United States
I produce writing, video, and audio about social issues and pop culture with an eye to gender and race. At Wake Forest University, I formally studied politics, international affairs, and journalism. I informally studied tweets, Rihanna, and jollof rice.
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The Ghanaian producer and DJ’s debut surveys contemporary African electronic music, uniting a breadth of influences and guest vocalists in a shadowy, clubby world.
The relatively short project from the Houston rapper reasserts her absolute domination on the mic and takes her to new melodic spaces to mixed effect.
Right now, women rappers like Rico Nasty are taking up well-deserved space in the mainstream. As she prepared for her historic Freshman Class concert slot, Rico spoke to me about this musical renaissance.
"I don't want her to fade," said the sister of a trans woman found dead in what some experts describe as solitary confinement on Rikers Island.
I spoke to to the Nigerian-Canadian artist about how he wants to redefine masculinity through music.
"She is insane," gushes the blonde next to me as we watch Normani glide from one sultry dance step to another at Madison Square Garden. "Her choreo? Sharp!" agrees the blonde's companion. It's the second night of Ariana Grande's Sweetener world tour's stop at MSG, and Normani is intoxicating concertgoers as an opening act.
Alvin Ailey is a name synonymous with both world-class ballet and the black American experience. Ailey founded his dance company in 1958 to showcase the best black talent, and, in 1969, a school of dance. I was there as the company celebrated its school's 50th anniversary at Lincoln Center.
With #MeToo's rise and anthems like “Nice for What,” I wondered if music that positively regards women became more popular in 2018--so I crunched the numbers.
When Keith Lamont Scott was killed by police in Charlotte, activists had to ask themselves: what does care look like in an uprising?
In Winston-Salem, field trips give students separated by race and class common ground.
All Work
Named in honor of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Minneapolis-based musician’s shadowy EP is an imaginative investigation of religious and sexual tensions.
Shot in her backyard during quarantine, the harrowing visual tells a story of personal growth.
The Philadelphia rapper leaves behind a too-brief discography marked by tongue-twisting verses and ominous moods.
The Cameroonian musician’s friends and students speak to his influence and share their favorite songs
The classically trained 19-year-old musician stands out less for her bars than for intricate melodies and lush soundscapes that push the boundaries of popular rap and R&B.
Janelle James is a comedian heralded by Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and Hannibal Buress. She's also one of few comedians to run her own festival. I wrote about how and why.
I capture the experience of dozens of young people of color who crowded Lacoste’s Soho shop to celebrate and peruse their debut collection with Tyler, the Creator.
After a Bronx music festival was squashed under pressure from residents who questioned its motives, I talked to some performers.
A profile around the difference between making music from the confines of an allegedly restrictive contract and being bolstered by her current one with Republic.
I wrote about Rico Nasty's 2018 mixtape and what she means in the world of SoundCloud Rap.
I write about the Jessie Reyez and Daniel Caesar duet "Figures: A Reprise," a stirring showcase of songwriting and star potential.
I wrote about burglaries that have devastated a family and hurt a community.
I spoke with police of one South Bronx precinct and victims of crimes about some the more noteworthy offences committed during one fall week.
A group of public housing residents in the South Bronx has decided to invest $50,000 in gardens as a part of Mayor de Blasio's effort to quell violence.
I Interviewed Kiana Ledé, who has thought long and hard about what it really means to be a black pop star.
At a meeting between public housing tenants and NYPD officers, rows of residents left following a tense exchange between a tenant and the officer leading the session.
I talked to a handful of voters in New York's democratic primary contests who overwhelmingly supported incumbents.
“We came together to give you something no motherfuckers are really trying to do. We tryna give you special moments,” BJ said of his joint tour.
After a bittersweet European tour in support of their latest album, hip-hop and neo-soul duo OSHUN readies for a return home.
Singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez exuded gratitude as she talked to me about how her life has changed and what grounds her now.
Me on Beyonce and black girl dreams.
I spent some time with Saba, who lets the blood of his late cousin run through his sophomore album, "Care for Me."
(VIDEO INTERVIEW) I spoke with entertainer Nick Cannon about new music, gender, and the women who influence him.
How one lyrical emcee depicts coming of age on a thorough, thoughtful album.
I slung my Canon Rebel t6 around my neck and headed to Washington DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood for the March for Black Women.
What does it mean for black women to challenge white supremacy in the NFL?
After watching Jessica Williams' Netflix film, a concern is raised.
Is your student loan debt immoral? Two thinkers weigh in.
10 Black transgender women and non-binary activists you need to follow on Twitter right now.
A bomb tore through a space I know to be sacred.
Media icons Ava DuVernay and Questlove chop it up about their lives as creators.
An interview with award-winning filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos on her new documentary 'Abortion: Stories Women Tell'.
Promising Chicago rapper Saba never imagined that his manager would be a young Latinx woman, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Atlanta" inspired a new reverence for the city, a deep appreciation for Migos, and, for one student, a dive into serious intersectional scholarship.
"This march is supposed to be about making room for all of us, ensuring that all of us have a voice, and I couldn't even get a space on my train," Lakeisha Robinson explained behind a medical tent at the Women's March on Washington. The March's formal program had just begun, but she was heading home.
I spoke with Perez, Mallory, and Sarsour at Wake Forest University.
"Yes, The Roots can't come back with no upbeat shit, not right now," an audience member asserted to a friend as they walked out of the Pratt Institute's Memorial Hall Auditorium.
A cultural criticism of the way black girls are pushed out of schools.
I interview scholar and activist Monique Morris for NPR affiliate 88.5 WFDD.
Ahead of the 2017 Grammys, Beyonce's protégé Ingrid talks songwriting on Lemonade.
I worked with four young women and two mentors to curate writing, music, and more that spoke to the themes of Solange's landmark album.
What happens when political assessments are easy to swallow and meld with our own beliefs?
Janelle Monáe asked us to say the names of slain black children. White women around me said no.
An analysis of J. Cole's album that employs mental health, Huey Newton, and love.
I get advice from editors of some of our nation’s top women's publications.
How both embodied the triumph and tragedy of the black experience.
Solange Knowles is in the business of telling the truth.
Photojournalists have immortalized police-violence-provoked uprisings. Here, I write on the role of photogs in Baton Rouge, Charlotte, and beyond.
More than a listicle, this piece is an examination of texts, music, and art that help combat racial trauma.
Oprah and Ava DuVernay show the first episode of their groundbreaking new show in the city in which it's based.
Black women across media, politics, and academia give their immediate analysis of Beyonce's 'Lemonade'.