black culture Archives - Rolling Out

How do we change the cultural perception that White America has of Black women? Yes, I’m rocking braids, cornrows or an Afro, but I’m still beautiful, intelligent and, above all, a woman of color. I’m also a reality TV junkie. I tuned into “The Bachelorette.” Ten agonizing minutes later, I admitted defeat and turned the…

Have White women profited from looking Black? The social media trolls were not happy about Ayesha Curry’s recent hair transformation from brunette to platinum blonde. While she added “temporarily” in the caption to her picture, the damage was already done. Comments ranged from nice ones praising the new look to nasty ones accusing her of…

Self-taught Nigerian artist Collins Obijakurefers to himself as a custodian of contemporary Black culture. He uses his art as a vehicle to explore the evolving consciousness and contexts of his own identity. Using charcoal, he brings his subjects to life on the canvas with contoured lines and fingerprint-like designs. In his latest series “Kings’ Collection;…

Daniels Family Reunion

For nearly 30 years, three words have been my answer to a number of queries received from the White People’s Delegation of America. “Why don’t you watch ‘Friends’ or HBO’s ‘Girls’?” “Because I’m Black.” “Why do you like Popeyes and not KFC?” “Because I’m Black.” “Why do you think O.J. Simpson is innocent?” “Because I’m…

Adrian Brandon is a Seattle-raised, Brooklyn-based visual artist who is using his creativity to capture attention, raise awareness and get people thinking. He is driven to make art that creates an understanding of Black culture, Black love and Black pain so that we can move forward together. Rolling out spoke with Brandon about his powerful…

In this week’s episode of “Duh!” singer Justin Bieber admitted that he has “benefited from Black culture” and therefore vows to fight to obliterate racism in America. Where some folks may look askance at Bieber for taking so long to acknowledge the obvious — compared to rap legend Eminem who admitted early on that he…

Normani wants to make “whatever she does Black.” The former Fifth Harmony singer is keen to promote her culture through her music and insisted that her “Motivation” music video had to be “as Black as possible.” Speaking to the new issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, she said: “I told the director, ‘I want this to be…

If you live in Atlanta, you’ve probably seen some of Fabian Williams’ socially conscious artwork throughout the city. His art includes various portraits of African Americans who have made major contributions to Black culture and race relations in America. It kind of makes you wonder about your contribution to the world, the legacy you’re leaving…

Popeyes caused a stir on social media after the company released its new fried chicken sandwich last week. The release caused a debate centered around which fast-food chain has the best chicken sandwich. However, the social media battles between the fast-food chains have centered around Black slang. For instance, in the midst of the…

The National Black Arts Festival provides educational programs in music, dance, film, visual arts, theater and literary arts locally, nationally and internationally for diverse audiences. Founded in 1987 by the Fulton County Arts Council, NBAF began as a one-week summer festival. Today, president and CEO Vikki Millender-Morrow, along with the board, council, partnerships and donors,…

The themes presented during Beyoncé’s Coachella performance were anchored by Black cultural moments that may have a puzzled some viewers. With her new Netflix documentary Homecoming, Beyoncé proved that great art can inspire all races and cultures. Here is a breakdown of Beyoncé’s Blackest moments at Coachella. HBCU culture HBCUs were mostly established in the post-Civil War…

Never one to back down from a fight, Dame Dash has always stood as an unapologetic figure in hip-hop, ready to battle in the name of that which he believes. So it came as no surprise when the topic of the Black community was broached — a topic that he has historically been outspoken about…

AfroPunk has been defining culture for over 13 years now. AfroPunk is all about pushing forward the boundaries of multiculturalism and diversity in music. Although the festival is about music, fashion plays a large part in the festival’s culture. Over the years, AfroPunk has become a runway for Black people to express their feelings freely through…

A few short days from now, thousands of Black folks eager to relax, relate and rejuvenate will flock to The Big Easy for the 2018 Essence Festival, the nation’s premier event dedicated to Black music, film, art, politics, food, fashion and empowerment taking place July 5-8 in New Orleans. Between now and then, Joy Profet,…

Described by the New York Times as “one of America’s more significant playwrights,” Carlyle Brown’s career in theater has been dedicated to provoking conversations about race in America, specifically examining the historical and current experiences of African Americans. From a career as a sailor captain to finding himself a home in theatrical arts, Brown is a multi-talented who…

Jay-Z’s 13th album, 4:44, has been the talk of the music world. The album has prompted questions regarding his relationship with Beyonce, explored the complicated narrative of his friendship with Kanye, and also inspired an overhaul of thought regarding Black excellence and ownership. Equal to the music are the visual components of 4:44. After releasing the woke-cartoon…

Thousands gathered for the 2017 Black History and Culture Showcase in Philadelphia April 15-16. The free event was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and featured over 30 exhibits, family activities, panel discussions and a performance by the Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble. Guest speakers and appearances included former MLB player Bill White; Philadelphia Daily…

President Barack Obama and the First Family, media outlets from across the nation and influences got a chance to preview the National African-American History and Culture museum in Washington, D.C. one week before the official opening. Rolling out was on hand to capture every moment. Check out 15 powerful images from the National African-American museum.

A culture war has been brewing for quite some time now between black and white America. The latest battle in this never-ending saga began on February 18, with the simple upload of a video to YouTube and Facebook. The post was made by Samantha Harvey, who at the time decided that her time was best spent…

Can we end colorism? A case for conclusions Through centuries of suffering under the discriminatory effects of colorism within the Diaspora, many Blacks wonder if a change in the ethnic group’s historical perspective on the beauty and acceptability of lighter skin and thus the disagreeable tone and unacceptable nature of darker skin is possible. And…