Baller Alert’s Decade In Review: Biggest Moments For The Culture

The last 10 years have featured some of the biggest moments in music and entertainment and some of the most defining moments for the culture, and as we close out the year, let’s take a look back on a few of the biggest and best.

1. 2018- It was the moment that solidified Beyoncé as a legend. It was the moment that Forbes defined as a ‘Top Defining Moment In Pop Culture.’ It was the moment that everyone around the world changed the name from ‘Coachella’ to ‘BeyChella.’ Beyoncé’s headlining 2018 Coachella performance had the world shook whether we were there in person or at home watching the live-stream. Beyoncé’s Marching Band themed set gave homage to HBCU culture while at the same time representing Black Feminism. The performance received worldwide critical acclaim and made an impact on pop culture. During her almost two-hour-long live performance, Beyonce brought out her husband Jay-Z, former group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child and sister Solange Knowles. The 105-minute performance featured nonstop dancing, vocals, aesthetics, theatrics, and everything else you could imagine in a Beyoncé performance… she had it. Beyoncé went on to release ‘Homecoming’ a Netflix documentary/concert film showcasing an in-depth look of the concert featuring behind the scenes footage, while revealing the emotional rollercoaster from creating the different concepts to becoming a cultural movement. She also released ‘Homecoming: The Live Album’ that featured the live cuts of her music during her Coachella set. ‘Homecoming’ went on to be nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards and is currently up for ‘Best Music Film’ at the 2020 Grammy’s. They don’t call her the queen for no reason.

2. 2010: Nicki Minaj rises to superstardom – After several years of underground success with her mixtapes ‘Playtime Is Over’, ‘Sucka Free’ and ‘Beam Me Up Scotty, Nicki Minaj touched mainstream success after being featured on different singles by A-list artists such as Mariah Carey, Usher, Ludacris and of course her labelmates Young Money just to name a few. Wherever you went, you couldn’t turn on the radio or attend any party/club without hearing Nicki Minaj as she was featured on the majority of the songs released. It remained this way for several years, ultimately allowing Minaj to become the highest-selling female rapper of all time, with over 113 million records sold and 106 singles having charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Minaj is also the most awarded female rapper of all time as she nears 200 wins. Despite announcing an early “retirement” in 2019, Minaj claims her announcement was “insensitive” and has since deleted the tweet and shows no signs of letting up.

3. 2011: Beyonce announces pregnancy – Beyonce broke the internet after she shocked the world with the announcement of her pregnancy. At the 2011 VMAS, Beyonce performed her hit single ‘Love On Top.’ When she reached the end of the performance, she threw the microphone on the ground and unbuttoned her jacket, and proceeded to rub her baby bump. Beyonce gave birth to her & husband Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter on Jan. 7, 2012. Her appearance also gave MTV and the VMAs it’s highest ratings in MTV history reeling in 12.4 million viewers.

4. 2013: Beyonce Drops Surprise Album – History was made on Dec. 13, 2013, as Beyonce dropped a surprise self-titled visual album. The album gave us hits such as ‘Drunk In Love,’ ‘Flawless’ and ‘Partition.’ Beyonce also provided visuals for each song on the album. The album also changed the release date for albums ‪from Tuesday to Friday‬.

5. 2015: Drake vs. Meek Mill – After taking to Twitter to diss Drake and claim he uses a ghostwriter, Meek Mill began what became one of the biggest feuds of 2015. In response, Drake released two diss records entitled ‘Charged Up’ and ‘Back to Back.’ Drake and Meek ultimately settled their differences and joined forces on Meek Mill’s 2018 album ‘Championships’ on the track ‘Going Bad.’ While for years it was speculation that Nicki Minaj started the beef during her relationship with Meek Mill, Meek revealed recently that he was taking 10 Percocets a day. “When I made decisions, and I did shit, I don’t know why I did it. If you ask me why I came at Drake, I don’t even f**king really, really know.”

