avatar

About Panama Jackson

Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, "Dear Culture" on theGrio Black Podcast Network. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest) but he didn't answer the phone because the caller ID said "Unknown" (Blackest).

All Articles

March 8, 2022

Arrested Development’s first single, ‘Tennessee,’ is 30 years old this month, and it’s still perfect

For years, I thought Arrested Development’s sophomore album, Zingalamaduni, was the most criminally slept-on album EVER.
Rapper J. Cole
March 4, 2022

J. Cole is already one of the greatest rappers to ever do it, but I’m still waiting on a truly great album from him

As a general rule, I try not to be too critical about great art and artists in my midst. Now,…
February 28, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: I love ‘Boyz N the Hood’ with my whole heart, which is why I hate that it has one glaringly impossible plot device 

Like most folks who spent their teen years in the ’90s, "Boyz N the Hood" is part of my life.…
February 27, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: 5 quotes from ‘New Jack City’ that I use on my parenting journey

I know, I know. The idea that "New Jack City" is a movie that has anything to do with solid…
February 26, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: Y’all, Malinda Williams was a whole 29 years old playing a middle schooler in ‘The Wood’

"The Wood" is one of my favorite movies. Maybe it’s because I could see my younger self and friends in…
February 25, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: Let’s talk about ‘ATL’ so we can talk about Omeretta The Great’s song ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ and what is or isn’t Atlanta

One of my biggest regrets in life was giving up my 404 area code on my cell phone number. Even…
February 24, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: We can all agree that Quincy was wrong and wildly disrespectful in ‘Love & Basketball,’ right?

OPINION: I didn’t realize so many people didn’t like Love & Basketball, the 2000 film starring Sanaa Lathan as Monica…
February 23, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: I can’t decide just how ridiculous this ask is in the movie ‘Cain and Abel.’ Help.

If I had to wager a guess, I’d guess only a scant few people outside of the actors’ family members…
February 22, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: ‘Stomp the Yard’ features one of the most textbook displays of nonsensical Black pride; it’s almost beautiful.

I have long maintained that pride is the number one killer of Black men between the ages of birth and…
February 21, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: I wonder if ‘Hav Plenty’ would be as popular as it is if it were released today (I doubt it)

"Hav Plenty," the 1998 rom-com produced, written, directed, edited and starring Christopher Scott Cherot, has always fascinated me.
February 20, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: I love ‘Posse.’ Here are 5 reasons to watch it that have nothing to do with Salli Richardson, who is TOTALLY in this movie

I don’t even know if "Posse" is any good, but I’ve probably seen it a smooth hundred times. Maybe you…
February 19, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: 5 absolutely serious and culturally resonant reasons to watch ‘My Side Piece Hit the Lotto’

One of my favorite pastimes is firing up Amazon Prime and perusing the collection of Black films available.
Soul Food
February 18, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: I will never ever leave a towel on a stove because of ‘Soul Food’

I don’t feel like the movie "Soul Food," the 1997 family dramedy starring Vivica Fox, Vanessa Williams and Nia Long,…
February 17, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: A scientifically sound theory about how Taraji Henson’s character got on that boat in Tyler Perry’s ‘Acrimony’

For starters, even Tyler Perry doesn’t have a good answer for how Melinda Gayle (Taraji Henson) got on the yacht…
The Gospel movie theGrio
February 9, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: Every time I hear (and watch) ‘Now Behold The Lamb’ from ‘The Gospel,’ I get all teary-eyed

I’m pretty sure I saw "The Gospel"—the 2005 film starring Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba and Black Cinematic GOAT Clifton Powell—in…
Actors Christian Keyes and Darrin Dewitt Henson in "Black Coffee"
February 8, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: ‘Black Coffee’ is not the next superhero movie but it is a fun little rom-com that features Christian Keyes, so all is well

Black Coffee isn't a particularly good movie. It's highly entertaining, but if you’re into dissecting dialogue and plot, this ain’t…
Actors Aml Ameen and Aja Naomi King in "Boxing Day"
February 7, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: ‘Boxing Day’ is the Black Christmas movie for the African Diasporan in you

Back in 2018, a curious thing happened: "Black Panther" came out and suddenly, all of Black America was interested in…
Actors Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins in "Medicine for Melancholy"
February 6, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: ‘Medicine for Melancholy’ is a movie about Black life boxed in a daylong excursion into Black identity 

Every time I watch the movie "Medicine for Melancholy," I feel really bad for Micah (played by Wyatt Cenac).
A scene from "You Got Served"
February 5, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: An homage to Lil Saint, the realest, downest character in the dancingest movie, ‘You Got Served’

What I’m about to say may sound a little bit crazy but for my life it’s true: "You Got Served"…
The cast of "Jean of the Joneses"
February 4, 2022

28 Days of Black Movies: ‘Jean of the Joneses’ is a pleasantly awkward, bizarre ride through uncovering family secrets and unpacking intergenerational trauma

I came across "Jean of the Joneses" the way I discover lots of Black movies: skimming Amazon Prime for cover…