Gospel

(ThyBlackMan.com) This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Aretha Franklin—and I doubt it’ll be the last. With a career as monumental and emotionally layered as hers, every return to her discography feels like peeling back another layer of brilliance. Most people know the big hits—“Respect,” “Think,” “Natural Woman”—but if you’re willing to dig a little deeper, you’ll find a wealth of songs that show a different side of the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Two ways: gradually and then suddenly.” “What brought it on?” Bill asked. “Friends,” said Mike. “I had a lot of friends. False friends.” Ernest Hemmingway, The Sun Also Rises The United States Constitution is a very interesting and powerful document. There have been some very harsh critiques of the Constitution and many of them are well deserved. However, in the context of […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Throughout American history, the assassination of Black leaders has served as a tipping point, igniting the greatest fears of Black Americans and rocking the moral consciousness of people concerned about freedom, justice, and equality. The assassinations of Medgar Evers, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Fred Hampton, Jr., and other Black leaders pierced the hearts and minds of Black Americans. The horrific murders of Emmitt Till (1955), the bombing […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Suppose the Trump Administration wants to clamp down on lawfare from politically biased law firms and expose the unscrupulous behavior of political activists and their non-profits. In that case, the Administration should begin by examining the law firm’s FARA filings. In case you haven’t heard of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), it’s a law requiring individuals who are lobbying the government or working to sway public opinion on behalf of […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) As a former professional athlete in the National Football League, I know the power of opportunity. I know what it means to rise, fight through adversity, and beat the odds stacked against you. That’s the promise of America — and it’s the very promise that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have kept alive for generations. Today, under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, that promise is being […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) I hope Trump pushes forward on tariffs. Hear me out. He has already backtracked faster than a hiker who spies a rattlesnake. Trump spent the first weeks of his second term spitting out tariff rates in a twitchy staccato. On Feb. 1, he announced 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada (along with a 10% tax on goods from China) supposedly due to fentanyl trafficking and illegal border […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) This marks the third time we’ve found ourselves returning to the music and ministry of the great Mahalia Jackson—and honestly, it still feels like we’ve only scratched the surface. There’s something magnetic about her voice, something holy in how she delivered even the most modest lyric with profound conviction. While her signature songs like “Move On Up a Little Higher” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” are rightly celebrated, […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The United States has the capacity and the tools to create a NEW Vision of how to help Americans, American workers, professional, blue collar, union, working-class Americans, and retired Americans. Tax Cuts are the key. Expanding our knowledge, and understanding tax cuts, and how they can work to the advantage of all Americans, is an unexplored area, by the public, and many policymakers. Tax cuts can create Jobs, and grow the U.S. economy and give billionaires, millionaires, and corporations […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Let’s be real: when most people hear the name Patti LaBelle, their minds go straight to the iconic bangers — “Lady Marmalade,” “New Attitude,” and the soul-stirring “If Only You Knew.” And don’t get me wrong, those tracks are legendary for a reason. But if that’s all you know of Ms. LaBelle, you’re only getting the highlight reel — not the full story. Digging a little deeper into her […]