HTS' 2020 List
art by John Marquez
We’re already more than halfway through the first month of the new year. Frankly and unfortunately, things feel a little too familiar. The Coronavirus is still running wild. And the Capitol coup attempt was a chilling reminder that hate is a disease with no vaccine. One of the funniest jokes I’ve seen recently is someone saying that 2020 put on a wig and is referring to itself as 2021 now. Sounds about right.
’20 was rough. But there was some good. At the top of each year, I make a list of all the noteworthy happenings I enjoyed. As that wild-ass 12-month run came to an end, I was so exhausted that I wasn’t even geeked to put it out. But my battery’s charged back up and I feel like handing out flowers.
It’s my joy to pull the diamonds out of the muck that 2020 was and share the art and people that helped me beat a bad case of the quarantine zanies, presidential election anxiety, and the stress of just existing as a Black man in a colonized nation. These are the moments, artists, movies, TV, clothes, and such that moved and made my year.
The Weeknd’s After Hours | music
Dominated the charts, stayed in character, and true to his Day 1 fans. Salute.
In with the New and Blue, Out with the Chump
Off top, VP Harris has to sage the White House like Kyrie in Boston. Gotta get that bozo’s energy out of the People’s Residence.
Miley Cyrus’ Plastic Hearts | music
Jay Electronica’s A Written Testimony | music
Whole album of real talk with Jay-Z riding shotgun. Favorite rap album of the year.
Nas’ King’s Disease | music
“You dropped your crown, King,” said no one to Mr. Jones.
Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush | album
Childish Gambino’s 3.15.20 | music
Theophilus London’s Bebey | music
Too many of y’all slept. But Bebey is forgiving. Come when you’re ready. The vibes are fine.
Dave | tv, fx
Heartwarming and hilarious.
Lovecraft Country | tv, hbo
Dave Chappelle’s 8:46 | youtube
FaceTime
Covid-19 took away our ability to see friends and family in person. FaceTime calls were the next best thing.
Beyoncé’s Black is King | tv, disney+
Beyoncé is queen.
I May Destroy You | tv, hbo
Dark humor is my shit. As is good storytelling.
David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction | tv, netflix
Dave’s heart is softening. His interviews continue to showcase his wit and humor. I hope he does many more of these.
Ozark | tv, netflix
Family matters.
Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Vol. 2 Fashion Show | tv, amazon prime
Best fashion show of the year. Probably because it was way more than a fashion show.
Kobe, My Idol, Dies
The Bee Gees’ How Can You Mend a Broken Heart Documentary | tv, hbo
The way these guys reinvented themselves (several times!) is inspiring.
The NBA Bubble, Jimmy Butler and the Los Angeles Lakers | tv
Jimmy got buckets the ‘90s way. I dug that. But in the end, LBJ did it for Kobe and the City of Angels.
New Balance Sneakers
Resting in my closet, my Aimé Leon Dore 550s (above), grey 993s, and grape 992s would like you to know that they feel loved and are proud to have played a key role in NB’s banner year in the sneaker world.
The Queen’s Gambit | tv, netflix
White men lose often here. It’s a fun watch. Also, shout out to Black friends who keep it real.
Watchmen | tv, hbo
Maybe my favorite show of the year. So smart, so engaging.
Ted Lasso | tv, apple tv
When I turned CNN off and needed a laugh, Lasso was there.
Sex Education (netflix), Normal People (hulu), and We Are Who We Are (hbo), and Teenage Drama | tv
I’m surprised myself. Why do I enjoy these types of shows so much? I’m 35. It’s been a long time since my high school days. I think what it is that’s so special to me about shows like Sex Education, We Are Who We Are, and Normal People, is they remind me that I’m human.
As we get older, we become professional emotion-suppressors. We don’t yell as such. We don’t cry as much. We don’t emote like we used to in our adolescence. And while that’s partly good, it also sucks. So when I see the characters in these shows feel—I mean truly feel—the pain of unrequited love, the joy of finding their own tribe, or bask in the sun and simplicity of a good day, it’s a nudge for me to crack my little box of feelings open a bit wider.
Kids are raw and fragile. New experiences rocket them into bliss or plummet them to depths unknown. It’s good to remember that I come from that.
Da 5 Bloods | movie, netflix
Spike is still getting better. Crazy.
Ramy | tv, hulu
My guy went out sad in 2020. Looking forward to the return and rise. Peace to Mahershala’s Sheikh Ali Malik.
Denim Tears Telling the Stories of His/Our People through Products
All of Tremaine Emory’s 2020 projects had a purpose beyond blatant commerce. From his Levi’s collab that was a nod to enslaved, cotton-picking Blacks to his Converse pairing, which emblazoned Chuck Taylors with the Pan-African flag, he was always down for his people, urging us to use our power (and vote), and keeping us fly. Good on him, great for our culture.
The Undoing | tv, hbo
Stressful.
070 Shake’s Modus Vivendi | music
Chris Gibbs and Union’s Air Jordan IVs
One of my favorite things about Black Panther’s suit is its ability to absorb kinetic energy. Meaning if you hit him, you’re actually giving him energy that he can put elsewhere. Chris Gibbs and his team took shots in 2020. People clowned early photos of his Jordan 4s and called him an over-hyped designer/”tastemaker.”
His response? He dropped arguably the most coveted sneakers of the year and used the attention they garnered to support fellow small businesses and the people who run them.