theroot--2020-08-14--Trailer Roundup: Zola Does Not Have Bad Hair

I know I start all of these with a reflection on 2020 , but it really is jarring just how fast this year is going , yet feels like it ’ s going so slowly .
Maybe it ’ s because the year has been so dense with heavy events such as the global pandemic , uprisings , presidential election , etc .
Speaking of dense , this is a packed trailer week ( admittedly because I have some from last week since I didn ’ t get to post a roundup then ) !
Let ’ s get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve previously reported on the systemic racism involved in facial recognition technology ( it really gets as serious as threatening someone ’ s freedom ) , so this documentary is very relevant .
Following computer scientist researcher Joy Buolamwini ( a 2019 Root 100 honoree ! )
, Coded Bias will seem to tackle the impactful effect of these algorithms in an engaging way .
More info about upcoming screenings and showings can be found at the film ’ s official website .
First Impressions : It ’ s been a while since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( which left me curious ) , so now I have a bit more insight into the film .
“ You ’ re not like the others , ” says one of the white folks , which ... is this chronicling the horror of being the model minority ?
!
And this Black girl ( portrayed by Janelle Monáe ) thrust into the slavery era ?
!
Whew , lawd .
I ’ m interested to see where this goes .
Antebellum also Marque Richardson II , Eric Lange , Jack Huston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sidibe , Rob Aramayo , Lily Cowles and Jena Malone .
First Impressions : From the trailer , this initially looks to be one of those movies that just pisses you off as a Black viewer .
You know those movies , like Rosewood ?
But , then you see and hear the words “ mutiny ” or “ riot.
” Welp , looks like some fed-up energy !
It is just that , as this story is based on real-life and follows the all-black Twenty-Fourth United States Infantry Regiment , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the police brutality that occurred .
The 24th is directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott ( BlacKkKlansman ) and stars Trai Byers , Aja Naomi King , Tosin Morohunfola , Mo McRae and Mykelti Williamson .
First Impressions : This film is also based on a true story , following five Latinx and Black teenagers from the Miami ghetto and their challenging journey toward the National Chess Championship in 1998 .
It ’ s giving me big Dangerous Minds vibes .
I have to admit , I can ’ t help but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Leguizamo ’ s ( who stars in and directs this film ) tweet during Emmy nomination season .
It makes me wonder even more how the relations between each community ( and the intersections in between ) will be represented in this film .
Oh , and I see Michael Kenneth Williams and Angel Bismark Curiel !
First Impressions : This trailer showcases exactly what I meant when I said : “ twinkly dreamy score ” in my Sundance review .
I couldn ’ t quite describe it as anything else at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , you hear it !
I can ’ t wait ‘ til you get to hear it in the full context of this wild ride of a movie .
As the header suggests , neither I nor A24 actually knows when it ’ s coming out , but when it does , it ’ ll be all over Twitter just like the original and real-life Zola ’ s epic Twitter tale .
The Way I See It ( Theaters ; Release Date : Sept. 2020 ) The Way I See It trailer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Impressions : Y ’ all know Pete Souza ’ s name by now , especially if you follow his Instagram account , which is rife with well-timed photos which are obviously trolling the current Not-So-Sweet-Potato-In-Chief .
Well , now he has a documentary !
Directed by Dawn Porter , the doc will follow the former Official White House photographer ’ s journey and work from the Reagan presidency to the Obama presidency , the latter of which made him a household name outside of traditional circles .
I know a picture is worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it will be hilarious to hear some more of that shade right from Souza and witness his personality in a more in-depth way .
First Impressions : Starring filmmaker , author and recording artist MK Asante ( who seems to have a personality that jumps out the screen ) , Free Tuition With MK Asante “ fuses education and entertainment for passionate , poetic , and inspirational conversations with celebrity guests about justice , equality , and change.
” Taking advantage of the Snapchat demographic , MK Asante is here to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuition is free , you just got ta pay attention.
” New episodes air weekly .
Spree ( Theaters , On Demand , Digital ; Now Available ) First Impressions : So , this initially looked like some white people shit , but then I saw Sasheer Zamata !
I mean it still is some white people shit , but it ’ s not like , exclusively white people shit ... there ’ s some mild inclusion !
Spree gives a look into “ the connection between social media as a desperate grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people immoral and dangerous.
” This satire is filmed mockumentary style and this trailer ends with this crazy looking white boy generic rideshare driver just telling Sasheer that he ’ s taking her home ... but not her home , his home .
Yikes .
First Impressions : Full disclosure , I haven ’ t seen this show ( which apparently follows teen members of Shoplifters Anonymous ) yet , but one thing stood out while watching this trailer .
There was this line : “ We need to be able to walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black faces , ” Marquise ( Austin Crute ) says in the trailer .
Then , Tabitha ( Quintessa Swindell ) says she has to do something bold and ... steps out in box braids ?
!
Y ’ all !
!
Do I even want to know the microaggressions that will come from this ?
Sigh .
First Impressions : Ah , we ’ re heading to the London dating scene !
Singletown follows five couples living in the titular produced town and their neighbors are ... their exes .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some queer couple inclusion .
This looks like it ’ s going to be juicy .
So , if you need the mindless entertainment that has functioned as a salve for me during this stressful time , here you go !
First Impressions : So , I saw this at Sundance and it was not my cup of tea .
I ’ ll say this : as ridiculous as it was ( and it was ; I am still at a lost as to what it was trying to say , at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not sure whether it ’ ll be a different cut on Hulu ) , I could see it possibly obtaining that cult movie/B-movie status ... but , probably more so for white folks .
This film is definitely going to be polarizing at the very least for Black folks , though .
Folks are going to be talking about it ... and it won ’ t be pretty .
So , basically it ’ s gon na trend on Twitter , regardless .
In case you missed it , we already covered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Book II : Ghost trailers .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

I know I start all of these with a reflection on 2020, but it really is jarring just how fast this year is going, yet feels like it’s going so slowly. Maybe it’s because the year has been so dense with heavy events such as the global pandemic, uprisings, presidential election, etc. Speaking of dense, this is a packed trailer week (admittedly because I have some from last week since I didn’t get to post a roundup then)! Let’s get to it...
Coded Bias (Virtual Theaters; Release Date: Nov. 11, 2020)
First Impressions: We’ve previously reported on the systemic racism involved in facial recognition technology (it really gets as serious as threatening someone’s freedom), so this documentary is very relevant. Following computer scientist researcher Joy Buolamwini (a 2019 Root 100 honoree!), Coded Bias will seem to tackle the impactful effect of these algorithms in an engaging way. More info about upcoming screenings and showings can be found at the film’s official website.
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Antebellum (OnDemand; Release Date: Sept. 18, 2020)
Antebellum final trailer / Lionsgate Movies (YouTube)
First Impressions: It’s been a while since we got the first teaser for this (which left me curious), so now I have a bit more insight into the film. “You’re not like the others,” says one of the white folks, which...is this chronicling the horror of being the model minority?! And this Black girl (portrayed by Janelle Monáe) thrust into the slavery era?! Whew, lawd. I’m interested to see where this goes. Antebellum also Marque Richardson II, Eric Lange, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Tongayi Chirisa, Gabourey Sidibe, Rob Aramayo, Lily Cowles and Jena Malone.
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The 24th (Virtual Theaters, Video On Demand, Digital; Release Date: Aug. 21, 2020)
The 24th trailer / Vertical Entertainment (YouTube)
First Impressions: From the trailer, this initially looks to be one of those movies that just pisses you off as a Black viewer. You know those movies, like Rosewood? But, then you see and hear the words “mutiny” or “riot.” Welp, looks like some fed-up energy! It is just that, as this story is based on real-life and follows the all-black Twenty-Fourth United States Infantry Regiment, and the Houston Riot of 1917, in response to the police brutality that occurred. The 24th is directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott (BlacKkKlansman) and stars Trai Byers, Aja Naomi King, Tosin Morohunfola, Mo McRae and Mykelti Williamson.
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Critical Thinking (Virtual Theaters, Video On Demand, Digital; Release Date: Sept. 4, 2020)
Critical Thinking trailer / Vertical Entertainment (YouTube)
First Impressions: This film is also based on a true story, following five Latinx and Black teenagers from the Miami ghetto and their challenging journey toward the National Chess Championship in 1998. It’s giving me big Dangerous Minds vibes. I have to admit, I can’t help but think of the recent conversations sparked by John Leguizamo’s (who stars in and directs this film) tweet during Emmy nomination season. It makes me wonder even more how the relations between each community (and the intersections in between) will be represented in this film. Oh, and I see Michael Kenneth Williams and Angel Bismark Curiel!
Advertisement
Zola (Coming Soon)
First Impressions: This trailer showcases exactly what I meant when I said: “twinkly dreamy score” in my Sundance review. I couldn’t quite describe it as anything else at the time—you had to hear it. Now, you hear it! I can’t wait ‘til you get to hear it in the full context of this wild ride of a movie. As the header suggests, neither I nor A24 actually knows when it’s coming out, but when it does, it’ll be all over Twitter just like the original and real-life Zola’s epic Twitter tale.
Advertisement
The Way I See It (Theaters; Release Date: Sept. 2020)
The Way I See It trailer / Focus Features (YouTube)
First Impressions: Y’all know Pete Souza’s name by now, especially if you follow his Instagram account, which is rife with well-timed photos which are obviously trolling the current Not-So-Sweet-Potato-In-Chief. Well, now he has a documentary! Directed by Dawn Porter, the doc will follow the former Official White House photographer’s journey and work from the Reagan presidency to the Obama presidency, the latter of which made him a household name outside of traditional circles. I know a picture is worth a thousand words (and shades), but it will be hilarious to hear some more of that shade right from Souza and witness his personality in a more in-depth way.
Advertisement
Free Tuition With MK Asante (Snapchat; Streaming Now)
Free Tuition With MK Asante / Snapchat (YouTube)
First Impressions: Starring filmmaker, author and recording artist MK Asante (who seems to have a personality that jumps out the screen), Free Tuition With MK Asante “fuses education and entertainment for passionate, poetic, and inspirational conversations with celebrity guests about justice, equality, and change.” Taking advantage of the Snapchat demographic, MK Asante is here to drop some knowledge and says, “Tuition is free, you just gotta pay attention.” New episodes air weekly.
Advertisement
Spree (Theaters, On Demand, Digital; Now Available)
Spree trailer / Dreamcrew Entertainment (YouTube)
First Impressions: So, this initially looked like some white people shit, but then I saw Sasheer Zamata! I mean it still is some white people shit, but it’s not like, exclusively white people shit...there’s some mild inclusion! Spree gives a look into “the connection between social media as a desperate grab for attention and how this can make people immoral and dangerous.” This satire is filmed mockumentary style and this trailer ends with this crazy looking white boy generic rideshare driver just telling Sasheer that he’s taking her home... but not her home, his home. Yikes.
Advertisement
Trinkets (Netflix; Release Date: Aug. 25, 2020)
Trinkets Season 2 trailer / Netflix (YouTube)
First Impressions: Full disclosure, I haven’t seen this show (which apparently follows teen members of Shoplifters Anonymous) yet, but one thing stood out while watching this trailer. There was this line: “We need to be able to walk into these white spaces with our unapologetic Black faces,” Marquise (Austin Crute) says in the trailer. Then, Tabitha (Quintessa Swindell) says she has to do something bold and...steps out in box braids?! Y’all!! Do I even want to know the microaggressions that will come from this? Sigh.
Advertisement
Singletown (HBO Max; Release Date: Aug. 20, 2020)
Singletown trailer / HBO Max(YouTube)
First Impressions: Ah, we’re heading to the London dating scene! Singletown follows five couples living in the titular produced town and their neighbors are...their exes. In addition to racial representation, there’s some queer couple inclusion. This looks like it’s going to be juicy. So, if you need the mindless entertainment that has functioned as a salve for me during this stressful time, here you go!
Advertisement
Bad Hair (Hulu; Release Date: Oct. 23, 2020)
Bad Hair trailer / Hulu (YouTube)
First Impressions: So, I saw this at Sundance and it was not my cup of tea. I’ll say this: as ridiculous as it was (and it was; I am still at a lost as to what it was trying to say, at least in the iteration from the festival, not sure whether it’ll be a different cut on Hulu), I could see it possibly obtaining that cult movie/B-movie status...but, probably more so for white folks. This film is definitely going to be polarizing at the very least for Black folks, though. Folks are going to be talking about it...and it won’t be pretty. So, basically it’s gonna trend on Twitter, regardless.
Advertisement
In case you missed it, we already covered the Judas and the Black Messiah and Power Book II: Ghost trailers.
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‘Til next Friday, folks!
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-14--Pennsylvania Judge Hit With 6 Misconduct Counts Over Racist Comments; Called Juror 'Aunt Jemima'

