An icon

An icon is a person or celebrity if you will, whose fame in popular culture constitutes a noteworthy characteristic of any given society or era. There is no test for establishing “icon" status, such status is usually associated with elements such as longevity, ubiquity, and distinction. The characters that embody this are Denzel Washington, Janet Jackson, and Gregory Hines. They have all dabbled in various fields and manage to maintain the notoriety on which they built their careers with.

Pop icons have left an enduring mark and then gone on to attain a lasting place of recognition in society. Washington has starred in forty films. He has portrayed great men such as Malcolm X and Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and has done the roles justice. Jackson has scored more than thirty number-one singles on various charts. In addition to her commercial accomplishments, Jackson has won five Grammys. Hines was an acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and director.

It is common for a figure to be recognized and even celebrated in areas outside the original source of celebrity status. An example of this is Washington; he has produced two major films and one television special. Before Jackson was known for her singing, she was starring on such shows as Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes and Fame. In addition, Hines dominated just about every aspect of the entertainment business.

Icon status implies distinguished association with a public ideal or prime example. It isn’t uncommon for iconic figures to have a moniker or nickname that is used to accentuate this association. Nor is it uncommon for some of the individuals to go by just one name. These individuals were chosen, because they are the elite in their field. They have inspired so many that have come after them, not only to do the same aspect but do it better. They have all worked in other aspects of entertainment realm, but haven’t lost credibility in their original line of work.