Social media never disappoints with its usual doses of chaos and humor. One thing is for sure, social media always introduces moments that spark conversations around the dinner table, group chats and hashtags. From shocking celebrity news to cultural milestones and viral memes, this year brought us the highs and lows we just couldn’t scroll past. Let’s count down the top 10 social media moments of 2024 that had everyone clicking, commenting, and sharing nonstop.
Beyoncé owned Christmas with halftime show
In true Queen Bey fashion, Beyoncé turned the NFL’s Christmas Day game into a cultural event with her halftime performance. Streaming live on Netflix, the show featured tracks from her Grammy-nominated album “Cowboy Carter” and cemented her as the artist with the most Grammy nominations ever. It won’t be the first time Beyoncé’s starred in a halftime show, having headlined the Super Bowl in 2013 and performed alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars in 2016, the most-watched halftime show ever.
Turkey Leg Hut’s fall from grace
According to court documents, Turkey Leg Hut, a well-known restaurant in Third Ward beset with financial trouble, has closed after its lease was canceled. Numerous health code violations and over a year’s unpaid debt plagued the restaurant. Turkey Leg Hut will no longer operate at its former location, according to documents filed just weeks after the company filed for bankruptcy. Nakia Holmes, the owner of Turkey Leg Hut, accused Lyndell “Lynn” Price, her ex-husband and business partner, of mismanaging and misusing money.
O.J. Simpson’s death shocked the internet
The news of O.J. Simpson’s passing at 76 stirred emotions across the web. Some reflected on his legendary football career, while others couldn’t ignore his controversial legacy tied to the infamous 1994 murder trial killing of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and the fatal stabbings of waiter Ron Goldman. For months, the 1995 trial dominated the press, igniting a heated discussion about racism by the police, domestic violence and celebrities. In the end, he was found not guilty. Hashtags like #OJSimpson and #Legacy trended as the internet debated whether he should be remembered for his athletic achievements or his darker chapters.
Pastor Keion kept going viral
Pastor Keion Henderson made waves when a video of him silencing a choir member mid-service went viral. Henderson, who is quickly rising to prominence as one of the most well-liked and well-known pastors in the United States, claimed that he “brought order” to his local church “so people could hear God and not her — and I’d do it again if I needed to.” The video blew away social media. Eventually, he publicly apologized to the woman, but some people who witnessed it didn’t think it was sincere. Henderson also caught some heat for discouraging his congregation from helping the poor. In his sermon, he said there is “no blessing connected” to giving to poor people…there is no blessing connected to blessing the poor, other than getting back what you gave to them — but no multiplication.”
Brian McKnight’s family drama exploded online
Brian McKnight’s complicated relationship with his older children took center stage again after a new social media post praised his second wife and their children while snubbing his eldest kids. The backlash was swift, with users calling him out for perpetuating toxic parenting narratives. Twitter threads dissected every layer of the saga, and the drama made McKnight the face of family feuds in 2024.
Reesa Teesa takes wild ride to viral fame
Tareasa Johnson, aka Reesa Teesa, went from a regular Atlanta woman to a full-blown internet sensation in a matter of weeks. After posting her 50-part TikTok series, “Who TF Did I Marry?!?” in February, she quickly amassed millions of views, with the series now racking up over 400 million. In it, she opens up about her six-month marriage to a man she describes as a “pathological liar,” recounting the shocking details in a way that’s both raw and relatable. The series, broken into 10-minute segments, took TikTok by storm, and Reesa’s following skyrocketed from just 8,000 to a whopping 3.6 million.
Breakdancer faces Olympic backlash
Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn announced she will not compete in the Olympic event again after facing backlash for her Paris Olympic performance. Gunn lost all three round-robin battles by a score of 54-0 and was mocked online and in the media. Breaking was dropped from the Olympic program for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Gunn said she would not consider retiring if the dance sport returned to the Olympics.
Keith Lee moves to Texas
Keith Lee, a renowned TikTok food critic, officially moved to Texas after living in Las Vegas for a decade. He has spent significant time in Texas, with Houston being a potential contender for his new home if it were based on his food reviews alone. Lee ranked Houston the second-best food city in the country after his visits last year. His reviews of local Houston restaurants, such as Butter Funk Kitchen and The Puddery, have boosted customer numbers and heightened the city’s diverse culinary scene.
The Freaknik documentary took us back
Hulu’s “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” turned heads and sparked online nostalgia. The documentary dived into the infamous Atlanta street party, showcasing archival footage and interviews highlighting its evolution from an HBCU picnic to a cultural phenomenon. Social media lit up as Gen Xers and millennials swapped stories about their own Freaknik experiences (or regrets) and debated how today’s party culture stacks up.
Brittney Griner’s memoir captivated readers
Brittany Griner’s memoir, “Coming Home,” tells the story of her experience in Russian imprisonment and her return to the US. Griner, a WNBA player originally from Houston, was detained in February 2022 for possession of illegal cannabis oil. After a nine-year prison sentence, the Biden administration offered her a prisoner swap, and she returned to the US in December 2022. The book sparked deep conversations about the intersection of race, gender and politics.
