Months have passed, but Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rap rivalry still remains a trending topic! These days, hip-hop heavyweights like LL Cool J are weighing in on the showdown that gagged the internet this year!
Recently, LL Cool J spoke with ‘Ray Daniels Media’ and praised the new generation of artists, specifically Kendrick Lamar.
In the interview, the ‘Headsprung’ rapper also revealed that he found K.Dot’s cover for ‘Not Like Us’ hilarious.
“It just cracks me up that he put all those signs on homie’s house,” LL said of the red dots placed on the Drake’s home, meant to indicate the locations of alleged sex offenders. “This s**t is crazy. This ain’t got nothing to do with nothing but its the funniest s**t in the world. It’s bananas. That kinda thinking, you have to respect that.”
LL continued to credit today’s generation of artists for their strategic and creative thinking.
“This generation, they think much more multilayered. The thinking is far more layered. The thinking used to be kinda like– back in the days it was like, Okay, you do the song. That was it. Then it transitioned to, you do the song and you do the video. Now, it has transitioned to, you do the song, you do the video, you have a brand, you do a book, you have the movie, you have the music. You monetize it. You have a platform. The layering of the thought process is completely different,” LL explained.
This isn’t the first time that LL has discussed Drake and Kendrick’s rap beef.
VIBE reports that in July, LL criticized Drizzy for making a “bad choice” in feuding with K.Dot. His comments took place during his interview with HOT 97’s TT Torrez. The ‘NCIS’ actor also explained that he believed Kendrick won the battle.
“Kendrick won the battle. I mean, come on. That’s obvious. That’s a no-brainer. And listen, I like Drake. I love his music, he’s a cool dude. We don’t know each other but I like his music. I’m happy for him and everything. But, you know, Kendrick… that might have been a bad choice.”
Michael Rubin Discusses Decision To Avoid Playing ‘Not Like Us’
LL Cool J wasn’t the only one to recently share his thoughts on Kendrick’s ‘Not Like Us.’ Michael Rubin also revealed why he prevented the record and all Lamar songs from playing at his All-White party in July.
As The Shade Room previously reported, Michael Rubin held his annual All-White party on the 4th of July, the same day Kendrick released the visuals for his diss track to Drake, ‘Not Like Us.’
Several stars popped out for Rubin’s event, including Drizzy. While on ‘The Breakfast Club,’ Michael Rubin addressed rumors about stopping ‘Not Like Us’ from being played at his party. The Fanatics CEO admitted he skipped the track out of respect for his friend Drake.
“Drake’s my friend for a long time. I’m not gonna invite him…have him come there…I just didn’t think it was appropriate. So I just said hey, let’s not play anyone’s music that’s feuding with anyone that’s there.”
Additionally, Rubin mentioned a slip-up at a BBQ he hosted the night before the All-White party. The businessman stated that when the music was turned on in his house, ‘Not Like Us’ blasted through the speakers just as Drake was pulling up.
Michael held his friend down and made sure the song was turned off before he made his way to the party.
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Takeover
Kendrick Lamar took over the innanet when he dropped his fourth diss track aimed at Drake, ‘Not Like Us’ in May.
Since then, the record has remained the unofficial summer 2024 anthem and the soundtrack to several social media videos.
K. Dot really took things up a notch after he dropped the visuals for the chart-topping track on July 4.
Per TSR, ‘Not Like Us’ includes several standout moments and appearances from famous faces like DJ Mustard and Tommy the Clown. The nearly 6-minute video shows Kendrick’s longtime partner, Whitney Alford, and their two children playing in a living room.
LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — As several evacuation orders were lifted in Larimer County Tuesday, those who live in the area of the Alexander Mountain Fire have just begun assessing the damage.
The burn scar can be seen from the historic Sylvan Dale Ranch, where an estimated 950 acres and several buildings were lost in the fire. The land that burned is managed by Silas Binkley, the director of programs and operations for the Heart-J Center.
“The Heart-J Center is a nonprofit that operates here at Sylvan Dale Ranch, on a 3,000-acre ranch. And the focus of what we do is place-based experiential programming for people of all ages, but at the heart of it is getting people outside, connecting them with nature, connecting them with themselves and their community,” Binkley explained.
Wildfire
Several more evacuation orders lifted in Alexander Mountain Fire
The Heart-J Center has operated from Sylvan Dale Ranch for the past decade. The family who owns Sylvan Dale Ranch plans to one day transfer the ranch to Heart-J Center management.
“Currently, they transferred almost 1,000 acres a few years ago of backcountry land to the Heart-J Center, which is the land that I manage. And that’s the land that has been lost in the fire this week,” Binkley said. “One of our goals is to not only rebuild as a retreat center, but also as a research hub so that local universities and colleges can do research here and learn about wildfire science and prevention and the regrowth processes and all those types of things.”
Most recently, Heart-J Center partnered with the Combat Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on effective suicide prevention efforts for veterans.
