Black Twitter is making sure that Jasmine Guy slander will not be tolerated. The “A Different World” actress is among the top trending topics on the platform now that a tweet wrongly identifying Prince for her is being circulated.
The tweet in question reads, “Rare photo of Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, and Jasmine Guy at the World Music Awards, 1994.” The image’s description was correct except for the fact that Guy was not seated next to Whitney and her mother — it was Prince. The tweet has been viewed by more than 4.5 million users and quote-tweeted nearly 6,000 times.
The litany of fiery responses to the presumed intentional slight has not only moved fans to correct the original poster but to also declare that others should recognize Guy’s contributions throughout her 30-plus-year career. “Coming for Jasmine Guy in this manner is crazy! Let's honor the queen! Give her her flowers!!” wrote one person.
Another acknowledgment of the “Harlem” standout’s entertainment endeavors read, “Since Jasmine Guy is trending, [I] just want to remind you she dropped a hit album in the 90s and had [three] Top 40 records, including this classic ‘Just Want to Hold You’ with the legendary James Ingram on [background vocals].”
Someone else reflected on the close-knit friendship she shared with Tupac Shakur. They wrote “Since Jasmine Guy is trending, she also became best friends with Pac after he was shot [five times]. He stayed at her apartment while he recovered. Jasmine don’t get enough credit. She deserves ENDLESS amounts of flowers.”
Countless others re-shared clips from her various memorable performances as Whitley Gilbert on the iconic "A Different World." The show was created by Bill Cosby and highlighted the HBCU experience at the fictional Hillman College. It starred Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer, Dawnn Lewis, Charnele Brown and Darryl M. Bell as the main stars of the series. They completed six seasons, spanning from 1987 to 1993.
In February, the cast reunited for a 10-city HBCU tour with stops at Howard University and the Atlanta University Center, which encompasses Clark Atlanta University and Spelman and Morehouse colleges, to name a few. This year also marked the cult classic’s 37th anniversary. The outpouring of love for Guy is proof that its cultural significance still resonates today.