The Root

My brethren, the penultimate week of 2023 has been lit for us-and not in a good way.

Auntie Anita is back in the news, making headlines this week for her diva-like behavior on tour. And this time, there was very little Sweet Love" at Baker's December show at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Every holiday season, the same soundtrack can be heard throughout the land. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," All I Want for Christmas Is You," Jingle Bell Rock" and Last Christmas" are on a constant loop during November and December, anchoring playlists that also find space for such enduring chestnuts as Frank...Read more...

We know everyone will be listening to Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You," and Donny Hathaway's This Christmas, " but think about adding some Hip-Hop hits to your holiday playlist?Read more...

DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club may be arrested if he refuses to comply with a subpoena in a bankruptcy involving his former business partner Cesar Pina. Per legal documents, Envy-whose real name is Raashaun Casey-has been given until Jan. 8 to produce all documents requested by a court-appointed trustee in charge of...Read more...

From record-breaking, chart-topping musicians, to genre-defying actors, to reinventing a Disney Princess, there is no aspect of entertainment that Black artists didn't dominate. The undeniable impact and influence of their artistry gave us joy during turbulent times. In recognition of their game-changing talent, these...Read more...

Mr. Simone Biles (AKA Jonathan Owens) is being read for filth for his comments on The Pivot podcast, which features former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder as host for a weekly sit-down with top athletes and entertainers.Read more...

In a year full of breakups, rappers Cardi B and Offset are ending 2023 with the messiest one.

In addition to befriending white supremacists, Vivek Ramaswamy has decided to attack journalists who call him out on his hateful rhetoric. On Sunday during Turning Point USA's Americafest in Arizona, the GOP presidential candidate said that CNN commentator Van Jones should just shut the f-k up" after the media...Read more...

2023 was a hell of a year. Full of viral moments and incredible performances. Whether that was on the big screen or the field of play, so many Black people rose to prominence in the past year. - Noah A. McGee Read MoreRead more...

Marvel star Jonathan Majors' assault trial has reached its end with a verdict from a six-person New York jury. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor was found guilty of one count of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment, and he was found not guilty of aggravated harassment and intentional...Read more...

While many of you were looking to the past because of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, I was focused on the present, which is why I can say for certain that this was another exciting year for rap.Read more...

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In the upcoming movie musical adaptation of The Color Purple," actresses Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks star as the three main women anchoring this triumphant tale.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has uncovered details regarding the medical records of Alegend Jones, the Black girl who died following an incident at a group home in Memphis Tenn. Those details put to question the facility's claim that no violence was inflicted on the teen.Read more...

Christmas is less than a week away. If you're still looking for a gift for a lovely lady in your life, look no further than this list! It's specially curated for Black women and features numerous Black businesses - including ones owned by Black women.Read more...

Maryland Police Department Officer Gail Cobb was the first Black woman officer to be killed in the line of duty. At just 24 years old, she left behind a son who recently opened up about his experience with police since she's been gone.

To say it's been a lackluster year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be an understatement. Things started with the mediocre sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," which was really designed to establish the dangerous threat Kang posed to the multiverse. It was a fantastic showcase for Jonathan Majors, but his...Read more...

This year we saw some of the boldest fashion moments in years! There wasDoja Cat decked out in red crystals during Paris Fashion Week, Pharrell Williams breathing new life into Louis Vuitton, and Rihanna proving that pregnancy fashion does not have to be boring! These Black celebs found their signature style this...Read more...

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The Color Purple" stars Oprah and Taraji P. Henson might ... maybe ... possibly beefing-from what some fans of the Empire" actor and media mogul say they can see with their own eyes.Read more...

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You can usually tell the age of an athlete by how and where messy gossip about them is revealed. TMZ is one thing. Having a scorned lover" display your personal life on the internet is another - and a sign that you're probably a member of Gen Z who doesn't know the value of non-disclosure agreements.Read more...

You can usually tell the age of an athlete by how and where messy gossip about them is revealed. TMZ is one thing. Having a scorned lover" display your personal life on the internet is another - and a sign that you're probably a member of Gen Z who doesn't know the value of non-disclosure agreements.Read more...

Every year brings its share of ups and downs, and 2023 was no different. We get our hopes up for a few promising films, and invariably some of them let us down. Will we ever learn? Probably not. We're optimists, and opinions can be subjective. So when we start hearing good things about the final cut of a troubled...Read more...

From White Lives Matter" to Black KKK Masks, Kanye West is back at it again.

