Obama, Buhari, Kanye, Shekau & More: Time's 100 Most Influential People 2015

Time Magazine has released their annual 100 Most Influential People list and this year is definitely no exception. From entertainers to politicians, the 2015 list has touched all bases when it comes to the many areas Time has covered. The list is broken down into 5 categories: Titans, Pioneers, Artists, Leaders and Icons. This year’s list includes 15 black people who are trailblazers in their perspective fields. Each profile was written by notable people, and succinctly captures why they were chosen by Time.

Titans
Kanye West
No one can deny the fact that West has made an impact on the world of music. No one can also deny the fact that West already considered himself a Titan, even before being given the honor by Time. “He’s not afraid of being judged or ridiculed in the process. Kanye’s been playing the long game all along, and we’re only just beginning to see why,” wrote Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors

Mellody Hobson
Lee Daniels

Pioneers
Misty Copeland
Bryan Stevenson
Kira Orange Jones
Laverne Cox

Artists
Chris Ofili
Chris Ofili is British-Nigerian artist who rose to fame for his paintings and his use of social issues in his work. Ofili, who now lives in Trinidad, was the recipient of the Turner Prize and represented Britain at the Venice Biennale.

Audra McDonald
Kevin Hart
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, is more than just a writer. She’s an advocate, a TEDx speaker, and MacArthur ‘genius’ grant recipient. Adichie’s ability to weave powerful narratives and create colorful characters in her books only solidify the fact that she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Leaders
Barack Obama
Now at the tail end of his presidency, Barack Obama’s legacy will be one that will be told to generations to come. From job growth, to universal health care, Time’s political editor, Joe Klein, said his presidency has been far from perfect but “the President of the United States is always, potentially, the most influential person in the world.”

Muhammadu Buhari
Earlier this month, Muhammadu Buhari defeated Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan by more than 2 million votes during his run for president. As Time’s Africa bureau chief Aryn Baker writes, Buhari has a lot of work ahead of him, including Boko Haram and fixing a corrupt government.

Obiageli Ezekwesili
When Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of schoolgirls last year, Ezekwesili was instrumental in starting the viral #BringBackOurGirls campaign on social media. A year later, Ezekwesili is still advocating for the girls so many people may have forgotten about and uses her experience as a former Minister of Education to do so.

Abubakar Shekau
Abubakar Shekau is considered the most violent killer in Nigeria and the head of Boko Haram and it’s ironic he’s included on the same list as Obiageli Ezekwesili. Shekau has spearheaded the kidnappings of hundreds of students and some say is responsible for 10,000 murders. General Carter Ham (U.S. Army, retired) referred to him as the scourge of Africa.

Icons
Dr. Jerry Brown
Dr. Jerry Brown looked ebola in its face and defeated the deadly disease. As medical director of the Eternal Love Winning Africa Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, Dr. Brown is the epitome of an icon. He work continues to save lives and as Idris Elba eloquently put it, “It is because of this man’s actions—rather than his words—that many lives were saved.”