In Pennsylvania , a white judge is facing six counts of judicial misconduct for being an outright racist .
According to Newsweek , a formal complaint was filed against Allegheny County Judge Mark Tranquilli by the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board .
The complaint alleges that Tranquilli engaged in racist behavior against Black jurors and defendants since at least 2015 .
Tranquilli was placed on administrative leave in February after allegedly calling a Black juror in a head wrap “ Aunt Jemima.
” The comment came as Tranquilli was discussing jury selection with a group of lawyers in his chambers following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to speculate that the juror had a “ baby daddy , ” that was “ probably slinging heroin.
” Whew , nothing like some casual racism from a person with the ability to grant life sentences .
This was not the only instance of Tranquilli being racist , as the complaint details a 2015 trial where the judge said “ that his only concern is his own three children ” and added he “ did not care ” about the children involved in the case .
While discussing communication with the parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ affected an accent and dialect described as ‘ Ebonics.
’ ” “ When I say communication , I don ’ t mean ‘ and den da bitch done dis , and den da bitch done dat , ” Tranquilli said , according to the complaint .
At one point during the same case , he described himself as “ a butcher ” and that he could “ split [ their ] baby in half like Solomon and sleep like a baby that night.
” So , uh , that ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why would you say that in any context , let alone during a legal proceeding where you ’ re the judge ?
According to the Tribune-Review , Tranquilli is also alleged to have told a female defendant that she “ laid down with dogs , ” to have her two children during a sentencing hearing in 2018 .
“ For the cost of three shiny quarters in any bathroom in any rest stop in Pennsylvania , you probably could have gone a different direction , ” he added .
“ The allegations contained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence in the judiciary and its reputation , ” the board wrote .
“ If Judge Tranquilli is permitted to continue exercising judicial duties during the pendency of the board complaint , the public ’ s confidence in the judiciary will continue to erode.
” The board is currently recommending Tranquilli be suspended without pay .
Judges are elected to ten-year terms and the only way for Tranquilli to be removed is either through impeachment or through the Court of Judicial Discipline , where the complaint was filed .

In Pennsylvania, a white judge is facing six counts of judicial misconduct for being an outright racist.
According to Newsweek, a formal complaint was filed against Allegheny County Judge Mark Tranquilli by the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board. The complaint alleges that Tranquilli engaged in racist behavior against Black jurors and defendants since at least 2015. Tranquilli was placed on administrative leave in February after allegedly calling a Black juror in a head wrap “Aunt Jemima.” The comment came as Tranquilli was discussing jury selection with a group of lawyers in his chambers following a not guilty verdict. Tranquilli went on to speculate that the juror had a “baby daddy,” that was “probably slinging heroin.”
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Whew, nothing like some casual racism from a person with the ability to grant life sentences.
This was not the only instance of Tranquilli being racist, as the complaint details a 2015 trial where the judge said “that his only concern is his own three children” and added he “did not care” about the children involved in the case. While discussing communication with the parents involved in the case, he allegedly “affected an accent and dialect described as ‘Ebonics.’”
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“When I say communication, I don’t mean ‘and den da bitch done dis, and den da bitch done dat,” Tranquilli said, according to the complaint. At one point during the same case, he described himself as “a butcher” and that he could “split [their] baby in half like Solomon and sleep like a baby that night.”
So, uh, that’s just fucking weird, y’all. Why would you say that in any context, let alone during a legal proceeding where you’re the judge?
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According to the Tribune-Review, Tranquilli is also alleged to have told a female defendant that she “laid down with dogs,” to have her two children during a sentencing hearing in 2018.
“For the cost of three shiny quarters in any bathroom in any rest stop in Pennsylvania, you probably could have gone a different direction,” he added.
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“The allegations contained within the board complaint undermine both public confidence in the judiciary and its reputation,” the board wrote. “If Judge Tranquilli is permitted to continue exercising judicial duties during the pendency of the board complaint, the public’s confidence in the judiciary will continue to erode.”
The board is currently recommending Tranquilli be suspended without pay. Judges are elected to ten-year terms and the only way for Tranquilli to be removed is either through impeachment or through the Court of Judicial Discipline, where the complaint was filed.


theroot--2020-08-14--Trump’s COVID-19 Task Force Wasted No Time Throwing Georgia and Gov. Brian Kemp Under the Coronaviru

Trump’s COVID-19 Task Force Wasted No Time Throwing Georgia and Gov. Brian Kemp Under the Coronavirus Bus

Remember when kiss-ass election th ief Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp was eager to show Trump that he was an obedient Trump soldier by refusing to implement a statewide mandatory mask law ?
Oh , Kemp was showing out for the president .
He reportedly purchased a Camaro and then rode in front of the White House doing donuts hoping Trump would be impressed and dump Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) and allow Kemp the opportunity to shine his shoes .
OK , fine .
Kemp didn ’ t get a Camaro and didn ’ t do donuts on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act like it ’ s not above him .
Anyway , Kemp totally wanted a pat on the head for opening Georgia up well before it was time , and now , Trump ’ s coronavirus task force is using Georgia as the template for what not to do .
They literally noted that Georgia ’ s “ widespread and expanding community viral spread ” and the current policies ( which fall squarely in Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s lap ) aren ’ t enough to curtail COVID-19 .
According to AJC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommended that Georgia adopt a statewide mandatory mask movement .
Remember that it was Kemp who was willing to sue Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms just to please Trump ’ s maskless bullshit .
He ’ s since dropped his lawsuit because ridiculous .
“ Current mitigation efforts are not having a sufficient impact , ” the report said .
The report also called Kemp a fucking idiot who stole the governor ship from Stacey Abrams .
( Fine , the report didn ’ t say this . )
The report also noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to reopen after a national shutdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , “ businesses , such as nightclubs , bars and gyms , currently open with some restrictions in Georgia , should be closed in the highest risk counties , ” the AJC reports .
The report recommends that indoor dining be restricted and the number of diners remain limited to the number of folks who can be safely seated 6 feet apart .
Social gatherings that had been capped at 50 , should now be limited to 10 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that Atlanta only learned of these reported recommendations after the AJC “ obtained the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommendations for Georgia , dated Aug. 9 , from a source.
” “ These are public health data and they should be publicly available , ” Dr. Melanie Thompson , principal investigator of the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta , told AJC .
As it stands Georgia is one of 16 states without a statewide mandate as Kemp believes that a statewide mandate is “ unnecessary and unenforceable.
” “ Governor Kemp is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that masks don ’ t help , the virus is a hoax and we should all just bury our heads in the sand and pray the virus goes away , ” said State Rep. Beth Moore told the AJC .
“ The fact that a school whistleblower effort is even necessary to ensure the protection of students , faculty and their families demonstrates how poorly Kemp has handled the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia.
” And all Gov .
Kemp was trying to do was make the president happy .
Join the discussion !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Remember when kiss-ass election th ief Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was eager to show Trump that he was an obedient Trump soldier by refusing to implement a statewide mandatory mask law? Oh, Kemp was showing out for the president. He reportedly purchased a Camaro and then rode in front of the White House doing donuts hoping Trump would be impressed and dump Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and allow Kemp the opportunity to shine his shoes.
OK, fine. Kemp didn’t get a Camaro and didn’t do donuts on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. but don’t act like it’s not above him.
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Anyway, Kemp totally wanted a pat on the head for opening Georgia up well before it was time, and now, Trump’s coronavirus task force is using Georgia as the template for what not to do.
They literally noted that Georgia’s “widespread and expanding community viral spread” and the current policies (which fall squarely in Gov. Brian Kemp’s lap) aren’t enough to curtail COVID-19.
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According to AJC, the presidential task force even strongly recommended that Georgia adopt a statewide mandatory mask movement. Remember that it was Kemp who was willing to sue Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms just to please Trump’s maskless bullshit. He’s since dropped his lawsuit because ridiculous.
“Current mitigation efforts are not having a sufficient impact,” the report said. The report also called Kemp a fucking idiot who stole the governor ship from Stacey Abrams. (Fine, the report didn’t say this.)
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The report also noted that Georgia, one of the first states to reopen after a national shutdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, “businesses, such as nightclubs, bars and gyms, currently open with some restrictions in Georgia, should be closed in the highest risk counties,” the AJC reports.
The report recommends that indoor dining be restricted and the number of diners remain limited to the number of folks who can be safely seated 6 feet apart. Social gatherings that had been capped at 50, should now be limited to 10 or fewer.
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What might be more puzzling is that Atlanta only learned of these reported recommendations after the AJC “obtained the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommendations for Georgia, dated Aug. 9, from a source.”
“These are public health data and they should be publicly available,” Dr. Melanie Thompson, principal investigator of the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta, told AJC.
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As it stands Georgia is one of 16 states without a statewide mandate as Kemp believes that a statewide mandate is “unnecessary and unenforceable.”
“Governor Kemp is aligning himself with anti-science extremists who believe that masks don’t help, the virus is a hoax and we should all just bury our heads in the sand and pray the virus goes away,” said State Rep. Beth Moore told the AJC. “The fact that a school whistleblower effort is even necessary to ensure the protection of students, faculty and their families demonstrates how poorly Kemp has handled the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia.”
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And all Gov. Kemp was trying to do was make the president happy.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-14--The L.O.X.'s Bond Is Tighter Than Ever...and They Still Have a L.O.T. to Say

