Talent Interviews

‘The Fire Inside’ Q&A With Ryan Destiny, Rachel Morrison, and Claressa Shields (HuffPost, 2024)

With ‘Mufasa,’ Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Bring Brotherhood To The Big Screen (HuffPost, 2024)

This Netflix Series Gives A Raw Look At What It Takes To Be A Rap Superstar (HuffPost, 2024)

How ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Used Jay-Z’s Catalog To Chronicle Season 2's High-Stakes Case (HuffPost, 2024)

Halle Berry Was Afraid To Star In ‘Never Let Go’ (HuffPost, 2024)

Aaron Pierre Can't Believe He Survived 'Rebel Ridge' (HuffPost, 2024)

Bel-Air’s Jazlyn Martin Reveals How an 'Identity Crisis' Helped Her Rediscover Her Musical Calling (People, 2024)

How RZA Translated His 'Hip-Hop Mind' into His First-Ever Classical Album: 'I'm Proud of the Journey' (People, 2024)

Laila! Turns Her 'Not My Problem' Mantra into an '80s 'Self-Help' Hotline in Her Latest Music Video (People, 2024)

Clipse Say Pharrell Was 'Pushing' to Produce Their Next Album for a 'Long Time': 'The Timing Was Right' (People, 2024)

Gordo on His 'Insane' Career, Reclaiming Black House Music and Recruiting Drake for His Debut Album (People, 2024)

Adrian Marcel's RNBAY SZN Isn't His 'Comeback' — It's His Bay Area 'Movement': 'We Want to Make a Stamp' (People, 2024)

Michaela Jaé on How Being a 'Techno Girl' and 'Huge Anime Fan' Inspired Her Futuristic 'Green Lights' Video (People, 2024)

Amaarae Exorcized Her 'Craziest Demon' with Fountain Baby Sequel EP: 'The Beginning of My Healing Journey' (People, 2024)

How PJ Morton Went from Cape Town to Cairo and Back to Record His 'Special' New Album: 'Quite a Journey' (People, 2024)

Shenseea Has 'No Expectations' for Never Gets Late Here, but She Does Have 'One Wish': 'Get a Grammy' (People, 2024)

Janelle Monáe Is Inspired by Jimi Hendrix's Rock 'Spirit': 'I've Always Tried to Have That Freedom' (People, 2024)

Jurnee Smollett On We Grown Now & The Necessity of Protecting “Black Boy Joy” (Unbothered, 2024)

Amanda Reifer Is Going Back to Her Roots (BET.com, 2024)

Director Boaz Yakin Challenges American Filmmaking With His Surreal Indie Flick 'Once Again (For the Very First Time)' (BET.com, 2024)

How Amapiano Triple Threat Lady Du Got a Second Chance to Follow Her Music Dreams (BET.com, 2024)

Leah Jeffries Hopes Her ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Role Inspires Young Black Girls (BET.com, 2023)

Erika Alexander on Being Cast in the Star-Studded 'American Fiction': 'I Feel Like I'm in My Weight Class' (BET.com, 2023)

Director Kobi Libii Talks His Debut Film 'The American Society of Magical Negroes’ (BET.com, 2023)

‘The Other Black Girl’ Cast on How Their Series Tackles Community, Sisterhood, and Racism in the Workplace (BET.com, 2023)

Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross on Working Together For the First Time in 'Candy Cane Lane': ‘We Had a Ball’ (BET.com, 2023)

Black Sheep’s Dres Talks Crafting His J Dilla-Produced Project in 'The Choice Is Yours' Documentary (BET.com, 2023)

Ludacris Talks Being Glossed Over as a Hip-Hop Legend: “I Feel Like Sometimes the Flowers Aren't Given as Much” (BET.com, 2023)

Keke Palmer Knows She’s an Asset (ELLE, 2023)

Now That He's Nailed Acting, Jharrel Jerome Wants to Be the "Next Voice in Hip-Hop" (POPSUGAR, 2023)

Victoria Monét on Battling Postpartum and Entering Her "Level-Up" Era With "Jaguar II" (POPSUGAR, 2023)

John Boyega and Jamie Foxx Helped Teyonah Parris "Take Risks" in "They Cloned Tyrone" (POPSUGAR, 2023)

The "Abbott Elementary" Cast Reflect on the Show's Success and Quinta Brunson's "Brilliant" Casting (POPSUGAR, 2023)

The "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" Cast on Retelling the Clan's Story: "Art and Life Mimic Each Other" (POPSUGAR, 2023)

The "Best Man" Cast Celebrate Their Timeless Franchise: "It's a Cultural Experience" (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Kyla Pratt on What We Get Wrong About Celebrities and Mental Health (POPSUGAR, 2022)

