It’s been just over a week since George Floyd’s death, and millions of people across the country have used their voices to demand justice. There have been huge protests in every major city, and while some have broken out into violence, the vast majority have been peaceful demonstrations. It’s so important that we use our voices and platforms right now, and many celebrities have gone beyond just social media posts and joined the protestors in the streets.
Ariana Grande
hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage.
all throughout beverly hills and west hollywood we chanted, people beeped and cheered along.
we were passionate, we were loud, we were loving.
cover this too please. #BLACKLIVESMATTER https://t.co/vD90CEtF94 pic.twitter.com/GZ6uKDfPM7— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 31, 2020
On her social media, Ariana Grande highlighted the peaceful protest on the west side of LA over the weekend. She shared photos from Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, pointing out that, compared to more violent incidents, this peaceful demonstration got “little to no coverage.” When all you’re seeing on the news are images and videos of looting and fires, it’s easy to think that all the protests end up in violence. That’s not true, and the fact that Ariana Grande is showing a peaceful protest to her 74 million Twitter followers is huge.
Tinashe
Show up pic.twitter.com/jl9fkEh4eU
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) May 30, 2020
If you noticed, Ariana Grande’s tweet about the protest she attended was in response to Tinashe’s thread, where she also posted pictures of a peaceful protest in Beverly Hills. She posted inspiring pictures of huge crowds gathering and marching in solidarity. As one of many artists who’s had to cancel tour dates due to COVID-19, she’s also encouraged her fans to donate their ticket refunds to important causes like bail funds.
Madison Beer
Madison Beer been outspoken about police brutality for years, and she’s been out protesting in LA multiple times in the last few days. While at the protest on Sunday, the group Madison was with got tear-gassed by police, despite the fact that they were being completely peaceful.
In addition to attending protests, Madison has been sharing lots of important information on her social media, including curfew information, numbers to call in case of unlawful arrests, and locations where police are using tear gas. In a post on her story, she acknowledged all the thanks she’s gotten for her work, but made it clear that “it should be expected.”
John Cusack
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
Ahhm here’s the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v”— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
John Cusack, who is a huge Bernie Sanders supporter and posts constantly about his progressive politics, joined protestors in Chicago on Saturday night. Judging from his tweets, things were mostly peaceful, but at one point he came upon a car that had been set on fire. When he started filming the car, police officers came toward him with batons, hitting his bike and screaming in his face. This short video of the encounter is terrifying, so I can only imagine what it was like to actually experience it. In another tweet, Cusack added that he “would be very surprised if this is a one or two day event,” and that it feels like “many streams of outrage coming to a head, a wave peaking.”
Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey is no stranger to controversy lately, and despite joining protests over the weekend, she still got herself into hot water. She posted a series of images from the protests on her Instagram story, which is fine, but one of them was a video of a store being looted, in which people’s faces were clearly visible. This is the exact kind of thing you’re NOT supposed to post from a protest, and people understandably got very angry.
@LanaDelRey thank you for removing your post!!!!!!!!!!!
— TINASHE (@Tinashe) May 31, 2020
Lots of people tagged Lana on social media asking her to take the image down, which she did pretty quickly. An issue with posting pictures of videos of protests is that showing someone’s face could potentially lead to them getting arrested, deported, or otherwise targeted by law enforcement. It’s okay to make mistakes and learn right now, but everyone needs to be extremely careful about what they’re posting.
J. Cole
J. Cole has joined the protest in downtown Fayetteville, NC. So remember all the rappers who were out here donating and supporting when its time to buy albums. pic.twitter.com/OjJWRLFtJy
— OBJ said ask about him (@evelynvwoodsen) May 30, 2020
J. Cole has been out protesting in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, along with NBA player Dennis Smith. According to reports from those at the protest, they declined to do any interviews or take photos with fans, not wanting to pull any focus from the cause at hand. It seems like most celebs at that protests have done the same, and it’s great to see them just doing something because it’s the right thing to do. Also?? If you’re at a protest, it is NOT the time or place to try to take a selfie with a celeb for clout. Read the room.
