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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).

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March 22, 2022

I like Pusha T x Arby’s-gang McDonald’s diss—and I’m gon’ let him finish—but he has a small kid. Somebody is still picking up McDonald’s nuggets

One of the worst decisions you can ever make as a parent is introducing your children to McDonald’s chicken nuggets.
March 18, 2022

This new season of ‘College Hill: Celebrity Edition’ seems cast for the foolywang enthusiast in you

There was a time in my life when I pretty much watched all of the reality shows, from Love &…
March 16, 2022

10 thoughts, prayers and concerns about ‘Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges Collection’ 

You've likely seen the recent launch for Polo Ralph Lauren’s new collection inspired by the sartorial legacy of Spelman and…
March 11, 2022

6 reasons you absolutely should be watching (and talking about)  ‘Bel-Air’

I’m not one to be down on the idea of a reboot. I love musical remixes too much to ever…
The Notorious BIG thegrio.com
March 9, 2022

Even all these years later, the Notorious B.I.G. is still the rapper I’m most impressed by

I still get sad listening to Biggie. Not any particular song either, all of them. My father was the one…
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…