I almost didn’t bring back the Black History Month Pop Culture Challenge this year. To be honest, I’ve been hit with a wave of winter malaise that’s kept me from being as enviably sharp as my usual quick-witted pop culture genius self. There’s still just enough random trivia floating around in my head to make this fun, so here goes nothin’…

I started the Black History Month Pop Culture Challenge in 2009 as a way to shake some of the staleness off of February. Sure black cultural phenomena from 100 years ago and history makers that live today are important, but what really excites me about black history is the intricacy of our brand of popular culture and our contributions to the mainstream. Plus, it’s just fun. So show how much you know!

The Rules:

1. Every Monday I will post a new set of trivia questions and you will have until the following Sunday evening at 8:00 pm to submit your answers to me via e-mail at quiz2010@whatwouldthembido.com. The best way to go about this is to copy and paste the quiz in the email. Please DO NOT post answers in the comments section.

2. I will post the answers and the top 10 scores every Tuesday. The quiz will be cumulative and progressively harder, so anyone can take the lead at any time!

3. This year the prize structure will be as follows:

First Place – $50 gift card

Second Place – $25 gift card

Third Place – $10 gift card

4. If you use the internet you kind of suck. Most of the questions will be Google-proof, so press your luck trying to find answers on the internet. If its obvious that you used the internet I will disqualify you because that’s you playing with my money!

Now that’s all of that is out of the way, let’s go!!

1. Photo ID. This is the cast of what short-lived black sitcom? (5 points)

2. Hip Hop Quotable. It’s been _ _ _ _ _  years _ _ _ _ _ you last _ _ _ _/But now I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ your _ _ _ _ _ pumps fear/To your _ _ _/ Did your _ _ _ _ _ butt/I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ it, _ _ _ _ _ _ it, now she won’t _ _ _ _ _” (1 point per blank for 10 points)

3. What movie is this screenshot from? (5 Points)

4. Six Degrees of Angela Bassett. You’ve heard of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?” This is the black version because lord knows Angela Bassett has worked just as much as he has! Connect Angela Bassett to another celebrity using movies, television, or music. Easy example: How can you connect Angela Bassett to Larenz Tate? One path is that she was inHow Stella Got Her Groove Back with Taye Diggs, who was in The Best Man with Nia Long, who was in Love Jones with Larenz Tate. Remember you can use tv, movies, or music, but not relationships like who’s dated whom, etc.

Can you connect Angela Bassett with Zoe Saldana? (10 points)

5. Word Scramble. Unscramble the names of these black film actresses (10 points) and tell me what they have in common (5 points) - only three other actresses share this distinction.

BGGPELORDIWOOH

ORNDASASI

ORDNNUIHENSEJF

LNAIDRRNHACAOL

CTYLSEYICNO

6. Obligatory Michael Jackson Question (last year each quiz featured a question about The Cosby Show, but this year will be all about MJ!). Michael Jackson was raised under what religion? (10 points)

7. Ebony Archives Throwback Photo. Who is this? (10 points)

8. Who’s on First? Who was the first black person to host a network television show? (5 points)

9. Connections. What do these three rappers have in common? They are not the only rappers to share this commonality (10 points). Hints: If youre lost on who they are, just hover over the photo.

10. Clear That Sample! Which hip hop song sampled this mystery song? (10 points)

***Dig in The Crates Extra Credit Question: In an Old School Friday post in 2009 I questioned the difference between two similar, yet differently named dances? What were they? (10 points)

Good luck!