Very Smart Brothas

Very Smart Brothashttp://verysmartbrothas.theroot.comCommentary, essay and humor about news, pop culture, race and sex.enHave Fireworks All of a Sudden Gotten More Powerful or Something?https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/have-fireworks-all-of-a-sudden-gotten-more-powerful-or-1827135004

It’s almost the end of June, which means that in Washington, D.C., and, I assume, most other major metropolitan areas, fireworks, in preparation for July Fourth, have been going off for almost an entire month. It’s not uncommon to hear explosives being detonated at all times of day. Just yesterday, at roughly 5:25…

]]>july 4thfireworkswashington dcamericaTue, 26 Jun 2018 17:30:00 GMT1827135004Antwon Rose Jr. and When White Privilege Kills Black Peoplehttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/antwon-rose-jr-and-when-white-privilege-kills-black-pe-1827137476

The funeral for Antwon Rose Jr. took place Monday morning at Woodland Hills Intermediate School in Swissvale, a borough that sits several miles east of Pittsburgh. Like the East Pittsburgh borough where Rose was killed, Swissvale is one of at least a dozen different intersecting municipalities that Pittsburgh’s…

]]>antwon roseantwon rose jrpittsburgheast pittsburgheast pittsburgh police departmentpolice brutalitymichael rosfeldwhite privilegeTue, 26 Jun 2018 16:05:00 GMT182713747614 Observations From the 2018 BET Awards Before Rain Took Out My DirecTV for the Eveninghttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/14-observations-from-the-2018-bet-awards-before-rain-to-1827112507

In no particular order:

]]>bet awards 2018j colejanelle monaesnoop doggblack pantherryan cooglermigosnicki minajMon, 25 Jun 2018 19:45:00 GMT1827112507What Rooting for Germany in the World Cup as a Black Man in America Is Likehttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/what-everyday-is-like-rooting-for-germany-in-the-world-1827105732

On Saturday afternoon, I took my son to get a haircut at a pretty well-known barbershop in Washington, D.C., near Howard University. I had on my Germany away jersey because Germany was playing Sweden, and I love that jersey. Mexico won earlier in the day, making this a must-win for Germany for them to have a chance to…

]]>world cup 2018fifagermanyswedentoni kroosbarbershopracismhoward universityMon, 25 Jun 2018 17:00:00 GMT182710573240 Ways White People Say ‘White People’ Without Actually Saying ‘White People’https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/40-ways-white-people-say-white-people-without-actually-1827101126

1. Americans

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]]>white peopleamericaMon, 25 Jun 2018 15:52:00 GMT1827101126Melania Trump Is Just a Typical White Woman. That’s Allhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/melania-trump-is-just-a-typical-white-woman-that-s-all-1827054320

Melania Trump exists in what appears to be a loveless relationship with her husband.

]]>melania trumpwhite womendonald trumpFri, 22 Jun 2018 18:00:00 GMT1827054320Wendell Carter Jr.’s Black Panther-Inspired NBA Draft Outfit Is the Blackest Thing That Ever Happened This Weekhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/wendell-carter-jr-s-black-panther-inspired-nba-draft-ou-1827053975

For many, the annual NBA draft is the most wonderful time of the year. Young men become instant millionaires, getting the opportunity to take their talents to one of 30 outposts to play basketball for a living and do the economic version of moisturizing their situation.

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]]>wendell carter jrblack panthernba draftsteph currytim thomasduke universityFri, 22 Jun 2018 16:44:00 GMT1827053975White Dudes at Morehouse Isn’t Really News. White Women at Spelman Would Be a Much Better Storyhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/white-dudes-at-morehouse-isnt-really-news-white-women-1827017255

Vice dropped a video on Wednesday about a white student named Tiago who just finished his freshman year at Morehouse College, the all-male historically black college in Atlanta which boasts alumni such as Martin Luther King Jr., Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Panama Jackson, Robert E. Johnson, etc.

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]]>hbcusmorehouse collegevicediversitywhite students at hbcusspelman collegejoshua packwoodbluefield state collegeThu, 21 Jun 2018 17:00:00 GMT1827017255Antwon Rose Was Our Nephewhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/antwon-rose-was-our-nephew-1827018950

I spent last Saturday afternoon, as I have many Saturday afternoons in the past six years, with my 17-year-old nephew and 19-year-old brother-in-law.

