2020 Year End Review

For most of us, this year has been an atrocious, unspeakable dumpster fire of hot ass garbage.

As despicable and downright nasty as this year was pop culture was maybe one of the few things that gave us a little light in the shroud of darkness that was 2020. Here are some of my faves from music to books to TV.

Let’s start with music since I feel like there were some real gems this year. Starting off with

The Weeknd: Abel released his album at the literal start of the pandemic and since no one else was releasing anything else, that album sat at the top of the charts forever. A lot of people were upset because this was “different.” It’s not the typical haunted strip club music that we get from Abel but I for one still enjoyed the album. An artist changes and evolves? Who knew such a thing was possible.

BAD BUNNY: If you don’t already know, I LOVE Bad Bunny. I feel as though he’s a very unique artist and is definitely tearing down walls in the Latinx community. Love that for him. He’s tall, cute as hell, has a deep voice, and even though I don’t understand Spanish that well, I feel like he really gets me with his music. Bad Bunny released not one, not two, but THREE albums this year. Kickstarting his year of music was Benito’s sophomore album, YHLQMDLG, which roughly translates to, “I do what I want.” Well, Bad Bunny is in his prime right now, he’s the number one artist in the world, so yeah, I guess he does do whatever he wants. Next up is his quarantine album, Las Que No Iban A Salir, and closing us out is El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo.

There was lots of talk about El Ultimo being a surprise album but if you paid attention to the lyrics in the first of the three albums, Bad Bunny specifically says he’ll release a new album in nine months and then retire. While he stayed true to his word about the album in nine months, the retirement rumor has since been debunked.

Jessie Reyez: Jessie is just a girl from Canada who gets it. Her debut studio album, Before Love Came to Kill Us came out this year. Reyez has been on my radar ever since she performed Apple Juice during one of the MTV award shows. This album gets a lot of attention for the collabs with Eminem and 6lack, however, it’s the songs where she’s solo that shine the brightest. Same Side & Ankles are hands down the best songs on the album. The duality of the album is another winning factor. If you’re feeling weepy, turn on Same Side and let your ex know that he’s an asshole but you see a prince and you’re a good girl but he sees a bitch. If you’re feeling very HBIC-ish put on Ankles and let them bitches know they can’t even measure up to your ankles. Periodt.

Chloe x Halle: Chloe and Halle have raw, real talent, none of that lip-syncing shit. Despite Twitter desperately trying to tear the girls apart, they clearly make a great duo. While they really belong in the ocean somewhere luring men to their deaths, here they are blessing us with their vocals instead. God bless.

Flo Milli: Flo is up next and things will go much smoother when everyone realizes that. Flo Milli is confident and in your face for good reason. She’s just starting her rap career and is already crushing it. She’ll really make you ask yourself, “Ho, why is you here?”

Ariana Grande: I really love this album. It isn’t groundbreaking or anything, it’s just fun. And who doesn’t like a fun album? Ariana really has been through it all, the last few years haven’t been easy for her, so miss girl deserves to have fun, especially if it involves a little 34+35.

Cardi B: WAP!!! Anthem of a lifetime. If only the club wasn't full of virus to enjoy it.

Movies

Birds of Prey: This movie caught a lot of shit and I don’t understand why. It’s just a goofy, girl power movie. Harley is a goofy girl who got her heartbroken, can’t we all relate to that? Can’t they just say that they hate women and go? Can’t we just have fun things? Every movie made does not need to be groundbreaking, some movies can just be flamboyant and cute. FFS.

Rebecca: A lot of scary movies don’t get a happy ending, this one did and I like it for that reason. That’s a hill I’m willing to die on.

1BR: this shit was wildly cult-like, but isn’t that what L.A. is about?

The Invisible Man: I know this is just a modernized version of an older movie, but I really liked it. Also, a movie hasn’t made me jump or put me on the edge of my seat like this one did in a while. I really appreciated the suspense. The toxic relationship storyline fit so well. Ole girl as the main character is undefeated, an acTOR if I’ve ever seen one.

Da 5 Bloods: I want to say this is the second to last movie that you can watch our beloved Chadwick in. That alone is enough of a reason to watch.

Antebellum: I’m not sure why I thought this was a Jordan Peele movie for the longest time It’s not. We still love a black horror movie. Black people are often just the sidekicks who die first when it comes to horror movies. That hasn’t been the case as of late. About time.

Lost Girls: I love a good true crime story and this was just that. The story of Shannan Gilbert’s disappearance and her mom’s journey to figure out what happened to her daughter was captivating.