In Conversation: Kelly Rowland and Marsai Martin Trade Advice on Being Young, Gifted, and Black (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Omarion Shares How He Turned His "King of Unbothered" Title Into a Self-Help Book (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Brandee Evans and J. Alphonse Nicholson on "P-Valley"'s Approach to Black Queer Representation (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Austin Butler Chronicles His Years-Long "Elvis" Journey (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Tyler James Williams Always Knew "Abbott Elementary" Would Be a Success (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Coco Jones Is Ready For the World to Meet the New Hilary Banks (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Muni Long's "Hrs and Hrs" Is a TikTok Hit — Now She Wants to Take It No. 1 (POPSUGAR, 2022)

With "Power," 50 Cent Built His Own MCU-Inspired TV Universe (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Tami Roman "Could Have Done Without" The Real World Homecoming (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Da'Vinchi Actually Prefers the Simple Things When It Comes to Romance (POPSUGAR, 2021)

Maxwell Never Imagined People Would Love ‘Urban Hang Suite’ After All of These Years (Okayplayer, 2021)

How Saweetie’s Social Media Savvy Helped Her Snag Her Own McDonald’s Meal (AfroTech, 2021)

Hip-Hop Producer Sonny Digital is Transforming His Growing Clubhouse Rep Into a Digital Powerhouse (AfroTech, 2021)

Indiana Pacers' Victor Oladipo Turned a Major Injury Into An Opportunity to Invest in His Future (AfroTech, 2021)

Marlon Wayans On 'Respect' And Tackling Drama Versus Comedy For His Fans: 'I Got Their Trust' (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'Ailey' Director Jamila Wignot On Honoring The Life And Legacy Of Alvin Ailey In Dance Documentary (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' Stars And Mona Scott-Young On The Franchise's Decade-Long Legacy And Season 10 (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'P-Valley' Stars Brandee Evans And Nicco Annan On The Show's Success, Breaking Barriers For Sex Work, Emmys And More (Shadow And Act, 2021)

Mary J. Blige Talks Black Stuntwomen In Hollywood And Her 'My Life' Amazon Doc (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'Run The World' Showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser And Creator Leigh Davenport On Centering Black Sisterhood, Friendships (Shadow And Act, 2021)

A Black Lady Sketch Show' Creator Robin Thede On Real Diversity In Hollywood, Black Humanity And More (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'The Real World Homecoming' Star Kevin Powell On How The Revival Tackles Tough Conversations, 30 Years Later (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'Tina' Directors On Honoring Tina Turner's Rock & Roll Legacy And Fans Hearing Straight From The Icon's Mouth (Shadow And Act, 2021)

'The Real World' Star Heather B. Gardner On Helping Birth An Era of Reality TV (Shadow And Act, 2021)

Issa Rae Talks Uplifting Black Creatives Amid New LIFEWTR Campaign: ‘Don’t Be One Of The Crabs In A Barrel’ (Blavity, 2021)

Leslie Odom Jr. Talks Almost Quitting Acting 'Right Before It Got Good' (Blavity, 2021)

Jay Ellis On Producing Horror Film ‘Black Box' And The Importance Of Championing Overlooked Voices (Shadow And Act, 2020)

Op-Eds, Cultural Breakdowns, and Social Commentary

It’s Time To Retire The Beyoncé vs. Taylor Swift Debate (HuffPost, 2024)

This Is What The Future Of Black Women Leadership Looks Like (HuffPost, 2024)

How Cassie’s Lawsuit Against Diddy Galvanized A Movement Of Survivors (HuffPost, 2024)

Critics Tried to Slander Megan Thee Stallion With Misinformation. She Found A Way To Fight Back. (HuffPost, 2024)

Diddy’s Indictment Is A Warning To The Music Industry (HuffPost, 2024)

Inside Victoria Monét’s Ascension, From R&B Underdog to Grammy-Nominated Star (Teen Vogue, 2024)

Meet The Author Honoring Women in Hip-Hop —Whether They Make Top 100 Lists Or Not (Unbothered, 2024)

Beyoncé Going Country Is Already Causing All This Conversation (Unbothered, 2024)

When Artificial Intelligence Makes Black Music, Who Really Wins? (Unbothered, 2024)

Will Cassie’s Lawsuit Against Diddy Signal Hip-Hop’s Long Overdue #MeToo Reckoning? (Unbothered, 2024)

LaKeith Stanfield is Having His Way— Here’s an In-Depth Timeline of His Most Scene-Stealing Roles Yet (Ebony, 2024)

Blue Ivy Carter Didn't Have to Prove Anything on the Renaissance Tour. She Did It Anyway. (ELLE, 2023)

Cardi B's Organic Collabs and Friendships Are Helping Fellow Women Artists Win Big (POPSUGAR, 2023)

TikTok Is Making Space For Today's Women in Rap to Thrive (POPSUGAR, 2023)

The Greatest Rappers of All Time Debate May Be Controversial — but It'll Always Matter (POPSUGAR, 2023)

20 Years After "Brown Sugar," Black Women Journalists Celebrate the Impact of Sidney Shaw (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Sheryl Lee Ralph's First Emmy Win Is an Epic Victory For Black Women in Hollywood (POPSUGAR, 2022)

