Travis Kelce Haircut Is A Viral Trend, But Black Creators Aren’t Happy About The Coverage

A New York Times report about Travis Kelce’s haircut becoming a viral trend has left several prominent Black media members unhappy with how Kelce is being portrayed.”The NYT thinks that Travis Kelce invented the fade 🤦🏾‍♀️ When you have zero cultural competency on your staff, this is how you end up with stories like this, and explaining swag surfin,’ which is at least 15 or years old,” wrote journalist Jemele Hill on X.

As Hill noted, The Times referred to “The Fade”, a staple of Black fashion since it first grew to popularity in the militarized culture of the 1940s and 50s, as “The Travis Kelce”. And while cultural markers do grow and adopt and maybe it’s unreasonable for a 14-year-old Chiefs fan to know it’s a fade and not the Kelce, the 172-year-old New York Times should absolutely know better.

Read More: Is Travis Kelce Attending The Grammys? Tight End Reveals If He Will Be Accompanying Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Co-Opts Black Dance Moves…Again

However, as Hill mentioned, it’s not just Travis Kelce who is pushing this trend. Explainer articles about “Swag Surfin” have popped up after Swift was seen pulling the dance move at the AFC Championship Game. In this case, an article from The Sporting News called it “the Chiefs’ viral dance celebration”. Swag Surfin dates back to 2009 and the F.L.Y. song of the same name. But the co-opting of Black-created dance moves is not a new thing. The Wikipedia page for “The Griddy” features two images of white people doing the dance, despite the creator being Black and a Black NFL player have been the one to further popularize it.

Furthermore, it’s not the first time that Swift specifically has been involved in discussions of cultural appropriation. Swift received a great deal of backlash for the music video of her 2014 hit “Shake If Off”. The “joke” of the video is that Swift is trying and failing to replicate dance moves such as twerking. However, it’s much more again to lampshading – simply pointing out that the self-awareness of an action does not excuse the action itself.

Read More: Taylor Swift Fans Beg Her Not To Collaborate With F.L.Y. Amid “Swag Surfin’” Trend

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Jemele Hill Claims Offset & Bobbi Althoff Interview Reveals How “Hip-Hop Journalism Has Been Practically Erased”

Jemele Hill is someone who never shies away from sharing her opinion. As someone who made a name for themself on ESPN, she is no stranger to the world of punditry. Moreover, she is now a writer for The Atlantic, where she is able to share her opinions with a wide audience. Additionally, her opinions go well beyond just sports at this point. For instance, she recently gave her take on an upcoming interview between Bobbi Althoff and Offset.

Althoff has caught a lot of flack over the last couple of months due to her proximity to hip-hop. Some people feel as though she is making fun of hip-hop. Furthermore, there are those who think her irreverent style showcases a contempt for the culture as a whole. Needless to say, she is not on everyone’s good side. After a clip of her interview with Offset began getting traction online, Hill spoke out about Althoff and the larger issue that plagues hip-hop journalism these days.

Read More: Jemele Hill Asks Jake Paul If Nate Robinson Knockout Was Racist

Jemele Hill Speaks

“I don’t find these types of interviews particularly enjoyable or interesting,” Hill said. “Instead it just sadly points out how real hip hop journalism has been practically erased. Some of the media teams behind these artists aren’t interested in them sitting down with credible people who know how to tell stories and do quality interviews. Then they wonder why an artist’s real story goes untold, neglected or that artist is misunderstood.” This subsequently led to some discourse in the replies. Although, Hill stood strong on her opinion, proclaiming that these artists could do interviews with anyone, and fans would still flock to it.

At this point, Althoff’s interview style and guests are always going to be a hot topic of debate. For now, however, she is staying true to what she wants to do, and that won’t change anytime soon. Let us know what you think of Hill’s opinion, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: Jemele Hill Pushes Back Against Snoop Dogg’s Support Of Bill Cosby

The post Jemele Hill Claims Offset & Bobbi Althoff Interview Reveals How “Hip-Hop Journalism Has Been Practically Erased” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Jemele Hill Net Worth 2023: What Is The Journalist Worth?

Amid the clamor of talking heads in the realm of sports journalism, the inimitable Jemele Hill resounds like a trumpet blast of authenticity. Charismatic, intellectually rigorous, and unapologetically herself—Hill has carved out a space that’s entirely her own. It’s 2023, and as we dance on the numbers, her net worth clocks in at an impressive $4 million, according to Idol Net Worth. Yet, this isn’t just about her financial portfolio. It’s a mirror reflecting her unparalleled journey through the turbulent landscapes of media and activism.

