2024, what a wild ride you’ve been. From jaw-dropping reality TV moments to rap beefs that left us clutching our pearls, this year was perhaps the most iconic when it came to pop culture. From royal conspiracy theories to Brat summer, 2024 was a chaotic smörgåsbord of meme-able moments. As we gear up for another year, we have decided to look back at the pop culture moments that defined 2024.
Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake
I don’t think I remember the last time I had so much fun on the internet. The feud, which began with an indirect snub from Kendrick Lamar on Future and Metro Boomin’s Like That, culminated in a Westcoast anthem that had all of us screaming it’s probably A minoooooooor all summer long.
Amr Diab sued by a fan
If 2022 was marked by Will Smith smacking Chris Rock at the Oscars, then this year will equally be remembered for Amr Diab slapping a fan in the face. The iconic Egyptian singer was sued by over 50 lawyers after he got physical with a fan while singing at the wedding of the daughter of film producer Mohamed Saady in Cairo.
Imane Khelif becomes a global icon
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The Algerian boxer, who was at the center of a gender controversy during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, gagged all her haters (ahem, JK Rowling and Elon Musk) after winning Olympic gold, getting invited to sit FROW at Bottega Veneta, and landing countless magazine spreads.
All the Kate Middleton conspiracy theories
My favorite is that she spontaneously cut herself a fringe, and was having to wait until the front of her hair grows back in.
‘Love is Blind, Habibi’ finally debuts
From juicy drama to heated confrontations, the Arabic adaptation of the American social-experiment-slash-reality-show did not disappoint. It also blessed us with an unforgettable mantra: “I don’t do coffee dates, I don’t do walking dates, I don’t do last minute dates. I want to see effort, he has to book table FULL.”
Saddam Hussein hiding
@monkeymys it was YUMMY #chicken #hidingspot #yum #wow #fyp ♬ original sound – 2000spophits🔥
A great test of how chronically-online you are is whether your mind immediately turns to the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein when you see chicken strips, pizza crust, or sour patch kids. A 2003 BBC graphic depicted Hussein in a unique hiding pose before his capture by U.S. forces, using a small red figure laid down in a now-iconic stance. This graphic has resurfaced virally over the past decade, however, in 2024, TikTokers ignited a trend by identifying the distinctive shape of the Hussein figure in various mudane objects.
‘Brat’
I will be the first to admit that the whole Brat thing felt extremely forced and cringe, however, I cannot deny the absolute chokehold it had on the girls and gays.
Andrew Garfield and Yousra’s unexpected friendship
@milleworlddotcom our multiverse of madness #andrewgarfield #yousra #egypt #redseafilmfestival #bff #fyp #besties #spiderman #jeddah #rsiff ♬ original sound – milleworlddotcom
I didn’t have Andrew Garfield and Yousra becoming besties on my 2024 bingo card, but I’m not mad about it.
Saint Levant dedicating his Coachella set to Gaza
The 23-year-old artist, who made his Coachella debut in April, dedicated his entire set to the Palestinians currently living through a genocide in the Occupied Strip. Yet, despite the buzz surrounding his performance, reports surfaced that footage of Saint Levant’s set vanished from post-festival broadcasts. Nonetheless, the impact of his impassioned tribute won’t soon be forgotten.
Luigi Mangione
Two words: Free him.