An AI Expert On How FN Meka Is Just the Beginning of AI Rappers (Okayplayer, 2022)

"Bel-Air" Broke the Reboot Curse (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Will Smith Isn't a Villain — He's Human (POPSUGAR, 2022)

The '92 Effect: Veteran Journalists on the Year's Massive Cultural Impact (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Black Love Is Missing From Reality Dating Shows (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Sex and the City Was a Show For White Women. Who Is the Reboot For? (POPSUGAR, 2021)

The Sex Lives of College Girls Proves That Sex Can Actually Be About — Gasp! — Women (POPSUGAR, 2021)

Misogynoir Harmed Janet Jackson's Career — and Fueled Justin Timberlake's Rise (POPSUGAR, 2021)

Insecure's Season 5 Soundtrack Opened a World of Opportunities For New Artists (POPSUGAR, 2021)

Kid Cudi's Vulnerable Music Helped Hip-Hop Reckon With Mental Health (POPSUGAR, 2021)

I Never Thought Westerns Were For Black Folks — Until I Watched The Harder They Fall (POPSUGAR, 2021)

What Happens When All Social Media Apps Start To Become The Same? (AfroTech, 2021)

Happy Birthday Hip-Hop: How The Evolution Of The Culture Birthed Musical Tech Innovations (AfroTech, 2021)

A’Ziah 'Zola' King's Viral Twitter Thread-Turned-Movie Proves The Power Of Black Voices On Social Media (AfroTech, 2021)

The Black TikTok Strike Isn't About Crediting Viral Dances, It's About Protecting Black Creativity In Digital Spaces (AfroTech, 2021)

Black Experts Discuss The Shift In Sneaker Culture That Has Made Consumers The Biggest Losers Of The Industry (AfroTech, 2021)

Black Women Photographers Are Taking Over the NFT Boom For Creators Just Like Them (AfroTech, 2021)

How Black Twitter's Impact Changed Viewership Culture For Awards Show Season (AfroTech, 2021)

How BET's Successful Virtual Pivot Made History and Changed the Future of Awards Shows (AfroTech, 2021)

Ivie Ani is Mastering the Art of Having Critical Conversations Across Digital Platforms (AfroTech, 2021)

It's Time To Discuss The Impact of UPN's 'Eve' (The Gumbo, 2020)

Introducing B Rocka: How Brandy Became Hip-Hop and R&B’s New Muse (The Gumbo, 2018)

Album/Song Reviews and Recaps

The Best Albums Of 2024 (HuffPost, 2024)

The 20 Best R&B Songs Of 2023 (Vibe Magazine, 2023)

Beyoncé’s "Renaissance" Wants Us to Dance Our Troubles Away (POPSUGAR, 2022)

Kendrick Lamar Has Flaws, Too (POPSUGAR, 2022)

10 times Drake’s visuals owned the moment (Dazed, 2021)

Best Songs of 2020 (Okayplayer, 2020)

The Revisit: A Love Letter to Mack Wilds’ ‘New York: A Love Story’ (BLUNTIQ, 2019)

Personal Essays

3 Things Women in Their 60s Want All Women in Their 20s to Know (Self, 2023)

My Mom's Time as a Hollywood Extra Inspired Me to Always Dream Big (POPSUGAR, 2023)

Business/Entrepreneur Spotlights

'My Bank Account Was In The Red' — How Jarred McGriff's Knack For Digital Storytelling Landed Him At BET (AfroTech, 2021)

HBCU Grad Darrin Eakins Launched A Whiskey Brand To Champion Black Ownership In The Spirits Industry (AfroTech, 2021)

Influencer JaLisa Vaughn-Jefferson Secured Over $800K Worth Of Brand Deals In 2021 By Documenting Her Life (AfroTech, 2021)

Social Media Can Be Fake, But This Founder Aims To Change That By Recreating The Human Experience With Inpathy (AfroTech, 2021)

How The 'Beyoncé of Marketing' Created A Culturally-Unique Company To Offer Black Folk A Seat At The Table (AfroTech, 2021)

Goalsetter Founder Tanya Van Court Is Revolutionizing Financial Literacy For Black Kids And Families In America (AfroTech, 2021)

How Sugaberry Co-Founders Tika Sumpter and Thai Randolph Launched a Lifestyle Brand to Uplift Black Moms (AfroTech, 2021)

How Black Love Inspired Married Couple Khadeen & Devale Ellis to Build a Digital Dynasty For Their Family (AfroTech, 2021)

Issa Rae's Raedio Is Building An Audio-Everywhere Empire Doing It For The Culture (AfroTech, 2021)

Hip-Hop Meets Tech: How The Chopstars Collective Keeps Houston’s Chopped and Screwed Movement Alive (AfroTech, 2020)

The Lip Bar CEO Melissa Butler Built Her Brand to Change the Beauty Industry's Standards For Women (AfroTech, 2020)

Polly Irungu Created a Digital Database to Help Black Women Photographers Get Paid (AfroTech, 2020)