BET ’ s five-part docuseries Ruff Ryders Chronicles follows the formation , highs and lows of Ruff Ryders Entertainment .
Through their look , lyrics and sound , the hip-hop collective and label—founded by Swizz Beatz ’ s uncles and aunt Joaquin “ Waah ” Dean , Darin “ Dee ” Dean and Chivon Dean in 1997—aimed to bring real street shit to the people amidst the late- ’ 90s wave of mainstream , money-flaunting emcees .
The brand was relaunched as several different entertainment sectors in 2010 , including Ruff Ryders Indy music label and Ruff Ryders Films .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 12 , also details the lives of the collective ’ s biggest stars : DMX ’ s heartbreaking youth and tumultuous times in the spotlight are centered throughout the series , while Eve ’ s battle with depression during the height of her fame is discussed .
However , their personal struggles did not deter from their innumerable successes , and this unabashed rawness is one of the reasons why Ruff Ryders found some real riders of their own during their reign .
“ I think people just wanted something that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” David “ Styles P ” Styles of The L.O.X .
tells The Root of the label ’ s relatability factor .
“ And I think that was us : from X to ourselves , to Eve ...
I think these [ stories ] were things hood people were very familiar with , but they didn ’ t get to see it in hip-hop too often .
Ruff Ryders brought that element to the table and back [ to ] the forefront.
” “ [ The collective ] came with the no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bikes , and the rawness—they smashed the scene with that , ” The L.O.X ’ s Sean “ Sheek Louch ” Jacobs adds .
“ I think people weren ’ t ready [ for Ruff Ryders ] , but that ’ s why they blew up.
” The Yonkers-bred trio , consisting of Sheek , Styles P and Jason “ Jadakiss ” Phillips is featured heavily in the fourth episode of the docuseries , “ Ryde Or Die.
” ( The title is derived from their 2000 Eve and Drag-On collaboration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-sign from fellow New Yorker Mary J. Blige , The L.O.X .
burst onto the scene as members of Diddy ’ s Bad Boy Entertainment in 1995 .
They provided electric features on songs including Puff ’ s “ All About The Benjamins , ” Mariah Carey ’ s “ Honey , ” and Mase ’ s “ 24 Hrs .
To Live , ” where their natural , down-and-dirty grit became recognizable .
Money , Power & Respect , their debut album , was released under Bad Boy in 1998 and received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew their personal integrity was worth more to them than the glitz of Bad Boy ’ s then “ ghetto-fabulous ” aesthetic ... and Diddy ’ s reportedly questionable business dealings .
They famously went to great lengths in order to be released from their contract , such as orchestrating the “ Let The L.O.X .
Go ” campaign throughout 1998 .
The campaign took a turn at NYC ’ s Summer Jam in 1998 , where the group sported t-shirts with the slogan emblazoned on them and handed them to fans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Vibe that “ Puffy didn ’ t like one fucking bit.
” This sparked a grassroots movement amongst their supporters , and also garnered attention from other labels .
According to the docu-series , Diddy and the Deans settled on a deal worth $ 3 million , and The L.O.X .
became members of the collective in late-1998 .
Ruff Ryders ’ rough-and-tumble energy—coupled with the Deans ’ similar upbringing in Yonkers—made the trio ’ s addition “ a perfect fit.
” “ I think that what we did is something to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sticking to their guns in several senses of the phrase .
“ We ’ ve been paving the way for a long time , we ’ ve been setting the tone for a while.
” The L.O.X .
released their sophomore album We Are The Streets through Ruff Ryders in 2000 ; it went on to receive a gold RIAA certification , and their songs “ Wild Out ” and “ Recognize ” became well known amongst their fans .
Their highly anticipated third project Filthy America… It ’ s Beautiful was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from DJ Premier , Pete Rock and Dame Grease , among many others .
Although they ’ ve had their respective solo successes and business endeavors , The L.O.X ’ s musical brotherhood never dissolved .
Their fourth studio-album Living Off XPerience ( which is what the L.O.X .
acronym stands for ) is scheduled for release on August 28 via Roc Nation .
The album features production from AraabMuzik , Scott Storch , Large Professor , and more ; many of the collaborations are currently under lock and key .
Two singles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Gave It To ‘ Em , ” precede the project , and a third ( “ Bout Shit ” featuring DMX ) will drop on August 19 .
Jadakiss says that while their new album ’ s content is primarily focused on their own experiences , they will also feature some candid bars about “ things going on in the world.
” ( The album artwork for “ Gave It To ‘ Em ” features a stimulus check for $ 1200 , a nod to the piddling , one-time COVID-19 assistance check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adds that Living Off XPerience showcases a “ grown man point of view , but over that live energy ” that has become paramount to their discography and legacy .
For instance , on the retrospective “ Loyalty and Love , ” The L.O.X .
rap about being ride-or-dies for their homies over a boom-bap style beat , a production attribute that has become central to New York hip-hop .
Styles P explains that although they ’ ve been at this rap shit for decades , The L.O.X .
can still roll with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may even teach newcomers a thing or two .
“ As we do outside and as we ’ ve done all our career : we respect who ’ s older , who ’ s younger , our peers , ” Styles says .
The trio dotes on East Coast emcees Young M.A.
, Dave East , Smoke DZA , Joey Bada $ $ , and the Griselda collective during our conversation .
“ I think people just like how organic we are and how real we are , and how we carry ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So they relate to that and try to look for that .
And plus : we stand for loyalty .
So I think they see that and want to acquire the same thing or figure out how we did it or why we did it.
” The L.O.X.
’ s longevity is due in equal part to their rap skills and core values .
Hard work and discipline are principles Ruff Ryders prided themselves on during their heyday ( as detailed in the BET documentary ) , which the group is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Working with Ruff Ryders was just a natural , meant-to-be thing , ” Styles P exclaims .
“ They came from a certain place , and we came from a certain place .
I believe we all shared the same aspirations , dreams and goals , and it was just amazing making and seeing that kind of thing work.
” Jadakiss adds that working with the Deans also helped them to become better businessmen , acknowledging that they were so young and “ didn ’ t know shit ” when they first embarked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the timeless trio agrees that the learning process has been the most rewarding aspect of being musicians and that their “ ambition and attack ” has never been stronger during this new era of their career as a trio .
“ Every day you ’ re learning something new , with trying to be businessmen , entrepreneurs , working towards something bigger , ” Styles concludes .
“ Evolving , growing , and maturing and learning how to delegate with all sorts of people—that ’ s constant , that ’ s daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hobby ; it turned to a job .
Fortunately enough , we made it a career .
We were able to make other careers out of it , so it was just a constant challenge of growing and being able to mature with the group.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

