A Detroit native, Kenneth 'Kenny' Williams Jr. is a self-described cultural critic and visual storyteller. Kenneth's passions include pop culture, writing, cultural commentating.
Anderson .Paak Returns To SXSW As DJ Pee .Wee, Reinventing Himself Yet Again
Anderson .Paak may have held a variety of names throughout his ever-growing career, but one title that he’ll always be able to claim is that of a multi-hyphenate. In every iteration of his career, thus far, we’ve witnessed him constantly recreate himself and peel back the layers of his artistic persona. That hasn’t changed as the musician, under his alter-ego DJ Pee .Wee prepares to take the stage at this year’s SXSW at Doritos After Dark in collaboration with Billboard. Taking place at Billb...
Meagan Good On The Importance Of Authentic Portrayals Of Friendship On Television
Since the inception of her career, Meagan Good has portrayed various roles that speak to the human experience. Through her megawatt talent, the starlet has shined a light on the stories that many Black women can relate to. That’s no different with her latest role as Camille Parks on Amazon Prime’s hit show Harlem. The series follows Good’s character and her friend group as they navigate love and life in Harlem while showing up for one another. As Harlem’s second season recently started, the C...
Jermaine Dupri Reflects On The 30th Anniversary Of So So Def Recordings
It can be hard to quantify the colossal success of legendary record label So So Def Recordings, but it’s impossible to overlook. Created and spearheaded by award-winning artist and producer Jermaine Dupri, the Atlanta-based label is largely to thank for several musical contributions. The company has served as a launchpad for the successful careers of many artists, including Xscape, Dem Franchise Boyz, Bone Crusher, Anthony Hamilton, Bow Wow, and various others. As the label celebrates its 30t...
Missy Elliott Pays Reverence To Hip-Hop Predecessors
When it comes to Missy Elliott, the superstar’s creative genius knows no bounds. Decades ago, the world witnessed her rise to stardom with ingenious visual concepts and innovative sounds to match. That, coupled with her superior production skills on a multitude of musical hits, put her in a category of her own. Today, she’s still paving the way for musicians and creatives alike with the help of Doritos. The icon teamed up with the brand for their latest Super Bowl LVII commercial. The commerc...
Serena Williams Talks Latest Super Bowl Commercial With Michelob ULTRA
Throughout her career, Serena Williams has built a reputation synonymous with excellence. That’s why it shouldn’t be surprising that she’s teaming up with Michelob ULTRA for the third time as part of their latest Super Bowl LVII campaign. The New Members Day commercial finds Williams and a slew of other celebrities engaging in friendly competition on the golf course while highlighting how golf is making its way into mainstream culture. For Williams, she was happy to see that the advertisement...
Trevor Noah On What He’s Most Excited About For This Year’s GRAMMY Awards
It’s a monumental moment for the world of music as the GRAMMY Awards prepares to celebrate its 65th anniversary this week. As the world collectively prepares for this year’s biggest night in music, viewers should expect to see a familiar face — Trevor Noah.
Naomi Campbell On What To Expect In Her New MasterClass
The world changed forever when Naomi Campbell debuted. The supermodel’s undeniable talent and megawatt star power put her in a league of her own. While she’s graced a multitude of runways and magazine covers throughout her career, it’s safe to say the knowledge she’s picked up along the way is immeasurable. Now she’s imparting that same knowledge to the next generation of game-changers through her first-ever MasterClass. With over three decades of experience and wisdom, Campbell will teach co...
Keke Palmer’s Career Is A Blueprint For Marginalized Creators
It's hard to imagine the entertainment industry without Keke Palmer. The Illinois native's storied career proves what can happen when authenticity, talent, and hard work intersect. From becoming Broadway's first African-American Cinderella to being the youngest talk show host in television history, Palmer has cemented her name as a legend. That's why it makes all the sense in the world for the multihyphenate to team up with megabrand Doritos to launch their latest product, Doritos Dips, as pa...
How Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul’ Became a Cultural Reset With the Help of Two Legends
Beyoncé is back. Scales and other measurement forms categorize most global phenomena, but when it comes to Beyoncé’s return to the music charts? That kind of magnitude can’t be quantified as with anything the songstress does; it’s a cultural reset.
Just as many remember where they were when Beyoncé’s surprise 2013 self-titled Beyoncé album dropped or the feelings evoked from the first viewing of Lemonade, the same exhilaration happened this summer with the release of “Break My Soul.” Most of ...
What Mary J. Blige's 'Share My World' Still Means To Me 25 Years Later
As a child, I never quite understood why my mom would always have Mary J. Blige’s Share My World album queued up for the boom box at a moment’s notice. Yes the album consistently had me in a trance, but that was mainly because I had never seen a Black woman so fabulous. The image of the quintessential “fly girl” adorned by a cocaine-white ensemble and Fendi shades on the cover of the singer’s third studio album was seared in my memory during my formative years. At 28, that still remains the c...
From Journalist To CEO: Kyle Simpson’s Journey To Creating The Neighborhood Talk
For those whose interest in current events lies along the intersection of pop culture and hard-hitting news they’ve likely come across the popular blog The Neighborhood Talk. The platform, with a whopping 1.3 million followers on Instagram, has helped to change the ways in which people consume news content. From viral interviews with celebrities to creating dialogue around hot-button issues in entertainment, it’s safe to say that its success is rapidly growing. The mastermind behind this well...
LeToya Luckett Is at the Intersection of Motherhood and ‘Raising Kanan’
LeToya Luckett has mastered the skill of wearing multiple hats. We’ve witnessed the Texan juggle multiple roles, from chart-topping superstar to dynamic actress, for more than 25 years. A new title the multi-hyphenate has added to her list of credentials in recent years is that of motherhood. While the fictional characters she portrays can be vastly different from Luckett herself, "mother" is actually a title she shares with her latest role of Kenya Pierce in Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Pi...
Babyface Ray & Larry June Bring the Heat to Red Bull’s SoundClash in Motor City
It’s no secret that Detroit is synonymous with musical brilliance, as it’s the birthplace of Motown itself. That being said, it makes all the sense in the world for mega-brand Red Bull to host the first of its fall SoundClashevents in the Motor City. On October 15, Detroit hosted the Red Bull SoundClash event, an electrifying showdown between two of the biggest names in music. Those names in question? Detroit’s own Babyface Ray and San Francisco native Larry June. Taking place at the Russell ...
Amanda Seales Uses Comedy To Bring Awareness to Society's Ills
Amanda Seales is one of the most revered voices of our generation, and while it may not be a scientific fact, Seales’s comedy tour proves such. Whether she uses her wide-ranging acting abilities to bring dynamic characters like Insecure’s Tiffany DuBois to life or employs her comedic talents to discuss social justice issues, Seales’s voice is not only powerful but necessary. As the California native continues to make her rounds on her "Black Outside Again Tour," Seales reminds us just how ski...
Quincy Brown Is Building His Own Empire, One Brick at a Time
To be a multi-hyphenate is to be an individual who excels in various disciplines while still retaining that through line of undeniable talent. We’ve seen individuals like Queen Latifah and Jamie Foxx exemplify what it really means to possess this talent and use it in a way that inspires others to do the same. That kind of star power can’t be duplicated or replicated; it’s something that one can only be achieved through hard work and discipline. One person who has showcased his ability to do s...