Jonathan Abrams
Posts
Wendell Pierce and Courtney B. Vance on James Earl Jones’s Influence
The two actors talk about how the stage and screen great was a one-of-a-kind inspiration to them, and many others.
The Story Behind Juvenile’s ‘Back That Azz Up’
Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” was a 1999 hit that brought twerking and New Orleans bounce into the mainstream. Here’s the story of how it...
Rico Wade, an Architect of Atlanta Hip-Hop, Dies at 52
As one-third of the production team Organized Noize, Wade nurtured the careers of Outkast, Goodie Mob and Future from the confines of his mother’s basement,...
‘Freaknik’ Documentary Invites Viewers to Black College Spring Break
A new Hulu documentary delves into the legendary Atlanta event and surfaces relics of 1980s and ’90s culture that were essential to partygoers.
Director of ’20 Days in Mariupol’ Says He’d Rather Have No Oscar and No War
‘20 Days in Mariupol,’ Mstyslav Chernov’s harrowing first-person account from the early days of Russia’s invasion, won for best documentary feature.
Breakers Grapple With Hip-Hop’s Big Olympic Moment
Largely left out of commemorations of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, breaking will get a grand stage at the Paris Olympics. B-boys and B-girls wonder if their...
How Tupac Shakur Remained a Defining Rap Figure After His Death
A star during his lifetime, he became an almost mythical figure in the decades since his 1996 killing.
Hattie McDaniel’s Historic Oscar Will Return to Its Desired Home
The plaque that McDaniel, the first Black winner of an Academy Award, bequeathed to Howard University has been missing for about 50 years. Now a...
Alex Smith’s Recovery Didn’t Prepare Him for Daughter’s Cancer Fight
Alex Smith returned to play pro football after a horrific leg injury nearly killed him. Nothing about his recovery prepared him for the helplessness of...