BET’s five-part docuseries Ruff Ryders Chronicles follows the formation, highs and lows of Ruff Ryders Entertainment. Through their look, lyrics and sound, the hip-hop collective and label—founded by Swizz Beatz’s uncles and aunt Joaquin “Waah” Dean, Darin “Dee” Dean and Chivon Dean in 1997—aimed to bring real street shit to the people amidst the late-’90s wave of mainstream, money-flaunting emcees. The brand was relaunched as several different entertainment sectors in 2010, including Ruff Ryders Indy music label and Ruff Ryders Films.
The docuseries, which began airing on August 12, also details the lives of the collective’s biggest stars: DMX’s heartbreaking youth and tumultuous times in the spotlight are centered throughout the series, while Eve’s battle with depression during the height of her fame is discussed. However, their personal struggles did not deter from their innumerable successes, and this unabashed rawness is one of the reasons why Ruff Ryders found some real riders of their own during their reign.
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“I think people just wanted something that they were familiar with that they really understood,” David “Styles P” Styles of The L.O.X. tells The Root of the label’s relatability factor. “And I think that was us: from X to ourselves, to Eve...I think these [stories] were things hood people were very familiar with, but they didn’t get to see it in hip-hop too often. Ruff Ryders brought that element to the table and back [to] the forefront.”
“[The collective] came with the no shirts, and the dogs, and the bikes, and the rawness—they smashed the scene with that,” The L.O.X’s Sean “Sheek Louch” Jacobs adds. “I think people weren’t ready [for Ruff Ryders], but that’s why they blew up.” The Yonkers-bred trio, consisting of Sheek, Styles P and Jason “Jadakiss” Phillips is featured heavily in the fourth episode of the docuseries, “Ryde Or Die.” (The title is derived from their 2000 Eve and Drag-On collaboration of the same name.)
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After a co-sign from fellow New Yorker Mary J. Blige, The L.O.X. burst onto the scene as members of Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment in 1995. They provided electric features on songs including Puff’s “All About The Benjamins,” Mariah Carey’s “Honey,” and Mase’s “24 Hrs. To Live,” where their natural, down-and-dirty grit became recognizable. Money, Power & Respect, their debut album, was released under Bad Boy in 1998 and received a platinum certification. However, they knew their personal integrity was worth more to them than the glitz of Bad Boy’s then “ghetto-fabulous” aesthetic...and Diddy’s reportedly questionable business dealings.
They famously went to great lengths in order to be released from their contract, such as orchestrating the “Let The L.O.X. Go” campaign throughout 1998. The campaign took a turn at NYC’s Summer Jam in 1998, where the group sported t-shirts with the slogan emblazoned on them and handed them to fans, which Jadakiss noted in a 2000 interview with Vibe that “Puffy didn’t like one fucking bit.” This sparked a grassroots movement amongst their supporters, and also garnered attention from other labels. According to the docu-series, Diddy and the Deans settled on a deal worth $3 million, and The L.O.X. became members of the collective in late-1998. Ruff Ryders’ rough-and-tumble energy—coupled with the Deans’ similar upbringing in Yonkers—made the trio’s addition “a perfect fit.”
“I think that what we did is something to be proud of,” Sheek says of sticking to their guns in several senses of the phrase. “We’ve been paving the way for a long time, we’ve been setting the tone for a while.”
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The L.O.X. released their sophomore album We Are The Streets through Ruff Ryders in 2000; it went on to receive a gold RIAA certification, and their songs “Wild Out” and “Recognize” became well known amongst their fans. Their highly anticipated third project Filthy America… It’s Beautiful was released in 2016, and featured production from DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Dame Grease, among many others.
Although they’ve had their respective solo successes and business endeavors, The L.O.X’s musical brotherhood never dissolved. Their fourth studio-album Living Off XPerience (which is what the L.O.X. acronym stands for) is scheduled for release on August 28 via Roc Nation. The album features production from AraabMuzik, Scott Storch, Large Professor, and more; many of the collaborations are currently under lock and key. Two singles, “Loyalty and Love” and “Gave It To ‘Em,” precede the project, and a third (“Bout Shit” featuring DMX) will drop on August 19.
Jadakiss says that while their new album’s content is primarily focused on their own experiences, they will also feature some candid bars about “things going on in the world.” (The album artwork for “Gave It To ‘Em” features a stimulus check for $1200, a nod to the piddling, one-time COVID-19 assistance check provided by Donald Trump.) Sheek adds that Living Off XPerience showcases a “grown man point of view, but over that live energy” that has become paramount to their discography and legacy. For instance, on the retrospective “Loyalty and Love,” The L.O.X. rap about being ride-or-dies for their homies over a boom-bap style beat, a production attribute that has become central to New York hip-hop.
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Styles P explains that although they’ve been at this rap shit for decades, The L.O.X. can still roll with 2020’s rap elites, and may even teach newcomers a thing or two.
“As we do outside and as we’ve done all our career: we respect who’s older, who’s younger, our peers,” Styles says. The trio dotes on East Coast emcees Young M.A., Dave East, Smoke DZA, Joey Bada$$, and the Griselda collective during our conversation.
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“I think people just like how organic we are and how real we are, and how we carry ourselves in the game,” he continues. “So they relate to that and try to look for that. And plus: we stand for loyalty. So I think they see that and want to acquire the same thing or figure out how we did it or why we did it.”
The L.O.X.’s longevity is due in equal part to their rap skills and core values. Hard work and discipline are principles Ruff Ryders prided themselves on during their heyday (as detailed in the BET documentary), which the group is thankful to have witnessed firsthand.
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“Working with Ruff Ryders was just a natural, meant-to-be thing,” Styles P exclaims. “They came from a certain place, and we came from a certain place. I believe we all shared the same aspirations, dreams and goals, and it was just amazing making and seeing that kind of thing work.”
Jadakiss adds that working with the Deans also helped them to become better businessmen, acknowledging that they were so young and “didn’t know shit” when they first embarked on their musical journey. Above all, the timeless trio agrees that the learning process has been the most rewarding aspect of being musicians and that their “ambition and attack” has never been stronger during this new era of their career as a trio.
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“Every day you’re learning something new, with trying to be businessmen, entrepreneurs, working towards something bigger,” Styles concludes. “Evolving, growing, and maturing and learning how to delegate with all sorts of people—that’s constant, that’s daily growth. We started this as a hobby; it turned to a job. Fortunately enough, we made it a career. We were able to make other careers out of it, so it was just a constant challenge of growing and being able to mature with the group.”
Watch BET’s Ruff Ryders Chronicles Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
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Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-14--A Forgotten First: Before There Was Kamala, There Was Charlotta Bass

We , as a people , love “ firsts ” —even when we recognize that they are long overdue .
This week , many have been celebrating the announcement of Senator Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) as Joe Biden ’ s running mate as a historic first : the first Black—and Asian—woman to be nominated for vice president of the United States .
But as the Washington Post reminds us , that ’ s only partly true ; while Harris is indeed the first Black ( or Asian ) woman on a major-party ticket , there was another Black woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamala could run for the second-highest office in the country .
“ This is a historic moment in American political life , ” the journalist and political activist Charlotta A. Bass told the delegates of the Chicago convention of the Progressive Party as she accepted their nomination for vice president on Sunday , March 30 , 1952 , according to BlackPast.org , which reprints her speech in full .
“ Historic for myself , for my people , for all women .
For the first time in the history of this nation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman for the second-highest office in the land .
“ I don ’ t think you can understand how we got here in 2020 if you don ’ t appreciate the way in which Black women have built this moment , ” Martha Jones , a historian at Johns Hopkins University told The Washington Post .
“ Kamala Harris doesn ’ t just drop from the sky .
She ’ s a political figure whose career is very much linked to a history.
” That history is extensively covered by the Post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be traced back to 1910 .
It was then that she and her husband migrated from South Carolina Los Angeles and started became joint publishers of the black-focused newspaper the California Eagle , which openly lambasted racist organizations and propaganda ( such D.W. Griffith ’ s The Birth of a Nation ) , as well as promoting the women ’ s suffrage movement , proving Bass both fearless and well ahead of her time .
Bass ’ s commentary created change , too .
Her pieces on employment discrimination resulted in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and several big telephone companies , she said in her biography .
She later got involved with the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP and Marcus Garvey ’ s Universal Negro Improvement Association , as well as local and state politics .
After serving as a delegate to the California Republican convention , she switched to the Democratic Party and , finally , denounced both major parties entirely .
Both had neglected Black and women ’ s rights , she wrote in an editorial , by trying to prove their commitment to fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joseph R. McCarthy ’ s Red Scare .
Bass would become a target of the anti-communist surge herself , eventually leaving journalism in favor of political organizing and lobbying and co-founding the aptly named Black women ’ s group “ Sojourners for Truth and Justice.
” Within the year , she joined the presidential ticket of San Francisco progressive attorney Vincent Hallinan , who “ announced his presidential bid a day before he was set to enter prison [ for contempt of court ] , so Bass took on most of the in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a symbolic run—but an impactful one , nevertheless .
“ During such a politically repressive moment , it speaks to her dedication to Black freedom and dignity for Black women , ” Erik McDuffie , an associate professor at the University of Illinois told The Post .
Dwight D. Eisenhower ( who ironically has long been rumored to be of mixed-race heritage ) won the 1952 presidential election .
But Bass deserves credit for being the first to plant the vision of a Black female vice president in the American subconscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be ready to seriously consider it for nearly another 70 years .
And while Harris—who , coincidentally , would serve under and subsequently oust Hallinan ’ s son Terrence as San Francisco ’ s district attorney—may not be the “ first , ” per se , she is indisputably making the most of the path Bass trod .
“ To my mind , it makes Kamala Harris all the more admirable in her accomplishments , because they are so hard-won , ” Prof. Jones said .
“ Charlotta Bass is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows how far we have come.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

