By Ineza Merci
Kylie Jenner brings back her iconic, edgy alter ego King Kylie. Jenner took to Instagram to share a photo of herself rocking blue and black hair—the signature hairstyle for her alter ego. Some fans are experiencing joy and excitement, while others state that “her heart isn’t in it”, hinting at the possibly of the whole thing feel disingenuous.
For promotion, Jenner shared a video to reintroduce King Kylie. The alter ego appears to be interrogated then released from jail, being picking up by her mother Kris Jenner.
With praise, there will be criticism. One X user, who goes by Raymonte wrote, “The reason she can’t reheat these nachos correctly is because the King Kylie era was heavily associated with blackness and black culture…being Black is fun.” Another user said, “…King Kylie era was just Black woman cosplay.”
Bringing back King Kylie in 2025 may feel inauthentic now because Kylie Jenner can’t “act black anymore”—at least that’s what people like Raymonte believe. From rocking cornrows to having a Black boyfriend and partaking in Black American culture, these types of behaviors were associated with the 28-year-old to achieve the King Kylie aura.
In addition to promo videos, King Kylie made her music debut. Fans got to hear the beauty mogul’s vocals be featured on the song “Fourth Strike” by experimental pop group Terror Jr.
We’ll just have to wait and see how creative she becomes to portray her ‘King Kylie’ era ten years later.