Stars React To O.J. Simpson’s Death, Billy Dee Williams Gets Cringey, R. Kelly’s Wife Spills More Tea and More

A collection of The Root’s best posts of the week in entertainment

Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography

R. Kellyโ€™s Ex-Wife Drea Kelly Reflects on Alleged Physical, Financial Abuseโ€”What Else Does She Know?

Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography Photo: Josh Burkholder Photography

R. Kellyโ€™s ex-wife Andrea โ€œDreaโ€ Kelly is speaking up and shedding light on her alleged physical and financially abusive marriage to the disgraced R&B singer. – Shanelle Genai Read More

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Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Tour Kicked Off With This Viral Moment

Celebrities React to O.J. Simpsonโ€™s Death, And Itโ€™s Not Pretty

Screenshot: Screenshot taken from X Screenshot: Screenshot taken from X

News of O.J. Simpsonโ€™s death after battling cancer sent shockwaves across the country, with many stars sharing their thoughts on his polarizing legacy. – Candace McDuffie Read More

Black Twitter Reacts to Sudden Death of O.J. Simpson and … They Ainโ€™t Sad

Photo: Wikicommons Photo: Wikicommons

I audibly said, โ€œWait, what?!โ€ when I looked down at my phone to see the notification.

โ€œO.J. Simpson dead at 76,โ€ a headline read.

Orenthal James Simpson was arguably Americaโ€™s most sensationalized human being. He was an NFL star for 11 seasons but his stardom was stained by his widely controversial trial on murder charges in connection to the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ron Goldman. – Kalyn Womack Read More

WTF?! Billy Dee Williams Is About to Piss Everyone Off With These Blackface Comments

Photo: Getty Images Ethan Miller/FilmMagic Photo: Getty Images Ethan Miller/FilmMagic

Billy Dee Williams, 87, has been giving outspoken interviews left and right since the release of his memoir, โ€œWhat Have We Here?: Portraits of A Life,โ€ in February. But his latest comments about the use of blackface in acting might get him into a whole lot of trouble with Black Hollywood. – Shanelle Genai Read More

K. Michelle Caught Debating Homosexuality and Religion on Social Media, And She Made a Big Point

Photo: Getty Images Jeff Hahne Photo: Getty Images Jeff Hahne

Singer K. Michelle wants people to know that while she considers herself a Christian, sheโ€™s not going along with people who use the Bible as an argument against homosexuality. – Angela Johnson Read More

A Judge Ruled on Jonathan Majorsโ€™ Fate, but Will Hollywood Allow Him to Return?

Photo: Getty Images Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan Photo: Getty Images Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan

On Monday, Jonathan Majors learned his legal fate with regard to the domestic dispute trial in which he was convicted of third degree reckless assault and harassment back in Dec. 2023. – Shanelle Genai Read More

Rihanna Just Gave the Best Interview, But Some Canโ€™t Get Past the Cover Photo

Screenshot: YouTube Screenshot: YouTube

Rihanna just gave fans the next best thing to new music โ€“ a revealing magazine interview and photoshoot. RiRi is the cover girl for the Spring 2024 issue of Interview magazine where she talks about everything from how she met her partner A$AP Rocky to what she keeps in her diaper bag. And while fans usually love to soak up every bit of the โ€œRude Boyโ€ singer they can, this time, some online have a lot to say about her look. – Angela Johnson Read More

People Are Not Feeling Jerrod Carmichaelโ€™s Sexual Slave โ€˜Jokesโ€™ With White Boyfriend

Photo: Getty Images Rich Polk Photo: Getty Images Rich Polk

Comedian Jerrod Carmichaelโ€™s new HBO show may be lauded for making folks necessarily uncomfortable, but there was nothing necessary about his latest quip about allegedly engaging in โ€œslave playโ€ with his white boyfriend. – Candace McDuffie Read More

Wendell Pierce Is Hyped About His New Show โ€˜Elsbethโ€™, Reminisces on His Iconic Roles

Pierce, who gained notoriety in โ€˜The Wireโ€™ and โ€˜Waiting to Exchaleโ€™, is starring in the new CBS drama whose titular character was spun-off from โ€˜The Good Wife.โ€™

โ€˜The Walking Deadโ€™ & Other Top TV Shows Released in 2024 You Should Be Watching

Slim pickings on new shows this week so weโ€™ve compiled the top 3 shows featuring some of our favorite Black characters and actors.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: Justin Combs, Charlie Liucci, Quincy Taylor Brown and King Combs leave the Sean Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial at Manhattan Federal Court on June 27, 2025 in New York City. Defense attorneys will begin their closing arguments today, โ€œfollowed by a prosecution rebuttal argumentโ€ after the prosecution and defense resting their cases earlier this week. โ€œThen, Judge Arun Subramanian will instruct jurors on the law before deliberations beginโ€. Some of the charges have been dropped and others have been downgraded, in an effort to streamline the case at the behest of Judge Arun Subramanian. Combs, 55, faces up to life in prison if convicted on charges, which include allegations of threats, arson, violence, and drug-fueled sex parties referred to as "freak offs." (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Diddyโ€™s Best Friend Charlie Liucci is Beingย Loudย About His Next Moves Will Be Following Acquittal

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