Beyoncé’s Longtime Stylist Ty Hunter Has the Formula for Finding Inner Confidence
The fashion titan and author opens up about self-acceptance, fatherhood, Destiny’s Child, and the beauty of aging
The Best of Level
Nothin' but the hits.
Akon’s Purpose Is Much Bigger Than Music
The global superstar reflects on fatherhood, philanthropy, and learning to live in the moment
Ryan Coogler Put 'Wakanda Forever' in the Hands of Black Women—And It Paid Off
The filmmaker delivered a beautiful 'Black Panther' sequel that balances grief, love, feminism, and superhero escapades
How Jay-Z Wrestled With His Budding Stardom on 'In My Lifetime, Vol. 1'
Twenty-five years ago, Shawn Carter’s sophomore album documented his strides and stumbles into prominence
Tyrese Gibson and Terrence Howard Are Out to Topple For-Profit Prisons
The dynamic duo discusses their new film, ‘The System.’ We also asked Jodie what he thinks about Kendrick Lamar’s “We Cry Together.”
A Toast to HBCU Homecoming, the Epicenter of Black Success
Being reunited with fellow alumni feels so good—especially now that my career has finally caught up to my ambition.
How Kenya Barris Became the Most Powerful Man in Black Hollywood
The creator of 'Black-ish' and star of 'BlackAF' goes deep on divorce, DNA testing, and his responsibility to tell stories in full color
How Cormega Survived Beef, a Bid, and Blacklisting to Become an Underground King
The Queens rapper speaks on the road to his new album, ‘The Realness II’
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Looks Dope, But When Will Ryan Coogler Direct a Movie for Adults Again?
It’s been more than seven years since his last non-Marvel film. Gimme something grown.
How Practicing Semen Retention Made Me a Better Lover—And a Better Man
I knew tantra would be a challenge. What I never anticipated is how it'd transform my entire life.
The Making of Nas' 'The Lost Tapes' Album, 20 Years Later
An oral history of Nas' classic 2002 compilation LP
Here’s the Real Conversation We Should Be Having About Violence in Hip-Hop
Yes, there are systemic factors, but Black men killing each other needs to end. And it’s on us to do something about it.
Here's What I Learned From Playing Professional Basketball With J. Cole
Scarborough Shooting Stars forward Danilo Djuricic spills the Gatorade on sharing the court with the self-proclaimed best rapper alive
My Viral Tweet About Police Brutality Made Bank—And I Didn’t See a Dime
"We march, y'all mad" was just an offhand Twitter post before outfitting BLM protests, raking in dough, and leaving its creator behind
The 31 Best Black Sitcom Dads on TV
Happy Father’s Day to the dads out there — fictional and otherwise
The 55 Biggest, Blackest Dad Jokes You've Never Heard
Cue the laugh track!
Tyson Beckford Is Not Done Making History
The 51-year-old supermodel speaks on his Polo prime, squashing beef with Diddy, and how Beyoncé got him back in his bag
Why Do Detainees Keep Dying in This Baton Rouge Jail?
In one decade, 45 people died in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Most were charged with nonviolent misdemeanors. Most didn’t have their day in court. Most were Black. How did the system fail them?
How Ronald Isley Became a Multigenerational Sex Symbol
Fresh off ‘Verzuz’, the R&B legend discusses everything from prison concerts to his pandemic beard to a disgraced collaborator
The Beautiful Dark Twisted Tragedy of DMX
Earl Simmons channelled his pain into his art — and forever changed the world along the way
We Ranked Every NBA Team Based on Their Hairstyles
Forget the playoff race; this is the only power ranking that matters
A Black Folks’ Guide to Cthulhu and H.P. Lovecraft
Lovecraft was an unapologetic White supremacist—who just so happened to be one of the most influential figures in 20th-century fiction
Black Users Made Clubhouse a Phenomenon — How Will the App Treat Them in Return?
The voice-chat social platform skyrocketed in popularity last fall, largely due to an influx of Black users. But we’ve heard this song before.
We Should Have Held T.I. Accountable Years Ago
What’s it going to take for us to see the red flags for what they are?
A Woman’s Worth Is Not Determined By Her Proximity to a Man
Women like Vanessa Bryant and Lauren…
DMX Is Finally Happy
We always rooted for Earl Simmons — but seeing his joy as he turns 50 has helped us find our own
LaKeith Stanfield’s Toughest Role of All Is Himself
As he heads toward this thirties, the electrifying…
Desus Nice Proved You Don’t Have to Sellout to Sell Out
Daniel Baker developed his gifts. Desus Nice gave them to the world. Now it’s time to expand.
How a Few Great Hip-Hop Journalists Won In Hollywood
Some of the genre’s best and brightest come together to talk about why they made the transition from rap magazines to TV and movies—and how
Every Episode of ‘The Boondocks,’ Ranked
Twenty-five years ago, Aaron McGruder introduced the world to the Freemans, and nothing would ever be the same