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8 Real and Fictional Black Women Who Define "Bad and Boujee"

Doris Payne (The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne)

This bad and boujee 86-year-old is a real-life, world-renowned jewel thief who has snatched up everything from $700 Christian Dior earrings to a $500,000 ten-carat diamond ring. Has she stopped stealing? No. Her crime spree has been going for over sixty years, with her latest arrest being in December of 2016 in Atlanta. How many fucks does she give? Zero. How bad and boujee is she? Very.

2. Bernadine Harris (from Waiting to Exhale)

In the 1995 movie Waiting to Exhale, four women help each other navigate their romantic lives. Bernadine “Bernie” Harris played by Angela Bassett has an MBA and dreams of owning a catering business; however, that dream is left behind to support her wealthy husband, John, who ends up leaving her for a white woman.

The scene of Bernie tearing down her husband’s closet while going on an epic rant is one of the most monumental in Bad and Boujee history. In her Scottsdale mansion, Bernadine storms around in black lingerie throwing her husband’s shoes and suits in her children’s play wagon. Bernie goes AWF. She throws all of John’s belongings in a car and pours gasoline on everything. With her pedicured hand she lights a cigarette, flings the lighter onto the gasoline-drenched car, and burns that entire motherfucker to a crisp! Her robe and hair swing behind her as she struts away, not giving a damn.

3. Maxine Waters (California Congresswoman)

I would personally like to thank Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being the Queen of the Articulated Drag. After a classified briefing between House Democrats and FBI Director James Comey about Russian interference in our recent presidential election, Maxine Waters walked out to play no games. In the short clip, Congresswoman Waters shuts down all questions aimed at her. She walks away from the press conference saying, “All I can tell you is that the FBI Director has no credibility.” I LIVED.

4. Hilary Banks (from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

She’s bratty, she’s whiny, and she’s incredibly spoiled—but we’ve grown to love her anyway. From her high fashion outfits to her pouty outbursts, Hilary Violet S. Banks is probably one of the baddest and boujee-est fictional characters in history.

5. Tracy Chambers (from Mahogany)

Firstly, the movie Mahogany is a must-see. The film follows Tracy Chambers (played by Diana Ross,) an aspiring fashion designer living in the projects of Chicago. When spotted by a high-end photographer, Tracy Chambers is given the opportunity to model in Rome. The entire situation is messy. She’s fetishisized by aforementioned photographer Sean—he renames her Mahogany. Ew.

But when her old flame from Chicago comes to visit her in Rome, Tracy sets everyone straight.

6. Antoinette ‘Toni’ Childress (from Girlfriends)

Toni Childress is that one messy best friend you can’t get rid of. She is a shop-o-holic. She has a strong passion for fashion. And she is just messy as HELL. Remember when she wouldn’t date that doctor because he didn’t meet her height requirement? Then she actually told him... She’s a true unfriendly black hottie.

7. Olivia Pope (from Scandal)

Who knew you could be bad and boujee...in the White House? Olivia Pope masters the art of minimizing political scandals (mostly of crazy white people), drinking glasses of red wine the size of her head, and finessing the President—all while rocking lavish coats with asymmetrical necklines, putting people in their place, and refusing to give up her independence even if it means risking national security. Honestly, life goals (minus 90% of the crazy personal drama).

8. Tikesha Morgan (Senior Student Affairs Officer at Emerson College Kasteel Well Campus)

Outfits? Poppin. Instagram? Poppin. Lifestyle? Poppin. Jojo the dog? POPPIN!! Tikesha spares no mercy to her followers when she shares her look of the day with her iconic hashtags such as #blackabroad and #blacklesbianmagic. Not only is Tikesha’s bad and boujee-ness apparent in the way she stunts on everyone with her looks, but also in her incredible talent for helping those in need.

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