Jay Connor

Founder of Extraordinary Ideas. Inquires: deathtoadverbs@gmail.com.

The Root • 24th June 2020

In Its Efforts to Make Itself a More Inclusive Sport, NASCAR Has Failed Already

When we say this among ourselves, the implication is understood. But since we now live in a world rife with brand spanking new “allies,” that phrase likely requires an explanation. Racism is exhausting, which, in turn, means white people are inherently exhausting too. Every single day of our lives, we’re either exposed to racism, recovering from it or suffering from the paranoia and anxiety of waiting for it to inevitably resurface.

The Root • 27th May 2020

On the Record: Russell Simmons Finally Faces the Music, But He Shouldn't Be the Only One Listening

My hope is that On the Record wakes our community up, but more specifically, that it inspires black men to assess our roles as active participants in the destruction of black women. To reflect on our mistakes, hold ourselves accountable and challenge each other to elevate our queens instead of constantly tearing them down or remaining indifferent to their plight. To that end, it’s equally important that we emerge from the shadows and provide the same unwavering public support that we’ve received throughout our lives as though it’s our birthright.

The Root • 17th April 2020

'Coronavirus Will Forever Change Bedside Care': Black Healthcare Workers Reveal Their Own Struggles to Survive a Global Pandemic

The coronavirus doesn’t just ravage the body of those infected; it wreaks havoc on all those in proximity to it. It plays on the minds of those who, while not suffering from the actual disease, are caring for those who are. COVID-19's alarming infection and death rates bring with it the weight of uncertainty and the fear of unpredictability and the soft whisper of, “God, please don’t let it be me.”

The Root • 18th February 2020

Rebels of Black History: How Bad Brains Redefined the Spirit of Defiance

It’s an uncomfortable truth that’s not only intrinsic to the band’s ascension into rock royalty, but to the soul of the music they revolutionized. If punk is rooted in discomfort and conflict, then what would Bad Brains be without it? And more importantly, what would the musical landscape be without Bad Brains?

The Root • 12th June 2019

I Kept Hearing My Masculinity Was Under Attack by the Gay Agenda, So I Went to Pride to Test This Theory

I recall being both appalled and aghast upon waking up the next morning to this horrifying news and wishing there was something—anything—I could do to alleviate the anguish and fear that threatened to unravel so many of my friends. But in my efforts to be supportive, I also realized that I was operating out of sympathy instead of empathy—much like white folks do when they feign concern for our well-being but aren’t willing to forfeit their privilege—and got called out for it.

The Grapevine • 30th May 2019

'When They See Us' Is the Haunting Masterpiece the Central Park Five Deserve

In delving into the rotted core of the Big Apple, very few details are spared over the course of four mesmeric episodes. We bear witness to a lead prosecutor who ignores her moral objections in favor of convicting children she knows are innocent. We bristle as investigators pervert and contort the truth, causing families to burst at the seams. We watch helplessly as trauma engulfs the serenity of Black Boy Joy, and the promise of tomorrow becomes the gruesome scars of yesterday. As such, it’s a lot to endure. Almost too much.

Playboy • 13th October 2018

Mr. West Goes to Washington

Yet be it pride, narcissism, mental illness, or otherwise, Kanye genuinely believes he’s somehow acting in the best interest of black progress while basking in his starring role as Trump’s ventriloquist dummy.

The Root • 16th July 2020

The WNBA Is Giving a Masterclass on How Not to Treat Professional Athletes

Prior to COVID-19 ruining everyone’s lives, attendance was abysmal—the WNBA had it’s lowest attendance in league history in 2018 and drew even smaller crowds in 2019—and the league has long been criticized for its meager wages (that require even its superstars to play overseas during the offseason), embarrassing accommodations and a host of other issues not befitting of some of the most talented and influential athletes in the entire world.

The Root • 5th June 2019

So Ebony Magazine Took Us to Court

Legal victories of this nature are typically cause for celebration, but in this instance, there’s nothing to celebrate. The reputation of a once-lauded magazine is in shambles, and while many have taken the time to dance on the site of Ebony’s premature grave, others like myself have flowers in hand—mourning the precarious state of black media and our respect for a magazine that was once the epicenter of black pride.

The Grapevine • 1st April 2020

In 'The Scheme,' a Basketball Mastermind Provides the Perfect Playbook to the NCAA's Biggest Scandal

Every great story has an even better villain. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has Thanos, the United States has President ‘China Virus’ and HBO’s riveting documentary, The Scheme, trots out 25-year-old Christian Dawkins; a basketball prodigy-turned-business manager who was sentenced in October for attempting to funnel collegiate superstars to his sports management company after turning pro.

