38 Black Christmas Songs To Add To Your Playlist This Holiday
The Christmas season is in full effect, and one great thing about that—beyond the festive decor, sales, feasts, and much-needed break—is the music. I don't know about you, but Black Christmas songs are a major part of family celebrations and are connected to great memories. We all have a soundtrack of the times, whether it was Christmas at Grandma's house, that wild trip abroad to "do something different" or your first Christmas with bae in your new home.
Best Black Christmas Songs
Check out 38 classics and new hits—from R&B and hip-hop to dancehall and reggae—to get you into the holiday spirit and keep the good vibes going this Christmas:
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" — The Jackson Five
"Silent Night" — The Temptations
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" — Mariah Carey
"8 Days of Christmas" — Destiny's Child
"Christmas in Hollis" — Run-DMC
"My Favorite Things" — The Supremes
"Everyday is Christmas" —Vybz Kartel
"Someday at Christmas" — Stevie Wonder
"Sleigh Ride" — TLC
"Let It Snow" — Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight
"Christmas In Harlem" — Kanye West
"St. Brick (Intro)" — Gucci Mane
"No Gift" — Tamar Braxton
"Santa Looking for a Wife" — Bindley Benjamin
"Christmas in the City" — Mary J. Blige
"This Christmas" — Chris Brown
"Give Love on Christmas Day" — Ledisi
"Oh Santa" — Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Jennifer Hudson
"Oh Come Emmanuel" — The Clark Sisters
"We Wish You an Irie Christmas" — Jacob Miller and Ray-I
"A Christmas Wish" — Beverley Knight
"Holiday" — Lil Nas X
"I Want to Come Home For Christmas" — Marvin Gaye
"Christmas Without You" — Xscape
"What Christmas Means to Me" — Fantasia
"Snow" — Leslie Odom Jr.
"Joy to the World" — Whitney Houston
"It's Christmas All Over the World" — New Edition
"Merry Christmas Baby" — Faith Evans
"Give Love on Christmas Day" — Johnny Gill
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" — Keyshia Cole
"Christmas Trees Remix" — Lil' Duval
"Be My Holiday" — TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank)
"I'm Your Santa" — Chance the Rapper and Jeremih
"Make It Jingle" — Big Freedia
"Doggy Dogg Christmas" — Snoop Dogg
"Thank God It's Christmas" — Wayne Marshall and Sean Paul
"Soca Santa" — Machel Montano
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This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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‘ACross Generations With Tiffany Cross’ Have A Candid Conversation About Diversity In Media
Being the only Black person at your job can often make you feel isolated. There’s no one to relate to or who even understands your background. This is a conversation that many Black people have among each other and a topic that was covered in the latest episode of ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross.
Host Tiffany sat down with media professionals Michele McGhee and Sidney Madden to discuss everything from diversity in media to their own journeys in the industry. Tiffany, who has worked at many media platforms such as BET, revealed that during her time at CNN, she felt isolated and dismissed by her coworkers.
“Not only isolated in what you looked like but isolated in your lived experience and have people summarily dismiss your humanity on a daily basis,” she said.
Michele agreed; however, she took a different approach toward the dismissiveness she experienced while working at CNN.
“I would sit there, and I’d be like, oh my God, I’m the only one, and really it made me connect to my faith because I said God wants me to be the only one because He wants me to have this voice. He wants me to have this moment, and He wants me to go on this journey because if you’re with someone else, I can’t stretch and grow you the way I need you to be.”
She continued, “So now, as a 58-year-old woman, I never ask God, why am I alone.”
Michele is now the co-founder and CEO of Expectant Media, a company that elevates Black-owned media and creators.
Sidney is a writer and host of NPR’s podcast Louder Than A Riot. When she began working at NPR, she was one of three Black people and the only Black woman in the music department.
She recalled a moment when she pitched a story about Cardi B’s buying power before she became mainstream and how well it did on the site. The story reminded her of the value she brings to the table.
She said, “It was a point of validation for me because I’m like, ‘Oh, actually, I can learn all this stuff you’re talking about, but there’s some things you’re never gonna know. And I’m truly gonna be the expert in that I can assert in this place that you can never take away from me, and that’s the voice.”
Watch the full episode of ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross below.
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Feature image by ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross/ YouTube