Julian Kimble

Whatever.

Portfolio
The Ringer
09/12/2023
Curren$y Is Forever Living the High Life

The prolific New Orleans MC reflects on his career, his relationship with Lil Wayne, and how he's not only survived, but prospered as rap has evolved several times over

The New York Times
01/19/2022
How Marshawn Lynch Became an N.F.L. Mentor

The former Super Bowl champion has always had a way with words. It has turned him into a trusted adviser to N.F.L. and college football players who want to use their "wittys to get up out that siti."

GQ
08/25/2022
How 50 Cent Conquered Television

With four Power series under his belt, BMF, and more shows on the way, he built a TV empire the same way he built his rap career: with drive, talent, and a time-tested belief in the power of trolling.

GQ
02/17/2023
Bomani Jones Told You So

Midway through season two of his HBO series, the sharpest thinker in sports is finding a new gear.

The Ringer
11/18/2022
'Atlanta' Was an Attitude

With ‘Atlanta’ ending its four-season run on the highest of notes, Brian Tyree Henry, Stephen Glover, and others from the team behind the series reflect on what ‘Atlanta’ was.

The Ringer
12/02/2020
The Undeniable Joy of Alfonso Ribeiro

For years, Alfonso Ribeiro couldn’t escape the shadow of his most iconic character, Carlton Banks. But pure, unfettered joy like his can be restrained for only so long.

The Criterion Collection
07/20/2022
Devil in a Blue Dress: Crossing the Line

The bone-deep disillusionment of postwar film noir becomes a powerful vehicle to explore America’s racial injustices in Carl Franklin’s richly atmospheric Devil in a Blue Dress, an adaptation of the hard-boiled novel by Walter Mosley.

The Ringer
05/19/2022
On 'Atlanta,' Everything Changes and Stays the Same

Season 3 has found the show’s core cast enjoying more success than ever. As the installment’s unorthodox storytelling exemplifies, fame can make Black experiences that much more confounding.

The Ringer
12/29/2021
The Black Neo-noirs of the '90s

One of noir’s primary characteristics is its skewering of society’s ills. But films like ‘Deep Cover’ and ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ helped turn the genre's eye toward race and racism.

Washington Post
07/14/2017
Why more publications should prioritize diverse perspectives

Even as hip-hop has become the dominant style of popular music in America, it is still unmistakably an art form deeply rooted in African American culture. And that has created something of an issue in how the music is covered, especially now that it is written about in every publication that deems itself at all culturally relevant.

The New York Times
11/13/2022
Sibling Thrivalry

When Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown faces off against his brother, Bears receiver Equanimeous, the competitive streaks stoked by their parents can shine.

The Ringer
03/09/2022
How the Deaths of Biggie and 2Pac Changed Rap Media Forever

Twenty-five years ago Wednesday, the Notorious B.I.G. was killed, marking the end of a bleak chapter in hip-hop's history. For the writers and editors who covered his and Tupac's lives and music, the tragedies stick with them to this day.

The Ringer
11/17/2021
The Evolution of Will Smith

After ruling Hollywood for an extended period, the 2010s saw Smith lose his Midas touch. Now, ‘King Richard’ has him more in control of the Hollywood landscape—and in the middle of Oscars season.

The Ringer
01/29/2021
How Cam'ron Turned 'Paid in Full' Into a Cult Legend

In 2002, Roc-A-Fella Records’ Damon Dash backed ‘Paid in Full,’ a movie loosely based on the tales of real-life legendary Harlem drug kingpins. The film wasn’t a hit, but it’s lived on as a cult classic thanks to an indelible performance from one of the greatest rappers the borough ever produced.

GQ
07/09/2021
DJ Drama Hears You Talking

The veteran DJ and label exec reflects on his rise, relationships with Lil Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow and restoring Gangsta Grillz energy on Tyler, The Creator's new album.

GQ
03/31/2021
Freddie Gibbs Won Anyway

The recently Grammy-nominated MC took inspiration from The Last Dance to peak at an age when most rappers are in decline.

The Ringer
03/03/2021
'Snowfall' Is Becoming Can't-Miss TV

FX’s tale of the rise of crack on the streets of South Central L.A. in the 1980s got off to a slow start, but now in its fourth season, it’s one of the most underrated shows on television.

The Ringer
09/10/2020
Carlton Banks Was More Than Just a Dance

Will Smith's TV cousin is best remembered for his bowtie and love of Tom Jones, but the character was much more complex than that. On the 30th anniversary of the debut of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' we look back at Carlton's creation and legacy.

Washington Post
01/01/2017
How Schoolboy Q took it slow and had one of the best years in rap

It was a mostly quiet conversation with Schoolboy Q until the national anthem protest of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was introduced. That point of contention snared the Los Angeles rapper's attention. "I never stood for the national anthem," Schoolboy Q offered. "That's how I was raised."

The Ringer
07/10/2020
The Ridiculous Fear of 'Boyz n the Hood,' Revisited

On this weekend in 1991, John Singleton’s debut film became a box-office hit. It also became a lightning rod for people looking to write off Black movies as violence-inducing. But that narrative was always more fairy tale than reality.

The Undefeated
01/02/2018
A look back at Latrell Sprewell's very angry 'Sports Illustrated' cover

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Latrell Sprewell? His 35-point performance at Madison Square Garden with the New York Knicks facing elimination in the 1999 NBA Finals? Him dunking on Jaren Jackson in the third quarter of that game?

The Ringer
02/14/2020
Half Man, Half Amazing, All Innovation

Remembering Vince Carter’s legendary 2000 slam dunk contest performance, which brought the event back to life and inspired generations of players after him to attempt physics-defying feats.

LEVEL
05/18/2020
Not Every Black Public Figure Can Be an Activist

Whether Jordan’s infamous political silence to Jay-Z’s social-justice missteps, we expect Black celebrities to be both endlessly knowledgeable and tirelessly dedicated — but that’s simply not realistic.

The Ringer
04/30/2019
John Singleton Was a Beacon of Authenticity

From ‘Boyz n the Hood,’ which he wrote and directed at age 22, through ‘Poetic Justice’ and ‘Higher Learning’ and beyond, the late filmmaker infused his stories with the richness and depth of black America

Washington Post
05/25/2018
'Menace II Society' and the price of respect

"It set the table for the whole movie, because the whole movie felt like that scene," Allen Hughes says of the harrowing opening to "Menace II Society," the 1993 film he co-directed with his twin brother, Albert.

Washington Post
04/29/2016
Drake, the politician

Entertainment is politics. Look no further than this election cycle's dozens of presidential debates for evidence. Our entertainers and politicians possess the same traits and while Donald Trump is a glaring example, Drake is perhaps the superlative embodiment of this phenomenon.