Announced in an hour-long special television event on ABC, the Time100 list also includes Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Michael B. Jordan and Dr. Anthony Fauci among others.
- Sep 23, 2020
AceShowbiz - Time magazine has announced its selection for the 100 Most Influential People of 2020. Solidifying this year as a rollercoaster one for Megan Thee Stallion, the raptress is named among the "Pioneers" who make it into the list, joining NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.
In a short article written by Taraji P. Henson about Stallion, the "Empire" actress praised the "Savage" hitmaker for her "strength through vulnerability" as she noted that the 25-year-old hip-hop star "lost much of her family-her mother, her father, her grandmother." She also briefly mentioned the Tory Lanez shooting incident last July, that left Stallion injured in both feet.
Gushing about Stallion's musicality, Henson wrote, "She rode the beat like I'd never heard anybody ride the beat in a long time-and I'm a hip-hop head." She added, "There was something about this woman. Once you discover her, you become a fan."
Selena Gomez, meanwhile, joins the list of "Artists" among the Time100 list, which also includes her ex-boyfriend The Weeknd, Michael B. Jordan, J Balvin, Jojo Siwa, Halsey, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jennifer Hudson, Yo-Yo Ma and Oscar-winning South Korean director Bong Joon Ho.
On why Gomez deserved the title, her friend and fellow actress America Ferrera said that in addition to her passion in music, the former Disney darling has used her platform for greater causes. "She launched her own beauty line, with which she's pledged to raise $100 million over 10 years for mental-health services in underserved communities. She's used her enormous social-media platform to encourage voting and to support Black Lives Matter," the "Ugly Betty" alum wrote. She added, "Selena has been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights in America."
Union is on the list of "Titans" alongside her husband Dwyane Wade, Tyler Perry, Lewis Hamilton, Patrick Mahomes and Greg Berlanti among others. The pair are celebrated for their dedication to inclusivity as they among put the highlight on "the most marginalized among us, including Black women and girls and queer and trans folks," according to Me Too activist Tarana Burke.
Dr. Anthony Fauci joins the rank of "Leaders" alongside Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris, Angela Merkel and Nancy Pelosi. Interestingly, the category also includes Biden and Pelosi's political adversary and current U.S. President Donald Trump.
The "Icons" category includes Billy Porter, Naomi Osaka, Angela Davis as well as Black Lives Matter Founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi.
Prior to the unveil of the TIME100 list, Dan Macsai, executive editor of Time and editorial director of the TIME100, said in an ABC press release, "The 2020 TIME100 list will recognize the extraordinariness of this year, and we look forward to bringing together new honorees and TIME100 alumni for essential conversations on harnessing the power of influence to forge genuine progress."
He added of how this year's list is slightly different to the previous years, "This year it feels like the world has changed in a pretty dramatic way, so there are more doctors, nurses, health officials and scientists on this list than ever before in large part in the role that they played in the global response to COVID-19."
