28 Excelling Black Entertainers Under 28

In honor of the end of Black History Month, and on this Golden Globe Awards Sunday, it’s important to honor the next generation of great black entertainers! Each of the 28 young artists below have excelled in acting, modeling, music, poetry, and entrepreneurship! Continue to look out for every single entertainer on this list in the future as they grace our tvs, speakers, magazines, and history books.

1. Caleb McLaughlin (19)

Caleb Reginald McLaughlin is an American actor best known for his role as Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things.

2. Zendaya (24)

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman is an American actress, singer and producer. She started her career as a child model, backup dancer, and actor on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up.

3. Storm Reid (17)

Storm Reid is an American actress first appearing in the period drama 12 Years a Slave and the superhero film Sleight. Her most recent breakthrough role was in the fantasy film A Wrinkle in Time, for which she received Teen Choice Award and NAACP Image Award nominations.

4. Miles Brown (16)

Miles Brown, also known by his stage name Baby Boogaloo, is an American actor, dancer and rapper. He is best known for his role as Jack Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish.

5. Dominique Thorne (24)

Dominique Thorne is an American actress who most recently starred as Judy Harmon in Judas and the Black Messiah as Judy Harmon. In 2020, she was confirmed to be starring as Riri Williams / Ironheart in her first Disney+ television series, Ironheart.

6. Alex Hibbert (16)

Alex Hibbert is a young actor who got his start as Little Chiron in Best Picture winner Moonlight and will return for the upcoming second season of the Showtime drama The Chi.

7. Jaden Smith (22)

Jaden Christopher Syre Smith sometimes known by just the mononym Jaden is an American actor, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Smith’s first role was with his father Will Smith in the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness and would again appear with his father in the 2013 film After Earth.

8. Amandla Stenberg (22)

Amandla Stenberg is an American actress and singer. Stenberg has received several accolades, and was included in Time’s list of Most Influential Teens in both 2015 and 2016.

9. Lil Yachty (23)

Lil Yachty (Miles Parks McCollum) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to fame in August 2015 for his singles “One Night” and “Minnesota” from his debut EP Summer Songs. He released his debut mixtape Lil Boat in March 2016.

10. Chance The Rapper (27)

Chance the Rapper (Chancelor Johnathan Bennett) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, activist, actor, and philanthropist. From Chicago, Illinois, Chance the Rapper released his debut mixtape 10 Day in 2012.

11. Megan Thee Stallion (26)

Megan Thee Stallion (Megan Jovon Ruth Pete) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Houston, Texas. She rose to fame from her freestyle rap videos posted on social media sites such as Instagram.

12. Doja Cat (25)

Doja Cat (Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer born and raised in Los Angeles. She was first noticed on SoundCloud as a teenager making music.

13. Saweetie (27)

Saweetie (Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper) is an American rapper and songwriter. Her debut single “Icy Grl” got her signed by Warner Records and her manager Max Gousse’s record label Artistry Worldwide.

14. Khalid (23)

Khalid Donnel Robinson is an American singer and songwriter from Texas. He is signed to Right Hand Music Group and RCA Records

15. Lil Nas X (21)

Lil Nas X (Montero Lamar Hill) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. His viral hit “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus pushed the young artist to prominence.

16. Skai Jackson (18)

Skai Jackson is an American actress, YouTuber, and author, who started acting at the age of 5. In 2016, she was named Time’s list of Most Influential Teens.

17. Jahi Winston (17)

Jahi Di’Allo Winston is an actor, known for The Dead Don’t Die (2019), The Upside (2017) and Charm City Kings (2020).

18. Marsai Martin (16)

Caila Marsai Martin is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. She is also an executive producer and nine-time NAACP Image Awards winner.

19. Ashton Sanders (25)

Ashton Durrand Sanders is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Chiron in the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight.

20. Amanda Gorman (22)

Credit: Kelia Anne/Sun Literary Arts via AP

Amanda S. C. Gorman is an American poet and activist who creates art to address issues such as oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora.

21. Imani Hakim (27)

Imani Hakim is an American actress best known for her role as Tonya Rock on Everybody Hates Chris and her portrayal of Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas in the 2014 Lifetime original movie The Gabby Douglas Story.

22. China Anne McClain (22)

China Anne McClain is an American actress and singer known for portraying Alexis in the film The Gospel, and then China James in Daddy’s Little Girls.

23. Lexi Underwood (17)

Lexi Underwood is an American actress and singer known for her role as Pearl Warren in Little Fires Everywhere.

24. Lovie Simone Oppong (22)

Lovie Simone Oppong is an American actress best known for her role as Zora Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf

25. Yara Shahidi (21)

Yara Sayeh Shahidi is an American actress, model, and activist who gained recognition for her starring role as the oldest daughter Zoey Johnson on the sitcom Black-ish and its spin-off series Grown-ish.

26. Kiersey Clemons (27)

Kiersey Nicole Clemons is an American actress, singer, and producer. She rose to prominence from her role as Cassandra “Digirthe 2015 comedy drama film Dope.

27. Samantha Logan (24)

Samantha Jade Logan is an American actress best known for her lead role as Olivia Baker in The CW series All American, Nina Jones in the second season of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, and Tia Stephens in the Freeform series The Fosters.