(ThyBlackMan.com) Mary J. Blige isn’t just the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul—she’s an institution in R&B music. Her career, spanning over three decades, has given fans timeless classics that speak to love, heartbreak, triumph, and self-empowerment. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering her catalog in 2025, these ten essential ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) On January 29th, President Trump signed an executive order that could spark a sea change in American education. Hopefully, this is an early sign of our culture moving past the progressive onslaught in K-12 education of the past four years and returning to the classical features of the liberal arts ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) “Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted. Freedom and justice must be struggled for by the oppressed of all lands and races, and the struggle must be continuous, for freedom is never a final fact, but a continuing evolving process to higher ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) I can’t remember when I met Dr. Olivia Hooker, a Tulsa Massacre survivor, the first African American woman to serve in the Coast Guard (she wanted to serve as a Navy WAVE – or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services – but they weren’t accepting African Americans). I remember aspects ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) For millions of people, the Super Bowl is the most highly anticipated event of the year — in sports or otherwise. With all due respect to baseball fans, it is the culmination of America’s actual favorite pastime. (The numbers don’t lie.) For other people, the “big game” is simply ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Duke Ellington, a giant in jazz history, was more than just a composer and bandleader—he was a cultural architect whose music told the stories of Black excellence, struggle, and triumph. His compositions, spanning from the swing era to the avant-garde, remain deeply embedded in the fabric of American music. In ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The NFL has yet again decided to desecrate the sacred American sport of football, a sport that has united Americans for decades, by playing the divisive Black national anthem before the Super Bowl. The idea of their being a Black national anthem shouldn’t rub anyone the wrong way. The ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) America’s debt crisis is no longer a distant concern; it’s an immediate threat with immediate consequences. Some politicians — perhaps realizing that it’s become more difficult to ignore the problem and avoid repercussions — are turning to executive action. This includes the Trump administration’s embrace of Elon Musk’s increasingly ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Few artists in hip-hop have embodied the spirit of Black history and culture as masterfully as Kendrick Lamar. Through intricate lyricism, powerful storytelling, and unflinching honesty, Kendrick’s music serves as a modern-day Black history book, detailing the struggles, triumphs, and resilience of the Black community. In 2025, when conversations ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Few artists in music history embody resilience, raw talent, and cultural impact quite like Tina Turner. Born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, she shattered racial and gender barriers to become the undisputed Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Her powerful voice, electrifying stage presence, and ability to reinvent herself ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) “I don’t know who you are and I don’t know why you like this guy (Trump). I think what you like about him; he appears to be strong and the rest of us are weak… That’s what he’s selling…Here’s what you’re buying…He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot. He doesn’t ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) (***) “In the beginning it was all about the music. Then it became all about other things,” says a former band member. That’s the path of many bright, famous musicians. Struggle. It’s all about the art. Breakthrough. Success. Excess. Downward spiral. Comeback. Fizzle under the weight of drugs, drink and ...