Halsey
Halsey has done so much that she’s getting her own article, but we’d be remiss not to mention her here as well. She was at a peaceful protest over the weekend, when police fired teargas and rubber bullets at the crowd. She warned her followers about the danger of rubber bullets (which are way more intense than they sound), saying that she “had to bandage a man who looked like his entire face had exploded today.”
fired rubber bullets at us. we did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired. pic.twitter.com/K8YauF0APn
— h (@halsey) May 31, 2020
These are just some of the celebrities who have gotten out to join the protests recently, and surely this list will continue to grow this week. We’re at a major moment in this movement, and it’s more important than ever that we all show our support in whatever way we can. Whether this means attending a protest, making a donation, or working to educate yourself and become a better ally, we all have to do something.
Images: DFree / Shutterstock.com; arianagrande, tinashe, johncusack, evelynvwoodsen / Twitter; madisonbeer, halsey / Instagram
It’s tough to keep up with new music, no matter how much time you spend on your Spotify Discover page. A few weeks ago, I spent time unpacking the legend that is Rita Ora, and you guys had a lot of thoughts. Taking a deep dive into Rita’s career, I was inspired to shine a light on some other underrated music artists who might be slipping through the cracks of your pop culture knowledge. I’m thoroughly obsessed with most of these artists, and I think it’s important that everyone is aware of what they’re missing out on. Let me know if I missed one of your faves, or if there’s anyone else out there who deserves a deep dive. So little time, so many hot rando singers wearing tiny sunglasses on Instagram.
1. Bebe Rexha
You probably don’t recognize Bebe Rexha’s face, and you might not even recognize her name, but you’ve definitely heard her voice. She first shot up the charts in 2015 on G-Eazy’s song “Me, Myself & I,” and she’s recently had a massive country crossover hit with “Meant To Be” featuring Florida Georgia Line. She was also one of the featured artists on Rita Ora’s song “Girls,” which is iconic for its own reasons. Overall, Bebe has great style, a really charming personality, and a surprisingly great voice. Bebe doesn’t love sharing her personal life, but there have been past rumors about her dating DJ Martin Garrix and former 1D member Louis Tomlinson, both of whom she’s collaborated with. Her debut album, Expectations, is finally here, and Bebe is poised to be a huge star.
2. Tinashe
If I’m honest, it’s a fucking crime that Tinashe isn’t a household name by now. She’s been around for a few years, but her biggest hit is still her debut single, “2 On.” You know the one, it’s a goddamn bop. Tinashe has bounced back and forth between a cool R&B/hip-hop sound and more traditional pop, and she’s always claimed Britney Spears as her top musical idol. She was featured on Brit’s song “Slumber Party” a couple years ago, and the video is truly one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen. In recent weeks, Tinashe was in the news because her ex Ben Simmons allegedly cheated on her with Kendall Jenner. Tinashe really deserves better, so you should probably go listen to her new album, Joyride. It’s good, you’ll like it.
3. Troye Sivan
Let me clear the air by noting that I am a gay man and I want to have so much sex with Troye Sivan. Troye, who is both South African and Australian (the accent is glorious) is already a gay icon, but everyone needs to know. His debut album back in 2015 was kind of a moody Lorde vibe, but this year he’s ready to take over the pop world. His songs “Bloom” and “My My My!” are catchy as fuck, and he just dropped a new song featuring our favorite bride-to-be, Ariana Grande. Troye has a hot boyfriend named Jacob Bixenman, and he’s also the new face of both Valentino and Saint Laurent. Pay attention, because this kid is about to be fucking everywhere.
