2018 was filled with so many moments, and it was hard to narrow it down without leaving out certain things. We took on the challenge of narrowing it down to our top five moments of the year.
Kendrick Lamar win Pulitzer
Kendrick Lamar becoming the first hip-hop artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for music was a huge moment in 2018, as he became the first non-classical or jazz artist to take home the award. While many artist validate their work with awards like Grammys, there is no other artist in the genre that can say that they’ve accomplished what Kendrick did with Damn. Th Pulitzer Prize. Damn.
Colin Kaepernick Nike Ad
It isn’t hard to understand why Colin Kaepernick is no longer a quarterback in the National Football League. While it still baffles those who understand that Kaep is a better quarterback than many who are currently on NFL rosters, the stance that Kaepernick took ultimately cost him his livelihood. While he is no longer employed as an NFL quarterback, he is still earning his keep with Nike. The controversial athlete was featured in an advertising campaign that reiterated that he was willing to sacrifice his career to express his point of view. His initial stance started a wave of protests throughout the NFL, and the ads showed that he doesn’t regret his decision at all.
Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Champs
While we can almost virtually guarantee that this won’t be a moment repeating itself in 2019, this doesn’t take away from the accomplishment in 2018. The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl 52, defeating the New England Patriots 41-33. The “Philly Special” was the nail in the coffin, and the play will live on in Philadelphia sports history. This gave the Eagles their first championship in the Super Bowl era, and gave the city of Philly bragging rights until February 2019.
This Is America is released by Childish Gambino
This is America was undoubtedly the record of the year, in our opinion, and the video was even bigger. Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, will likely win all four Grammy Awards that the record was nominated for: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance, and Best Music Video. Donald Glover also hosted SNL the same day that the record was released. The video had some very strong visuals, seen as controversial by some, but are also viewed as very necessary depictions of gun violence, the increasing rate of mass shootings, and the racism and discrimination towards black people, which has almost become accepted. Like it or not, This is America was a very accurate look into the climate of our society today.
The Obama Portraits Unveiled at Smithsonian
While the Obamas are no longer our First Family, they will always have a very special place in our hearts. With the unveiling of the portraits, created by black artists, they will continue to have a very special place in the Smithsonian as well. Barack & Michelle decided to have their portraits break tradition, which was symbolic of the family’s time in the White House. These portraits serve as testament to the legacy left behind by the Obama Family, and the progress that was made during their tenure. The artwork itself also serves as proof of the progress of our society as a whole. Love or hate the artwork itself, it is the a perfect representation of what the Obama Family meant to our society.