Shaboozey
Country crooner Shaboozey us having a standout year with his standout beard.
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The Nigerian-American country crooner— born Collins Obinna Chibueze —has had the world yippin’ and a yammerin’ by appearing on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album on the tracks “Spaghetti” and “Sweet * Honey * Buckiin.” His solo hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy) is what he’s best known for, however.
The track has become the longest-running No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 of the year, but despite that, he was unceremoniously snubbed at the CMAs, losing every single category he was nominated in.
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But no worries, he’s earned Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, song of the Year, Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Spaghetti” with Beyoncé.
We’ll be watching and cheering (his fine a**) on.
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Aaron Pierre
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This Thanksgiving, we gotta give it up for the fine and talented Aaron Pierre, who’s been stealing hearts and sogging skivvies with his breakout role in Netflix’s Rebel Ridge.
NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe interviewed the actor in September about playing Jeremy in Rebel Ridge and hit the nail on the head when she said Aaron’s got this “thoughtful, calm vibe” that’s nothing like the over-the-top ’80s action hero energy—and honestly, we love to see it.
Aaron himself put it best, saying,
“Jeremy in this movie completely turns that idea on its head…physicality is not indicative of emotional intelligence.” And he’s not just flexing for the screen; he’s repping for the culture too, adding, “It’s so deeply important to me that my community feels seen, feels heard, feels respected, feels understood.”
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Smart, talented, gorgeous—and woke? Yeah, Aaron Pierre is the Thanksgiving blessing we didn’t even know we needed.
Luckily for us, we can get another hearty helping of him soon. The beautiful Brixton Brit has taken on the lead voice role as Mufasa in the Barry Jenkins-helmed Mufasa: The Lion King, which will be released later this year.
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Morris Chestnut
Perennial panty-melter Morris Chesnut just gets better with age.
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This Thanksgiving, we’re raising a glass to the smooth and timeless star, 55, who had us glued to Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt with his commanding performance as Corey Cash. Not only did he bring his A-game to the role, but he also showed how life experience makes him an even better actor.
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As Morris told EBONY;
“The older we get, the more experience with life we have, so we can pour more into these characters.”
And pour he did—giving us a dynamic portrayal of a Black lawyer navigating the complexities of the legal system while reminding us that “everything you do that’s in front of a camera matters.”
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Oh, and let’s not forget—this man has been fine for decades and is showing no signs of slowing down. Morris Chestnut, thank you for the talent, the wisdom, and the endless eye candy. We’re beyond grateful!