Angela Bassett references Ariana DeBose’s ‘Angela Bassett did the thing’ rap – and it’s amazing
Angela Bassett is doing the thing and no one can stop her. (Getty)
Angela Bassett referenced the thing at the NAACP Image Awards after saying she DM’d Ariana DeBose following her BAFTA rap.
DeBose didn’t just break the internet with her BAFTA Awards musical number dedicated to various actresses in the room – she absolutely caved it in
The performer took a musical moment to celebrate the women at the 2023 awards ceremony on 16 February, including Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thompson, Ana De Armas and, yes, Angella Bassett.
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star said that, while the internet may need five minutes to decide whether it was the best or worst thing ever, she thought it was “beautiful.”
“I just wanted to make sure she was okay because, you know, it’s a lot of attention. And she is A-Okay,” Bassett told Variety on Saturday (25 February).
She referenced the song’s iconically memed line after accepting the NAACP award for ‘Entertainer of the Year,’ saying: “Yeah! I guess Angela Basset did the thing!”
The audible screams from the crowd following her comment were derivative of the seam-bursting elation on social media.
Fans, who couldn’t help but yell ‘mother’ were applauding every second that the meme is still alive while applauding Bassett for doing the thing again and again.
Even celebrities were getting in on the action, with Halle Berry celebrating Bassett’s award win by tweeting: “Angela Bassett did the thing!”
Meanwhile, Lynda Carter made a hilarious pun on the meme and John Carpenter’s 1982 film The Thing, saying she “watched this and did not see Angela Bassett once.”
Lizzo might win first place for referencing the meme in front of the biggest audience so far, however, having channelled DeBose’s performance during her concert in Amsterdam.
Others were more interested in jumping to DeBose’s defence after some called the performance “cringeworthy.”
During a red carpet event, Jamie Lee Curtis said that Ariana DeBose “is a fantastic talent” and told critics to “shut the f**k up and back the f**k off.”
“I am unclear as to what the f**k people are on about,” she told Deadline.
“For me, it was joyous, celebratory, sisterly, hot, spicy, and she is just so incredibly talented.
She added that the somewhat uncomfortable shots of the referenced celebrities could have been a result of the camera operators getting far too close.
“You’re like, ‘Why is this camera person this close to me?’
“I was into it, by the time it got to me, I was into the music and was having a great time.
“These people should shut the f**k up, back the f**k off and just let this woman shine her light.”
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