“I myself am a combat disabled veteran and have been impacted by the rate of suicide amongst veterans… We provide one-on-one peer support and coaching services to people who are struggling or in crisis,” said Marshall Spring, who founded the Combat Recovery Foundation. “My business partner in 2019 very unexpectedly shot himself, and so I sold my companies and started working in suicide prevention at that point.”
Spring served in the Marine Corps as an explosive detection dog handler and sustained brain injuries while in Iraq.
“It’s really difficult to adjust to a safe, normal, North American civilian life, after being in the Marine Corps and being in combat,” Spring said. “It took a long time for me to get to a place where I could trust people, be around people, and create friendships and relationships and just have normal interactions.”
Spring struggled with his mental health and said nature played a huge role in his journey. Combat Recovery Foundation hosts retreats for veterans at Sylvan Dale Ranch. Their next retreat was planned for September, but now they need a new location since the historic Cow Camp that would’ve held the group was burned in the fire.
“Our logo is a Phoenix. I think there’s a certain tragic poetry to the fact that our place we intended to use for retreats burnt and now we’re a part of watching that place and helping it to rise from the ashes better than it was,” said Spring.
Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos
At Denver7, we’re committed to making a difference in our community. We’re standing up for what’s right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.
ESTES PARK, Colo. Father and daughter, Bill Harvey and Jennifer Harvey-Betz, lean on each other to get through the hurt and damage the Alexander Mountain Fire has caused.
The beauty of Drake brought Harvey to the area, and for the past three decades, he has lived through his fair share of unknowns with multiple fires and a flood. However, the Alexander Mountain Fire has left him with grief and sorrow.
Harvey’s neighbors, who stayed behind, informed him his house was still there but his woodshop was gone. Inside were his creations, along with all of his tools which he has had for decades.
“Probably 20 years. Every time I sell a table or something, I go buy another tool,” Harvey said.
His passion for woodworking started during his high school years. Now at 72 years old, he has not stopped creating for others. Harvey turned the barn on the property into his woodshop so he could have a space to create.
“I make anything from coffee tables, end tables, plant stands, bookshelves, cutting boards, boxes, just about anything I can think of, ” said Harvey.
While Harvey has worked away on many creations and perfected his woodworking skills, he has gifted several items to his daughter, including a TV stand, end tables and boxes for keepsakes.
“There are things that I will keep for my whole life. It will be what I remember him by one day, so they’re very special to me,” said Harvey-Betz.
Some residents were able to get back home on Monday to see the damage from the Alexander Mountain Fire, but Harvey did not have access yet to his property. Harvey’s daughter reflected on the challenging week and the grief she has for her father and his neighbors.
“It’s the shock of the whole thing, knowing that a lot of our neighbors lost everything,” Harevy-Betz said. “I grew up on that mountain, and we’re all family friends. We’re all a very tight-knit community. We’re a very strong community, and we are storm out and strong, and we will help each other build back after this, as we always do. And that’s it breaks my heart for everybody, no matter how big or small the loss was.”
“My dad is a Vietnam-era veteran who does have Agent Orange,” Harvey-Betz, said. “He’s been battling multiple cancers for a few years and going through cancer treatment, so this is kind of a hit for him. You know, those were very important things for him to keep himself occupied and busy and things to pass on at some point. We could use all the help we can get”
After rumors were flying earlier this week that he was gearing up to drop a record with producer Conductor Williams this year, Drake has announced a collaborative album with PartyNextDoor that could potentially arrive this fall.
Drake popped up at PartyNextDoor’s Party and Friends show in Toronto tonight, waiting until the end of his performance to share news that the joint album would arrive this fall. “I know all you girls are outside and when it gets a little chilly, PartyNextDoor and Drake album will be right there for you,” he said, suggesting the heat had to die down for him to put out the record this autumn.
During his appearance at PartyNextDoor’s set, he ran through “Sweeterman,” which leaked as a snippet back in 2015 but was never fully released. While on stage, he also performed “Finesse” and “Redemption,” and his 2016 collab “Come and See Me” with PartyNextDoor. Drake also teamed up with Roy Woods to duet on “Drama,” and for anyone who’s been tuned in to the Internet, he gave a rendition of his Plain White T’s cover “Wah Gwan Delilah.”
Drake has been relatively silent for the past few months following the intense beef with Kendrick Lamar, which resulted in a back-and-forth on record that somewhat concluded in May with his song “The Heart Pt. 6.” In the time since, Lamar has objectively emerged the victor with his song “Not Like Us,” which has scaled the charts and become a Song of Summer contender.
ESTES PARK, Colo. — Since the Alexander Mountain Fire sparked on Monday, it has exploded to more than 8,000 acres in size. On Thursday, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office estimated that “at least two dozen structures” have been damaged or destroyed in the fire.
Haley Shepard and her husband Jon bought their home in 2016. The two bedroom, two bathroom home is where their 3-year-old has lived his entire life.
