I Weekly Magazine's Top 10 Persons Of The Decade

I Weekly's Top 10 Persons of the Decade 

10. Serena Williams

Serena Williams blazed onto the scene as the little sister of tennis star Venus Williams but soon proved she was a force to be reckoned with. Since making her debut in 1995 Serena has been ranked the number 1 female in the World on 5 separate occasions including now. She is the reigning champion singles and doubles at the US Open and Australian. She is the reining champion in doubles along side her sister Venus at Wimbledon. She has won more grand slam titles (23) than any other active female player. And to top it off she has won 2 Olympic Gold Medals in women's doubles.  Serena Williams has won more career prize money than any other "female athlete" in history. Her career winnings are estimated to be over $28 million not including her endorsements. And according to her peers she is on course to become one of the greatest tennis players ever and that makes her a champ in our book.

9. Halle Berry

Movie star spokes model, former Miss Ohio and now our first ever African-American Academy Award winner. Halle Berry delivers the goods. Berry made history by becoming the first ever African American woman to win an Academy Award for a lead Actress in a Motion Picture. She is on everyone's "Most Beautiful" lists and she proved in a year of heavy hitting actresses delivering great work that she had more than just a pretty face. She gave us an appetizer of her talent with her rave performance in HBO's "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge". She took home the Golden Globe, Emmy, Sag and NAACP award. She followed up her performance in "Monster's Ball" and hit a homerun sweeping her way through the 2002's award's season winning The Academy Award. When she delivered her heartfelt speech through tears we all cried with her. It was a crowning moment to be proud of and we were.

8. Denzel Washington

If Halle is our woman well then Denzel is our man. Is there anybody sexier or who can deliver on the big screen better than Washington? We loved him in a "Soldier's Story, Malcolm X, Glory and Cry Freedom". But when Denzel played the bad guy in "Training Day" well you know what they say everyone loves the "bad guy". And bad he was his performance as Alonzo in Training day made guys even want to be Denzel. He has that charisma and charm that makes woman swoon and he's a man's man that makes men want to hang with him. Denzel has been named ""America's Favorite Movie Star" period three years in a row according to the Harris poll. Only dropping to No. 3 in 2010. When it comes to delivering on film he is a heavy hitter and worth his weight in gold. And in 2002 after Berry's historic win The Academy gave us a double scoop that night awarding Denzel Washington the Academy Award for lead Actor in a Motion Picture and understood what we knew all along that Denzel is "The Man"! 

7. Jay-Z

Can I get a...Yes that is Jay-Z our number 7 person of the decade. Jay-Z did for music what Russell Simmons did for rap many years before him. Mr. Carter understood that rap was not only black that it was urban. It existed a mix breed of blacks, whites and Latinos. He took the rap game to new heights and broadened the spectrum of what hip-hop could be and what it is today. He not only signed a record deal as a rap artist he also became the boss starting his own label Roca Fella Records. He changed the way that rappers looked at the music game and introduced a whole new audience to his music. No other artist other than Michael Jackson and Prince can sell out an arena in hours as this megastar does. As the boss he signed two of the biggest music stars today Rihanna and Kayne West. He broaden his spectrum by adding Cold Play to his label he understood the game like no other rap artist before him. Diversifying his portfolio he added a clothing line and fragrance to his ventures and became the President for a time of Def Jam Records. After leaving Def Jam Jay made history by signing a $150 million deal with Live Nation a live events company and concert promoter. And if that deal wasn't sweet enough he married Beyonce the biggest female in music game right now. Jay-Z knows a good thing when he sees one and is one of the smartest rappers in the game that is why he is the king of Swag.

6.  Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry came out the gate running and hasn't looked back since. He didn't play by Hollywood's rules he made his own rules. Mr. Perry went from living out of his car to a tiny apartment to now being one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. He started a movement with his stage plays 12 in all and parlayed his talent and huge stage play following into the big screen and made Madea a household name. Now 8 films later Tyler Perry is the main man. When he couldn't get Hollywood to green light his films he banked them himself and the rest is Cinema history. Then showing Hollywood that he didn't need their studios Tyler Perry built his own television & movie studio the first African-American to own his studio. His films have grossed an unprecedented  $400 million worldwide proving that an all African American cast can not only carry a film but open at No. 1.  Perry himself earned over $75 million in 2008.  James Upshaw, President & CEO of Jay-Live Entertainment says of Perry,  "He broke ground and got black people back out to plays and movies. He proved Hollywood wrong that blacks could produce a number 1 movie and get people in the theaters." Besides the films and plays Perry also produces two television shows, "The House of Payne" and "Meet the Brown" both out of his Tyler Perry Studios. Now that's Hollywood!

