tied Ukrainian aid to dirt on possible Democratic 2020 rival Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. That happened.

Like most science nerds, I’ve always been a little more “geek” than “chic”—unibrow and all. I’m an introverted, quiet girl by nature; I overthink pretty much everything. But three months before I packed up my big stack of books (and small wardrobe) and made the move from my hometown of Detroit to New York City for…Read more...

Remember that time when white supremacists overthrew the government?

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Barely a month removed from singing his praises, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has fired Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson for being the same thing he accused embattled actor Jussie Smollett of being: a lying-ass liar.Read more...

Artists might be sensitive about their art, but parents are even more protective of their children, and because we live in a world in which people outright refuse to mind their damn business, Dwyane Wade had to pour another nice tall glass of Shut That Shit Up after trolls came for his child, Zion.Read more...

White people might hate to season their food, but boyyyyyyy do they love to call black people “racist.”

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) is an old white man, which means he can pretty much say anything and not be held accountable. He can say things that aren’t true and then simply come back late and claim “I misspoke” or just yell out “fake news,” and despite there being camera footage, he can still insist that it’s all a ploy…Read more...

I will never forget the day my skin thickened.Read more...

Stop me if you’ve heard this before.

I want a Drake beard. There, I said it.

If you’re like most of us, you’re back at work this Monday—perhaps a few pounds heavier, but hopefully also happy and well-rested after a holiday weekend with family, friends (or maybe just enjoying the silence by yourself). That said, the passing of Thanksgiving means we are officially in the capitalist crush that is…Read more...

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Melania Trump is no damsel in distress; in fact, she’s a calculated genius (if her visa is to be believed) who plotted on the old orange man with the attractive bank account. But unless Scrooge McDuck sleeps with his money, Melania reportedly has no interest in laying next to his old wrinkly ass.

If you can believe it, it has been 18 years since the tragic death of Aaliyah “Baby Girl” Haughton. Desperate to maintain the legacy of such a beloved singer who lost her life too soon, fans ( I’m most certainly included in this number) have been clamoring for her music to be available on digital platforms.Read more...

She’s just eleven years old and just made history.Read more...

The son of late Dallas Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn has passed away at age 22.Read more...

Chico DeBarge is in trouble with the law, again.Read more...

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Kid Rock is no fan of Oprah Winfrey.Read more...

Guess who’s coming to dinner ... or a smart TV, mobile phone or tablet near you?Read more...

Jack Dorsey has designs on The Motherland.Read more...

Rhiannon Giddens is nothing if not prolific; the Grammy award-winner and Macarthur Genius Award recipient may have initially made her mark as co-founder and lead vocalist of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but her musical acumen spans genres. From the roots music of her banjo-based all-female super-quartet Our Native…Read more...

Berry Gordy’s name will forever be remembered.Read more...

Amid the surrealist sets, majestic costumes, soaring voices and intricate harmonies of the Met Opera’s current revival of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, based on the 17-year reign of the revolutionary 18th Dynasty Egyptian king, one of the most striking elements is that of his famed queen, Nefertiti.Read more...

Richard Sherman was already Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl superstar but now the NFL baller is a superhero for young students who’ve had trouble paying for meals at school.

I don’t know if you heard about it, but I wrote something pretty controversial this week.Read more...

“How do you live out your black excellence?”

By now, your stomach has hopefully settled from that third plate you insisted on having on Thanksgiving—and if you refrained from lining up outside of a big box store last night, you’re now ready to burn off some of those calories taking advantage of all the Black Friday deals. (Yes, pacing around your house between…Read more...