By Jasmine Washington
Social media has risen as the go-to source of modern day communication. Whether it’s chronicling good news like the arrival on a baby, or sadly reporting on racial injustices, hashtags have become the bridge that brings people together to discuss a topic. Some of the our favorite things about social media in 2016 were the hilarious number of hashtags that were spawned from news cycle. There was nothing off limits and some topics gave us too much life. Check out the best hashtags of 2016.
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#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty
Legends arriving to #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty pic.twitter.com/5JTV1XWRwf
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@TheWifeOfPablo) August 2, 2016
After Kim Kardashian posted that infamous phone call Kanye West had with Taylor Swift about those controversial “Famous” lyrics to her Snap story hilarity ensued on Twitter. The exposed a conversation gave birth to #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty which celebrated the singer getting exposed as not so wholesome.
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#ThanksBilly
What a guy! #ThanksBilly pic.twitter.com/rsnUmmLUfU
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) October 16, 2016
This hashtag emerged in response to a fake story that disgraced NBC talk show host Billy Bush was donating his $10 million exit severance to women’s charities. Twitter users came up with brilliant troll after Bush was caught on tape making sexually lewd comments with Donald Trump.
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#KapSoBlack
I always knew Kaep was going for a look but couldnt place who it was #kapsoblack #hueyfreeman #apimpnamedslickback pic.twitter.com/jG8yetrdqZ
— Oliver White (@ollywood7) September 6, 2016
When NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick went full Afro during his protest of the National Anthem this past summer Black Twitter lost it. They fully embraced his hair reaching peak social consciousness and the hashtag #KapSoBlack was born.
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#MemeHistory
John 20:24-29 #MemeHistory
Thomas: I will not believe Jesus is alive until–
Jesus: pic.twitter.com/P1YGscwCT1
— Daniel Rarela (@DJRarela) November 25, 2016
Who says history has to be a bore? Some genius social media users took hilarious memes and used them to interpret historical events.
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#ByeAyesha
One of the funniest things I've seen today #ByeAyesha pic.twitter.com/akvcN1sCKt
— Rabia [Queen of Ink] (@fairlyliterary) June 22, 2016
Ayesha Curry, wife of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, became the butt of the Internet’s jokes after accusing the NBA of being rigged in a fiery Twitter rant. Cleveland Cavaliers fans borrowed an infamous phrase from the hit movie Friday as they sported #ByeAyesha t-shirts for a classic clap back against Curry at game 7 of the 2016 NBA finals. Much to Curry’s dismay, the Cavs, lead by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, walked away victorious.
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#LochteGate
#2016faves RT @jemelehill: Don't ever change Internet RT @woodymlb4: Welp… #Rio2016 #LochteGate pic.twitter.com/Os36nmNPpd
— God played u (@cocoqt81) December 10, 2016
Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s crocodile tear ridden tale of being robbed while having a night out on the town during the 2016 Olympics in Brazil spawned this scandalous hashtag. Video footage of the actual incident quickly disproved Lochte’s theory and social media users couldn’t get enough of it.
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#TheAfricanAmericans
3 degrees, working on my doctorate, polyglot and voter. Tell me again why #TheAfricanAmericans need you! #dumpTrump pic.twitter.com/e4m9UVdNLm
— Fawziah Qadir (@GigiMasria) October 20, 2016
Black Twitter had enough of then Republican-presidential nominee Donald Trump referring to them as “The African Americans.” #TheAfricanAmericans rose as a means of keeping their name out of Trump’s mouth.
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#BlackSalonProblems
waiting on ur stylist to stop yelling at her kids on the phone and get back to doing ur hair #blacksalonproblems pic.twitter.com/dU24nAAfdf
— L❄️TA (@LOTATOCHIP) May 26, 2016
#BlackSalonProblems highlights the hilarity that happens when women of color get their hair laid. Everything from waiting forever to to getting burned one too many times by the flat iron.
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#BeckyWithTheBadGrades
The Judge lookin at #BeckyWithTheBadGrades like pic.twitter.com/ZwewiNa0Wd
— Branden Johnson (@BrandenJJohnson) June 26, 2016
Black Twitter got Abigail Fisher together in a hurry after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of affirmative action. Fisher claimed that she’d been denied entry into the University of Texas because of her race, but she was actually denied because of her less than stellar GPA.
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#FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes
I CAN'T BELIEVE #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/gdYnG3cmvv
— Cratinya (@Cratinya) September 20, 2016
This hilarious hashtag surfaced after Melania Trump was caught plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s speech at the Republican National Convention.
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#WasteHisTime2016
The ultimate #WasteHisTime2016 #RobKardashian #BlacChyna pic.twitter.com/RrIOsgTNTG
— Tacie Tess (@TacieG) December 18, 2016
Men are known for giving women the run around. This new hashtag put a spin on the relationship dynamics and hilariously recounts ways to #WasteHisTime.
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#Top5Curves
This will never get old, lmao!! RT @YourFavoriteZoe: When Jhene Aiko curved Drake #Top5Curves https://t.co/nIk2Mnxm9t
— Crystal (@CrystalBosset) October 12, 2016
Getting shut down by someone you’re interested in is never fun, but most of the time it’s funny. #Top5Curves documents the most comical ways people have shut down their potential suitors.
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#TrapCover
okay guys. my first cover ever 🙂 "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton #TrapCover pic.twitter.com/ql6yfNrboE
— Saint Nickelless (@ILLCapitano94) February 26, 2016
Hate it or love it, Trap music is the sound of the current generation. This hashtag turned wholesome pop songs into hard-charging trap bangers.
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#PutSomeRespeckOnIt
I saw @BIRDMAN5STAR at @SUBWAY today. #PutSomeRESPECKOnIt @breakfastclubam (Vine by @_ChazSmith) https://t.co/4fa6noL6a4
— Blacksby Claus (@MattWakhu) August 2, 2016
Bryan ’Birdman’ Williams’s appearance on The Breakfast Club was so controversial that it resulted in the most quotable moment in 2016. Williams scolded DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God for not putting any “respeck” on his name and the Internet took it from there to make the moment legendary.
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#BlackManGreetings
#BlackManGreetings https://t.co/gCIBHJok0g
— April (@ReignOfApril) February 20, 2016
Handshakes, daps, man-hugs. Those are just some of the ways Black men greet one another. #BlackManGreetings shares the hilarious way Black men acknowledge one another.