Was Kendrick Lamar named Time's Person of the Year 2024? Magazine cover debunked

On December 1, 2024, X user @KonnyTalks took to the social media platform to post a picture of Kendrick Lamar on the cover of Time Magazine, claiming that the rapper has been named 'Person of the Year.' The tweet mentioned:

"Kendrick Lamar has been named ‘Person of the Year’ by TIME Magazine 😳 Do you agree with the decision⁉️"

The photo posted in the tweet showcases Lamar with the words "The voice of the people" written on the cover. However, the post's suggestion that Kendrick Lamar has been chosen as Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year' for 2024 is not true.

The magazine hasn't announced its 'Person of the Year' for 2024 yet. Additionally, the magazine's social media accounts and other news channels haven't posted the cover featuring Lamar, suggesting the X user photoshopped it.

In 2023, the magazine announced Taylor Swift as 'Person of the Year' on December 6. Hence, there is a possibility that the news magazine will announce the name around the same time this year.

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What is Time's Person of the Year? Details about the title explored

According to a report by Time magazine dated December 13, 2021, former managing editor Walter Isaacson wrote about the 'Person of the Year' title in the magazine's 1998 issue. Isaacson mentioned that the title is awarded to:

“the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse.”

The news magazine's portal mentioned that the annual title began over the week of New Year's Day in 1928 when the editors of the publication were struggling to find someone to write about because it was a slow news period at the time. This led to the editors deciding to feature a person who was influential the year before, making Charles Augustus Lindbergh "The Man of the Year' of the magazine.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh made the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 33 hours and 39 minutes non-stop on May 20-21, 1927.

Despite Wallis Simpson becoming the first 'Woman of the Year' in 1937, the magazine's yearly title did not become gender neutral until 1999, changing to 'Person of the Year.'

As for the process of choosing the person for the title, there is a secretive process involving editors. However, the magazine also invites opinions from the readers to suggest who they believe has earned the title. Currently, the magazine uses an online poll, but earlier, readers sent their suggestions via mail by filling out the letters-to-the-editor page.

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According to a report by The Yorkshire Post dated November 19, 2024, experts at a platform called SlotsUp examine four factors, such as engagement rates on social media and followers on Instagram and X, to suggest who would be 'Person of the Year.'

As per the platform, Taylor Swift received the highest score of 86.40 out of 100, followed by YouTuber Mr. Beast and politician Kamala Harris.