During the entire rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, one person has notably kept quiet about the entire feud: Pusha T. Despite his known hatred for the Toronto rapper, Pusha has respectfully stayed out of it, letting the two titans battle it out.

But despite his efforts, he was still put in the middle of it, when Lamar infamously rapped on “Euphoria,” “Yeah f**k all that pushin’ P/Let me see you push a T/You better off spinnin’ again on him you think about pushin’ me/He’s Terrance Thornton I’m Terrance Crawford/Yeah I’m whoopin’ feet.”

Thankfully, Pusha didn’t take it personally at all.

In an interview with Vulture of he and his brother and fellow Clipse member No Malice, the Virginia MC finally shared his thoughts on K-Dot dropping his name on the Drake diss track, telling the outlet, “Incredible. Incredible display. Incredible display of battle raps. Listen man, Kendrick…”

No Malice added, “It was a master class.”

Like Kendrick, Pusha T is a guy who appreciates the competition of the genre. He doesn’t take things like that personally unless it’s a direct shot. In fact, he had a similar response to Lamar’s 2013 verse on “Control” where he was also name-dropped.

During an interview shortly after the verse dropped, Pusha said, “The first thing he [Kendrick] said to me is, ‘Yo thank you so much for just understanding and not taking the verse the wrong way.’ And I was like ‘Oh Kendrick you don’t know I’m different bruh. I’m different.’”

He added, “I understand. I listen to rap. It’s the sport of hip-hop. And I looked at it like he was shouting out his peers. I wanna take something from your fanbase. When is that not the mission.”

Pusha T is as Hip-Hop as they come, and it’ll take an MC calling out his family (like Drake did), for him to tear down a rival artist’s character (like he did on “The Story of Adidon”).

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Being a cultural writer, especially one whose job it is to comment on pop culture events, can put you in the position of critic or cynic as often as it can make you a king (or queen) maker. Let’s face it, all of pop culture isn’t amazing or interesting; things worthy of note today might be lost to the annals of history by next year, only to be remembered via humorous looks back in a “what were we thinking?” capacity. Sometimes, though, you write a thing that impacts immediately and that impact remains forever, for better or worse, depending on your vantage point. 

In June 1985, writer and editor David Blum wrote a cover story for “New York Magazine” titled “Hollywood’s Brat Pack” about the actors (none of the actresses who might have fit the bill at the time were included) who made up the until-then-unnamed group and the fame-hungry, unserious-but-profitable lives they seemed to be living. The story centered around Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe and Judd Nelson, all actors who starred in several films, together and separately, that became the defining cultural markers for the youth culture of 1980s America. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that they’re the defining cultural markers for white America’s youth — very few people of color existed in the worlds created by John Hughes and his ilk; Ira Madison and Malcolm Gladwell speak about this in the documentary. 

The article and its ensuing fallout (or not) were the inspiration for Andrew McCarthy’s documentary about the ensemble, “Brats,” now available on Hulu. McCarthy, who was mentioned in the article via a negative quote from another non-named Brat Packer, seems to have been holding onto that term and any negative connotations for almost 40 years as some sort of albatross around his neck. The goal of his documentary was to seek out as many Brat Packers as possible, determine who was in the group (again, the original article didn’t name any leading women from the era, but history has since corrected this), and understand what that term meant for their careers and lives.

The documentary is fascinating. For one, I was too young to realize how many of the actors named eschewed the label. I didn’t even know how the term came to be, though I was familiar with it (and with certain people as members) until I started watching the documentary. I’m familiar, of course, with the John Hughes era; I’ve seen a good amount of the movies that defined the era from “Risky Business” to “ Pretty in Pink” to “The Breakfast Club” to “St. Elmo’s Fire,” etc. While beloved by millions, I was never a huge fan. By the time I started watching the movies I didn’t feel seen at all by them but was able to understand them as representative of the cultural zeitgeist of the ’80s.  John Hughes didn’t write or direct all of the movies that featured Brat Packers, but you can’t talk about the Brat Pack without John Hughes. But it seems that, via archival interview footage in the documentary, many of the actors and actresses rebuffed the moniker and the box it placed them into, which is interesting since quite a few (Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Sean Penn, for example) have had really successful movie careers. 