]]>antwon rosepittsburgheast pittsburghpolice brutalityThu, 21 Jun 2018 16:14:00 GMT1827018950Pittsburgh Mayor’s Response to Pittsburgh-Area Teen Killed by Police: My Name’s Dewitt and I Don’t Give a Shithttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/pittsburgh-mayors-response-to-pittsburgh-area-teen-kill-1826991077

I didn’t think it was possible for a series of tweets to accurately synopsize a city (Pittsburgh), a country (America), a mindset (whiteness), a political policy (kind colonization) and a person, but Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto somehow did exactly that.

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]]>bill pedutopittsburghpolice brutalityantwon rose jrshaun kingeast pittsburghtwitterWed, 20 Jun 2018 18:18:00 GMT182699107717-Year-Old Killed by Pittsburgh-Area Police; Reportedly Shot in the Back While Running Awayhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/17-year-old-killed-by-pittsburgh-area-police-reportedl-1826979724

Details are still emerging, but what is known now is the following:

]]>police brutalitypittsburghnorth braddockeast pittsburghpolice shootingsunarmed black men killed by policenewsWed, 20 Jun 2018 13:09:00 GMT1826979724I’m Not Saying I Vote Just to Get an ‘I Voted’ Sticker, but I Really Like Getting My ‘I Voted’ Stickerhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/im-not-saying-i-vote-to-get-an-i-voted-sticker-but-i-r-1826955290

Today is Tuesday, June 19, in the year of our Lord 2018. In Washington, D.C., it’s primary voting day. That, and there’s a very hotly contested initiative (Initiative 77) on the ballot to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020, which would gradually raise the minimum wage for tipped employees to the same $15…

]]>votingcivic engagementdc primaryinitiative 77minimum wageTue, 19 Jun 2018 17:06:00 GMT1826955290Stop Pretending You Actually Gave a Shit About XXXTentacion’s ‘Growth’ and Potential https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/stop-pretending-you-actually-gave-a-shit-about-xxxtenta-1826952372

My only context for XXXTentacion is a terrible one. I first became aware of him several months ago, after reading about how his star was rising not just in spite of the numerous crimes he allegedly committed but specifically because of them.

]]>xxxtentacionjidennadomestic abusedomestic violencegeneva ayalasTue, 19 Jun 2018 16:32:00 GMT1826952372A List of Things That Happen Within the 1st Hour After Beyoncé Drops New Musichttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/a-list-of-things-that-happen-within-the-first-hour-afte-1826919127

In chronological order:

]]>beyoncejay zbeyonce jay z albumblack womeneverything is loveMon, 18 Jun 2018 16:09:00 GMT1826919127How the Book of Ryan Became My Therapy and Helped Me Understand Fatherhoodhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/how-the-book-of-ryan-became-my-therapy-and-helped-me-un-1826866165

When I’m in the studio, I sometimes have these visions of conversations I’d like to have with my father. It leads me to think what it would be like if he and I could communicate on a higher level because there’s always been this barrier between us.

]]>fatherhoodbook of ryanaddictiontherapyfamilyparentinghip hopblack dadsblack fathersSat, 16 Jun 2018 16:00:00 GMT1826866165I See My Dad When I Look in the Mirror, and I’m Terrified I’ll Repeat His Mistakeshttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/i-see-my-dad-when-i-look-in-the-mirror-and-im-terrified-1826831580

I was 34 years old when I could no longer escape the man I never wanted to see again.

]]>fathers dayblack fatherscriminal justicecriminal justice systemrestorative justiceblack parentingincarcerated parentschildren of incarcerated parentsFri, 15 Jun 2018 20:22:00 GMT1826831580Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fires Editorial Cartoonist Critical of Trump: Here’s Why That Should Scare the Shit Out of Youhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/editorial-cartoonist-critical-of-trump-fired-by-pittsbu-1826864520

Two weeks ago, Rob Rogers, an award-winning and beloved editorial cartoonist who’d been working for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for 25 years, revealed that a number of his recent cartoons had been “killed”—which is what happens when an editor decides not to publish a journalist’s work. This is not a particularly…

]]>rob rogerspittsburghpittsburgh post gazettecensorshipwhite housedonald trumpkeith burrisFri, 15 Jun 2018 16:12:00 GMT1826864520It’s Over. Drake Losthttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/its-over-drake-lost-1826832522

Perhaps, in several days or weeks or months, Drake will (finally) respond to Pusha T. And maybe that response, when it (finally) happens, will be amazing.

