The red carpet at Cipriani Wall Street is usually a gauntlet of stiff poses and rehearsed soundbites, but on Dec. 1, 2025, the Gotham Awards witnessed a shift in the atmosphere. When Harlem’s own A$AP Rocky and Hollywood heavyweight Michael B. Jordan locked eyes, the two kings locking in wasn’t just a greeting—it was a deliciously Black moment that signified making space and time for a brother- the shit that makes Black joy so gushy and warm .
“There he go,” Jordan stated with a smile as Rocky hit the red carpet.
“What’s good, King,” he asked, removing himself from the interaction with the paparazzi to walk over and give his good bro dap and an embrace.
Rocky, matching the actor’s admiration and love, responded in kind, “What’s good, Lord?”
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While fans celebrated the “good vibes,” the gesture carries a weight that transcends the red carpet.
There’s a high-frequency energy that shifted the room when they leaned into one another. When Jordan and Rocky crossed paths, what we witnessed wasn’t just a red carpet photo-op; it was a display of “Black boy joy” and the kind of “side-by-side” solidarity that didn’t need a script.
By stepping away from the cameras to hail Rocky as “King,” and Rocky meeting that energy with a “What’s good, Lord?”, the exchange became an affirmation of brotherhood.
Defining the “Unc” Designation
For Jordan, the “unc” designation is rooted in his transition from a teenage heartthrob to a disciplined, high-level architect of Black cinema. His “unc energy” stems from a career built on “Dignity and Pride,” moving from the vulnerability of The Wire to the commanding, side-by-side leadership he displays as a director and mogul.
Jordan has been vocal about protecting the sanctity of these bonds against a hyper-sexualized social media lens, recently asserting, “Anybody that tries to make something sexual of it has a problem. Those guys are all my brothers, I love them with all my heart & they love me. It’s not sexual, it’s brotherhood.”
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By explicitly drawing a line between public consumption and private kinship, he embodies the “unc” who has navigated the industry’s racist environments and emerged as a blueprint for the next generation.
When these two worlds collide—the cinematic precision of Jordan and the rhythmic, high-fashion pulse of Rocky—it creates a connective tissue that binds the various corners of our culture together. It wasn’t just a meeting of two celebrities; it’s a convergence of two blueprints that prove you don’t have to sacrifice your authenticity to gain your authority. By leaning into their roles as “uncs,” they are essentially providing a masterclass in how to grow up without growing distant, transforming the red carpet into a sacred space where Black brotherhood is the highest form of currency.
A$AP Rocky earns his “unc” stripes through a masterclass in “self-affirmation” and cultural stewardship. No longer just the “Pretty Flacko” of Harlem, his energy now reflects a man who has matured into fatherhood and global influence without losing his “identity.”
This transition is anchored by his role as a dedicated family man alongside Rihanna, balancing the high-octane world of fashion and music with the grounded responsibilities of a partner and father. Rocky represents the “unc” who uses his platform to signal “unity and respect” across the diaspora, standing as a “symbol of solidarity” for younger artists.
In a world that often tries to crowd and infiltrate our space, seeing them pause to give each other that dap and embrace was a reminder that the greatest flex isn’t the fit or where we are—it’s the way we recognize the greatness in one another and hold that space together.
The “dap”—an acronym for Dignity and Pride—originated with Black soldiers during the Vietnam War. Born in a hostile, segregated military environment, it was a coded language of survival and unity. At its core, the gesture symbolizes a profound pact: “I’m not above you, you’re not above me, we’re together.”
The poignancy lies in the silent transmission of legacy. When Rocky and Jordan embraced, they were carrying the ancestral weight of every Black man who used a handshake to say, “I see you, and you are safe with me.”
In the high-stakes theater of Hollywood, where vulnerability is often traded for clout, this moment of Black boy joy was an act of self-affirmation.
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