We, as a people, love “firsts”—even when we recognize that they are long overdue. This week, many have been celebrating the announcement of Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as Joe Biden’s running mate as a historic first: the first Black—and Asian—woman to be nominated for vice president of the United States. But as the Washington Post reminds us, that’s only partly true; while Harris is indeed the first Black (or Asian) woman on a major-party ticket, there was another Black woman from her home state who walked so Kamala could run for the second-highest office in the country.
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“This is a historic moment in American political life,” the journalist and political activist Charlotta A. Bass told the delegates of the Chicago convention of the Progressive Party as she accepted their nomination for vice president on Sunday, March 30, 1952, according to BlackPast.org, which reprints her speech in full. “Historic for myself, for my people, for all women. For the first time in the history of this nation, a political party has chosen a Negro woman for the second-highest office in the land.
“I don’t think you can understand how we got here in 2020 if you don’t appreciate the way in which Black women have built this moment,” Martha Jones, a historian at Johns Hopkins University told The Washington Post. “Kamala Harris doesn’t just drop from the sky. She’s a political figure whose career is very much linked to a history.”
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That history is extensively covered by the Post, which notes that Bass’s activism can be traced back to 1910. It was then that she and her husband migrated from South Carolina Los Angeles and started became joint publishers of the black-focused newspaper the California Eagle, which openly lambasted racist organizations and propaganda (such D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation), as well as promoting the women’s suffrage movement, proving Bass both fearless and well ahead of her time.
As the Post reports:
Bass’s commentary created change, too. Her pieces on employment discrimination resulted in the first Black hires at a major hospital and several big telephone companies, she said in her biography. She later got involved with the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP and Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association, as well as local and state politics. After serving as a delegate to the California Republican convention, she switched to the Democratic Party and, finally, denounced both major parties entirely. Both had neglected Black and women’s rights, she wrote in an editorial, by trying to prove their commitment to fighting communism in the era of Republican Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy’s Red Scare.
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Bass would become a target of the anti-communist surge herself, eventually leaving journalism in favor of political organizing and lobbying and co-founding the aptly named Black women’s group “Sojourners for Truth and Justice.” Within the year, she joined the presidential ticket of San Francisco progressive attorney Vincent Hallinan, who “announced his presidential bid a day before he was set to enter prison [for contempt of court], so Bass took on most of the in-person campaigning,” writes the Post. It was a symbolic run—but an impactful one, nevertheless.
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“During such a politically repressive moment, it speaks to her dedication to Black freedom and dignity for Black women,” Erik McDuffie, an associate professor at the University of Illinois told The Post.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (who ironically has long been rumored to be of mixed-race heritage) won the 1952 presidential election. But Bass deserves credit for being the first to plant the vision of a Black female vice president in the American subconscious, even if the electorate wouldn’t be ready to seriously consider it for nearly another 70 years. And while Harris—who, coincidentally, would serve under and subsequently oust Hallinan’s son Terrence as San Francisco’s district attorney—may not be the “first,” per se, she is indisputably making the most of the path Bass trod.
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“To my mind, it makes Kamala Harris all the more admirable in her accomplishments, because they are so hard-won,” Prof. Jones said. “Charlotta Bass is not a detractor. To the contrary, it shows how far we have come.”
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-14--70 Percent of Sports Fans Support Social Justice Stances Made By Players, Teams. That Number Doesn't

70 Percent of Sports Fans Support Social Justice Stances Made By Players, Teams. That Number Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

In an interview with Sports Illustrated that was published on Wednesday , NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the public ’ s response to the league ’ s new-found commitment to social justice .
“ I understand critics who say that they turn to sports to avoid controversy , ” he said .
“ But it ’ s unavoidable at this moment in time in our country .
I wish there was an easier path for us to follow right now .
Even if there were , I don ’ t think it would necessarily be the responsible thing to do.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he ’ s referring to people like Donald Trump , who make it their mission in life to bitch and moan every time Black people have the audacity to demand equitable treatment .
But a recent survey conducted by ESPN found that Trump is more of an outlier than the norm .
More than seven of 10 sports fans support teams and athletes speaking out on issues of social justice and racial equality , according to an online survey of 837 sports fans conducted for ESPN .
Of the 71 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 % strongly supported it .
Nearly half of the fans surveyed said they are more likely to support teams and athletes who speak out than they were last year , while 20 % say they are less likely to ( 33 % were unchanged ) .
Where things get interesting is that there ’ s a clear divide on where fans believe these issues should be addressed .
51 percent support players expressing their views during sporting events , while 49 percent would prefer they do so off the court/field .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see athletes speak out on these issues , 45 percent of Major League Baseball fans said for the duration of the season , while 51 percent of NBA fans said the same .
On the flip side , 34 percent of MLB fans would prefer that players not address social justice at all , while 25 percent of NBA fans said the same .
Here ’ s how fans felt in regards to kneeling during the national anthem : • White fans were split 50-50 , but 84 percent of Black fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinx fans agreed .
Fans were also asked whether they believe that exiled quarterback Colin Kaepernick , who hasn ’ t played since 2016 , deserves an apology from the NFL .
54 percent of fans said the league should “ definitely or probably ” apologize to him , while 34 percent disagreed .
In what should come as a surprise to no one , 85 percent of Black fans believe that the athlete-turned-activist deserves an apology , while only 49 percent of white fans feel the same way .
Additionally , 37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 32-year-old more positively in recent months .
Fans also shared their thoughts on NASCAR ’ s Confederate flag ban ( 64 percent of fans support it ) , the NFL ’ s plan to display social justice messaging during each home opener ( 63 percent support ) and the NBA ’ s decision to print “ Black Lives Matter ” on the court as part of the league ’ s restart ( 55 percent support ) .
I don ’ t find any of these results particularly surprising , but if anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our so-called “ allies ” to do the work .

In an interview with Sports Illustrated that was published on Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the public’s response to the league’s new-found commitment to social justice.
“I understand critics who say that they turn to sports to avoid controversy,” he said. “But it’s unavoidable at this moment in time in our country. I wish there was an easier path for us to follow right now. Even if there were, I don’t think it would necessarily be the responsible thing to do.”
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When Silver mentions “critics,” he’s referring to people like Donald Trump, who make it their mission in life to bitch and moan every time Black people have the audacity to demand equitable treatment. But a recent survey conducted by ESPN found that Trump is more of an outlier than the norm.
From ESPN:
More than seven of 10 sports fans support teams and athletes speaking out on issues of social justice and racial equality, according to an online survey of 837 sports fans conducted for ESPN. Of the 71% of fans who supported athletes speaking out, 44% strongly supported it. Nearly half of the fans surveyed said they are more likely to support teams and athletes who speak out than they were last year, while 20% say they are less likely to (33% were unchanged).
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Where things get interesting is that there’s a clear divide on where fans believe these issues should be addressed. 51 percent support players expressing their views during sporting events, while 49 percent would prefer they do so off the court/field.
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There’s also this gem:
When broken down by race, 76% of Black fans thought athletes should be speaking out while games are being played; 61% of Hispanic fans and 46% of white fans thought the same.
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When asked how long they’d like to see athletes speak out on these issues, 45 percent of Major League Baseball fans said for the duration of the season, while 51 percent of NBA fans said the same. On the flip side, 34 percent of MLB fans would prefer that players not address social justice at all, while 25 percent of NBA fans said the same.
Here’s how fans felt in regards to kneeling during the national anthem:
56 percent support it, 44 percent oppose it.
White fans were split 50-50, but 84 percent of Black fans support doing it while 67 percent of Latinx fans agreed.
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Fans were also asked whether they believe that exiled quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who hasn’t played since 2016, deserves an apology from the NFL. 54 percent of fans said the league should “definitely or probably” apologize to him, while 34 percent disagreed. In what should come as a surprise to no one, 85 percent of Black fans believe that the athlete-turned-activist deserves an apology, while only 49 percent of white fans feel the same way. Additionally, 37 percent of fans said that they view the 32-year-old more positively in recent months.
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Fans also shared their thoughts on NASCAR’s Confederate flag ban (64 percent of fans support it), the NFL’s plan to display social justice messaging during each home opener (63 percent support) and the NBA’s decision to print “Black Lives Matter” on the court as part of the league’s restart (55 percent support).
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I don’t find any of these results particularly surprising, but if anything, they just reinforce the need for our so-called “allies” to do the work.


theroot--2020-08-14--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Children's Stories

