ananda lewis
Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty
Ananda Lewis, the well-known former MTV VJ and talk show host, has passed away at age 52 after a long battle with breast cancer.
The sad news was confirmed by her sister, and once it broke, the Hip-Hop community was frozen. Many artists and entertainers had been interviewed by Ananda over the years, and many built strong friendships with her, making her loss even more heartbreaking.
The California native graduated from Howard University in 1995. She first gained attention as the host of BET’s Teen Summit, where she spoke on serious issues affecting young people. Her talent and presence soon led her to MTV, where she became a household name in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She hosted popular shows like Total Request Live and Hot Zone, and her smart, down-to-earth style made her stand out.
In 2001, she launched The Ananda Lewis Show, a daytime talk show that ran for one season. She later worked on other TV projects, including TLC’s While You Were Out. Ananda revealed her cancer diagnosis in 2020. She fought bravely and shared her journey with honesty. Her voice, impact, and spirit will be deeply missed.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. Take a moment to see how the Hip-Hop community is honoring her legacy and sharing their heartfelt reactions to her passing.
1. Jermaine Dupri
2. David Banner
4. Kevin Powell
5. VIBE Magazine
6. Ryan Cameron
7. Questlove
8. Ed Gordon
9. Juicy J
10. Desus Nice
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Ananda Lewis made her name in the industry as a television personality and MTV VJ, along with other endeavors over the past two decades. In a recent discussion on CNN, Ananda Lewis shared that she now has Stage IV breast cancer and is urging others to seek professional treatment.
Ananda Lewis, 51, joined a candid roundtable discussion with CNN’s Stephanie Elam and Sara Sidner, the latter of whom is currently dealing with Stage III breast cancer. The chat opens with light banter between the trio and Lewis revealing that she learned of her diagnosis in 2018.
Instead of going with the recommended double mastectomy suggested by her doctors, Lewis says she took the natural remedy route and tried homeopathic medicine to treat her cancer. As Elam explained in the discussion via a voiceover segment of the discussion, Lewis’ self-administered treatment plan worked for a short while but it didn’t eradicate cancer from her body.
“My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent, I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made,” Lewis explained. “I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. Looking back on that, I go, ‘You know what? Maybe I should have.’ ”
Sidner, 52, went on to share that she elected to have a double mastectomy earlier this year to address the issue straight away. She also shared that her diagnosis influenced her to live more boldly and freely.
According to a 2022 article written by the American Cancer Society, Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than their white counterparts although Black women have lower breast cancer diagnoses.
The CNN roundtable with Ananda Lewis, Sara Sidner, and Stephanie Elam can be viewed below.
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Photo: Getty
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