November 2010

Kamala Harris became the first woman, first Black American, and first person of South Asian descent to serve as California Attorney General, the largest state law-enforcement office in the country. The victory positioned her as a leading national political figure.

Kanye West released his fifth studio album to near-universal critical acclaim, earning perfect scores from multiple major publications. Widely regarded as the defining rap album of the decade, it debuted at number one and demonstrated an unprecedented fusion of maximalist production, literary references, and confessional lyricism.