4. Dua Lipa
Over the past year, Dua Lipa has made a ton of progress in her career. She released her debut album last summer, and her song “New Rules” was really the only thing that stopped me from sending risky texts in 2017. (But I’m back on my bullshit in 2018, sorry Dua.) Her look is so fucking cool, and all her music is great. Her single “IDGAF” is getting big, and her song “One Kiss” with Calvin Harris is also a major vibe. Dua is only 22, but she’s already had high-profile relationships with a couple people that are definitely UK-famous, even if we haven’t heard of them. Recently, it appears that she’s broken her own rules by getting back with her ex, celebrity chef/model (lol) Isaac Carew. He’s hot AF, but also people think she might be dating Calvin Harris, which I really hope is just a rumor. Calvin, keep your grubby little Taylor Swift hands off our girl.
5. Anne-Marie
Anne-Marie is another British dance-pop rising star that I’ve been obsessed with for like, two years because she was on some random Spotify playlist. Can you tell I have a type? She’s had a number of songs that were big hits in the UK, but for some reason no one in the US has really started to care. Start with “Ciao Adios” and “Alarm,” but the more recent song of the summer contender is the throwback anthem “2002.” Actually everything about Anne-Marie gives me an early 2000s vibe, and I’m loving it. Anne-Marie doesn’t like to talk about who she’s dating, but she recently said in an interview that she’s dated both men and women. She’s friends with Ed Sheeran, which is a downside, but nobody’s perfect.
6. Charlie Puth
Okay, you all know about Charlie Puth, but do you really know about Charlie Puth? He’s both talented and hot, and we’ve slept on him for far too long. Actually, scratch that, I would definitely sleep on him. Charlie’s been around for a while, and his biggest hits include “See You Again,” “Marvin Gaye,” unfortunately featuring Meghan Trainor, and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” featuring Selena Gomez, which is a perfect pop song. Actually, I really think Charlie and Selena would make an amazing couple, so like, the universe should make that happen. (I want the record to reflect that I’ve secretly been shipping them for years.) Charlie has an awesome voice, but he also writes and produces all his music himself, which is really impressive. Basically, imagine if Justin Bieber was also Diplo, but also not someone you’d be ashamed to introduce to your dad. The low point of Charlie’s career was when he made out with Meghan Trainor onstage at the American Music Awards, but he basically admitted it was just a publicity stunt.
7. Grimes
Ah yes, Grimes, the indie darling of the past decade. People who like artsy music have been obsessed with Grimes since at least 2012, but she’s never really broken into the mainstream. Really, I’m not sure she wants to. That’s partly why it was so surprising when she showed up at the Met Gala last month with Elon Musk. She’s dated a couple music dudes before, but a public relationship with one of the most rich and famous men in the world is definite departure for her. I’m v curious to see if this will be a more permanent shift in her persona, or just a one-time deal. Either way, her last two albums are excellent, and you should really give them a listen.
8. Kim Petras
Kim Petras is definitely the least famous person on this list, but I have a feeling that could change soon. Kim is everything a pop princess should be, serving up iconic looks and banger after banger. Her debut single “I Don’t Want It At All” is incredible, and the video features a cameo from Paris Hilton. Kim, who hails from Germany, just launched her music career last year, but she’s actually been famous for a long time. Back in 2008, Kim became one of the youngest people to ever have gender reassignment surgery, at 16, making her kind of an icon in the trans community. It’s been cool to see her resurface as a rising pop star, and she’ll be touring with Troye Sivan this fall.
Images: beberexha, tinashenow, troyesivan, dualipa, annemarie, charlieputh, grimes, kimpetras / Instagram
We’re almost halfway through 2018, and it’s really been a whirlwind year for Kardashian news thus far. Nothing can top a surprise baby or meeting Donald Trump, but Kendall’s love life is still making headlines of its own. Kendall is dating Ben Simmons, and I have a lot of thoughts. A few months ago, everyone I became deeply invested in her new relationship with basketball star Blake Griffin, but it appears Kendall has moved on to an NBA player who’s younger and hotter (feel free to fight me in the comments if you disagree).
Ben Simmons and Kendall Jenner were first rumored to be together on Wednesday, and then they basically confirmed it later in the day by hanging out together in LA. Also present at the hangout were top model Kaia Gerber (who is 16, ew) and Jordyn Woods, who at this point must be contractually obligated to hang out with a Jenner sister at all times. Jordyn was hanging out with her own NBA player, Devin Booker, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Ben and Kendall left together at the end of the night, which is obviously scientific proof that they are fucking. Don’t forget to use a condom, kiddos!
