DETROIT (AP) — Former presidents and preachers joined a parade of pop stars Friday in a singing, hip-swaying, piano-pounding farewell to Aretha Franklin, remembering the Queen of Soul as a powerful force for musical and political change and a steadfast friend. In a send-off both grand and personal, an all-star lineup of mourners […]

Aretha Franklin was laid to rest today in an epic, hours-long funeral that featured dynamic speakers and soul-stirring performances. It was a fitting end to the reign of the Queen of Soul who was known both for her civil rights activism and her amazing voice and legendary career. Only Aretha Franklin could have a funeral […]

Racism rears its ugly head.

  Traci Braxton has opened up about the future of Braxton Family Values and why Phaedra Parks joined the hit reality series this season. She told ESSENCE that she asked the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star to join her on an adventure to Wyoming and South Dakota to learn about the history of Black cowboys. The duo also herd cattle and live like […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of people lined up for blocks outside the U.S. Capitol Friday to say goodbye to John McCain as officials, relatives and friends paid their tributes inside to the Vietnam hero and longtime senator lying in state under the majestic dome. Earlier, Vice President Mike Pence, lawmakers and guests paid tribute at […]

The owner of a travel agency in Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish was arrested after being accused of bilking several dozen 2018 Essence Festival attendees out of tens of thousands of dollars for vacation packages that she didn’t deliver, reports NOLA.com. Nakesia Washington, the 41-year-old owner of OBL Travel LLC., was booked Aug. 2 with theft of more […]

  NEW YORK –– Slick Rick, hip-hop’s greatest storyteller, and The Black Eyed Peas – whose crossover over appeal has generated sales of more than 40 million units worldwide – share a new song and video, Constant Part 1 & 2, released globally today across all DSPs. Rick, who celebrates the 30th anniversary of his landmark The Great Adventures of Slick Rick in November, […]

Trump has denied all raises for Federal Workers. That’s a few million people that won’t be getting a raise! He claims it’s because the money isn’t in the budget but he seems to have money for lots of unnecessary things, like a parade, a wall and a space force. “He’s trying to run the country […]

Two Winston-Salem women, Michaela Pearson and Candice Little, have been arrested after the clip went viral on Facebook showing the women help three children smoke what appeared to be marijuana. The videos, which originally appeared on Snapchat, shows an adult holding the paraphernalia to the children’s mouths while they inhaled. According to ABC 7, the […]

Omarosa Manigault Newman topped The New York Times bestseller list with her memoir Unhinged, but the tell-all about her time in the Trump White House is tanking, The Root reports. According to the Washington Post, the sales of Unhinged have fallen some 40 percent since the book debuted. The book was released on Aug. 14 and had a nice opening […]

A lesson on bias.

DJ Khaled is now in the home furnishing business. “My home is my castle and it’s a sacred place,” Khaled says about his new regal-flavored collection, titled “We the Best Home” by Goldition. The luxury line, inspired by his own home and lifestyle, will officially launch Thursday at El Dorado Furniture in Miami, the first brick-and-mortar […]