Once upon a time , not long ago When you didn ’ t have to wear a mask to the grocery store Before an orange Klansman became president Caucasians were behaving like they had some sense .
There were some white people who were misled to believe we gave a fuck when they just said : “ I don ’ t understand why you ’ re so mad Because we sold your ancestors and hate your ass.
” Even when George Floyd told them he couldn ’ t breathe , they kept kneeling on his neck .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill another and another and a sister and a brother .
Even shot Breonna as she slept , under the covers .
But when we call for justice , they start acting erratic They sent soldiers to Portland and just started kidnapping .
Even when they charged the cops and say “ why ’ d you kill him ?
” We know the prosecutors are gon na still acquit ‘ em .
Even if we peacefully protest the cops They ’ ll still call us “ rioters ” every time we march .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ d start to figure : “ Why be nonviolent in a violent system ?
” But the corrupt Attorney General William H. Barr looked at the footage and guess what he saw ?
Angry negroes !
So he called Fox News who don ’ t know the meaning of the justice or truth .
They said : “ Law and Order !
Hurry up , Trump !
” Donald was hiding in the basement like a goddamned punk .
Then he cold dashed to a church down the block and held a Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This made Evangelicals happy Because white Jesus doesn ’ t believe that Black Lives Matter .
Deep in their hearts , they know they are wrong so they write us letters saying we should “ move on.
” They claim they don ’ t have a racist bone in their bodies while living in a country that racism founded .
Anyone with good sense knows they ’ re lying So this is the way I begin each Friday answering their emails , DMs and tweets .
Even the comment section can get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funny , so you can just laugh When I roast their ass in the Clapback Mailbag This lede might be too much but all I ’ m just sayin ’ : Arrest the motherfuckers who killed Breonna Taylor First , I ’ d like to clear some things up about the Root : Writer ’ s note : Cannon Hinnant is a 5-year-old boy who was shot by a Black man .
First , I ’ d like to clear up James ’ stupid argument about the words “ transphobia ” or “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the definition of a “ phobia ” is correct , you ’ re only talking about the full word .
However , when I was about 8 years old , I learned that a suffix not only changes the meaning of the derivative word , but a word can actually change the meaning of a suffix .
For example , a bibliophile likes books .
Cinephiles love movies .
But audiophiles don ’ t just like audio—they like high-quality sound recordings .
See , the derivative word changed the meaning of the suffix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logic , kindergarten teachers , pediatricians or anyone who is fond of children should simply be called a “ pedophile , ” right ?
Anyway , I just wanted to clear that up .
The Root has often been accused of perpetuating a “ narrative ” or having “ an agenda , ” which is absolutely true .
While the individual importance of the agendas vary ( Jezebel has a feminist agenda , Earther ’ s agenda is the environment and Deadspin ’ s agenda is sticking to ... you know what ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we signed our employment papers to work at G/O Media , we agreed to push this agenda on the public .
I may get in trouble for this , but I ’ m going to share the official ranking of The Root ’ s agenda .
10 .
Pro-Oprah agenda : I can ’ t talk about this one because it ’ s supposed to be hidden .
I ’ ll just share this : I wonder how he found out ?
Someone must be leaking info .
9 .
Anti-Kardashian : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one out .
I don ’ t know why we won ’ t give Kim ‘ nem good coverage when there ’ s a story about them using their unmistakable talent to create culturally significant art .
One time , during an editorial meeting , I asked if we could start a push to nominate Kim K. for a Nobel Peace Prize and everyone just laughed .
I think this is Monique Judge ’ s fault .
8 .
Anti-cop agenda : This has nothing to do with the disproportionate number of Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no attention to the fact that white people are more likely to use drugs while Black people are more likely to be arrested for them .
We don ’ t care about the mass incarceration statistics , the police rapes , the unequal bail fees or the brutal videos of cops beating people .
We even reject the positive stories about good police officers who stand up against their fellow cops to fight injustice .
I ’ ll confirm that as soon as I find one of those “ good cop ” stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The majority of our staff are women so they be making us treat them like equals and shit .
6 .
The Democratic narrative : We actually had to train for this agenda during a three-day retreat on the Democratic plantation .
I ’ d recommend it , but it ’ s hard to get an invite .
Apparently 84 percent of Black people , 63 percent of Hispanics , 65 percent of Asian Americans , 66 percent of Muslims , 69 percent of Buddhists , and 61 percent of Hindus are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t see any white people there .
5 .
The anti-white narrative : This is the easiest of all the agendas .
All we have to do is say the words “ white people ” and we ’ ve fulfilled our anti-white quota .
4 .
The trans agenda : Every time we write about a Black trans woman being killed , we are apparently pushing the trans agenda on people .
In my opinion , it seems like this “ narrative ” would stop people from killing trans women .
Plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then aren ’ t Black trans women and men included ?
Now , I actually agree that you don ’ t have to “ accept their lifestyle , ” because no trans person I ’ ve ever met ever expressed a desire to be “ accepted ” into the ideology of the imbecilic clubhouses that causes people to make this stupid , exclusionary argument .
Apparently , I don ’ t understand this agenda shit at all .
3 .
The gay agenda : Studies show that reading about homosexuals doing shit like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beings can actually change a person ’ s sexual preference .
Personally , I don ’ t subscribe to this ideology because , if it were true , wouldn ’ t reading the 99.9 percent of news articles about straight people eradicate homosexuality from the face of the earth ?
But every time I ask this question , Umar Johnson just ignores my emails .
2 .
The anti-straight Black male agenda : Everyone knows we hate Black men , which is why 58 percent of our articles this past month has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have been positive ( yep , I counted ) .
It ’ s also why we had a site called Very Smart Brothas a whole year before we started our women ’ s vertical , The Glow Up .
Even our Facebook followers note our disdain for black men : This has really caused damage to our gay agenda .
1 .
Black supremacy : This is our No .
1 agenda .
We are supposed to use reverse racism and make everyone hate white people , white males especially .
None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
White people are still doing pretty well ; there is still Democratic infighting we haven ’ t received a single confirmed gay-to-straight conversion in months .
But when I ask my boss about the failures of our agenda , she keeps repeating the same line : This next ( admittedly long ) response is for people who took issue with our tweet saying Donald Trump is a racist .
First , let me once again explain the difference between racism and white supremacy .
The explanation is in the article and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You know what ?
I ’ m gon na just cut and paste it here so ... Oh , wait .
Well , that was easy .
Never mind .
Finally , here ’ s a few responses about The Root ’ s “ pro-pussy ” agenda .
Also , you should know that this first email is from a totally different Pete .
When I was 11 , I started an interstate crime ring .
Back in the day , when record companies would advertise their products in magazines , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cents and I would never pay them back !
I did it with multiple record companies and even had the cassettes sent to my aunts and cousins ’ house to throw the postal investigators off the scent .
I had every comedy album Richard Pryor ever made .
I had Flip Wilson ’ s whole catalog and all of Redd Foxx ’ s tapes .
I had Prince ’ s sexually explicit music , Michael Jackson ’ s gyration-inducing hits and all of the nasty heathen songs that you could ever dream of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was forced to do this because my mom wouldn ’ t let me listen to that heathen music because she , like you , knew the e f fect it would have on me and my chances of getting into God ’ s kingdom .
But that was only the beginning of my evil lawlessness .
I eventually talked my grandmother into buying me a Walkman by convincing her that I could use them to listen to the sermons that she recorded at church .
( Yes , my grandmother recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She would play her recorded sermons on our floor model hi-fi stereo as the sounds of Jesus wafted through the entire house .
She was so happy that I was now a preacherphile ( see what I did there ? )
that she even allowed me to listen to my walkman in church because the only thing better than the Holy Ghost was more Holy Ghost .
Well , one day , I walked into the house and she was sitting in her yellow rocking chair that we called her “ throne ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lap .
“ Mikey , what is this ?
” she asked as she took one of my tapes , inserted it into the tape player on the floor model television and pressed the “ play ” button .
Y ’ all ...
I don ’ t know if she cued up the tape for dramatic effect or if this was the handiwork of the good Lord himself but I remember the exact Richard Pryor line that blared out of those speakers : “ She said : ‘ Freeze !
First thing I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pussy at.
’ ” Aside from when Reva Shayne was killed for the fifth time on The Guiding Light , I have never seen my grandmother so hurt and angry at the same time .
And she sat there , in all her disappointment , staring at me as Richard Pryor continued to describe his nymphomaniac monkey breaking its virginity and asked me if this was what I had been listening to in church .
She knew I would tell her the truth because she knew I had been raised right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than anything in this world and I knew she was a child of God .
I paused for a second , knowing that the mighty God we served had already known my transgressions and no sin goes unpunished .
As a pure servant of God , my grandmother could snuff out a lie better than any lie detector .
So I thought about my answer before I opened my mouth .
“ Nah , grandma , ” I said with a straight face .
“ I was listening to Bishop preach.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my lie .
“ Just don ’ t listen to that music in church.
” That ’ s the end of the story .
Unlike Pryor , I never set myself on fire or freebased cocaine .
I didn ’ t dress in women ’ s clothes like Flip Wilson nor did I ever meet a girl named Nikki in a hotel lobby masturbating to a magazine .
I never said “ fuck ” in front of her , nor did I ever tell a girl “ don ’ t stop ‘ til @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biggie , I never had suicidal thoughts or rob a player for the Utah Jazz , nor did I request to prove my nastiness to my girlfriend in an attempt to call her “ Miss Jackson.
” And somehow , Jesus never punished me for listening to “ Darling Nikki ” during the altar call .
Even though I let all of those artists play directly into my ears , my real life was as uninfluenced by that music as I was by the repeated pleas from my choir to “ get right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was able to resist temptation and separate song lyrics from reality because the actual human beings around me probably had influenced my decision-making more than the lessons gleaned in three-and-a-half minutes of music .
But now I know the truth : Apparently , I had never heard about wet ass pussy .

