Black Hollywood’s Best Entertainers of the Year

After wrapping up a huge global tour, most artists would relax and take a break before diving into their next project. Not Beyoncé. She followed up the blockbuster “Renaissance” with the game-changing “Cowboy Carter,” once again bending the culture to her will. We don’t know what she has planned for 2025, but we’re sure it will be another groundbreaking work of art.

“Not Like Us,” “The Pop Out,” “GNX,” there is no part of hip-hop that Kendrick Lamar didn’t dominate this year. He didn’t lead the culture, he was the culture. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s about to kick off 2025 by performing at the Super Bowl.

With both “Challengers” and “Dune: Part Two” slaying the box office, the Emmy winner continued to establish herself as a one of a kind artist, style icon and future Oscar winner.

Aaron Pierre started the year by playing Malcolm X in NatGeo’s “Genius: MLK/X.” He followed that up with the intense Netflix action drama “Rebel Ridge.” Now he’s closing out the year by taking on the iconic role of Mufasa in the latest “The Lion King” movie. Clearly he’s not afraid of the moment.

Plenty of actresses have played Elphaba in “Wicked,” but none of them have brought her to life the way Cynthia Erivo did. She truly made us feel the witch’s pain with her incomparable singing and emotionally raw performance. Honestly, we don’t how we’ll make it a whole year before “Wicked: For Good” comes out.

If you haven’t heard Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” we have questions for you, because it’s literally been everywhere in 2024. It’s the song you could not escape. Lucky for us, his catchy blend of country with hip-hop is a fun sing along track that brought a new audience into country music.

Broadway veteran Kecia Lewis has been delighting audiences for decades with her extraordinary talent. However, in Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen” she moved into the spotlight and suddenly became an “overnight sensation” 40 years in the making. She won a well-deserved Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, inspiring everyone at home with her message of never giving up yourself and your dreams.

We all know Donald Glover is a multi-hyphenate entertainer who may drop a new album, TV series or movie anytime the mood strikes him. However in 2024, he took us outside his familiar space with a new take on a old story in the action drama series “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” and the trip was absolutely worth it, as Glover delivered some of his best work as an actor. Then he said goodbye to an old friend, wrapping up his tenure as Childish Gambino. At some point in 2025, we may see him in the “Community” movie, or possibly as Lando Calrissian, but with Glover there’s no telling.

“Loot,” “SNL,” and multiple Emmy nominations, Maya Rudolph made us all bow down in 2024. Lots of performers say they can do it all, but she’s one of the few who actually can.

Katt Williams’ “Club Shay Shay” interview provided some of the funniest, most-talked about moments of the year. The interview spawned countless memes, videos and impressions. No matter what you think of the comedian, he definitely dominated the year’s talking points.

Colman Domingo spent awards season slaying red carpets while reminding everyone why Bayard Rustin was such an influential figure in the civil rights movement. He’s poised to run it back, with his new film “Sing Sing” granting him a new round of awards nominations. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the red carpet this time around.

After starting the year off with a memorable Super Bowl halftime show, Usher took his iconic Vegas show on the road for a huge tour. He also received multiple career achievement awards, with BET choosing a fun, almost all female tribute. And as if that wasn’t enough, he’s bringing back roller skating!

Only Tyler Perry can release three totally different high-profile movies in one year, trend on social media because two of them are completely insane, then finish the year by receiving awards buzz.

No one had more fun than Snoop Dogg this year. He somehow became the star of the Paris Olympics, breathed new life into “The Voice,” then closed things out by reuniting with Dr. Dre for a well received new album. Snoop is the embodiment of living your best life.

Andra Day delivered a critically-acclaimed performance in “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” had the whole internet talking in “The Deliverance” and performed at the Super Bowl. That’s a trifecta of cultural impact this year.

During the “Gladiator II” press tour, Denzel Washington truly got into his old man shenanigans phase. He spilled the tea on his addiction issues, being bitter at the Oscars, which of his movies are “clunkers” and kissing a man in the epic sequel. Plus, did we mention he was fantastic in the movie and will probably receive another Oscar nomination? And as for those retirement rumors, he’s got a ton of projects lined up, including two more “Equalizer” movies and “Black Panther 3.”