Opinion
Opinion
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Was Drake’s Views Really Fire or Did It Leave a Lot to Be Desired? Let’s Argue
On this fifth anniversary of Drake’s fourth studio album Views, I think it’s high time we say what needs to be said. The album was not that great. Sure, it had bops. Looking at you, “Child’s Play,” “Controlla,” “One Dance, “Pop Style,”and “Feel No Ways.” Yes, it had vibes. Shouts out to you, “Weston Road…
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15 Things the Pandemic Taught Me About Being an Introvert
1. No one gives a shit 2. Seriously 3. No one cares 4. I guess I knew this before the pandemic, actually 5. When all those “How introverted are you?” quizzes infested the internet 6. And every introvert was like “Finally! I’m seen! I’m understood! Finally there’s a word to explain why I hate small…
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I Think It May Be Time for Tyrese to Throw in the Tile
OK, first things first—let me just say that I like Tyrese. I do, I really do. “Sweet Lady” and “Stay” are my jams, he and Ludacris literally make up some of the best moments in the Fast & Furious franchise and I firmly believe that if he could get together whatever he needs to get…
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Yeah, I Can Watch This Clip of Daniel Kaluuya and His Famous Bruvs Celebrating His Oscar Win Forever
One of the everlasting values of Saturday Night Live is that it recreates a dynamic that really only exists one other place in popular culture—the NBA All-Star Game. Although the intensity level of that game is notoriously inconsistent, what remains static is how easy it is to discern comfort. In this group of the 24…
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We Need to Talk About the 'Conservative Republican' Who Wrote a Whole Essay About How He Misses White Privilege Disney World
It’s not very often that I am astonished by the sheer caucasity of white people. I’ve written stories about a white woman claiming to have been called the n-word in school because she has bigger lips than like six other white people; a story about a Republican declaring that the three-fifths compromise wasn’t racist; one…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Maybe America Isn't Racist
Michael Harriot is on assignment this week. Before he left, he asked someone to fill in for today’s mailbag but everyone on staff was really busy, so The Root hired me as a one-time freelance writer to fill in. Honestly, I was surprised to get the call. After all of the insults and draggings I’ve…
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Auntie Unfiltered Chats With Iyanla Vanzant
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the Queen of fixing lives, Iyanla Vanzant. For the last seven seasons, Iyanla has dug in deep with all of her guests, getting them to self-reflect and look deep within to resolve various issues they have in their lives. On April 10, the eighth and final…
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North Carolina Official Ousted for Being a Mediocre White Man Who Refused to Address a Black Woman as ‘Dr.’
Years ago, writer Sarah Hagi tweeted, “Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.” The tweet ended up in a multitude of memes as well as on T-shirts, tote bags and other apparel, and it inspired writer Ijeoma Oluo’s book Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America. I’m not sure any other…
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What Looks Like Justice Is Just Accountability on an Ordinary Day
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all charges for the murder of George Floyd. Black people rejoiced in the moments after the verdicts were announced because we had been holding our collective breath all morning, afraid to hope for a guilty verdict and expecting Chauvin to walk. Chauvin didn’t walk, so it’s justice, right? Baby,…
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What if White People Are Wrong?
Of all the toxic traits that white supremacy offers, perhaps its most oxymoronic byproduct is the supreme confidence with which it endows its adherents. At this very moment, someone reading these words is absolutely certain that they are excluded from the group most Black people consider to be racist. Meanwhile, perhaps the most anti-racist white…