But if you, like me, don’t know anything about basketball except that Tristan Thompson is a piece of shit, allow me to fill you in on 5 things you need to know about Ben Simmons.
1. He’s Australian And Also Very Tall
Ben Simmons isn’t like a regular basketball player, he’s a cool basketball player. By that I mean that he’s Australian, which objectively is the hottest accent. Fight me, French people. He moved to the US for high school (basketball player things), so he now has this crazy half accent that I can’t quite figure out. Oh well, guess that means I’ll just have to spend the next three hours watching interviews of him. I’m not that sad, considering that he’s also very pretty. He’s also 6’10”, which is an alarming height until you realize that Kendall is 5’10”. Oh wait, still alarmingly tall.
2. He’s Like, Really Good At Basketball
Since being plucked from the outback of Australia, Ben Simmons has really proven himself as a #baller. He played at LSU for one season before ditching school for the NBA (casual), and he was the number-one overall draft pick in 2016. That’s basketball speak for everyone literally being obsessed with you. He was injured for his first season in the NBA, but this year he’s been a star player for the Philadelphia ’76ers. Voting is happening for Rookie of the Year right now, and he’s considered one of the favorites. That is as much as I can say about basketball without sounding like an idiot, but he is clearly very good at his job.
3. He Was Literally Just Dating Tinashe
If your response to the name Tinashe is “who?” then please excuse yourself and come back when you’re properly educated. Tinashe is a very underrated R&B singer who is both talented and sexy, and everyone should know about her. She and Ben started dating back in March, but the timeline of recent events is very murky here. A source reported last week that he broke up with her for literally the craziest reason. She was accused of “doing Kardashian shit.” HELLO IRONY. The source said of Tinashe, “She is way too public with everything. They just started dating and this girl is calling up paparazzi.” AM I READING THE SAME THING YOU ARE READING OH MY GOD. In a wild thickening of the plot, Tinashe’s brother popped off on Twitter, saying that Ben just broke up with Tinashe on Sunday, meaning he was definitely cheating with Kendall. I need an inhaler right now because I CANNOT BREATHE.
Never met you before in my life. days after u break my sis heart u do this… ppl all lied on her talking fake news about my sis *doing kardashian shit * u cheat on her w a Jenner ???? DONOVAN MITCHELL ROY fuck nigga https://t.co/xjmm2E2mRq
— kudi (@kudikaching) May 30, 2018
4. He’s At Least The Fourth NBA Player Kendall Has Dated
In a family where pretty much everyone loves dating NBA players, Kendall like, really loves dating NBA players. Khloé usually gets all the attention for her basketball fetish, but Kendall has quietly been building up quite a roster of her own. She’s only 22, but Ben Simmons is already the fourth NBA player she’s been romantically linked to. She made big headlines earlier this year for dating Blake Griffin, but she’s also hung out with Jordan Clarkson and Chandler Parsons in the past. All of these men have names that sound like they were created by an algorithm, and they’re also all very hot. Kendall very clearly has a type, and I’m not mad about it.
5. He And Kendall Don’t Follow Each Other
As you already know, stalking who follows who in the Kardashian family is one of our favorite pastimes. There are endless social dynamics to investigate, and it’s the most fun whenever a new face is introduced. Ben Simmons sadly does not follow any of the Kar-Jenners on Instagram, including Kendall. Poor form, Ben. Everyone should really be following at least two Kardashians at this point, so this really seems like a conspiracy. Kendall is also not following Ben, so they’re at least putting 10% effort into keeping their relationship on the DL. Seems like it’s working!
And I’ll say this now before any of you (*glares angrily at Kris*) get any funny ideas: if Kendall ends up pregnant a month from now, so help me God, I will burn Calabasas to the ground.
Images: Giphy (2)