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To be fair, the article couldn’t possibly have done any of the folks included any favors, though stunting their careers seems like a reach. While watching the documentary, I paused to read the article. To call it ungenerous would be an understatement. The story centers on Estevez, and more or less paints him, Lowe and Nelson as aloof, selfish, self-centered young actors who care about little else besides themselves —  basically as young, entitled movie stars. Oh, it points out that none of them went to acting school; the implication is that they take fame more seriously than the craft. That sentiment is splattered all over the article and reiterated over and over in documentary interviews with the various people McCarthy speaks to like Estevez, Lowe, Moore, Tim Hutton, Jon Cryer, and Ally Sheedy. To McCarthy, that article (and moniker) trivialized them as actors and professionals and broad-stroked an entire group of people despite focusing on a few nights out with Estevez, Lowe and Nelson. Today, we might call it a hit job. And because of its catchy title, the naming of the group and the narrative it spun, I can see how it could have impacted the lives of the actors. Again, fascinating.

Towards the end of the documentary McCarthy sits down with Blum to discuss the controversial article and whether Blum would do anything differently in his writing process. Almost defiant in his defense of his piece, Blum argued he’d do nothing different and acknowledged the piece could have been a little mean but that’s what he saw. He even seemed a little bemused (maybe more confused) that this article he’d written caused so much consternation, yet he was proud of being someone who defined a cultural phenomenon. McCarthy, on the other hand, seemed less enthused and almost wanted an apology for the impact this thing had on his life. 

That was the most interesting part of the documentary for me. As a person who has written about countless individuals, famous or not, I’ve rarely considered any real potential impacts. I’ve never considered that something I wrote as part of my weekly duties could impact the perception or a narrative around a person — I like to think that I’m calling a thing a thing. Sure, I’ve had more than my fair share of social media run-ins with artists or media personalities who have taken issue with things I’ve written, but my articles living rent-free in their minds has always seemed far-fetched. To see McCarthy sit with Blum in the midst of an entire documentary he created specifically to talk about a thing living rent-free for 40 years is telling. It’s a reminder that, whether real or perceived, the people we write about are human and can act like humans. To McCarthy, being a member of the Brat Pack had immediate and long-lasting repercussions for his career. 

I can acknowledge that, over time, I stopped going so hard at people I didn’t know, famous or not, in print. I realized that celebrating people didn’t take as much out of me as taking people to task. I have even apologized to a person or two for writing something that was less than favorable, or even mean, even if I have no idea if they’d ever read the apology. I’ve read things I’ve written and cringed; while I don’t think it had any impact on any careers, the truth is I don’t know. “Brats” shows you how that can happen even with some of the most famous people in an industry. I used to think that famous people were too big to care about the words and opinions of the world, but I guess that’s wrong. McCarthy’s documentary illustrates just how much some people do care and how just because a writer moves on doesn’t mean the subject does. It’s a lesson in humility and seeing the other side. 

As a writer who has made certain decisions based on my own mental health, it confirmed that sometimes, just sometimes, these things we write hit home in ways that we don’t expect, and being mindful of that costs me nothing.

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Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, “Dear Culture” on theGrio Black Podcast Network. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest) but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said “Unknown” (Blackest).

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Gear up for another plunge into the shadows of Gotham City! Max has released the second official teaser for the DC limited series, “The Penguin,” setting the stage for a September premiere. This eight-episode miniseries expands upon the Batman universe crafted by filmmaker Matt Reeves in the global hit, “The Batman.”

Colin Farrell returns as the notorious Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin himself. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc steers this character study, promising a deeper dive into the Penguin’s ruthless ascent within Gotham’s criminal underworld.

The newly released teaser art [insert brief description of teaser art] hints at the show’s neo-noir atmosphere, while the teaser itself throws down the gauntlet for a thrilling exploration of Gotham’s underbelly. Familiar faces will join Farrell, including Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone. There’s also speculation about John Turturro reprising his role as Carmine Falcone from “The Batman,” though casting details haven’t been officially confirmed.

Here’s a breakdown of the key players:

• Colin Farrell (Oz Cobblepot / The Penguin)






• Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone)






• Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar)






• Michael Kelly (Johnny Viti)






• Shohreh Aghdashloo (Nadia Maroni)






• Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb)






• Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni)






• James Madio (Milos Grapa)






• Scott Cohen (Luca Falcone)






• Michael Zegen (Alberto Falcone)






• Carmen Ejogo (Eve Karlo)






• Theo Rossi (Dr. Julian Rush)

“The Penguin” boasts a heavyweight executive producer lineup. Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, and Colin Farrell himself join forces with Lauren LeFranc, who wrote the series and holds the reins as showrunner. Craig Zobel takes the director’s chair for the first three episodes.