We Summon the Darkness: This movie had a twist I wasn’t expecting and probably not for the reason you’re thinking. I love cult movies and if you do too, then girl... Better click this one on and watch these white girls do white girl shit and make some human sacrifices.

The Devil All the Time: Some more crazy white : shit. I watched this movie for the lineup of amazing actors in it and stayed for the drama of it all. This movie had quite a few storylines to follow and some people may find a movie like this hard to follow but all in all, it is an enjoyable movie. You see the impact of religion and the abuse of people in power and the effect of those things on the people around them.

Bad Hair: Chile. Just watch it.

TV

Ratched: If you don’t love Sarah Paulson, that is an automatic problem. And the problem is you.

Lovecraft Country: Accurately depicts how black people react when faced with scary shit.

Unsolved Mysteries - Volume 2: Volume 1 was a million times more haunting than the second one but this volume was still good and just as mysterious.

Monsterland: I really don’t understand what the main point of this show was. Each episode was different but somehow still interacted. It was strange but each ending was good enough to leave you on the edge of your seat, ready for more.

P-Valley: Wish I was down in the valley where the girls get naked.

Midnight Gospel: Actually kind of life-changing. This might be brushed off because it's animated but the content of the show is worth the listen. Topics range from mindfulness to death and if you'd rather listen than watch, all the dialogue is pulled from the Duncan Trussel Family Hour, it's worth the time.

BOOKS

Some favorite books that didn’t necessarily come out this year but that I just found out about this year:

• My Sister the Serial Killer - How far are you willing to go to protect your siblings? As far as the main character in the book?

• In a Dark, Dark Wood - If you get a bad feeling in your gut about hanging out with some friends from college, maybe trust your gut.

• The Turn of the Key - Literally the twist that NO ONE was expecting.

• Lock Every Door - Again, another unexpected twist. Keeps you on the edge of your seat and causes many WTF moments.

• Sharp Objects - I'm just realizing that so many of the books I read have a wild twist. This book displays many types of mental illness and how they manifest in people's lives but more importantly, how they can tear those lives apart if gone untreated.

• Doctor Sleep - The sequel to The Shining in which little Danny is all grown up but is still haunted by the overlook hotel from all those years ago...

• There’s Someone Inside Your House

• The Haunting of Hill House - Not nearly as scary or suspenseful as the series but still worth the read.

• Joyland

• Hidden Bodies - The sequel to YOU. Joe Goldberg is back and better than before. Only this time he's in Love. Literally and figuratively.

• Skeleton Crew - Along with Joyland and Doctor Sleep, another Stephen King masterpiece.
  

Significant Moments of 2020

• This year started off absolutely raggedy as hell with the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter. To make the situation worse, TMZ broke the news before his family even knew what had happened.

• In March of this ghetto ass year, Miss Rona made her appearance and has been living here rent-free ever since.

• Australia was on fire for months causing devastation to wildlife and human life.

• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left the Royal Family. Which is the best thing for them probably. He did what was best for his wife and son, we respect a ginger king.

• Donald Trump was impeached. Yet there he still is.

• Parasite was the first nonenglish movie to win best picture and honestly, it was well deserved.

• Harvey Weinstein got his guilty verdict. The media expected us to feel bad for him just because he's old and decrepit but I need you to know that I've never felt less sympathy for anyone.

• Yet again black people have had to fight for their right just to live. BLM protests went on for weeks at a time after the murder of George Floyd. Yet the police still continue to murder unarmed black people.

• Ghislaine Maxwell is booked for her connection in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Girl.

• Black people everywhere lost a hero when Chadwick Boseman died. The first generation to have a black superhero on the silver screen and he was taken so soon.

• The West Coast was also on fire for weeks.

• A white man detonated a bomb in Nashville and the news didn't talk about it.

• RBG died.

• Assholes across the country bought so much toilet paper that coming across it was like gold.

• Chris Evans dick pic.

• Literal idiots rioted to try to force service workers to work. They really acted out behind haircuts. People really care about the fucking economy more than about people's lives.

• Yet despite the previous bullet point, police shot unarmed protestors with rubber bullets and caused permanent damage to some. Peaceful protestors were also tear-gassed.

• Taco Bell went on to its demise.

• The Pentagon released literal UFO footage, no one bats an eye.

I truly hope that your 2021 is exponentially better than this shitty year. I wish you all the best and hope that you become the best version of yourself. I wish you health and wealth and goodness.

Peace out girl scout.