Top Ten Black Blogs (Jan 2008)

Over 600 Black blogs are part of the Villager's Black Blog Rankings (BBR) for January 2008. I encourage each of y'all to add the Electronic Village to your blogroll if you haven't done so already.

I plan to share the Villager's BBR later this month on the NPR News & Notes Blogger's Roundtable. With any luck the other topic for that day will be the upset victories by Barack Obama in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries!

Anyhow, it has been a pleasure to share the Top 10 Black Blogs over the past five months. I remain open to ideas and suggestions from all Villagers on ways that this project can be more useful to you. What other features or information would you like to see in future iterations of this list?

We plan to publish interviews with some of the brothers and sisters on this month's BBR. Please use your Village Voice to contact me if you would like to be interviewed! Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) is the driving force behind the BBR. Let others have lists of so-called influential bloggers with no melanin. We created our own list to highlight the talent and creativity (Kuumba) that exists in our own community. And our list continues to grow grow:

• Sept 2007 list ranked 75 Black blogs.
• Oct 2007 list ranked 300 Black blogs
• Nov 2007 list ranked 430 Black Blogs
• Dec 2007 list ranked 516 Black Blogs

Today we release the January 2008 BBR with 602 Black blogs in the mix with much love to the Top Ten Black Blogs:

1. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop* (Authority: 1,111 / Rank: 2,225) - [Entertainment] This blog has been in the #2 slot since we began the rankings, however, this month Concrete Loops reached the top slot! Angel is shown in the photo with Jam Donaldson (of 'Hot Ghetto Mess' infamy)! This is a Black celebrity entertainment blog with gossip, music, celebrity interviews, pictures and such. Have you seen your favorite celebrity on Angel's blog?


2. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,086 / Rank: 2,357) - [Politics] This blog falls out of the top spot for the first time since we started the BBR in Sep 2007. Pam shares her thoughts on politics and invites others to join in the debate. Many of us will be on her political blog as we watch the presidential race heat up this year. Someone let Pam know we are looking for her to share some blogging tips with us! Pam, are you out there?


3. The Bossip: Bossip.com (Authority: 1,051 / Rank: 2,475) - [Entertainment] We just learned about Bossip.com this month. They moved directly into the #3 slot on this month's BBR! Bossip.com is a fast growing urban-focused new media property that draws a loyal following of young and influential trend setters who are up to date with what’s hot in society. Does anyone know if The Bossip is a brother or sister?


4. Fresh Crunkjuice: Crunk & Disorderly* (Authority: 780 / Rank: 3,993) - [Entertainment] This blog was created in August 2004, however, it didn't get serious until May 2005. This is an active entertainment blog. The motto is simple and direct, "In Fresh We Trust". Yo' Fresh ... consider giving us some link-love as one of your Fresh Picks!


5. Natasha E: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 762 / Rank: 4,146) - [Entertainment] Natasha moved her hot gossip blog to her own domain. Her newer blog has moved up to BBR#20, making her the first blogger with multiple blogs in the Top 25!


6. Nah Right: Nah Right (Authority: 698 / Rank: 4,797) - [Entertainment] This is another Black blogger that we only learned about this month. Some say that Nah Right is the most important East Coast hip-hop blog there is. His blog began in May 2005 and continues to thrive. I'm open to learning more about the brother. Do you have any 411 to share?


7. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 622 / Rank: 5,740) - [Politics] Oliver is a fan of the Washington Redskins. This is a good time for the brother as his team made the playoffs and the 2008 presidential race is heating up bigtime in places like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He began his blog in April 2005.


8. La Shawn Barber: La Shawn Barber's Corner (Authority: 610 / Rank: 5,907) - [Politics] Freelance writer La Shawn Barber offers political commentary from a Christian perspective. NPR News & Notes listed the 8/15/2007 Blogger's Roundtable with Sis. Barber as one of their best shows in 2007. I 'met' Sis. Barber during NPR panel discussion in Nov 2007. She is an insightful sister with a powerful political blog.


9. Sokari Ekine: Black Looks (525/ 7,820) - [Social Commentary] Sokari brings a focus on all things African. This is the highest-ranked blog on the BBR from outside of the United States. Sokari is currently in London. Her posts cover a range of issues such as gender violence, racism, sexuality, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Sokari and her guest bloggers are all progressives, Africanists and activists with a strong belief in the power of the pen to bring about change. This blog began in June 2004.


10. Gina McCauley: What About Our Daughters* (Authority: 443 / Rank: 9,880) - [Social Commentary] This blog was created by a sister who believes that now is the time for organized action to combat the destructive portrayals of Black women in popular culture. 2007 was a remarkable year for this blogger. Sis. McCauley was named one of the 25 most influential African Americans by Essence Magazine. Her blog was listed as BBR #19 in Sep 2007 and breaks into the Top Ten Black Blogs for the first time this month!

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HONORABLE MENTION (11-25): How To Split An Atom, Sandra Rose, Afro Bella*, Paula Mooney’s Tips, Darla Mack News & Reviews, Rod 2.0:Beta, The Field Negro*, Entre mes Lignes, Young, Black & Fabulous*, Keith Boynkin*, Stereohyped*, A Hot Mess!, Republic of T, Angry Black Bitch and Jack & Jill Politics.

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The only qualification is that the blogger needs to be of African descent. The blogger does not have to be a member of The AfroSpear or the Afrosphere Bloggers Association, although we invite all Black bloggers to join either (or both) of those organizations.

These Black blogs are important spheres of influence. Reach out and let them know that you appreciate the work they have put in over the past few months and years to get on this list.

Those blogs with an asterisk after their name are 2007 Black Weblog Award winners. Black Blog Rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority figure includes a number of factors including the number of blogs that are linked to this blogger over the past six months. The rank number indicates how many blogs are between the person listed and the #1 ranked blog in the world.

Post a comment below if you are a Black Blogger interested in learning what your ranking is this month!

My vision is that many of the brothers and sisters on this month's BBR will share their village voice with us right here on the Electronic Village blog (BBR #34) or over on the BDPA Foundation blog (BBR #334). Happy New Year!