So, lock in your September viewing plans! “The Penguin” is poised to waddle its way onto our screens, ready to unveil another layer of Gotham’s dark tapestry and the Penguin’s ruthless ambition.

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Simone Biles is opening up about her life in a new Netflix docuseries. 

“Simone Biles Rising” follows the gymnast as she prepares for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, deals with the fallout after her withdrawal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and gives a glimpse into her marriage with NFL player Jonathan Owens. Netflix released first look photos and a trailer for the four-part docuseries on Wednesday. 

Biles gets emotional in the trailer, wiping away tears while speaking about her mental health and the “twisties” that led her to withdraw from competition four years ago.”

The 27-year-old revealed how she felt about documenting and sharing her life with the world. 

“We are all the authors of our own journeys, and I am in a place in my life where I’m comfortable with who I am and what I’ve been through as an athlete, but most of all, as a person,” the Olympian said in a press release.

“Gymnastics is what I do but it’s not who I am, and I’m excited for people to see another side of me outside of competition. I know there are young girls out there who look to me for inspiration and are faced with similar challenges, and my hope is that this documentary helps to empower them to be true to who they are and never give up on their dreams.” 

Katie Walsh, who directs the Netflix sports docuseries, called Biles a “once-in-a-generation athlete who has not only pushed the boundaries of gymnastics, but also redefined the meaning of success by putting her mental health above medals and titles.”

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“While her athletic abilities are unmatched, it’s the human component to her story that I’m proud to share alongside the remarkable team at Religion of Sports,” the director added. 

“Simone Biles Rising” will show how Biles “put in the hard work: facing the difficult traumas of her past, learning to manage her mental health, embracing her journey, and in the process, rebuilding her gymnastics from the ground up,” according to the release. 

“Simone Biles Rising” will be available to stream on on July 17. Check out the first look photos below, courtesy of Netflix. 

Turns out 2024 is the year of airing grievances. From Katt Williams, to Kendrick Lamar and now, Janet Jackson fans, it’s time for everyone to get their shit off. The latest famous name to find themselves in the crosshairs is Justin Timberlake.

According to USA Today, around 12:37 a.m. on Tuesday, the singer/actor was arrested in the Hamptons and charged with driving while intoxicated. After being arraigned Tuesday morning, he was released.

A celebrity being arrested for DWI in the Hamptons isn’t exactly breaking news. However, the fact that it’s Timberlake — who has been at the center of negativity for Janet Jackson and Britney Spears — adds an extra level of karma to the situation.

Jackson fans have been waiting for this moment since 2004, when he seemingly got off easy while the “Control” legend took all the blame when he ripped off part of her costume and her breast was shown during the Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show. She was relentlessly criticized and slut shamed, while he received much less backlash and bounced back quickly. Honestly, Jackson’s career has never really been the same since the scandal.

For 20 years, Black folks have blamed him for the damage to her reputation, and now it seems like he’s finally getting his comeuppance. As such, Black Twitter got all their jokes off about Justin’s arrest.

Despite his funny, nice guy persona, one user is not impressed with the “Trolls” star, writing on X, “Justin Timberlake is selfish. When the Janet Jackson incident occurred, we saw how he left her hanging by herself to face the controversy. Also, causing NSYNC to not tour, while he makes money and while the other members didn’t make money. He’s awful…and aging quickly…”

Top marks for wordplay goes to this user, who posted, “Justin Timberlake being plastered all over social media for dui-ing a river really feels like Poetic Justice for what he did to Janet Jackson, I always wondered when he was gonna get his ass dragged.”

Meanwhile, another user posited that in an alternate universe where Justin wasn’t involved in the Super Bowl controversy with Janet Jackson, things would be very different, writing on X, “hypothesis: if justin timberlake didn’t sabotage janet jackson during the 2004 halftime show, usher would’ve defo been the succeeding year’s performer instead of waiting a whole 2 decades before doing so, while the black eyed peas would’ve performed in the 2000s instead of 2011.”

