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Ex-N.W.A Manager Jerry Heller Dead at 75
Jerry Heller, co-founder of the seminal rap label Ruthless Records and former manager of rap group N.W.A, has died at 75. TMZ reports that Heller died after suffering a medical emergency while driving in Ventura County on Friday morning. He allegedly slammed into a minivan and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. It’s…
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Aaliyah’s One in a Million and the Power Players Behind the Music: Where Are They Now?
The year 1996 was arguably the hottest in the ’90s for black popular culture. Tupac released his classic album All Eyez on Me, and just months later, he was gunned down in Las Vegas. Jay Z dropped Reasonable Doubt, launching a career that would see him rise from a street hustler to “a business, man.”…
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#MelaninOnFleek: Afropunk 2016
Afropunk is where melanin and metal music collide. The two-day festival of blackness that is Afropunk took place Saturday and Sunday at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. In its 11th year, the event continues to create a space for left-of-center musicians and their fans to, well, just be. This year’s acts included CeeLo Green, George Clinton, Ice…
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Aisha Hinds Cast as Harriet Tubman on Undergound
Before Harriet Tubman comes through on your favorite $20 back, the American icon, born Araminta Ross, will be featured in the highly anticipated second season of Underground, WGN America’s most watched original program ever, with 3 million total weekly viewers. The actress who will be playing Tubman, Aisha Hinds, is best-known for playing Fannie Lou Hamer in…
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NBC Reportedly Upset Over Al Roker’s ‘You Lied’ Rant
Apparently it is only white men who can express themselves passionately and not be knocked for it (see Bill Maher, Chris Matthews, John Madden). Today-show anchor Al Roker is reportedly in hot water with NBC brass over his exchange with co-host Billy Bush over admitted liar Ryan Lochte, a tête-à-tête that went viral in the days…
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Exclusive: Nate Parker's Former Classmates, Penn State Alumni Speak Out in Support
Four Penn State University alumni have come out in support of embattled actor Nate Parker and writer Jean McGianni Celestin, releasing a statement exclusively to The Root late Wednesday night. In the letter, Penn State alums LaKeisha Wolf, Assata Richards, Lurie Daniel Favors and Brian Favors all state their belief in the innocence of Parker…
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Donald Trump Spends All of a Minute ‘Helping’ La. Flood Victims
Duh! Or should we say Play-Doh!? Republican candidate Donald Trump may be making just that sound as he receives yet more criticism for his actions, even after shaking up his team of advisers. On Friday morning, the GOP presidential hopeful told ABC News that he and running mate Mike Pence would be hitting the road to Baton…
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At Last: Frank Ocean Releases Long-Awaited Album, Blonde
After fits and starts, rumors and innuendo, Frank Ocean finally released his sophomore album Saturday night. Five years after Channel Orange, Blonde was released via Apple Music and through pop-up shops in New York, London, Los Angeles and Chicago. The album is called Blonde on Apple Music but titled Blond on the physical album. There…
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Watch: Al Roker Takes No Tea for the Fever on Ryan Lochte—‘He Lied’
In a video shot heard around the world, Al Roker was not trying to hear any defense of Ryan Lochte, the Olympic swimmer who apparently made up a fantastical story of being robbed at gunpoint in Brazil, starting a series of events now dubbed #Lochtegate. Roker, who was sitting on a beach in Ipanema covering…
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Naming Black Excellence: The Root 100 List Release Reception
The Root 100 means black excellence. And earlier this week, The Root, in partnership with Infiniti along with sponsor Heineken, gave black excellence a name—several names, rather—at The Root 100 2016 List Release Reception on Martha’s Vineyard. The resplendent affair was hosted at Atria, with food curated by Chef Roblé Ali. Needless to say, attendees were in…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
