"Kendrick Lamar is popular music's most forward-thinking, undeniable auteur. Other hip-hop artists have been able to command audiences this decade, but no other MC has been able to challenge the art form..."

READ OUR FULL KENDRICK LAMAR SPOTLIGHT

"DuVernay, best known for directing Selma, is quickly becoming much more than her most successful film project....In an industry full of white male auteurs, DuVernay's commercial and critical success proved downright inspiring..."

READ OUR FULL AVA DUVERNAY SPOTLIGHT

"Boseman is creating his own legacy by highlighting the monumental achievements of other indispensable African-American leaders on the silver screen, and Hollywood is all the better for it...."

READ OUR FULL CHADWICK BOSEMAN SPOTLIGHT

"Mike WiLL Made-It has certainly engrained himself in musical history throughout the 2010’s—and not just within hip-hop. The Atlanta producer has expanded the sound of rap music while collaborating with some of the biggest names in pop...."

READ OUR FULL MIKE WILL MADE IT SPOTLIGHT

"Laverne Cox is best known as Sophia Burset on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, but since the show premiered in 2013, the actress has become so much more, to so many people..."

READ OUR FULL LAVERNE COX SPOTLIGHT

"Leon's time in the public eye has been short, his impact has been an enduring one; few artists have enjoyed the type of commercial and critical run the soul singer-songwriter is on right now..."

READ OUR FULL LEON BRIDGES SPOTLIGHT

"FKA Twigs is making some of the most bewitching music in the world right now, and creating her own rules when it comes to artistic expectation..."

READ OUR FULL FKA TWIGS SPOTLIGHT

"Comedy Central selected Trevor Noah for his sardonic humor and sharp take on current events. Sure enough, Noah has soared in the new role..."

READ OUR FULL TREVOR NOAH SPOTLIGHT

"For over two decades, Viola Davis has been providing subtly unforgettable performances to a host of projects, from Doubt (where she outshone Meryl Streep) to The Help (where she provided the center of a sprawling production)..."

READ OUR FULL VIOLA DAVIS SPOTLIGHT

"Gugu Mbatha-Raw is the definition of a rising star: An actress who has quietly engrained herself into Hollywood culture and improved every project she’s been part of, the 32-year-old Brit is making the leap to superstardom before our very eyes..."

READ OUR FULL GUGU MBATHA-RAW SPOTLIGHT

"Since being drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2011, the 26-year-old Atlanta native has carved a space out for himself among the NFL elite—and, more importantly, at a position traditionally dominated by white players..."

READ OUR FULL CAM NEWTON SPOTLIGHT

"Big Freedia's unapologetic sense of self undoubtedly charmed Beyoncé—not to mention the country with her reality docu-series Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce, currently reigning as Fuse's biggest television show to date..."

READ OUR FULL BIG FREEDIA SPOTLIGHT

"In every video and TV episode, Todrick has an unabashed commitment to being himself. He's upfront about his sexuality, his likes, his dislikes, being bullied; nothing's off limits. That commitment to being himself has paid off..."

READ OUR FULL TODRICK HALL SPOTLIGHT

"Retta came to fame as the beloved Donna Meagle on Parks and Recreation, and has since turned into a comedian and actress who is as unforgettable online as she is on screen..."

READ OUR FULL RETTA SPOTLIGHT

"Janelle represents the unconventional outsider on so many levels and recognizes her spot: In 2013, she told Fuse her "Q.U.E.E.N." single was made "for people who feel like they want to give up because they're not accepted by society"..."

READ OUR FULL JANELLE MONÁE SPOTLIGHT

"Zendaya has continued to show a wisdom and poise beyond her years...All that gumption and she's still a teenager? This lady has so much to do and say, and she's only just begun..."

READ OUR FULL ZENDAYA SPOTLIGHT

"As one of about 30 active black players in a majority-white sport, NHL favorite P.K. Subban is not just playing hockey, but thriving...And P.K.'s leadership extends beyond ice-hockey..."

READ OUR FULL P.K. SUBBAN SPOTLIGHT

"The Daily Show's first black female correspondent, Jessica Williams not only brings smart comedy to the Comedy Central staple, but does it with a fresh and necessary point of view..."

READ OUR FULL JESSICA WILLIAMS SPOTLIGHT

"The 31-year-old Roc Nation rapper/producer, and Dreamville Records head, built his base with relentlessly hard, independent work right in front of our eyes..."

READ OUR FULL J. COLE SPOTLIGHT

"As Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren, Uzo Aduba brings tenderness, mental health awareness and heartfelt comic relief, characterizing much of the show's main concerns in a single wonderful character..."

READ OUR FULL UZO ADUBA SPOTLIGHT

"The New Day are 'booked' on WWE TV as bad guys, but make no mistake, they are beloved by their audience and peers alike. All three members are incredibly gifted performers in the ring, and on the microphone they're just as skilled and entertaining..."

READ OUR FULL NEW DAY SPOTLIGHT

"Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard is not merely a great rock frontwoman, she’s a sonic force of nature with the deep pipes, emotional songwriting chops and killer riffs that can’t help but make you feel all the feels..."

READ OUR FULL BRITTANY HOWARD SPOTLIGHT

"Chance has made a point of doing things his way; he's been courted by every label imaginable and refused to sign. 'Label deals suck, that’s just the truth of it,' he told the Wall Street Journal in 2015..."

READ OUR FULL CHANCE THE RAPPER SPOTLIGHT

"Rae maintains an honest, hilarious, motivational and thought-provoking social media presence, giving prospective fans a great entry point into her singular point-of-view and talents..."

READ OUR FULL ISSA RAE SPOTLIGHT

"Coogler doesn't take his position in Hollywood—that of the still-rare black auteur with wide access and increasing influence—lightly..."

READ OUR FULL RYAN COOGLER SPOTLIGHT

"Ta-Nehisi Coates is...writing sociopolitical and economic injustices into digestible realities. The only way to glean understanding of the experiences of minorities is having them spell it out for you..."

READ OUR FULL TA-NEHISI COATES SPOTLIGHT

"Shamir became more than a modern proponent of house music and progressive pop, he became a face for those who don't believe in gender binaries..."

READ OUR FULL SHAMIR SPOTLIGHT

"Borges was one of the first black models booked by Dior and she's modeled for everyone from Balmain to Zac Posen. As far as magazines go, she's been featured in Marie Claire, Vogue, W and more..."

READ OUR FULL MARIA BORGES SPOTLIGHT

"If anything, Michael B. Jordan has shown incredible diversity in his acting roles and has shown that revolutionizing an unforgiving industry doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your own life story..."

READ OUR FULL MICHAEL B. JORDAN SPOTLIGHT

"Buress is unapologetic in his takedowns of cultural touchstones, and he's only just begun a career of unwrapping the truth with humor..."

READ OUR FULL HANNIBAL BURESS SPOTLIGHT

"Stenberg is using her celebrity as a platform for change. She's very vocal about educating the masses on the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation in a way that's open and honest, not condescending..."

READ OUR FULL AMANDLA STENBERG SPOTLIGHT

"Juggling her unique brand of information-via-comedy between national TV, YouTube, and social media platforms...Franchesca Ramsey is an important voice and face in our society's ever-changing and expanding collective conscious about equality and social justice..."

READ OUR FULL FRANCHESCA RAMSEY SPOTLIGHT

"Willow is making art exactly the way she wants to, exactly the way it makes sense to her. We just have to keep up..."

READ OUR FULL WILLOW SMITH SPOTLIGHT