The Grapevine • 24th April 2019

'Avengers: Endgame' Is a Master Class in the Perfect Goodbye

Every lofty expectation that "Avengers: Infinity War" established in the pantheon of superhero cinema, "Avengers: Endgame" eclipses. There isn’t a glimpse of prior benchmarks to be found. The Russo Brothers’ latest foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe swallows them whole.

Spotify • 19th November 2019

The Life and Legacy of Combat Jack

To those in the business of digital media and entertainment, Combat Jack—known to his inner circle as Reggie Ossé—was often seen as a mythological figure; a deity of sorts who was not only instrumental to the rise of the Roc-A-Fella and Bad Boy Records empires, but also forged his own podcast network, the Loud Speakers Network.

MEL Magazine • 30th April 2019

The Year of the Great Gush of Male Tears

In fact, these days, depending upon who you ask, with the introduction of #MeToo, the burgeoning primacy of the feminist sect and everything in between, the concept of masculinity is either under siege or the harbinger of doom. So for every corrosive, hypermasculine ideology — such as our president’s insistence that it’s “a very scary time for young men in America” after Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh cried his way through his eventual Supreme Court confirmation — there’s a Lynzy Lab ready and willing to correct the course. And while the chorus of “men are trash” has blossomed into a popular refrain reaped from South African respectability politics, there are valued intellects like author Damon Young who unequivocally nod their heads in agreement.

The Root • 19th April 2019

A Tale of Two Churches: How the Notre Dame Cathedral Illustrates America's Unwillingness to Acknowledge Black Suffering

And that’s when I realized the clear distinction between sympathy and empathy. How white people sympathize with our plight, but don’t bear it. How they can turn away and excuse themselves from the grim realities of our perpetual suffering without batting an eye. How they don’t identify with our love affair with Frankie Beverly and Maze or our box braids, so our “anguish” is dismissed as a misnomer.

The Root • 2nd May 2019

Exclusive: Allied Progress Uncovers Stephen Moore's History of Racist Rhetoric

In the aftermath of his nomination, much was said about his “damaging paper trail” that includes overt homophobia and misogyny, but Allied Progress—who quite literally are in the business of White House and Congressional accountability—pulled the receipts and provided The Root with an exclusive look into Moore’s lengthy history of racist rhetoric.

The Root • 30th July 2020

I Hate to be the Bearer of Bad News, But Your Team Isn't Winning an NBA Title This Year. Here's Why

You still upset about the headline? You can bitch and moan all you want, but your team still ain’t winning shit. So once you’re done with your temper tantrum, I’ll happily explain why.

The Root • 16th November 2019

The NCAA Is Big Business for Everybody but Black Players

It’s not exactly a secret that black players occupy a significant bulk of team rosters in both football and basketball—easily the NCAA’s most lucrative sports. Out of all the coaches, conference commissioners, athletic directors, and whoever the hell else is making millions of dollars off of free black labor, an overwhelming majority of them are white. And by an overwhelming majority, I mean 80 percent of coaches, 86 percent of conference commissioners, and nearly 70 percent of athletic directors.

The Root • 21st May 2020

Paul Pierce Is a Hater

Never in the history of the NBA have we seen a player with Karl Malone’s size, Michael Jordan’s athleticism and explosiveness, Kobe’s guile and Magic Johnson’s otherworldly passing ability all crammed into the same DNA strand. This nigga is a literal cheat code who Skynet sent from the future to destroy the hopes and dreams of opposing teams and NBA coaches. I hate his ass for a reason and apparently, so does Paul Pierce. The difference is only one of us will openly admit it.

The Root • 7th April 2020

Exclusive: Yes, Ebony Magazine's Website Is Down. But Why? Here's an Explanation

Ebony Magazine has been going through it. Once a sanctuary for black achievement, the legacy publication has stumbled into its 75th anniversary battered by bankruptcy filings, unsettled debts to contributors, abrupt layoffs and class action lawsuits that have tarnished its reputation as a beacon of cultural pride.

Playboy • 22nd December 2018

Why Are We Tip-Toeing Around Kodak Black?

But while this spat fueled outrage from Darden’s detractors, what was lost in this battle of wills is that even in the era of aggressive political correctness and #MeToo, hip hop has still proven itself incapable of administering proper accountability in regards to the countless incidents and allegations of violence and sexual misconduct perpetrated against its very lifeblood—black women.

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