Once upon a time, not long ago
When you didn’t have to wear a mask to the grocery store
Before an orange Klansman became president
Caucasians were behaving like they had some sense.
There were some white people who were misled
to believe we gave a fuck when they just said:
“I don’t understand why you’re so mad
Because we sold your ancestors and hate your ass.”
Even when George Floyd told them he couldn’t breathe,
they kept kneeling on his neck. It’s like they have a disease.
They kill another and another and a sister and a brother.
Even shot Breonna as she slept, under the covers.
But when we call for justice, they start acting erratic
They sent soldiers to Portland and just started kidnapping.
Even when they charged the cops and say “why’d you kill him?”
We know the prosecutors are gonna still acquit ‘em.
Even if we peacefully protest the cops
They’ll still call us “rioters” every time we march.
Watching all of this, you’d start to figure:
“Why be nonviolent in a violent system?”
But the corrupt Attorney General William H. Barr
looked at the footage and guess what he saw?
Angry negroes! So he called Fox News
who don’t know the meaning of the justice or truth.
They said: “Law and Order! Hurry up, Trump!”
Donald was hiding in the basement like a goddamned punk.
Then he cold dashed to a church down the block
and held a Bible in the air for a photo op.
This made Evangelicals happy
Because white Jesus doesn’t believe that Black Lives Matter.
Deep in their hearts, they know they are wrong
so they write us letters saying we should “move on.”
They claim they don’t have a racist bone in their bodies
while living in a country that racism founded.
Anyone with good sense knows they’re lying
So this is the way I begin each Friday
answering their emails, DMs and tweets.
Even the comment section can get this heat.
Sometimes it’s funny, so you can just laugh
When I roast their ass in the Clapback Mailbag
This lede might be too much but all I’m just sayin’:
Arrest the motherfuckers who killed Breonna Taylor Good night.
First, I’d like to clear some things up about the Root:
To: The Root
From: Pistol Pete Are y’all going to run a story about Cannon Hinnant or does that not fit your narrative?
Writer’s note: Cannon Hinnant is a 5-year-old boy who was shot by a Black man.
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From: James
To: Michael Harriot
Subject: Homophobia I am a big fan of your work but I notice that you and The roots seem to have an agenda to promote gays and trannies as acceptable lifestyle. This is not a part of the black lives matter movement and lumping it all together does not work. I am not homophobic because a phobia is a fear. I am not afraid of gay people but as a true Israelite I cannot condone the lifestyle. Do you think those gay white people care about us? We need to focus on our people amd stop pushing this liberal agenda.
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Dear homophobes, racists and trolls,
First, I’d like to clear up James’ stupid argument about the words “transphobia” or “homophobia.” Even though your parsing of the definition of a “phobia” is correct, you’re only talking about the full word.
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However, when I was about 8 years old, I learned that a suffix not only changes the meaning of the derivative word, but a word can actually change the meaning of a suffix. For example, a bibliophile likes books. Cinephiles love movies. But audiophiles don’t just like audio—they like high-quality sound recordings. See, the derivative word changed the meaning of the suffix. But, according to James’ logic, kindergarten teachers, pediatricians or anyone who is fond of children should simply be called a “pedophile,” right?
Also, there’s this:
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Anyway, I just wanted to clear that up.
The Root has often been accused of perpetuating a “narrative” or having “an agenda,” which is absolutely true.
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While the individual importance of the agendas vary (Jezebel has a feminist agenda, Earther’s agenda is the environment and Deadspin’s agenda is sticking to...you know what? Let’s move on), when we signed our employment papers to work at G/O Media, we agreed to push this agenda on the public. I may get in trouble for this, but I’m going to share the official ranking of The Root’s agenda.
10. Pro-Oprah agenda: I can’t talk about this one because it’s supposed to be hidden. I’ll just share this:
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I wonder how he found out?
Someone must be leaking info.
9. Anti-Kardashian: I still can’t figure this one out.
I don’t know why we won’t give Kim ‘nem good coverage when there’s a story about them using their unmistakable talent to create culturally significant art. One time, during an editorial meeting, I asked if we could start a push to nominate Kim K. for a Nobel Peace Prize and everyone just laughed.
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I think this is Monique Judge’s fault.
She’s a hater.
8. Anti-cop agenda: This has nothing to do with the disproportionate number of Black people killed by police. We pay no attention to the fact that white people are more likely to use drugs while Black people are more likely to be arrested for them. We don’t care about the mass incarceration statistics, the police rapes, the unequal bail fees or the brutal videos of cops beating people. We even reject the positive stories about good police officers who stand up against their fellow cops to fight injustice.
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I think that’s our policy.
I’ll confirm that as soon as I find one of those “good cop” stories.
7. The feminist agenda: The majority of our staff are women so they be making us treat them like equals and shit.
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6. The Democratic narrative: We actually had to train for this agenda during a three-day retreat on the Democratic plantation. I’d recommend it, but it’s hard to get an invite. Apparently 84 percent of Black people, 63 percent of Hispanics, 65 percent of Asian Americans, 66 percent of Muslims, 69 percent of Buddhists, and 61 percent of Hindus are all on the Democratic plantation.
I didn’t see any white people there.
5. The anti-white narrative: This is the easiest of all the agendas. All we have to do is say the words “white people” and we’ve fulfilled our anti-white quota.
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4. The trans agenda: Every time we write about a Black trans woman being killed, we are apparently pushing the trans agenda on people. In my opinion, it seems like this “narrative” would stop people from killing trans women. Plus, if Black Lives actually matter, then aren’t Black trans women and men included?
Now, I actually agree that you don’t have to “accept their lifestyle,” because no trans person I’ve ever met ever expressed a desire to be “accepted” into the ideology of the imbecilic clubhouses that causes people to make this stupid, exclusionary argument.
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Apparently, I don’t understand this agenda shit at all.
3. The gay agenda: Studies show that reading about homosexuals doing shit like eating, breathing and being actual human beings can actually change a person’s sexual preference. Personally, I don’t subscribe to this ideology because, if it were true, wouldn’t reading the 99.9 percent of news articles about straight people eradicate homosexuality from the face of the earth? But every time I ask this question, Umar Johnson just ignores my emails.
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2. The anti-straight Black male agenda: Everyone knows we hate Black men, which is why 58 percent of our articles this past month has been about Black men, 82 percent of which have been positive (yep, I counted). It’s also why we had a site called Very Smart Brothas a whole year before we started our women’s vertical, The Glow Up. Even our Facebook followers note our disdain for black men:
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This has really caused damage to our gay agenda.
1. Black supremacy: This is our No. 1 agenda. We are supposed to use reverse racism and make everyone hate white people, white males especially.
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None of our agendas seem to work very well. White people are still doing pretty well; there is still Democratic infighting we haven’t received a single confirmed gay-to-straight conversion in months.
But when I ask my boss about the failures of our agenda, she keeps repeating the same line:
“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” — Fannie Lou Hamer.
This next (admittedly long) response is for people who took issue with our tweet saying Donald Trump is a racist.
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Dear Twitterers,
First, let me once again explain the difference between racism and white supremacy. The explanation is in the article and I have written about it many times.
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You know what? I’m gonna just cut and paste it here so...Oh, wait.
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Well, that was easy.
Never mind.
Finally, here’s a few responses about The Root’s “pro-pussy” agenda. Also, you should know that this first email is from a totally different Pete.
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From: Pete
To: Michael Harriot If you wonder why your culture lags behind, its because you value tripe like this instead of famil values. Blame the erosion of Christian values instead of raycism and you might not be a victim all youre life.
From: Sarah
To: Michael Harriot Have you ever thought about what we’re teaching your children? Would you want your daughter to this filth?
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Dear Pete and Sarah,
When I was 11, I started an interstate crime ring.
Back in the day, when record companies would advertise their products in magazines, I would order six cassette tapes for 99 cents and I would never pay them back! I did it with multiple record companies and even had the cassettes sent to my aunts and cousins’ house to throw the postal investigators off the scent.
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I had every comedy album Richard Pryor ever made. I had Flip Wilson’s whole catalog and all of Redd Foxx’s tapes. I had Prince’s sexually explicit music, Michael Jackson’s gyration-inducing hits and all of the nasty heathen songs that you could ever dream of. While this is technically mail fraud, I was forced to do this because my mom wouldn’t let me listen to that heathen music because she, like you, knew the e f fect it would have on me and my chances of getting into God’s kingdom.
But that was only the beginning of my evil lawlessness. I eventually talked my grandmother into buying me a Walkman by convincing her that I could use them to listen to the sermons that she recorded at church. (Yes, my grandmother recorded all of our church services.) She would play her recorded sermons on our floor model hi-fi stereo as the sounds of Jesus wafted through the entire house. She was so happy that I was now a preacherphile (see what I did there?) that she even allowed me to listen to my walkman in church because the only thing better than the Holy Ghost was more Holy Ghost.
Advertisement
Well, one day, I walked into the house and she was sitting in her yellow rocking chair that we called her “throne” with all of my tapes in her lap.
“Mikey, what is this?” she asked as she took one of my tapes, inserted it into the tape player on the floor model television and pressed the “play” button.
Advertisement
Y’all...I don’t know if she cued up the tape for dramatic effect or if this was the handiwork of the good Lord himself but I remember the exact Richard Pryor line that blared out of those speakers:
“She said: ‘Freeze! First thing I gotta do is show you where the pussy at.’”
Aside from when Reva Shayne was killed for the fifth time on The Guiding Light, I have never seen my grandmother so hurt and angry at the same time. And she sat there, in all her disappointment, staring at me as Richard Pryor continued to describe his nymphomaniac monkey breaking its virginity and asked me if this was what I had been listening to in church. She knew I would tell her the truth because she knew I had been raised right. She also knew that I loved her more than anything in this world and I knew she was a child of God.
Advertisement
I paused for a second, knowing that the mighty God we served had already known my transgressions and no sin goes unpunished. As a pure servant of God, my grandmother could snuff out a lie better than any lie detector. So I thought about my answer before I opened my mouth.
“Nah, grandma,” I said with a straight face. “I was listening to Bishop preach.”
“Ok,” she responded to my lie. “Just don’t listen to that music in church.”
That’s the end of the story.
Unlike Pryor, I never set myself on fire or freebased cocaine. I didn’t dress in women’s clothes like Flip Wilson nor did I ever meet a girl named Nikki in a hotel lobby masturbating to a magazine. I never said “fuck” in front of her, nor did I ever tell a girl “don’t stop ‘ til you get enough.” After listening to Biggie, I never had suicidal thoughts or rob a player for the Utah Jazz, nor did I request to prove my nastiness to my girlfriend in an attempt to call her “Miss Jackson.”
Advertisement
And somehow, Jesus never punished me for listening to “Darling Nikki” during the altar call.
Even though I let all of those artists play directly into my ears, my real life was as uninfluenced by that music as I was by the repeated pleas from my choir to “get right with God.” I have always assumed I was able to resist temptation and separate song lyrics from reality because the actual human beings around me probably had influenced my decision-making more than the lessons gleaned in three-and-a-half minutes of music.
Advertisement
But now I know the truth:
Apparently, I had never heard about wet ass pussy.


theroot--2020-08-14--From 'WAP' to 'DAP' and Beyond: Michelle Obama's Latest Podcast Talks Women's Health, Aging and Meno

From 'WAP' to 'DAP' and Beyond: Michelle Obama's Latest Podcast Talks Women's Health, Aging and Menopause

