September always feels like a reset – the air shifts, routines change, and there’s this possibility that lingers in the season. For me, my first edition is about reflecting on what’s happened and happening around us, from politics shaping our future to the cultural moments that define our now. It’s also about grounding myself in growth, identity, and community as I step into a new season. Plus autumn means a certain someone’s (mines) birthday is approaching.
Think of this drop as a snapshot of the year: a mix of stories, reflections, and culture that capture where we’re at and where we’re going.

Christopher Za’Mir Washington

Featured Recap

January

The year kicked off with a new beginning across pop culture. Television audiences saw a new season of the highly anticipated Apple TV+ series Severance. The Netflix action-comedy film Back In Action starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz was released and was met with positive reviews from viewers and critics. A documentary following the Diddy trial titled Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy was released on Peacock, this followed the controversial Diddy trials involving Cassie Ventura and others. On January 20 Donald Trump was inaugurated making him the 45 and 47 U.S. President (unfortunately). Mac Miller’s second posthumous album, Ballonerism, was released, delighting fans of the late rapper. The Weeknd also released his album Hurry Up Tomorrow. Elon Musk sparked quite the debate online when he seemingly performed the Nazi salute on national television. This sent the the nation into the frenzy on whether it was intentional or not. Many, including myself, are making the claim that the actions of the the richest person on earth were fully deliberate. The trial of A$AP Rocky began, where he faced two felony assault charges. The first major awards show of the year, the Golden Globes, had several big moments. The film Emilia Perez being a big winner of the night incited controversy. California was struggling to tend to the ongoing wildfires whilst the rest of the nation experiences quite the harsh winter. TikTok also went through a temporary ban that President Trump extended to give the foreign company time to sell to an American one; this decision is still ongoing as the video sharing platform still has not sold itself. In a claim to “emphasize national heritage” Trump, his administration, and his GOP colleagues unofficially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a move that only looks rational to the deepest of conservative minds.

February

February was a month of major debuts and cultural anticipation. Broadway lit up with a new staging of Othello, led by powerhouse performances from Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. The production was hailed as one of the season’s most ambitious reinterpretations of Shakespeare and brought fresh attention to Broadway as a cultural hub. February also saw the beginning of a national scare of plane crashes, the news seemed to stay up to date with every plane crash that was occurring. There was accounted for 60 plane crashes and at least 188 deaths resulting. Kendrick Lamar was the halftime performer for the 59th Super Bowl where he brought out SZA, Samuel L Jackson, and Serena Williams. Lamar gave a very politically charged performance with a shady undertone to his feud with fellow rapper Drake. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in a final score of 40-22. Saturday Night Live (SNL) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a giant concert special and a commemorative episode. Going back online Bhad Bhabie and Alabama Barker had a public feud involving Bhad Bhabie accusing Alabama Barker of interfering with her relationship with the father of her child, Lavonne. The conflict escalated when Bhad Bhabie released an array of diss tracks titles “Overcooked” and “Ms.Whitman.” Alabama responded with her own track, “Crybaby” along with several social media posts leading to a dramatic and highly public online exchange. As awards season buzzed in the background, the GRAMMYs loomed large, with Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Doechii dominating conversations. Beyoncé, the most awarded artist in GRAMMY history, won Album of the Year for the first time for her eighth solo studio album Cowboy Carter. The multi hyphenated artist also won Best Country Album and Best Country/Group Performance for “ll Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus, extending her record for most GRAMMY wins in history. Kendrick Lamar came in with a clean GRAMMY sweep, winning all five of his GRAMMY nominations all for his hit diss track “Not Like Us.” He wasn’t the only rapper winning that night as Doechii became the third female artist to win Best Rap Album for her second mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal.

March

March was arguably the first truly explosive pop culture month of 2025. Disney finally premiered it’s long-awaited Snow White live remake starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, which was met with both high box office returns and heated online discourse. Ariana Grande released her Eternal Sunshine deluxe titled Brighter Days Ahead along with a short film which was Grande’s directorial debut. The film was praised by fans and music critics alike for her creative storytelling and cohesive music interconnected to the film. The Academy Awards (Oscars) were big this year, Anora saw the biggest wins including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress (Mikey Madison). Emilia Perez smashed records becoming one of the most nominated movies in Oscars history with 13 nominations. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the show performing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “Defying Gravity.” Awards season was especially controversial with who got which awards. Emilia Perez was one of the most awarded films of the year, a move not many fans saw coming as the seemingly front runner for best musical was Wicked. Emilia Perez won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, beating out Wicked, which only won for Cinematic Box Office Achievement. Emilia Perez received an historic Best Actress Nomination for Gascon, but it’s Oscar chances were diminished by the controversy. Wicked ultimately received only technical awards, which fans considered a major snub. The film was predicted to win categories like Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande), Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects. The film was still Oscar winning, walking away with two Academy Awards (Best Costume Design and Best Production Design). The French hinted at maybe taking back the statue of liberty, that was a very random headline.

April

April brought with it new tours, streaming sensations, and viral aesthetics. Katy Perry launched her long-awaited Lifetimes Tour, which immediately became one of the year’s biggest commercial successes, grossing tens of millions within its first leg and showing her staying power as a global pop star. Katy Perry also made an historic all-female space expedition which was received variously between audiences. Netflix teased its yearly plans with series including Squid Game season 2, Wednesday season 2, Stranger Things season 5, Ginny and Georgia season 3, and Black Mirror season 7. TikTok had a new viral trend called “Hard Launch,” which was creators showcasing their obsessions with dramatic camera pans. This was adapted by brands to highlight products or team traditions. Coachella, the highly anticipated music and arts festival, took place with Lady Gaga headlining. The event also featured a solo moment for Jennie from BLACKPINK and a surprise appearance from Bernie Sanders. The movie adaptation of the video game Minecraft was released, featuring a cast that included Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Jennifer Coolidge. The internet asked the question 100 men vs. 1 gorilla, which split the internet on whether or not it could be done successfully by men. TikTok even took it further and did 100 women vs. 1 gorilla, giving us a collection of women that would complete specific roles and tasks. Pope Francis died and a new American, Pope Leo XIV, was chosen as his replacement. Questions on where the pope stands politically flooded social media with people calling him a centrist “conservative.” The world went into a tariff “war” as President Trump imposed a universal 10% tariff on most imported goods and additional higher “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries. The tariffs causes global markets to fall, with major stock indexes in Europe experiencing losses. Countries like Canada and China announced retaliatory tariffs, further escalating the trade situation.

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