One person, who clearly hasn’t forgiven the “SexyBack” singer, has been ready for this moment for a while, writing on X, “I’ve been waiting for Justin Timberlake’s downfall ever since he let Janet Jackson take the fall for boobygate.”

Someone else noted that Justin’s song, “What Goes Around…Comes Around” is now his real life, posting, “The universe to Justin Timberlake yesterday: Britney Spears & Janet Jackson really won in the end!”

“CBS Mornings” host Gayle King called the “Cry Me a River” singer “a really, really great guy” who made a “mistake,” angering some viewers.

One person took issue with King’s assertion, responding on X, “Driving drunk is the definition of irresponsible, reckless and careless. And a “great guy” would have done better by Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. #JustinTimberlake is not a great guy. He’s not even an alright guy.”

Yes, it’s fun to get all these jokes off. But driving under the influence is not only inexcusable, it’s just stupid. With rideshares, taxis, private cars and calling a friend all at his disposal, there’s no reason for someone with all his resources to engage in this dangerous behavior. He’s putting everyone on the road at risk and deserves all the smoke for his recklessness.

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Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Brandy Norwood makes her highly anticipated return to the horror genre in the upcoming film “The Front Room.” Brandy stars as Belinda, a newly pregnant woman whose life takes a terrifying turn when her estranged mother-in-law, played by the acclaimed Kathryn Hunter, moves in.

A recently released trailer hints at the chilling atmosphere of the film. As Belinda navigates the challenges of pregnancy,her relationship with her mother-in-law deteriorates, revealing a sinister agenda lurking beneath the surface.

Directed by rising filmmaking duo Max and Sam Eggers, known for their critically acclaimed works “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse,” “The Front Room” promises a suspenseful and thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics and the darkness that can fester within.

The film also features Andrew Burnap and Neal Huff in supporting roles. “The Front Room” is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on September 6th, 2024.

Watch The Official Trailer for THE FRONT ROOM Below!

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We all know there’s a shortlist of entertainers who simply aren’t all the way there upstairs. A checkered personal past, sketchy interviews or just…an inexplicable weird feeling make us question everything they say that’s not directly from a script or from a sheet of lyrics.

Terrence “Mayne” Howard was of those entertainers for years before he fell in his tinfoil hat bag during a 2015 Rolling Stone interview at the height of his “Empire” fame. In addition to working to explain away all the women he’s allegedly physically assaulted, Howard introduced us to the notion that 1 times 1 equals 2 – something that flies in the face of what we were all taught before we grew pubes – and that we’ve been “lied to” about basic math for years.

That, alone, is all the information you need to know that Howard is a bit touched and that anything he has to say about math should be taken with the finest grain of salt. Yet, here we are again nine years later thanks to his recent appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” during which he was given hours of free rein to convince listeners that his version of “math (which I’ll henceforth call “maffs”) disproves the “conventional” math that undergirds the entirety of human creation.

Now, it’s worth noting that Rogan managed to build the single biggest podcast in the world by hosting conspiracy theorists trading on wholesale idiocy…often in support of white supremacy. He even had Katt Williams, fresh off his “Club Shay Shay” popularity, bless his podcast with the bullshit in late February. The popularity of “The Joe Rogan Experience” should have us collectively weeping for humanity.

At any rate, getting into the specifics of Howard’s claims in search of any true enlightenment would be a waste of three hours you could use to watch “Killers of the Flower Moon.” But we learn that Howard has applied for patents on virtual and augmented reality, though whether he was actually owns them is questionable. He also apparently spends much of his (apparently sizable) free time by creating shapes that offer some purported “portal” into a higher state of conscious maffs.

Never one to miss out on a good mess, TMZ asked Howard about his maffs last week. He used the phrase “Jim Crow law of mathematics” — managing to racialize the one thing that really can’t be racialized.

 

Fortunately, Howard had the presence of mind to evoke famed Black astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Rogan podcast. Howard admitted that Tyson rebuffed his 36-plus page treatise, which isn’t remotely surprising considering Tyson has carved out a career as the great equalizer of empiricism – unwilling to suffer religious or superstitious bona fides because they make you feel good. Just peep how he comes for the Mercury-in-microbraids contingent during a recent conversation with Amber Rose.

Tyson responded to the viral Howard-Rogan interview with his own 17-minute video in which he explains, as delicately as he can, why he applied some version of a scholarly peer review to determine that Howard’s treatise is an uncontained grease fire. Of course, you don’t need a college degree to put two and two together (haha), but one or several degrees usually accompany something as bold as Howard’s concepts.