5. Beyonce

She goes by one name Beyonce. She burst on the scene with her girl group Destiny's Child. Weathered the storm when the group started to fall apart and came back better & stronger with a new member. But it was her solo debut "Crazy In Love" that let people know that Beyonce was here to stay. No one doubted her star power but just in case there were doubters she starred in Dream girls, put out two more solo projects and in the middle of all that rejoined her group for another album. In 2009 Beyonce took her career to new heights she put on one of the biggest grossing concerts of the year, and had one of the most downloaded and performed song of the year with "Single Ladies".  An icon in the making there isn't much that Beyonce can't do. Not only did her album "I Am...Sasha Fierce" go triple-platinum, she starred in two movies, had a number 1 movie and sang for our President and first lady. Beyonce had a hell of a year and there seems to be no stopping her. She is consider one of the hardest working women in the music industry and if she has her way this decade is only a taste of what's to come from Beyonce.

4. Will Smith

He is actor, producer, rapper, family man and activist. He is Will Smith superstar actor & rapper with more charisma than not. Will has blazed a trail in Hollywood that many would not have foreseen years earlier but Will knew something we didn't he had "It." And that "It" combined with personality for days is what draws people out to the box office. So much so that he is according to Entertainment Weekly "the smartest actor in Hollywood." He has become one of the most powerful working actors in Hollywood and his name attached to a project carries clout. He is the only actor to ever open 8 consecutive movies at No. 1 all grossing over $100 million each. No other star can boast those figures, hailing   Newsweek to call him "the most powerful actor

on the planet." Off the screen his family life is the envy of many Hollywood families because Will and his wife Jada keep the family first in the midst of their many projects. The little fresh prince of Bel Air has become Big Will of the big screen.

3. Tiger Woods

Despite his off the court woes this past decade no other athlete in the World tops Woods as the best athlete around. When he is on his game he is simply the best period! Ranked as No. 1 player in golf he is the highest paid athlete in any sport. His stats cannot be debated and Woods is only 34 he is not even in his prime. Woods has won an impressive 14 major golf championships the 2nd highest of any male golf player. Another 71 PGA Tournaments third of all time and is the youngest player to achieve career grand slams. He is also the youngest to win 50 tournaments on tour. And according to Joe Fishback, former NFL Safety & sports editor, "Despite personal problems recently, Tiger is the best athlete of our generation." Others add to that sentiment, AP has named him "Athlete of the Year" a record tying 4 times. And he is the only athlete to ever be named Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the year" more than once.

2. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah! Oprah! Oprah! Is there anyone bigger with more power and who can turn someone into a millionaire or star by having him or her on her show. The answer is no.  Ms. Winfrey would have been our number one person of the decade had her Chicago neighbor hadn't made history by becoming the President. No one woman or person for that matter has had more of an impact on America. She has changed lives; she has turned Nate, Rachael Ray, Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil into household names. She delved into publishing launching O Magazine and O at home magazine. Her Oprah.com site receives an unheard of 70 million views per month. She garnered a 3-year deal with Satellite radio for a reported $55 million dollars. Her little show that could is the highest ranked program of it's time in history. The Oprah Winfrey Show is broadcast in over 140 countries with 14 million daily viewers. Oprah herself is ranked the richest black woman on the planet. Her Harpo studios has released major movies, movies made for television, television specials and put out shows for Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Rachel Ray. And just when we thought Oprah could do no more she opened the "Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls" in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her giving has no boundaries; the Oprah angel Network has raised more than $51,000,000.  And in 2008 Oprah acquired her own cable network called OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network) which will debut later this year and will be available in over 70 million homes. She is not only the Queen of talk she is our Queen.

1. President Barack Obama

How do you top the rise of a junior senator who goes on to become our 44th and first African American President? You don't that is why President Barack Obama is our number one. He came into national attention at the Democratic national convention when he delivered the primetime keynote address and he has been a raising star every since. Two books later and the Presidential election under his belt he continues to electrify the World. And to punctuate that matter he was given the Noble Peace Prize laureate in 2009. Well done Mr. President! 

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