Regulators in California have approved the use of advanced filtration and treatment facilities that would convert sewage waste into pure drinking water. In addition, that water would be feed into systems for millions of households via tap.

There are few books that have impacted Black culture like Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple," a story about the power of love and finding strength in the darkest moments. This is a story that will leave you with all of the feels. And whether you've read the book, watched the 1985 movie,...Read more...

2023 was a hell of a year. Full of viral moments and incredible performances. Whether that was on the big screen or the field of play, so many Black people rose to prominence in the past year.

Actress/singer Coco Jones really hit her stride in 2023. Her hit single ICU" led her to four Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. As she reflects on her breakout year in an interview with People, the Bel Air" star discussed some of the changes she's seen in the industry since she embarked on her journey.

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Not one, not two but ten fights broke out at a high school in Maryland in a single day this week. There's no telling what boiled tensions so high but it seems the brawls triggered the reinstatement of a principal who may be able to keep things in order.

A holiday gathering hosted by local Michigan Democrats turnedviolent after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the event. A Democratic activist wounded up hospitalized, and others were injured in the ensuing fracas. The incident reportedly happened on December 16 during a private holiday party hosted by the 13th...Read more...

Thanks to Taraji P. Henson's recent and transparent interview detailing her frustrations with unfair pay in Hollywood for Black actresses and actors, other stars are now sounding the alarm and showing her love-namely Keke Palmer, Gabrielle Union and Robin Thede.Read more...

Married to Medicine" star Dr. Jacqueline Jackie" Walters is in the hot seat after controversial comments are coming back to bite her-hard! An old YouTube Live clip of a conversation Walters had has been making the rounds and it captures well-known OBGYN accusing pregnant Black women of being dramatic" about their ...Read more...

Some of our favorite NBA players likeMinnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards or four-time NBA champion,Warriors star Draymond Green are not OK. And now there is Chance Comanche, who has recently become the most not OK out of basketball's not OKs.Read more...

A man found guilty in a 1975 murder has spent what the National Registry of Exonerations calls the longest prison sentence on a wrongful conviction. Glynn Simmons, now 71 years old, was named a suspect in an armed robbery that left the clerk of a liquor store in Edmond, Okla. dead, according to the National Registry...Read more...

Since Tiffany Haddish burst onto the mainstream scene in Girls Trip," she's been one of Hollywood's most polarizing actresses. Some viewers are fans of her over the top personality, while others find it unpleasant.Read more...

As the election draws closer, several hot-button issues are causing divisions within the Democratic party. Recent reports that the White House is willing to concede on several hardline immigration policies in exchange for Ukraine funding are undeniably adding to the rift.

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On Tuesday, Cornel West, the presidential candidate and renowned political activist teamed up with Michigan Task Force for Palestine. Their event, Gaza Endures Interfaith Rally, took place in Dearborn, and West demanded an end to the siege of Gaza as well as a permanent cease-fire.Read more...

From climate change to health care to the rising cost of everything, we've got a lot to worry about - and let's not even get started on the 2024 Presidential election. But even in all the darkness, there are glimmers of hope everywhere. And we decided to look at some of our favorite actors, athletes and politicians to...Read more...

Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards is the latest athlete to learn that social media has changed the game-even for the basketball best players. Whereas once we only new what basketball players did on the court-like Draymond Green's recently aggressive faux pas-now we know all the details that also happen behind the...Read more...

In a year full of breakups, rappers Cardi B and Offset are ending 2023 with the messiest one.

Progressive members of The Squad" are facing unprecedented financial headwinds in the next election. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is poised to spend roughly$100 million unseating members of Congresswho've spoken up in favor of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip - putting Representatives Cori...Read more...

It seems the mother of a Mississippi boy arrested for peeing in public is putting her foot down in the case against him. The boy was recently handed a probation sentence but after viewing the terms and conditions, but his mother said she isn't signing off on anything.

Taraji P. Henson may be an Oscar-nominated actress, Golden Globe-winner, multi-NAACP Image Award winner and more -but consistent pay disparities in Hollywood mighthave just pushed her to her limit.Read more...

As fans and co-stars mourn the untimely death of actor Andre Braugher, there is a new emphasis on the pervasiveness of lung cancer among Black men and why they are more likely than other groups to die from the disease. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star passed away last week, just months after his diagnosis, according to a...Read more...

This year's iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show only made Rihanna's fans, or the Navy as they're called, hungrier for the moment that the Work" singer returns with new music. Although she's been out in public more lately in her typical fabulous fashions and releasing other creative projects, the fans can't help but ask...Read more...