Javier E. David | theGrio | African American News and Opinion

How Cain became the ideal anti-Romney candidate

8:35 AM on 10/27/2011

OPINION - Arguably his biggest selling point is his unvarnished authenticity that remains untainted by his anti-politico image...

Jesse Jackson Jr takes Perry n-word nonsense too far

By Javier E. David

7:00 AM on 10/07/2011

OPINION - One can certainly argue Gov. Perry's partial leasing of the property in question reflects poor judgment. That said, it was nearly 30 years ago, and it's now clearly been excavated for political purposes...

What's raising Herman Cain? The audacity of authenticity

By Javier E. David

8:49 AM on 10/05/2011

OPINION - The Morehouse alum pleases the grassroots with his no-compromising style, orthodox conservatism and serious policy thinking...

Why Herman Cain's Florida win shouldn't be written off

By Javier E. David

6:00 AM on 09/26/2011

OPINION - The Hermanator is far from being a lock for the presidential nod, but his win in Florida sends an unmistakable message that the outcome of the Republican nomination is far from assured...

Has Kevin Hart saved the stand up comedy film genre?

By Javier E. David

8:53 AM on 09/14/2011

OPINION - Are expectations lofty for a comedian who freely confesses to having been booed during his earlier appearances? Certainly...

What's in a name? Mos Def's 'Yasiin' a move away from rap

By Javier E. David

8:35 AM on 09/08/2011

OPINION - Will it all pan out for Mos Def after 2012, when he officially becomes Yasiin? It just might, though at this point he's probably better off pursuing an acting career...

How 'Rock the Bells' has revolutionized hip-hop

By Javier E. David

6:03 AM on 09/03/2011

theGRIO REPORT - Its aesthetic is an unusual amalgam (a collision, really) of the old and the new; the known and the unknown; the hip and the square. And it's all hip-hop...

How the CBC covers up failures with Tea Party attacks

By Javier E. David

8:38 AM on 09/01/2011

OPINION - Rep. Andre Carson's blast constitutes one of the most egregious examples of race-baiting politics has seen in some time...

Why Nick Ashford's legacy is 'solid as a rock'

By Javier E. David

9:02 AM on 08/23/2011

OPINION - Unlike the multi-taskers of modern day music, Ashford never attempted to shed his musical career like a used skin he outgrew, or evolve beyond his core competency...

How off-screen haters could hurt 'The Help' on Oscar night

By Javier E. David

8:09 AM on 08/22/2011

OPINION - It would be wrong for such a rich story to be judged on the basis of its controversies rather than its cinematic merit...

'The Help' shows good stories have no color barrier

By Javier E. David

5:01 AM on 08/12/2011

OPINION - Cinematic history is replete with examples of movies that spark ire over the racial composition of the team behind the camera...

MTV at 30: How it changed the face of black music

By Javier E. David

8:33 AM on 08/01/2011

OPINION - MTV made music visual in a way that emphasized looks and style over talent and substance...

Deportations may divide Obama's black and brown base

By Javier E. David

8:11 AM on 07/28/2011

OPINION - Stalled immigration reform -- like several other high-profile Obama campaign promises has become a proxy for frustrated political ambitions...

How white artists keep black music alive

By Javier E. David

6:10 AM on 07/18/2011

OPINION - Singer Adele and rapper Eminem are white artists who have hit it big with musical styles that make them popular amongst both mainstream and black audiences...

How 'Boyz n the Hood' remains relevant 20 years later

By Javier E. David

8:36 AM on 07/12/2011

OPINION - 'Boyz n the Hood' seems to ask this still relevant question: Sure we all have to go sometime, but does it have to be at the business end of a firearm?...

How the Blago verdict puts Jesse Jackson Jr. on the hot seat

By Javier E. David

8:21 AM on 06/29/2011

OPINION - Given the allegations against him, it may have behooved the telegenic 46-year old to keep his nose to the grindstone...

Jill Scott sees the 'Light' with top-notch new album

By Javier E. David

8:48 AM on 06/21/2011

REVIEW - Given the sheer amount of drama packed into the last several years of Ms. Scott's life, it's no surprise that 'The Light of the Sun' reflects much of that existential turbulence...

How race plays a role in 'X-Men: First Class'

By Javier E. David

8:12 AM on 06/09/2011

OPINION - You don't need to be a lifelong comic fanboy to notice the parallels between the universe inhabited by fictional mutants, and the real world circumstances of racial and ethnic minorities....

Yes we Cain? The secret of the Hermanator's success

By Javier E. David

8:13 AM on 06/06/2011

OPINION - While it is far too early to make any early predictions, it has become evident that Cain's improbable candidacy is less quixotic than it appeared just months ago...