Alright, alright, alright now.

I think I want to offer a formal congratulation to everyone who won and was nominated for an NAACP Image Awards. It is super important that African Americans are honored for the work they do on and off the screen, and I am happy that there is at least one day where an award show is quality enough to be for us, by us. With that said, I have mixed feelings about the award show.

Anthony Anderson is a quality host; he keeps on giving us humor with a taste of policy which is super important. I’m thankful that he dressed #OscarsSoWhite, but then again…who couldn’t and more importantly, who wouldn’t?

I am very happy for Michael B. Jordan for winning the Entertainer of the Year award because it was an award that he deserves. His performance in Creed was tremendous, and the work he does in general is worthy of an Oscar.

I knew that I called it about the motion picture. Straight Outta Compton was worthy of everything it deserves and is about to receive. That movie was fantastic, and did a lot with regards to accolades and achievements in the Black community.

However, “Empire”… Why is it still winning awards? I mean, I love myself some Cookie, but allow others the spotlight once in a while.

**sigh**

I am very pleased that Creed was getting the rightful recognition it deserved.

Also, shout out to The Wiz Live! Thrilled to have all of this unapologetic blackness getting recognized for doing just that.

I was a little disappointed that “Power”… sorry… I was pissed that “Power” did not win a single award. It’s got an amazing cast, it was directed with such precision, and its storyline is an upgraded version of “The Haves and the Have Nots.” (I love that show, no shade.) “Power” just keeps on giving us what we want.

I felt like “Blackish” had to win. It’s such a family show on prime time that it was destined to do so. However, now that we’re speaking about “Blackish”… Tracee.

Tracee Ellis Ross. She can FILL OUT a dress!

I’m super excited for the next Image Awards. I’m so excited for how NAACP intends to address diversity in Hollywood, and I am looking for more unapologetic blackness in the upcoming weeks.

(Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Author

  • Travis Henry is a senior at Rutgers University studying Communication, with a concentration in Strategic Public Relations and Public Communication, and French. Currently, he is looking at the relationship between consumer brands and African-American youth and how the Black-white racial segregation has manifested online. When he is not doing research at school or writing at work, he finds himself “curating the human experience” via his magazine DWNTWN and editing his school’s magazine Voice. He sees himself in the future finding a career that hybrids music, activism, media, and writing.