Hulu’s Black Twitter Lounge at Hypebeast Flea Will Test Your Knowledge on Viral Internet Moments

Most of the slang in your day-to-day vernacular originates from Black Twitter. It’s not an exclusive club floating in the ether; you participate and hold court or don’t. Inspired by Jason Parham’s 2021 WIRED article “A People's History of Black Twitter,” Onyx Collective’s three-part docuseries on Hulu, Black Twitter: A People’s History, chronicles an online renaissance heralded by Black creators on Twitter. Timestamping X’s public square, formerly (and colloquially) known as Twitter, the series details how Black creators galvanized keywords and static images into social movements.

Spearheaded by Prentice Penny, the brilliant showrunner behind HBO’s hit series Insecure and former staff writer for the ‘00s cult-favorite Girlfriends, the docuseries is a spirited stroll down memory lane, a look back at the internet’s first Karen and viral memes forever embedded in pop culture.

The same humorous banter and online foolery that spawned #UKnowUrBlackWhen and #DemThrones documented the inception of Black Lives Matter and Donald J. Trump’s presidency. That is to say, Black Twitter is unabashedly reflective of the collective narratives sewn into the Black American experience — a tapestry not to be confused for a monolith and a powerful amplification of voices that have been historically disenfranchised and silenced. If you’ve grown weary of the state of discourse on social media, Black Twitter: A People’s History exemplifies how hashtags and 280-character story times are integral to digital communities and oral histories. Lived experience is but word of meme.

While appearances from Kid Fury, Amanda Seales, Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins, Jemele Hill and more pepper each installment with perceptive insights on the state of racial and social polarization in online communities, their commentary, in part, celebrates authentic — often joyous — portraits of Black identity. Black Twitter is serious, at times, and also funny, sexy and full of life.

Starting on Saturday, May 18 through 19, the conversation will continue IRL at Hypebeast Flea. During the vendor showcase, Hulu’s Black Twitter Lounge will bring a trivia-inspired activation to fans of the series and members of the online community. Casting director, producer and professional personality Jorge “Gitoo” Wright will host on-site interviews and Black Twitter Trivia, spanning the likes of viral memes to ubiquitous pop culture references. The experiential lounge area will feature furniture curated by Lichen, co-founded by Ed Be and Jared Blake, and a retro TV installation created by multidisciplinary artist Shan Wallace, echoing the series's ‘90s-inspired artwork.

Since Hulu’s activation coincides with Hypebeast Flea, fashion and footwear lovers can learn more about the series while enjoying over 400 local vendors during the two-day event.

Black Twitter: A People’s History is now streaming on Hulu. Hypebeast Flea will be held at the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse on May 18 through 19. See below for full event details.