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14 Of The Best Comebacks, Shut Downs And Clapbacks In 2015

This was the ultimate year for throwing shade.
Aaron Barksdale
By 

Voices Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

In 2015 we found out which of our favorite celebrities were not going to let slick comments and snide remarks slide by unnoticed.

Black celebrities were not tolerating any foolishness from anyone this year, from Rashida Jones reminding the world she's biracial to Zendaya shutting down Internet trolls on whether she's black enough. These shade filled one-liners, Twitter rants and interviews gave us so much life.

Here are 14 of the most iconic clapbacks from this year.

1
Jessica Williams Speaks Her Mind To Her Fans
Twitter
Before Trevor Noah was tapped as Jon Stewart's replacement on "The Daily Show," several of Williams' fans wanted her to take the position. Williams, though appreciative of the support, let world know that she does not belong to anyone.
2
Zendaya's Oscar Hair

A photo posted by Zendaya (@zendaya) on

Instagram
In January, "Fashion Police" co-host, Giuliana Rancic made a racist comment about Zendaya's hair at an Academy Awards red carpet event, insulting not only the actress but an entire culture. Though Rancic later apologized, Zendaya wrote a heated note on Instagram about the issue.
3
Rashida Jones Politely Reminds Us That She's Ethnic
YouTube
Actress and daughter of the legendary Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones, had to remind an oblivious reporter of the fact that she's biracial. When the reporter at the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards commented on how tan she looked Jones simply said in response, "I'm ethnic."
4
When Monique Showed Receipts Of Her Empire Offer From Lee Daniels
The Huffington Post
Academy award-winning actress Monique said that Hollywood had "blackballed" her after she received her Oscar, but said that Lee Daniels had originally offered her the part of Cookie on his hit show "Empire." Daniels denied her claims, but Monique showed their email exchange in an interview proving that she was telling the truth. Monique later explained why she revealed the email. "So the reason why I had to do that is because I take pride in my character," she said.
5
Jay Z Goes Off On The Internet For Dissing Tidal
Twitter
In March, Jay Z launched the music streaming service Tidal. But after the company took a series of shots from critics, Jay Z fired back with a long rant on Twitter to explain why Tidal isn't a colossal fail.
6
Zendaya Checked Internet Trolls Who Questioned Her Blackness
Twitter
Complex magazine honored Zendaya for her work as a black activist, but when she spoke about her biracial background people online got in their feelings. So Zendaya responded on Twitter to make sure Internet trolls didn't twist her words.
7
Gabourey Sidibe Shuts Down Body-Shamers
Twitter
This "Empire" star, Gabourey Sidibe, has no time for body-shaming or haters. In January, when trolls online attempted to criticize for her size she clapped back on Twitter and had the last the laugh.
8
Amandla Stenberg Schools Kylie Jenner On Cultural Appropriation
Getty
Kylie Jenner, and her sisters, have been called out on cultural appropriation so many times we've almost lost count. However, when Jenner posted a selfie of her hair in cornrows, Stenberg graciously took it upon herself to make it a teachable moment in a comment on Jenner's photo. "When u appropriate black features and culture but fail to use ur position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards ur wigs instead of police brutality or racism #whitegirlsdoitbetter,” Stenberg wrote.
9
Nicki Minaj Throws Shade At Miley Cyrus
MTV/Giphy
Both Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus are no strangers to controversy, and their outspokenness is part of what makes them so interesting. But, Minaj reached her tipping point with Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards after Cyrus threw jabs at her in a New York Times interview. Minaj called Cyrus out in what could be the best quote of the year "Miley, what's good?" Cyrus fumbled with a comeback, but it was clear who really had the last word.
10
Erykah Badu Calls Out Iggy Azalea At The Soul Train Awards
Twitter
Iggy Azalea was arguably one of the biggest culprits of cultural appropriation in 2014. Her infamous legacy was dragged back into the spotlight when Erykah Badu hosted the 2015 Soul Train Awards. Badu opened up the show pretending to invite Iggy to the ceremony, but made sure to let her know that what she's doing is "definitely not rap."
11
Chrissy Teigen Puts Donald Trump In His Place
Donald Trump's strangely successful political campaign for president has been a long list of offensive comments about women and minorities, which he thought he could smooth over with a publicity stunt of speaking to black pastors on Nov. 30. Thankfully, model and overall badass Chrissy Tiegen wrote a tweet that called out Trump in perhaps the best political clapback of the year.
12
Serena Williams Shrugs Off Body-Shamers
ABC News/YouTube
Serena Williams was on G.O.A.T level status for all of 2015, but that didn't stop some people from making rude comments about her body. In an interview with ABC News, she said that she had zero time for body-shamers. "I love that I am a full woman and I’m strong and I’m powerful and I’m beautiful at the same time," she said. "And there’s nothing wrong with that." Amen to that.

Also on HuffPost:

Zendaya Quotes

Aaron Barksdale - Voices Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

Voices Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

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