And, well…Howard has zero degrees. So, Tyson is better than me for sifting through 36 pages of maffs conceived by the dude who was playing Michael Jackson’s older brother Jackie in an ABC miniseries instead of finishing his undergraduate degree.

What Howard demonstrates in spades is the Dunning-Kruger effect, which essentially is when someone overestimates their own knowledge on a given subject. (see also: Donald Trump in most things). Applying for patents on math that doesn’t check out is like applying for a patent on medical equipment when you’re a manager at Sonic — it demonstrates that Howard has a tenuous relationship with reality, but he’s famous, so his f***ery is allowed a platform.

Allow Howard – and Tyson by proxy – to serve as a reminder that empiricism matters: Being misunderstood doesn’t make you a genius, and being superstitious or religious doesn’t make you correct. Georgia’s Lake Lanier isn’t “haunted” because a handful of its 10 million annual visitors drown every year. Karen in accounts receivable isn’t being an asshole because of the positioning of Mercury in the cosmos — she’s an asshole regardless of what the planets do.

Or, as Tyson puts it in his video, “It’s not about feelings here…it’s about objective reality.”

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

I love Juneteenth.

I don’t want to brag but long before white America discovered the 159-year-old celebration for the end of the constitutionally enforced, race-based system of forced labor and intellectual theft, I was the Household of Faith Annual Juneteenth Bazaar’s six-time undefeated Biblical Pursuit champion (I’m pretty sure it’s in the Guinness Book of World Records). 

During the preparation for my unprecedented championship run, I found out that the name “Juneteenth” wasn’t in the Bible. Nor was the portmanteau of “June” and Nineteenth” created by my mom, who was notorious for coming up with terrible names (HYPU, for instance). When I learned that Juneteenth was a day to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, I could only imagine the words that came tumbling out of the mouths of the newly liberated freedmen on that glorious day. 

On the first Juneteenth, those former slavemasters were on the receiving end of pent-up, pure, unadulterated truth. Aside from learning about how they smelled after a rainfall and hearing the word “mother” paired with an expletive for sex for the first time (I haven’t done the etymological research) those former slavemasters probably learned a thing or two about a lazy, violent, uncivilized country called America. 

This is what Juneteenth means to me. 

If white people truly want to celebrate Juneteenth, what better way to honor America’s actual Independence Day than hearing a few uncomfortable truths? Instead of quoting Abraham Lincoln or wearing a dashiki made of safety pins, why not take some of the sage advice from the people who made America great the first time? 

To be clear, I’m not insinuating that Black people have been lying to y’all the other 364 days this year. But we know how y’all are. After experiencing the nationwide pearl-clutching over African Americans’ subtle suggestions like civil rights, democracy and paying people for labor, we tend to keep our crazy ideas to ourselves. So this Juneteenth, perhaps our Caucasian brothers can give the greatest Juneteenth gift of all:

Listen to Black people.

Here are five things white people need hear on Juneteenth. 

5.  The national anthem sucks.

Look, I know “The Star Spangled Banner” is right up there with that great Taylor Swift song about her ex-boyfriend and that Beatles ditty to their homeboy Jude. I just think we can do better.

First of all, when was the last time you heard anyone use the term “spangled”? I thought star spangling was some kind of weird sexual fetish for astronomers until I learned that it was just how white people say “bedazzled” (It’s the only question I got wrong in my near-perfect 1988 Biblical Pursuit run). Not to mention that there’s a whole verse about slavery. You can’t be mad at Colin Kaepernick for not wanting to stand for a slavemaster lullaby every time he went to work. And I’m not gonna get into the part about the violence in the song. I know hip-hop is pretty violent, but the current anthem doesn’t even slap. You can’t even do a line dance to it!

Aside from the fact that Francis Scott Key is a one-hit wonder, think about the marketing opportunities you’re missing out on. Think about it.  You live in a country filled with people who created the most popular, most profitable music on the entire planet represented by a song with no bass line. The royalties from a Pharrell-produced national anthem written by Stevie Wonder and sung by Beyoncé could wipe out the national debt. 

Or, since all American music is “borrowed” from Black artists maybe we could just claim eminent domain on an already-existing song. Think how dope it would be to hear an entire baseball stadium singing “Not Like Us.” That’s how you honor the troops. 

