Post Bourgie - On-Point Randomness
What it is: A blog that hits on the day's hot topics—from politics to media to education—from a stable of solid, smart writers across the nation.
Why we like it: The random midday hotness? Always hot. And the Monday "random-ass" roundups compile the best of the Web to get your gears turning early in the week. Also, the comments are often as interesting as the blog posts themselves.
What we want to see it to take on next: More regularly scheduled podcasts.
Afrobella - Seriously Beautiful
What it is: It celebrates "all shades of beautiful" with a special emphasis on hair and beauty.
Why we like it: Editor Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik's focus on natural hair and her willingness to explore the social dynamics that shape the relationships each one of us have with the skin we're in and our crowning glories.
What we want to see it take on next: Hair hats.
Jack and Jill Politics - News Junkie's Delight
What it is: It calls itself a "black bourgeoisie perspective on U.S. politics."
Why we like it: These bourgies are concerned with more than Louboutins and hanging out on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. They're too busy posting a quick and dirty torrent of blog entries on everything that liberal news junkies and Obama watchers care about.
What we want to see it take on next: More about the shrinking of its base.
Racialicious - Rainbow Connection
What it is: Where tribalism and multiculturalism and media saturation and so-called post-racialism meet is a racalicious nexus of provocative news and commentary, edited by contributor to The Root Latoya Peterson.
Why we like it: Because we never get tired of talking about the politics and social impact of race.
What we want to see it take on next: The Red Stripe spokesman.
Jezebel - Fabulously Feminist
What it is: A general interest, feminist-focused blog on celebrity, sex and fashion
Why we like it: Edited by Anna Holmes, A Root 100 honoree, Jezebel is timely, smart, contrarian, progressive and pro-woman without being preachy. You can get smart cultural analysis as well as "Your Daily World Cup Abdominals Roundup."
What we want to see it take on next: Now that Holmes has announced her departure on June 30, here's hoping Jezebel doesn't lose its enthusiastic embrace of women of all colors.
Shadow and Act - Entertainment Industry Insider
What it is: A site that covers media from the African diaspora — with a strong focus on cinema
Why we like it: It's always overflowing with new documentaries and films from Mother Africa. It's often the first place we turn to for the latest on Black Hollywood. Tyler Perry producing Ntozake Shange's seminal work? We heard it from S&A first.
What we want to see it to take on next: Let's get some discussion and interactivity going. Maybe a podcast?
The Black Snob - Beyond Catty
What it is: Danielle Belton brings a knowing voice to analyses of everything from politics to pop culture.
Why we like it: Commenting on the remake of The Karate Kid, she notes: "It contains both the familiar (Hollywood nepotism) and the unfamiliar (Hollywood nepotism NOW FEATURING BLACK KIDS!!!) We shall overcome!" It's a voice we want to hear more often than she posts.
What we want to see it take on next: Blog, blog, blog, Danielle.
What About Our Daughters - Passionate Defender
What it is: Created by Blogging While Brown founder Gina McCauley, it is, "Unapologetic, uncompromising, and unbowed in defense of black women and girls."
Why we like it: Because it gets our blood boiling. It's a place to find confirmation and consensus when folks like Slim Thug wild out against black women. Because, in the words of Public Enemy, sometimes you've got to fight the powers that be.
What we'd like to see it take on next: More of the same.
Ta-Nehisi Coates' Blog - Heavy Hitter
www.theatlantic.com/ta-nehisi-coates
What it is: His blog on the Atlantic is a must-read for any African American with intellectual aspirations and anyone interested in a substantive approach to black culture.
Why we like it: Coates can make the closely reasoned argument, taking down fallacies one by one, but he can also just as easily deliver the dismissive one-liner.
What we'd like it to take on next: If only Coates would only take on white-on-white folly more often.
Sahara Reporters - On a Mission
What it is: Omoyele Sowore's blog is devoted to exposing corruption in Africa's most populous country.
Why we like it: You don't have to be obsessed about Nigeria to become a regular reader. Sowore has a lot of material to work with: photos of high officials with their mistresses, shots of the expensive homes and cars of modestly-paid civil servants, even a video of reporters being beaten.
What we want to see it take on next: Expanding the formula to other African and developing nations.
Gawker - NYC Know-it-All
What it is: A Manhattan-based super-blog that started out covering New York media before becoming an all-encompassing juggernaut.
Why we like it: Despite working what is ostensibly the media beat, Gawker editor Hamilton Nolan also covers, with ghetto-pass, aplomb racial drama, bigoted police officers and hip-hop. For evidence, look no further than his recent on-point post "Enough with the Jay-Z Fetish."
What we want to see it take on next: A black writer.
Check the Weather - Green Justice Warrior
What it is: A national blog about diversifying the green movement and advocating for much-needed environmental justice.
Why we like it: It reminds us that green is the old black. Tailing everyone from Lisa Jackson to Biz Markie, this eco-blog takes innovative approaches to highlighting environmental issues.
What we want to see it take on next: Constant coverage of the Gulf Coast spill. Check The Weather is already telling us what rapper Drake has to say about it.
Undercover Black Man - Most Missed
undercoverblackman.blogspot.com
What it was: TV writer/former Washington Post journalist David Mills (Treme, The Wire, Kingpin, NYPD Blue) died way too young at 48 earlier this year. Before he passed on, his blog was the go-to site for musings on everything from politics to P-Funk.
Why we liked it: Because Mills used Undercover Black Man (a reference to his um, light complexion) as an outlet for his inner journalist. He took on white supremacists and black nationalists alike and uncovered random historical facts ("The Vice President and His Mulatto").
Bossip - Guilty Pleasure
What it is: A gossip site that offers a comically vicious and often cynical perspective on the world of black celebrity news and lifestyle.
Why we like it: Because it provides us with all the gossipy tidbits we don't need to know, and then some. It's kind of like sugar - it has no nutritional value, but is highly addictive.
What we want to see it take on next: A Pulitzer Prize. Hey, if the National Enquirer can be considered, why not a site that offers in-depth analysis and investigative reports on Beyonce's ever-changing lacefront?
YBF (Young Black and Fabulous) - Guiltier Pleasure
What it is: A photo-blog with click-worthy photos on black celebs that capture their fortunes … and their foolywang.
Why we like it: Because Natasha Eubanks, founder and resident blogger, is hi-larious. Her critical eye for fashion no-no's and ceaseless side-eyes at pop culture gaffes are always good for a quick chuckle at the office.
What we want to see it take on next: After exposing Halle's baby bump, Chrhianna-gate and now Drake (read: Drizzy) drama, what else is even left?
Media Takeout - Guiltiest Pleasure
What it is: A black celebrity gossip website dubbed "The Most Visited Urban Website in the World."
Why we like it: We have to admit mediatakeout is one of our guilty pleasures. It keeps us in the know about the personal lives of people in black entertainment.
What we want to see on it next: Less stories about boob jobs and derière implants, and more insightful commentary.
Awful Plastic Surgery - Best of the Worst
What it is: A guaranteed trip to the inner circle of Hell. Oh, and a highly libelous take on the less-than-successful attempts at celebrities' cosmetic alterations.
Why we like it: We are philosophically opposed to everything it stands for. But there are days where we can't help ourselves. Where else are we going to get the scoop on trout pout and Halle's and J-Lo's alleged rhinoplasties?
What we want to see it take on next: An impassioned declaration that natural beauty is where it's at? Nah, we didn't think so.