The Birth Of A Crusader: From Print To The Screen

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 26: Jemele Hill attends ‘Spotify – Jemele Hill is Unbothered’ at Gitano on March 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Spotify)

Jemele Hill’s story doesn’t commence with her nationally recognized face or her deft manipulation of the Twitter sphere. It starts at the humble Detroit Free Press where she covered high school sports. Hill climbed the hierarchical ladder in the journalism domain with a quiet yet unmistakable intensity. The Scripps Howard Foundation recognized her incisive skill set early on, awarding her its coveted “National Journalism Award.” But her transformation into a household name occurred when ESPN swooped in and offered her a seat at the table—more specifically, the news desk.

Conquering Airwaves & Stirring Pots

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 06: Jemele Hill speaks during the Spotify House Of Are & Be Podcast Session Presenting Jemele Hill Is Unbothered Live With Senator Kamala Harris on July 06, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Spotify)

ESPN wasn’t just another rung in Hill’s ever-ascending career ladder. It was the stage upon which she’d perform some of her most impassioned and controversial acts. As a co-host of His & Hers and later SC6 with Michael and Jemele, she was never one to mince words or shy away from the inconvenient narratives that many sports journalists tend to avoid. The topics ranged from Colin Kaepernick’s protest to the murky politics within sports. It was an area rife with complexities and discomfort. Hill’s knack for bringing social justice issues into the sports dialogue set her apart as a journalist and an activist. This was much to the chagrin of some but to the applause of many.

The Private Life: A Balanced Equation

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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Jemele Hill and Ian Wallace attend as Netflix opens up Culturecon New York with a screening of The Redeem Team featuring Dwyane Wade and an Entergalactic Party on October 07, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix)

Jemele Hill maintains an enviable equilibrium between her public persona and private life. It is a tightrope walk that many in her position have stumbled upon. She married her longtime love, Ian Wallace, in a ceremony that captured hearts and headlines in 2018. The wedding wasn’t just an affirmation of romantic love but a celebration of black love, culture, and tradition—something she’s always upheld. Far from the limelight, she shares snippets of her life that resonate with both die-hard fans and casual observers.

The Altruist Wearing The Capitalist Hat

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Journalist Jemele Hill attends her book release party at 1010 Wine and Events on October 21, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)

Yes, you read that right—Hill is as strategic as she is empathetic. Not content to sit in the glory of a successful journalism career, she made her foray into podcasting with Jemele Hill is Unbothered, a show that packs political ruminations, celebrity interviews, and social discourse into compelling auditory episodes. Moreover, Hill’s involvement in charitable causes, particularly those focused on educational opportunities for marginalized communities, has been both extensive and impactful.

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Questlove Says He’s Quit The Roots While Recording Every Album But Two

To most folks, Questlove is the heart and soul of The Roots — or at least the member most can be readily called upon to identify with any degree of accuracy (although, that doesn’t necessarily hold true all the time). However, according to Quest himself, there have been many times where that was almost not the case. In a new interview with Jemele Hill, the afroed drummer — who also dabbles in writing books and directing movies — said that he’s temporarily walked away from the band while recording every album but two.

The first, obviously, was their 1993 debut Organix, which they released independently, generating enough buzz to sign to grunge label DGC for the release of their second album, Do You Want More?!!!??!, in 1995. However, despite receiving plenty of critical acclaim, the project underperformed by the group’s standards, prompting Black Thought and the late Mailk B to seek out new production styles on their third album, Illadelph Halflife, spawning an unofficial Roots Crew tradition of Questlove threatening to quit the band for a few weeks while recording all of their albums.

Asked by Hill, “What’s the closest The Roots have come to breaking up?” Questlove breaks into peals of laughter before explaining that the recording of their upcoming project, Endgame, is the first in a while that he’s broken his habit on. “I hold the record for the longest [streak of quitting]… After three records, then it’s like the little boy who cried wolf. It’s like, ‘Yeah, he’ll be back next month. Don’t worry about him.’”

“At the beginning of Illadelph Halflife,” he continues. “I was the last to know that Tariq and Malik desired to rhyme over a more traditional hip-hop backdrop. After a while, it was like, ‘Wait a minute, am I the bad guy here? Did I kill my own group?’… I took it mad personal.” He further explains how the rest of the band sprung “Clones” on him after a failed excursion to the Million Man March in Washington D.C., prompting Quest’s first walkout. However, he has always come back to help finish each project, and over time, The Roots have earned greater public appeal and a regular gig as the house band on The Tonight Show, so it’s probably better that he stuck around.

Listen to Quest’s full interview with Jemele Hill here.