I feel a little patriotic every time I hear “Mustard on the beat ho.”

4. Stop being so fragile.

After a few centuries of years of free labor, why are y’all so afraid to compete on an even playing field?

I know you think affirmative action is anti-white, but if your people can’t capitalize on the privileges of headrights, slavery, Jim Crow, separate but equal, redlining, better-funded schools, legacy admissions, higher pay, the school-to-white privilege pipeline, police restraint, judicial preference, employer preference, voting rights and control of every political, economic and social institution in America, then maybe it’s your culture. 

It’s time for the white community to stop playing the victim and pull yourselves up by the bootstraps you were given at birth. If you stopped looking up to depraved, violent savages like Thomas Jefferson and Donald Trump, people might be willing to embrace you. After experiencing genocide, oppression, internment, exclusion and demonization you can’t blame Native Americans, Black Americans, Asian Americans, Muslims, Jews, Mexicans or anyone else for not wanting you in their neighborhoods.

Instead of taking responsibility for your actions, you blame everyone else. You didn’t own slaves, you just profited from a slave economy. You didn’t massacre Indigenous people, you just got free land once they were removed. You didn’t create segregated schools, you just used the stolen tax dollars to educate yourself and create generational wealth. It’s never your fault. 

So stop crying about being oppressed. We’re tired of hearing you whine about nonsense like DEI, wokeness, CRT, trans bathrooms, the gay agenda, the war on Christianity, Black Lives Matter, great replacement theory, Black mermaids, Mexican caravans, Sharia law, stolen elections, jack-booted thugs, masks, vaccines and democracy. 

If you don’t like it, maybe you should go back to Europe. 

3. America is aight.

Stop accusing every non-straight, non-white, non-Christian group of hating America.

Juneteenth

If Black protesters, Muslim worshippers, immigrants, multiculturalism and leftists are unpatriotic because they criticize their country, then what about all the white people who fought to make America great again? I’m not just talking about the current MAGA Republicans; I’m referring to the confederate flag flyers who are still dedicated to the lost cause. How can a person who loves their country secede from it? What about the racial terrorists during Reconstruction who used violence to take the rights of their fellow Americans just because they were Black? When the Supreme Court declared that segregation was unconstitutional, why didn’t you call out the anti-American segregationists? 

If you’re going to make America great again, doesn’t that mean it isn’t great now?

I’m not saying I love America like I love my grandmama or sweet potato pie. America is just fine. It just needs a little seasoning — a few sprinkles of justice and equality — and it will be something to be proud of. While I’ve never seen a purple mountain (except that one time when the Ques went to Colorado) I like America’s four spaceship guys and Broadway’s cocaine (I guess). America is beautiful. To be clear, this doesn’t mean I hate my country any more than pointing out a leak in my roof doesn’t mean I hate my house. As with my home, I understand that no country is perfect. But, because I choose to live here, I am willing to do what is necessary to make it better.   

America is a fixer-upper. 

2. The Constitution isn’t that great.

Look, I’m not going to bring up the three-fifths clause or the fugitive slave clause. I’m talking about the other parts. But, if we were going to build a country from scratch, there’s no way we’d use the same Constitution. So, I have a few edits:

1. Democracy: Even if we kept the Electoral College, why not let everyone vote for president and then count votes? The person with the most votes would be president. And here’s another idea: The right to vote should be guaranteed in the Constitution. 
2. Supreme Court: Besides emperors, kings and messiah Lakers, who else gets to keep their jobs for life? Two of the current Supreme Court justices are literally old enough to remember when our beloved banner had only 48 spangles. Some of them were partially educated under Jim Crow. If we can’t kick them off for selling their souls to Nazis, then how can we expect justice?
3. An equal rights amendment: I think that explains itself.
4. Congress: All the rules governing Congress should be in the Constitution, including filibusters, ratifying the presidential vote and confirming judges. How is there no law governing the people who make the laws?

The one we have now was cool for the days of muskets, slaves and horse-drawn carriages. But it’s 2024. It’s time.

1. Freedom is free.

Because if freedom isn’t free, you owe us some reparations.

I’m just saying.

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Michael Harriot is a writer, cultural critic and championship-level Spades player. His NY Times bestseller  Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America is available in bookstores everywhere.