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Queen Bey, Rihanna, LeBron James: The list of alleged celebrity Illuminati members includes all of your faves. Take a look at this list to learn more.
A wise woman once said, “Y’all haters corny with that Illuminati mess.” (It was Beyoncé.) When she uttered those words on the track “Formation,” the internet collectively blacked out; it was the first time Bey formally recognized the rampant rumors of her involvement with the supposed secret society. But when we came to, we were somehow more confused about the Illuminati than before. Was the lyric a joke, a diss, or a quiet admission of her membership?
Even the uninformed (and uninterested) can recognize common alleged symbols of the Illuminati: Jay Z’s signature triangular hand symbol, triple 6’s, the all-seeing Eye of Providence found on the back of the $1 bill. But what exactly is the Illuminati? To understand the differences between the real secret society and the rumored one, we must go back in time.
Most of the conversation around the Illuminati is pure speculation, but there is some truth to the organization. The Order of the Illuminati was a real organization founded in 1776 during the Enlightenment Era in Bavaria, Germany. This secret group, originally just five men, sought to distance themselves from the government and the church. It’s there in the name: They wanted to enlighten people.
But as membership grew, the society only remained a secret for so long. Secret societies were deemed illegal, and the Order of the Illuminati was eventually disbanded after just 10 years in existence. Almost immediately, conspiracy theories began to form, stating that the Order of the Illuminati survived underground and were continuing on with their mission.
Today, over 200 years later, theorists are still going strong. The present-day Illuminati allegedly regulates world affairs, controls the media, and pulls the strings in the government behind the scenes. Supposedly, these things will help them gain power and establish a New World Order, aka a one-world government that oversees the entire planet. You know, normal stuff.
There’s no real proof of a modern-day Illuminati, but that doesn’t stop Illuminati truthers from speculating which celebrities are members. Hardcore believers are quick to point out evidence, claiming to find hidden meaning in everything from celebrities’ fashion choices to their body language. Some examples are more plausible than others, like direct references to the Illuminati in song lyrics. But more often than not, these vague examples of “proof” are a stretch, like the sharp angle of an updo. Either way, it’s entertaining to keep track of which celebs are said to be in the Illuminati, and what clues they’ve allegedly dropped to expose themselves. Here are some of the most famous rumored Illuminati members.
If you ask the internet who runs the Illuminati, the first name you hear will always be Beyoncé, the secret society’s reigning Queen. She let the rumor live for years before finally addressing it in the aforementioned “Formation” lyric. Even though Bey denied her involvement, theorists will always be on the lookout with an eagle eye for more signs.
If Bey is Queen of the Illuminati, Jay is King, and together they’re producing the next generation of enlightened royalty. They were named as members the moment Jay first held up his signature Roc Nation hand sign, palms flat in a triangle shape, and the rumors haven’t stopped since. Jay addressed the secret society on Rick Ross’s track “Freemason” in 2010, saying “I said I was amazing / Not that I’m a Mason” and “I’m red hot / I’m on my third 6 / But a devil I’m not.” But if you think a few denying lines in a song will convince the believers to change their minds, think again.
In 2014, Madonna released a song called “Illuminati” on her album Rebel Heart. The chorus repeats: “It’s like everybody in this party’s shining like Illuminati.” Madonna immediately clarified that she intended for the word to represent its earlier meaning—“enlightened”—as opposed to a continuation of the Enlightenment-era Illuminati. Our take? Whether she’s a member or not, it was definitely a calculated move to drop the i-word so casually. She knew it would get people talking, and here we are doing just that, years later. Well played, Madge.
Certain hand symbols and gestures are massive giveaways to Illuminati conspiracy theorists, and Donald Trump is a textbook gesturer. But theorists can’t seem to agree on his level of involvement within the organization. Some simply believe that every U.S. president becomes a member upon their election, while others are convinced that he’s an incredibly powerful (and dangerous) mind-controller. Either way, we’re screwed.
After the Carter family, the Wests are probably the next highest-ranking Illuminati officials, according to conspiracy theorists. But unlike the Carters, Kim loves to feed the trolls. She gets high off it. Whenever a new round of Illuminati claims come her way she quietly perpetuates the gossip, stepping out in satanic red or posting an Instagram collage in the shape of the enlightened eye. Be careful, Kim, or your antics might cause you your membership.
The Illuminati are allegedly the tastemakers we all follow, and Kanye is one of the world’s greatest. My favorite Kanye/Illuminati conspiracy theory states that Kim is the devil, and Kanye is the demon, and little North is a sacrificial goat. That’s an air-tight concept if I’ve ever heard one.
LiLo has long been the target of Illuminati claims. Part of me wonders if she’s too irrelevant to be considered a top member anymore, but another part of me thinks her departure from the public eye is what lends the theory its credibility. Quick: Where is Lindsay Lohan right now? We bet you have no idea, because she stays largely out of the public eye these days. After all, if you drop too many hints about being in the Illuminati, they’ll kick you out, and she doesn’t have much else going on right now.
So far, we’ve covered our bases with Illuminati members from music, TV, movies, pop culture, and politics. LeBron brings the missing link to the table: the sports world. He checks all the boxes: money, fame, a #6 jersey that he wore a few times, a close friendship with Jay Z, a T-shirt decorated with triangles. Case closed!
RiRi is another celebrity commonly associated with the Illuminati, but honestly? I’m not sure if Rihanna cares enough to be a member. If she is, she’s definitely not an active one. Girlfriend couldn't care less about using her influence to achieve world domination and establish one central government. She just wants to smoke weed and drink wine from the front row at fashion shows. Can you blame her?
The conspiracy theories surrounding Michael Jackson being in the Illuminati are, unsurprisingly, complicated. Some believe he was a member because of his high level of fame. Others take MJ’s involvement a step further, claiming that he exposed too many of the Illuminati’s secrets, thus explaining his real cause of death. (Way harsh, Tai.)
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