With a little more than half of 2024 behind us, this year has already been one for the books. In Black pop culture, 2024 is the gift that keeps on giving. From viral moments to mesmerizing performances, Black brilliance, as it always is, was on full display. To bring you up to speed, we at Okayplayer came up with the top five Black culture moments so far in 2024.
Katt Williams flames everybody
Although it was released in January, Emmy-award-winning comedian Katt Williams delivered the most electrifying interview of the year. Appearing on Club Shay Shay with host Shannon Sharpe, with his unadulterated candor, Williams waxed poetically about every subject under the sun, taking Sharpe on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in what he characterized as “the reckoning.” He accused Steve Harvey of gatekeeping and lying about being homeless, Cedric the Entertainer of joke stealing and Kevin Hart of being an industry plant. He claimed he can run a sub 5-second 40-yard dash. There’s more, too. So much more. The nearly three-hour interview is loaded with gems, especially when it comes to one-liners. “And then he gets this high-top fade making all Black men think he got the best lineup in the business and it’s a man unit!,” he said of Harvey’s hairdo. Whatever the future holds for the rest of 2024, Katt Williams set the year off with a masterclass on speaking your truth.
Kendrick Lamar collects W over Drake
In a beef that had been slow-cooking for years, Kendrick Lamarand Drakeengaged in an epic battle and, undoubtedly, the King of Compton came out victorious. While many acknowledged Kendrick as the winner of the duel, his victory lap has turned into a global cultural movement that is still going strong. After countering Drake’s stellar Kendrick diss, “Family Matters” with the even more vicious “Meet the Grahams” less than an hour after its release, Kendrick unleashed another historical haymaker. Released a little more than a day after “Meet the Grahams,” the Mustard-produced Drizzy diss “Not Like Us” took off like a rocket, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 100 while inspiring a whole new wave of Drizzy jokes. For all intents and purposes, the track ended the feud. But Kung-Fu Kenny wasn’t done. In one of the greatest strategic moves of all time, Kendrick curated The Pop Out – Ken & Friends: Concert which was held at the Forum in Inglewood, CA on Juneteenth! Nicknamed “Gangchella” by Black Twitter , Kendrick united Crips, Bloods and Pirus at the show. Mustard, Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, AB-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, Dom Kennedy, Roddy Ricch, Steve Lacy, Tyler, the Creator, Y, and more performed and danced to “Not Like Us” as Kendrick ran it back five times. Live streamed on Amazon Prime, it broke the platform’s viewership record. It’s a fitting feat for an even that should go down as one of the most iconic moments that hip-hop culture has ever witnessed. If that’s not enough, on the Fourth of July, Kendrick released the highly anticipated video for “Not Like Us” which solidified his status as King of hip-hop.
Beyoncé Brings the soul to country music
It’sBeyoncé’sworld and we’re just living it. After putting the world on to the origins of Chicago House music with her critically acclaimed LP Renaissance in 2022, “Queen Bey” reclaimed country music as a Black genre with the release of Cowboy Carter in March 2024. Describing the album, which is the second installment of her three-album trilogy as not just a “country album” but a “Beyoncé album,” she explores the often overlooked contributions of Black artists to the country genre and gave a mammoth platform to current Black country artists. The album reinterprets Americana through Beyoncé’s’ artful Black feminist lens. The production for the project was helmed by Pharrell, Jon Batiste, Nova Wv, Swizz Beatz, Raphael Saddiq, Killah B, No I.D., Hit-Boy and even Paul McCartney received a credit. Renaissance featured likes of Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Shaboozey, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. With standouts such as “Texas Hold Em” “16 Carriages”, “American Requiem,” and “Blackbiird,” Beyoncé proved that her artistry transcends all genres and definitions.
Usher Gives Iconic Halftime Show Performance at Super Bowl LVIII
Usher reaffirmed his legendary status with his epic Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show performance this past February. The exhilarating show featured performances of “Love In This Club” accompanied by members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and the Jackson State University marching band for a display of HBCU excellence. Then, he took those in attendance and the millions watching to his hometown of Atlanta, giving thrilling renditions of his biggest hits such as “Bad Girl” with H.E.R., Will.i.am on “OMG,” Jermaine Dupri on “Confessions Pt. 2,” Alicia Keys on “My Boo,” and Ludacris and Lil Jon on “Yeah!” along some roller skating savants. Usher was right when he said after his performance, “I took the world to the A!”
Killer Mike sweeps the Grammys
Over the years, we all can recall how many times the Grammys got it wrong by ignoring some of the most important albums by Black artists. But on one occasion, in the Rap category no less, they didn’t miss with Killer Mike. On Michael, his first solo project in more than 11 years, Killer Mike created a masterful, introspective 14-track body of woke that has garnered critical acclaim. At the 2024 Grammy Awards, Killer Mike went 3 for 3, taking home Grammys for Best Rap Performance (“Scientists & Engineers”), Best Rap Song (“Scientists & Engineers”), and Best Rap Album (Michael), edging out stiff competition from the likes of Drake, Travis Scott and 21 Savage. In his acceptance speech for Best Rap Performance he said, “I want to thank everyone who dares to believe that art can change the world…It’s a sweep! Atlanta, it’s a sweep!”
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