Talib Kweli - Get By (2002)

A classic.

MSNBC Makes Serious Gains Among Black Audiences

I remember a few years ago watching a news program with a college buddy of mine who was from Ethiopia. After a few moments, he remarked: "Warin, not to be offensive, but all of the news anchors I ever see on these programs are all white. Why is that?" Interesting question, indeed.


Now a few years later, it seems networks such as MSNBC are beginning to turn the tide. MSNBC just recently indicated that it has seen a 60% growth in its black audience viewership within the last year, making it the number one channel in that demographic. Rival CNN saw over a 20% increase in its black viewers. Why is this significant you may ask?

                                                  MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall

Where Art Thou Black Rom-Coms?

This article originally posted by Chevonne Harris of Aol's Huffington Post, explores her frustration with the lack of quality titles featuring African Americans in the romantic-comedy genre.

Her concerns are not a new one, nor are they unique to her. I've heard many people lament the lack of quality movies featuring people of color not only at the box office, but also in the search results of their Netflix account.

Ultimately, this comes down to a lack of representation for many people of color. Why should we "settle" for one to two mainstream 'black' romantic films per year? This still is a problem in Hollywood, although recent advances in technology -such as webisodes- are proving to be a viable alternative with each passing year. What are your thoughts?

Remembering Haiti 3 Years Later

3 Years ago today Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake that rocked the already struggling Caribbean nation. More than 220,000 people lost their lives that day and more than 1.5 million were displaced from their homes. This was a little video I did 2 years ago to mark the 1 year anniversary event.

Slavery Makes A Comeback in Recent Films

It is fitting that the Emancipation Proclamation turns 150-years-old this month, during a time in which slavery is receiving more media attention than at any time in the last 30 years.

Just in the last few weeks alone, "Django Unchained" was released, "Lincoln" hit theaters, and BET showed the mini-series "Roots" in the days leading up to Christmas.

The subject of slavery has historically been what I referred to as America's 'Black Box.' Everyone knows it's there, but few are willing to acknowledge its presence, and even fewer are willing to open the box and dig into its varied contents.

When "Roots" debuted in 1977, it was groundbreaking on so many levels. "Roots" tells the story of Alex Haley's family from first being kidnapped in Africa, to the trials and tribulations of slavery, and ultimately, freedom. Never before had the American public dealt with the depths of slavery told through the eyes of people of color on such a public platform before. "Roots" would go on to be one of the most watched television series in American history. BET was honoring the 35th anniversary of "Roots" and I was glad they showed it because many in my generation (those under 30) may not have had the opportunity to see it before.

Lupe Fiasco - Kick Push (2006)

In the 2 years following this video, I swear, I saw more people in my neighborhood on skateboards than I had ever seen before in my life. Props to Lupe for starting a trend.