It ’ s not an understatement to say we ’ re currently living in the age of “ WAP , ” an unadulterated ( and very adult ) celebration of the sexual agency and well-lubricated pleasure of women .
To be clear , though these are issues pertinent to all women , the discussion—and attendant debate—have primarily defaulted to young , cis women , as the creators of this new feminist anthem are twentysomethings Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion .
We love to see it ( and feel it , tbh ) ; but if you ’ re lucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past your 20s and 30s , you know the game changes over time .
That ’ s why we ’ re so thrilled that your favorite auntie ( and our big sister in our heads ) Michelle Obama had a very timely and frank discussion about women ’ s health and aging on the most recent episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast on Spotify , produced in conjunction with the Obamas ’ Higher Ground Productions .
This week ’ s guest ?
Mrs. Obama ’ s longtime friend , Washington D.C.-based OBGYN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first lady , Dr. Malone is a dynamic powerhouse in her field and also a mother who also happens to have shared her life with a powerful man in American government : former Attorney General Eric Holder .
And Mrs. Obama urges women to share this candid conversation on women ’ s health , titled “ What Your Mother Never Told You About Health with Dr. Sharon Malone , ” with the men in their lives , as well , so that they might better understand what experiencing life in a female body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you think , could deal with the severest form of cramps ?
” Mrs. Obama asked ( while I winced , triggered by the mere suggestion .
“ Which literally feels like a knife being stabbed and turned , and then released .
And then turned !
And then released .
And you got to do that , and you got to get up and keep going [ snaps ] .
It ’ s like , go to work , go to school , go play on the basketball court .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now is doing it through all those circumstances .
And I don ’ t know any men who could possibly conceive of what that feels like.
” Word—and on that note , shout out to the WNBA for standing up for Black lives no matter what time of the month it is .
“ We got a whole channel dedicated to men throwing a ball in a hoop , and I love sports , I love watching men play sports .
I get it .
But there should be like , some , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some , Did you see what she did , did you see that little woman push a 10-pound baby out , let ’ s give here a—where ’ s her ESPY ?
—or there should be an award ceremony !
” Mrs. Obama later quipped .
“ When you think of all that a woman ’ s body has to do over the course of her lifetime , going from being prepared to give birth to actually giving birth , and then having that whole reproductive system shut down in menopause , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lows , and the hormonal shifts , there is power in that , ” she also explains .
“ But we were taught to be ashamed of it and to not even seek to understand it or explore it for our own edification , let alone to help the next generation.
” As Mrs. Obama explains , she was the beneficiary of honest conversations about her body with mom Marion Robinson , who was “ ahead of the game ” in her adolescence .
Accordingly , she sought to have a similar openness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I always wanted my daughters to feel comfortable with their bodies , comfortable asking questions ... and in order to do that , you can ’ t have anything that ’ s off-limits.
” “ Sexuality ties to other things around health—mammograms , Pap smears , all of that , ” she later adds .
“ So our comfort level with our sexual health is directly tied to our , in my view , our physical overall wellbeing .
And I don ’ t want my daughters to think that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is wrong ... if we shut that down , what does that do to them later on in life ?
” Later in life , things change—especially as women approach “ the change ” that is menopause .
Dr. Malone , who has been practicing for nearly 30 years , in addition to now being in her 60s , is more than an expert on the subject , which she calls “ puberty in reverse.
” As a woman now in my mid-40s , my ears admittedly perked up during the discussion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage of life , as the body prepares for menopause ( when the period ceases over a year , at which point a woman is post-menopausal ) .
Dr. Malone explained that the range of symptoms is broad and includes not only the fabled “ hot flashes ” but period irregularities , irritability and insomnia—and vaginal dryness and painful sex , which I ’ m preemptively calling “ DAP , ” or dry-ass ... well , you know the song by now .
It ’ s a lot—not to mention the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationships and quality of life , as it can exacerbate—or even create—symptoms of anxiety and depression .
Yay .
Dr. Malone and Mrs. Obama openly discuss the use of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) in mitigating their own symptoms—all of which sound daunting .
While both agree it ’ s not a universal fix , it does help prevent osteoporosis .
But as Dr. Malone reminds us , the good news about menopause is “ even though getting there is complicated , it may be the first time in a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not tied down by the other things that are part of daily life.
” Those “ other things ” include not only dealing with our periods but frequently , childrearing and trying to be everything to everyone—though as Mrs. Obama admits , there are still a few ... hiccups in the aging process .
“ Women of a certain age , we , we lose our value in society , ” she says .
“ Unlike men , who gain value the older they get .
... Women are rewarded for not looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , ‘ Oh , she snapped back , she doesn ’ t even look like she ever had a baby ’ ... so that ’ s essentially saying , ‘ She doesn ’ t look like she ’ s maturing.
’ ” Dr. Malone agrees , chiming in which what can only be described as a word on how women are judged by their weight—which she also says doesn ’ t automatically correspond to health , preferring to prioritize function over form .
“ Women ’ s value goes up with how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , ” she says with more than a little trace of irony in her voice .
But still , she is encouraging “ Don ’ t think of it as the end of the things ; it ’ s the beginning of things ... as I like to call it , we ’ re entering our third trimester—of life.
” Our forever first lady certainly seems to be embracing her third trimester—and is clearly living her best life outside of the White House .
“ I have changed and tried to adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she says .
“ I ’ ve accommodated my husband , I ’ ve accommodated society , I ’ ve accommodated my children—now , I ’ m done .
Whew !
” The latest episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast is available now , and you can listen to it here—or you can listen to highlights here .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

It’s not an understatement to say we’re currently living in the age of “WAP,” an unadulterated (and very adult) celebration of the sexual agency and well-lubricated pleasure of women. To be clear, though these are issues pertinent to all women, the discussion—and attendant debate—have primarily defaulted to young, cis women, as the creators of this new feminist anthem are twentysomethings Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
We love to see it (and feel it, tbh); but if you’re lucky enough to live and remain sexually active past your 20s and 30s, you know the game changes over time. That’s why we’re so thrilled that your favorite auntie (and our big sister in our heads) Michelle Obama had a very timely and frank discussion about women’s health and aging on the most recent episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast on Spotify, produced in conjunction with the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions.
Advertisement
This week’s guest? Mrs. Obama’s longtime friend, Washington D.C.-based OBGYN, Dr. Sharon Malone. Like the forever first lady, Dr. Malone is a dynamic powerhouse in her field and also a mother who also happens to have shared her life with a powerful man in American government: former Attorney General Eric Holder.
And Mrs. Obama urges women to share this candid conversation on women’s health, titled “What Your Mother Never Told You About Health with Dr. Sharon Malone,” with the men in their lives, as well, so that they might better understand what experiencing life in a female body entails.
Advertisement Advertisement
“How many men, do you think, could deal with the severest form of cramps?” Mrs. Obama asked (while I winced, triggered by the mere suggestion. “Which literally feels like a knife being stabbed and turned, and then released. And then turned! And then released. And you got to do that, and you got to get up and keep going [snaps]. It’s like, go to work, go to school, go play on the basketball court. Every woman who’s playing a sport now is doing it through all those circumstances. And I don’t know any men who could possibly conceive of what that feels like.”
Word—and on that note, shout out to the WNBA for standing up for Black lives no matter what time of the month it is.
Advertisement
“We got a whole channel dedicated to men throwing a ball in a hoop, and I love sports, I love watching men play sports. I get it. But there should be like, some, birthing channels, [laughs] just some, Did you see what she did, did you see that little woman push a 10-pound baby out, let’s give here a—where’s her ESPY?—or there should be an award ceremony!” Mrs. Obama later quipped.
“When you think of all that a woman’s body has to do over the course of her lifetime, going from being prepared to give birth to actually giving birth, and then having that whole reproductive system shut down in menopause, right? The changes, the highs and lows, and the hormonal shifts, there is power in that,” she also explains. “But we were taught to be ashamed of it and to not even seek to understand it or explore it for our own edification, let alone to help the next generation.”
Advertisement
As Mrs. Obama explains, she was the beneficiary of honest conversations about her body with mom Marion Robinson, who was “ahead of the game” in her adolescence. Accordingly, she sought to have a similar openness with daughters Malia and Sasha, saying: “I always wanted my daughters to feel comfortable with their bodies, comfortable asking questions...and in order to do that, you can’t have anything that’s off-limits.”
“Sexuality ties to other things around health—mammograms, Pap smears, all of that,” she later adds. “So our comfort level with our sexual health is directly tied to our, in my view, our physical overall wellbeing. And I don’t want my daughters to think that they can’t ask questions when something is wrong...if we shut that down, what does that do to them later on in life?”
Advertisement
Later in life, things change—especially as women approach “the change” that is menopause. Dr. Malone, who has been practicing for nearly 30 years, in addition to now being in her 60s, is more than an expert on the subject, which she calls “puberty in reverse.” As a woman now in my mid-40s, my ears admittedly perked up during the discussion of perimenopause, which typically occurs during this stage of life, as the body prepares for menopause (when the period ceases over a year, at which point a woman is post-menopausal). Dr. Malone explained that the range of symptoms is broad and includes not only the fabled “hot flashes” but period irregularities, irritability and insomnia—and vaginal dryness and painful sex, which I’m preemptively calling “DAP,” or dry-ass...well, you know the song by now.
It’s a lot—not to mention the fact that the extra hormonal imbalance can affect your relationships and quality of life, as it can exacerbate—or even create—symptoms of anxiety and depression. Yay.
Advertisement
Dr. Malone and Mrs. Obama openly discuss the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in mitigating their own symptoms—all of which sound daunting. While both agree it’s not a universal fix, it does help prevent osteoporosis. But as Dr. Malone reminds us, the good news about menopause is “even though getting there is complicated, it may be the first time in a lot of women’s life that you are not tied down by the other things that are part of daily life.”
Those “other things” include not only dealing with our periods but frequently, childrearing and trying to be everything to everyone—though as Mrs. Obama admits, there are still a few...hiccups in the aging process.
Advertisement
“Women of a certain age, we, we lose our value in society,” she says. “Unlike men, who gain value the older they get. ... Women are rewarded for not looking their age, you know—it’s like, ‘Oh, she snapped back, she doesn’t even look like she ever had a baby’ ...so that’s essentially saying, ‘She doesn’t look like she’s maturing.’”
Dr. Malone agrees, chiming in which what can only be described as a word on how women are judged by their weight—which she also says doesn’t automatically correspond to health, preferring to prioritize function over form.
Advertisement
“Women’s value goes up with how little space you take up, you know,” she says with more than a little trace of irony in her voice. But still, she is encouraging. “Don’t think of it as the end of the things; it’s the beginning of things,” she says, “ as I like to call it, we’re entering our third trimester—of life.”
Our forever first lady certainly seems to be embracing her third trimester—and is clearly living her best life outside of the White House.
Advertisement
“I have changed and tried to adapt, and I’ve been accommodating,” she says. “I’ve accommodated my husband, I’ve accommodated society, I’ve accommodated my children—now, I’m done. Whew!”
The latest episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast is available now, and you can listen to it here—or you can listen to highlights here.
Advertisement
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!