]]>rap beefsdrakepusha traphip hopim upsetThu, 14 Jun 2018 16:10:00 GMT1826832522Most of the Washington Capitals Would Accept a White House Invite From Trump. I Wonder Why?https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/most-of-the-washington-capitals-would-accept-a-white-ho-1826829250

According to the Washington Post, most members of the Stanley Cup-champion Washington Capitals would accept a White House invite if one were extended by President Donald Trump.

]]>white housewashingtondcwashington capitalsdonald trumpwhite house invitedevante smith pellyThu, 14 Jun 2018 15:09:00 GMT18268292506 Observations About Colonoscopies That I’m Sharing Today Because I Had One Yesterdayhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/6-observations-about-colonoscopies-that-im-sharing-toda-1826801419

1. If you haven’t done so already, you should probably go get you a colonoscopy. And yes, I realize that colonoscopies aren’t exactly iPhone chargers. You can’t just walk into a store and find one for 35 percent off on a discount rack. (And if you could, you’d need to run the fuck away from that deal. And that store.…

]]>colonoscopyhealth careself caremens healthpersonal healthcheckupsannual checkupsWed, 13 Jun 2018 17:28:00 GMT1826801419Black Ramadan and the Importance of Finding Community in Isolationhttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/black-ramadan-and-the-importance-of-finding-community-1826736464

When I was a child, my mom would tell me stories about Ramadan in our homeland of Comoros. Some parts weren’t the most idyllic—the idea of fasting under mosquito nets without air conditioning that close to the equator is not my concept of pleasant by any stretch of the imagination.

]]>ramadanmuslimsblack muslimsreligionblack ramadanmicroaggressionTue, 12 Jun 2018 18:33:00 GMT1826736464Worst White Man in America Tosses Homeless Black Man’s Belongings Into a Lakehttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/worst-white-man-in-america-tosses-homeless-black-mans-b-1826740797

I thought it would take at least a month to find a white man worse than Aaron Schlossberg, the New York City lawyer captured on film threatening to call immigration on people speaking Spanish at a café. But America is nothing but ambitious, and somehow it managed to produce someone who undoubtedly saw what Schlossberg…

]]>white peoplewhite people white peoplingoaklandcaliforniahomeless peoplebullying homelessviral videoMon, 11 Jun 2018 21:08:00 GMT1826740797Fela Kuti Is the Artist Who Brought My Musical Journey Homehttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/fela-kuti-is-the-artist-who-brought-my-musical-journey-1826736992

One of my biggest regrets in life is how late I discovered so much music that became immediately influential to me. While I grew up in a house where music was constantly present, there were various artists that my parents didn’t know, didn’t show or just didn’t care about.

]]>fela kutiafrobeatnigeriablack presidenttower recordsMon, 11 Jun 2018 20:05:00 GMT1826736992I Don’t Trust Black Men Who Hate LeBron Jameshttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/i-dont-trust-black-men-who-hate-lebron-james-1826734467

Of course, Golden State’s NBA Finals victory over Cleveland has delivered joy to many different (and occasionally overlapping) groups of people, including but not limited to:

]]>lebron jamesnbabasketballmen with bad opinionssportsMon, 11 Jun 2018 17:53:00 GMT1826734467I Invested a Whole Sunday Binge-Watching Everything Sucks! Only to Find Out It’s Been Canceled. Everything Suckshttps://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/i-invested-a-whole-sunday-binge-watching-everything-suc-1826729018

I started watching the Netflix original show Everything Sucks! the way I end up watching everything, including stellar movies like My Sidepiece Hit the Lotto (potentially THE most ridiculous movie I’ve ever seen, and I own a physical copy of the movie N-Secure, which you should never see): I scrolled through the…

]]>everything sucksnetflixthe get downthe new edition storyjahi diallo winslowboring oregonMon, 11 Jun 2018 15:30:00 GMT1826729018