The Download | May 21: Royal Wedding + Santa Fe High School shooting + Janeet Jackson makes Billboard history

May 21, 2018

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Here is #thedownload for May 21st.

The British Royal Family got a brand new member when actress Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in a lavish and very Black wedding.

Markle’s heritage was on display with Reverend Bishop Michael Curry; the talented teen cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason; and a South East London gospel choir which sang “Stand By Me.” While many Black folks celebrated others were critical of the British monarchy’s colonialism and said the only royal wedding they acknowledged was Prince Akeem and Lisa (Coming to America).

A teenager killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School in Texas on Friday, telling police that he spared people he liked. The teen used legal guns which belonged to his father– and despite the school having armed guards and a school shooting plan– the entire ordeal lasted a horrifying 25 minutes. The shooter confessed he’d planned to kill himself but just didn’t have the courage to do so.

And last night all eyes were on the Billboard Awards, where triple threat Janet Jackson was the first Black woman to receive the Icon Award; songstress SZA finally got her due winning Top Female R&B artist and Cardi B won Top Female Rap Artist.