Every year, the internet picks its own headlines. Stories rise fast, spin through millions of feeds, spark debate, and shape the culture long before traditional newsrooms catch up.
In 2025, social media did more than react. It exposed pressure points, challenged leaders, amplified pain, celebrated joy, and reminded us how quickly the digital conversation can shift national attention. This year was loud, emotional, and unforgettable.
As 2025 comes to a close, these five moments stand as the ones the internet refused to ignore.
Threats shake HBCU campuses
Fear swept across several HBCU campuses this fall as students woke to alerts about bomb threats at Hampton University, Virginia State University, Southern University, and others.
Classes were canceled, dorms were placed on lockdown, and campus police moved into emergency mode.
Investigators later stated that the calls appeared to be hoaxes. That did not ease the emotional impact. Students reported feeling shaken, with disrupted routines, and a sense that their learning environment had been compromised. Parents scrambled to reach their children. Professors halted lectures and evacuated classrooms. Weekend events were postponed or canceled. Counseling centers experienced spikes in visits, and campus leaders spent days reassuring students.
These threats are part of a pattern of racially motivated intimidation aimed at Black institutions. The 2025 wave came three years after more than a dozen campuses received similar threats in 2022, which prompted a federal hate crime investigation.
Marvin Sapp under fire for viral video
The internet erupted in March 2025 when an old video of Marvin Sapp resurfaced. In the clip, filmed during the 2024 Pentecostal Assemblies of the World convention, Sapp told ushers to close the doors while calling for $20 donations from everyone in the room. Within hours, the clip became viral fuel.
Social media ran with it. Many users accused Sapp of pressuring the crowd or using guilt to hit a fundraising target of $40,000. Memes popped up everywhere. Think pieces followed, with comment sections debating whether he had crossed a line or was simply doing what many church leaders do when raising money.
Sapp issued a response that slowed some criticism but did not stop the conversation. He said he did not tell anyone to lock anything. Sapp later explained that he asked for the doors to be shut for security and focus. He also stated that he was assigned to raise funds for the convention’s operating budget, not for his own personal use. He noted that he gave more personally than what he requested from other leaders.
The clip raised a debate that has long simmered inside faith communities. How much pressure is too much? How do churches balance fundraising with respect for personal boundaries? And how much can a single soundbite distort a larger context?
Kendrick Lamar makes a statement at the Super Bowl
Kendrick Lamar delivered a profound Black history lesson at the Super Bowl. The truth will be televised by any means necessary [pun intended].
From the opening moment, featuring Samuel L. Jackson blending his roles of Uncle Sam and Uncle Tom. The stage’s shape, which resembled a PlayStation controller, symbolized the idea of life as a game. The stakes, he suggested, are not equal for everyone.
He navigated symbols tied to Black history and the current fight for equity. One of the most striking visuals came when dancers formed a shredded American flag, turning their bodies into a commentary on a country still divided. Another reference pushed even deeper. Kendrick pointed to the long-broken promise of 40 acres and a mule, a reminder that the economic wound of slavery has never been healed.
As he performed, social media lit up. Some viewers praised the message. Others argued that the Super Bowl was not the place for it. Kendrick took a platform built for entertainment and turned it into a mirror, asking viewers to sit with the truth about race, power, capitalism, and the way Black culture is often consumed without respect for the people behind it.
Tina Knowles goes on a book tour
Tina Knowles spent 2025 reminding people that stories passed through generations are their own form of power. Her memoir, Matriarch, reached number one on the New York Times Bestseller list, and the tour that followed became a cultural event. Social media turned it into a celebration, a therapy session, and a reunion of shared experiences.
Knowles spoke about her childhood, the racism she faced, the lessons she learned from her parents, and the work it took to raise daughters who would later reshape music and fashion. She discussed identity, pride, and the importance of understanding family history. Each stop on the tour sparked new viral clips.
A major highlight was the presence of influential guests, including Michelle Obama, whose appearance sent the internet into a frenzy. People connected deeply with the conversations about healing and the responsibility to pass wisdom forward.
The tour took place just before Beyoncé launched the Cowboy Carter Tour, which meant both mother and daughter dominated social media.
Shannon Sharpe faces lawsuit fallout
Shannon Sharpe, the Hall of Famer, broadcaster, and podcast star, found himself at the center of a legal firestorm when an anonymous woman filed a $50 million civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault, battery, and making violent threats. The case instantly became one of the most discussed stories of the year.
The lawsuit, filed in Nevada in April 2025, alleged several incidents involving Sharpe in late 2024 and early 2025. The accuser, later identified in reports as Gabriella Zuniga, claimed Sharpe assaulted her multiple times and threatened her safety. The allegations were explosive and spread quickly online, where Sharpe’s growing media presence made him an immediate target for scrutiny.
Sharpe strongly denied the claims. He called them false, disruptive, and part of a shakedown attempt. Days after the suit was filed, he stepped away from his seat on ESPN’s First Take to focus on the legal battle.
The case did not go to trial. In July 2025, Sharpe settled for an undisclosed amount, with reports suggesting it could be between $20 and $23 million. The news spread rapidly across social media. Some saw it as Sharpe avoiding a protracted legal fight. Others saw it as confirmation of guilt. Sharpe maintained that the settlement was strictly to end the ordeal.
Soon after, ESPN announced it was officially cutting ties with him. Sharpe addressed the move on his podcast, Club Shay Shay, confirming he had been let go and joking that his pockets were light after the settlement.