6. 2016: Joe Budden Vs. Drake & his fans – After dissing Drake’s album ‘Views’ and calling it ‘Uninspired’ on his podcast, Joe Budden started a war with Drake… and his fans. Though the beef was mainly one-sided on Joe Budden’s end releasing multiple diss records, Drake did send shots at Budden on his record ‘‪4 PM‬ In Calabasas.’ However, after a few of Drake’s fans taunted Budden outside of his home, Budden chased down the group of young men and threatened them. The young men can be heard repeatedly apologizing as Budden stands outside their car.

7.  2016: Birdman Vs. Charlamange/ The Breakfast Club – “Stop playing with my f**king name. All three a’ ya’ll. Stop playing with my name. I ain’t gone say it no mo’,” Birdman is seen saying in a clip posted by The Breakfast Club where the rapper addresses the hosts (Charlamagne, DJ Envy, Angela Yee) before the interview even begins. The interview begins, and Charlamagne proceeds to tell viewers/ listeners what had just transpired seconds before. Birdman and Charlamange then get into a heated argument. “I knew a few places you was at, I coulda pulled up, but I ain’t thank that was gansta. I wanted to come look in ya face like a man and tell you how I feel,” Birdman said before telling the hosts to “Put some respec on my name.” After not being able to come to a mutual agreement, Birdman states, “Ya’ll finished or ya’ll done? Cause I ain’t got no more talking,” and proceeded to get up and exit with his posse. 

8. 2017: Beyonce announces second pregnancy…this time with twins – During the 2010’s it became a pattern for Beyonce to make surprise announcements and break the internet. So why would the announcement of her second pregnancy be any different? Taking to Instagram on the first day of Black History Month, to post a portrait of her holding her baby bump, Beyonce captioned the picture, “We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. – The Carters.” Beyonce and Jay-Z welcomed their twins Rumi (girl) and Sir Carter (boy) June 13th, 2017. Beyonce was supposed to headline Coachella in 2017, but due to her pregnancy, she rescheduled to 2018. Her 2018 performance was so iconic and became what we all know today as ‘Beychella.’

9. 2017: Migos Vs. Joe Budden – Following the 2017 BET Awards, Joe Budden and co-hosts DJ Akademiks and Nardeska Alexis interviewed hip-hop group Migos. After repeatedly asking Take-off how he felt about being left off of Bad & Boujee, the group’s biggest hit at the time, Budden began to interrupt, trying to end the interview and ultimately getting up and walking away before the interview was over. The Migos responded by getting up, ready to fight with Quavo, asking, “What you trying to do?” The Migos ended up dissing Budden on Quality Control’s single “Ice Tray,” stating, “If a n*gga hating call him Joe Budden (p*ssy).

10. 2019: Soulja Boy Vs. Drake – in 2019, Soulja Boy gave a few radio interviews where he claimed Drake stole his flow on his record ‘Miss Me’ featuring Lil Wayne and that he taught Drake “everything he knows.” After going viral on Social Media and becoming a meme after hilariously responding, “Drakeeeee?” in his interview on The Breakfast Club, Drake eventually sent Soulja Boy a DM on Instagram asking if he was serious or not and apologizing to him. “You know it’s always been love all jokes aside,” Drake wrote.

11. 2019: Cardi B Wins Grammy – In 2019, Cardi B won Best Rap Album for ‘Invasion of Privacy’ at the 61st annual Grammy awards against Mac Miller’s ‘Swimming,’ Nipsey Hussle’s ‘Victory Lap,’ Pusha-T’s DAYTONA and Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD. With this win, Cardi became the first woman to win the ‘Best Rap Album category at the Grammys.

The last decade had some pretty iconic moments in Pop Culture that kept us laughing with the countless memes from interviews/ award shows, etc., crying at the loss of some of our favorite entertainers and even angry with a lot of situations like Trump winning the 2016 Presidential Election. 

As we enter 2020, we take a look at the last 10 years as we prepare to embrace a whole new decade that is sure to have even more iconic moments to keep us entertained.