☆Happy Black History Month☆
News that has been going on during Black History Month and in Pop Culture!
Happy Black History Month! This year feels so magnificent and important to honor the achievements that African Americans have achieved over the last couple of years in multiple different genres! It is significant to highlight black achievements at a time when African Americans are not always praised and are not highlighted within society at large!
Black History will always be not only American History, but also a greater part of global history. It is important to honor those who are making great history at a time when it seems like things might get harder for us in this world. Nevertheless here are some amazing Black History accomplishments that have occurred during the last couple of weeks in Pop Culture at large!
☆ Hiss Debuts At Number 1 ☆
Megan thee Stallion’s latest single HISS debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Megan thee Stallion earned the biggest United States pure sales week for a solo female rap song released this decade with hiss. It also debuted at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart with nearly 100,000 copies sold. Megan thee Stallion has made history by debuting atop the charts during the first week of Black History Month and debuting with the biggest sales ever by a female rapper. Congratulations to her!
☆Quinta and Ayo Make History in Comedy ☆
Quinta Brunson and Ayo Edebiri made history at the Emmys last month with their Emmy wins! Quinta and Ayo’s wins marked the first time Black women had ever won for Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting Actress within the Comedy category. These wins come as Ayo and Quinta have gained significant critical acclaim and praise for their work on their respective shows The Bear and Abbott Elementary. We can only hope this paves the way for more young acts who are interested in Comedy to take inspiration and pick up a pen! We as a collective would love to see it!
In recent news, Abbott Elementary has been renewed for its fourth season just a few days after the show’s winter premiere. The Bear is also set to premiere again with its third season this Summer. Both shows are a huge delight for all people and we are excited to see the creative output put into both shows as we continue to consume art from both Ayo and Quinta.
☆Mo’Nique Reclaims Her Voice☆
Mo’Nique was recently interviewed by Shannon Sharpe on her experiences in the industry, and what it means to be blackballed for so long. Although we have Mo’Nique for years speak about the mistreatment she’s received for years in the entertainment industry, it feels like for the first time people are finally starting to listen to her.
This comes nearly one month after Katt Williams first went on to discuss his issues with the industry and world at large too. While there are some elements of this interview that I may have found a little interesting and questionable, it is also very important to cover this part of Black History. Black Women time and time again have always gone against the grain and have even left the Earth not being heard. What Shannon Sharpe has done is important for the future of Black Media and for the mistreatment of Black entertainers and creatives to never go unheard.
☆ Beyonce Goes Country ☆
Beyonce has officially announced her Country Album which is set to release March 29th, 2024. She was able to do this through the usage of her Superbowl ad “Can’t Be Broken” where she attempts to break the internet through various versions of herself like “Slayonce” and “BarBey”. Shortly after the Superbowl ad, Beyonce uploaded a few seconds of what looks to be a new short film for her new album and the second act of Renaissance.
In addition to this album promo, Beyonce released two new songs entitled 16 Carriages and Texas Hold Em. Both songs see a departure from Beyonce’s traditional R&B and Pop music and a more country-leaning introduction to who she is as an artist and the things she’s experienced while growing up. It will be interesting to see what Beyonce can accomplish while exploring a new genre and creating a new narrative for herself.
☆ Iconic Moments ☆
Usher’s Halftime Show - Usher put on an excellent halftime show and came out to do what he set out to do “turned the world to the A”. Usher brought multiple guests including Alicia Keys, H.E.R, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, and Will.I.am while performing a full catalog of his greatest hits! Usher proved himself to be not only a legend but one of the last great performers of his time still left.
Tracy Chapman Returns To The Stage - Tracy Chapman returned to the stage at The Grammys to perform her hit song and timeless classic “Fast Car” alongside Luke Combs. Tracy Chapman was welcomed and honored with great applause for her performance and as a result, it became the number 1 song on iTunes and is likely to touch the Billboard Hot 100 over 20 years after its initial peak. Incredible!
☆The Importance of Black History☆
Black History is every day but it is important to highlight the achievements of those who come before us so we do not forget the cultural innovators while looking to the present. There has been so much that has happened in Black Culture over the last couple of months, that it is important to document about them all. Let’s learn from the past, acknowledge our present, and look to the future. Happy Black History Month!
Key Black History Moments:
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