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10 Shocking Moments of 2016

By Bimpe Adenusi

The year has almost come to an end and with the ups and downs it’s one to remember. From the Election of Donald Trump to Britain leaving the EU to the robbery of Kim Kardashian; here are 10 shocking celebrity moments of 2016.

DONALD TRUMP ELECTED PRESIDENT

On November 8th, everyone following the presidential election was shocked to see that Donald Trump had won the election by a landslide. While some members of the public celebrated the elected president, others were discouraged to understand their fellow citizens had voted a president with ideologies Trump has. The seemingly endless election was filled with controversies and many shocking moments that left the world with their mouths hanging open.

KIM KARDASHIAN ROBBED IN PARIS

The star of the reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians was robbed at gunpoint whilst in Paris for Fashion Week. It was reported that two men broke into her room and had Kim’s hands and feet tied before locking her in the bathroom. The star allegedly had up to $8.5 million worth of jewels robbed, alongside her engagement ring which was worth $4 million.

Bonus: Kanye West was hospitalised a few weeks after the robbery in Paris. It has been reported that he has suffered numerous nightmares since his wife’s ordeal and has been diagnosed with exhaustion and dehydration.

BEYONCE RELEASED THE LEMONADE ALBUM

This year Beyoncé blessed us with her Lemonade album which empowers all black women everywhere. The album saw Beyonce singing about cheating, love, joy, black empowerment and womanhood. While dissing ‘Becky with the Good Hair’, Beyonce reminded all ladies to ‘Get In Formation’ and that ‘We gon’ live a good life’.

Bonus: This year also saw the release of Solange’s album A Seat at the Table where we hear what it’s like to be a black woman in 2016. The album discusses identity, empowerment, independence and healing. Songs like ‘Don’t Touch My Hair,’ ‘Weary,’ and ‘Cranes in the Sky,’ give us an idea of the struggle of the black women.

RYAN LOCHTE ‘ROBBED AT GUNPOINT’

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte was the height of the news this year when he claimed to have been held at gunpoint and robbed in Rio De Janeiro. The news story caused many to believe that the country holding the Olympics as well as the Brazilians were dangerous. Evidence later revealed that Ryan and his teammates had actually vandalized the bathroom and the man ‘holding him at gunpoint’ was actually a security guard who had asked him to pay for the damage.

ANGELINA AND BRAD FILE FOR DIVORCE

This year we saw Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt decide to divorce after 11 years together. The actress allegedly filed for divorce due to ‘irreconcilable differences’ and requested physical custody of their six children but does want to allow Brad visitation rights. The couple who got married in France in 2014 seemed to be the perfect pair so this news story really shocked the world.

MUHAMMAD ALI DIES AT 74

2016 was a sad year as three-time heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali died on June 3. The legendary boxer had struggled with Parkinson’s disease but will always be remembered for being an advocate for justice and one who never shied from discussing controversial issues. The boxer influenced millions around the world and was laid to rest in his hometown of Louisville.

BONUS

Many other famous and legendary figures died in 2016 including David Bowie, Prince, Harper Lee, Gene Wilder and George Michael are a few of the infamous individuals who have died this year.

COLIN KAEPERNICK

NFL player Colin Kaepernick stunned the world after he began sitting during the national anthem. This was a peaceful form of protest in support for people of colour who are being oppressed and to take a stand against police brutality. Colin spoke on the issue saying ‘I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.’ Colin’s form of protest has influenced other NFL players and citizens to do the same during the anthem.

KANYE VS TAYLOR SWIFT

Kanye West’s album The Life of Pablo included the song ‘Famous’ which Taylor Swift seemed to take offence to because of a particular lyric. Kanye rapped ‘I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b***h famous.’ Taylor was quick to be offended claiming that she didn’t know the lyric would be used. This led to Kim Kardashian releasing a video which showed a phone call between Kanye and Taylor in which he read her the lyric. Taylor replied ‘I really appreciate you telling me about it, that’s really nice.’ The whole ordeal led to many Twitter memes bashing the Shake It Off singer while others praised Kim for her service.

LEO WINS HIS OSCAR

This was a major moment in 2016. After all the memes and the questioning Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar for his film The Revenant. After 27 years in Hollywood and 6 nominations Leo took home the award for Best Actor and used his speech time to inform viewers on climate change and how they could make a difference.

DRAKE CONFESSES HIS LOVE

During the MTV VMAs, rapper Drake who presented the award to his then girlfriend Rihanna went out of his way to confess his love. Drake acknowledged their relationship saying that he’s been in love with Rihanna since he was 22 and that told us ‘She’s one of my best friends in the world.’ The singers who collaborated on tracks ‘Too Good’ and ‘What’s My Name’ even shared a kiss on stage.