Their home, described as beautiful, is exactly where the family wanted to be — along Palisade Mountain Drive near Drake.
‘It’s tearing apart the mountain’: Family learns from community their home burned in Alexander Mountain Fire
Haley gave birth to her young son Wade while the family was evacuated as a result of the Cameron Peak Fire.
“He was born in the Cameron Peak Fire, and we were evacuated when I was four days past due with him. We were out of our home for, I believe, a month. Had to drive up to deliver him in Estes,” Haley remembered. “Then got evacuated by the East Troublesome the next day, and then had to flee, like evacuate, down to Franktown, Colorado, at a family member’s farm to live there for a little bit.”
Wildfire
At least 24 structures damaged, destroyed in Alexander Mountain Fire
Then, on Monday, Haley was at the house with her son and dog while her husband Jon was on a work trip in Ohio. She received a phone call around noon which alerted her to the mandatory evacuation for Storm Mountain.
“Then proceeded to look up, look outside, and the plume above our house was stretching across… I don’t know how I didn’t even see it, just walking around in the kitchen,” Haley described. “I contacted our neighbor, Oliver, who is a volunteer on the local firefighting department, and he came over and was very kind and told me to leave immediately. Another neighbor who was, I believe, on the police department, came up, came over, and then from there we packed up quickly.”
Damen Winslow
In a state of shock, Haley first drove to Estes Park, then spent the night at a hotel in Longmont. She could see the fire from the valley.
Afterwards, she came up to Estes Park where her family is now staying with friends.
On Wednesday night, Haley said they got a call from friends who are working the fire, telling her about her home.
“It has been burnt to the ground. There is nothing left,” Haley said through tears. “They drove around. They saw our home. They made the call. I much prefer hearing from a community member… It helped to not feel uncertain, but there’s nothing there.”
The loss has devastated Haley and her family, but their pain is about more than just their home.
Michael Price
“Storm Mountain is one of the most tight-knit communities I will ever experience. I will forever lose that,” Haley said. “I’ve lost what is the best community in this whole entire world, and I’m very sad about that. That’s very sad to me, that we can no longer call that home… It’s not just our house. It’s tearing apart the mountain.”
Haley said the family does not know what’s next for them, but she hopes to rebuild their home in the place they love.
Family of the Shepards started a GoFundMe for the young family, which says it will support them as they try to “replace clothing, toys, furniture, food, income… everything for at least the next 6 months.”
Earlier this month, ScHoolboy Q shared that his Toronto show at Drake-collaborated venue History was canceled without reason. The rapper was still reportedly paid for the show, and he found humor in the situation on X, formerly known as Twitter.
According to Complex, SiR is the latest victim of the Toronto venues’ seemingly newly implemented TDE cancellation policy.
In a hilarious tweet, SiR recalled previously bragging that his Toronto show wasn’t canceled. The TDE singer who stayed silent amid Kendrick and Drake’s back and forth tweeted Tuesday:
“This s*** didn’t age well at all.”
ScHoolboy Q then wasted no time hitting the timeline to laugh at SiR’s Canadian border issues and playfully tweeted that it was time for the singer to “sing on the bus.”
SiR responded with his first acknowledgment of the “Not Like Us” drama with a sly joke. “They DON’T like us,” he tweeted.
He eventually told fans that he was still being paid by the venue for the concert so it was still a win on his end.
What do YOU think about SiR’s Toronto concert cancellation?
Athletes from around the world are competing in dozens of disciplines among 32 sports. For those watching at home: Do you know what you’re going listening to during commercial breaks, while making snacks, or to distract you in moments where your favorite isn’t doing that hot? We’ve got you, with a cheeky musical guide to each sport — some picks more literal than others.
While this cut from “Lover” was in her Eras Tour set, Swift executed some apt choreography, pulling back an invisible arrow and making this the obvious choice for the bow-wielding sport.
There is something subtly dignified about badminton. It is a classic-feeling racquet sport, and it requires a similarly first-rate song, like this French pop hit.
The hip-hop all-star collaboration “Forever” was on the soundtrack to LeBron James ‘s 2008 “More Than a Game” documentary, making it the perfect basketball track. James has been selected as Team USA’s male flagbearer this year, making it all the more appropriate.
Heavy breathing that bleeds into minimalistic electronica from the progenitors themselves — if that doesn’t make you want to grab a bicycle, nothing will.
Perhaps the word “dressage” isn’t the first one that comes to mind when this banger by the late Keith and the great Nelson plays, but “horses” certainly does.
This instantly recognizable postwar ballad is all about moving forward unapologetically. In the case of handball at the Olympics, a sport that has been lately dominated by France, this song takes on a different meaning. Don’t look at those past accomplishments; push forward to the next.
It might not be particularly imaginative, but nothing says “combat sport” quite like “Ain’t No Problems” from Waka Flocka Flame, Young Thug and Judo. Get it?
The modern pentathlon semifinals and finals will take place at the Palace of Versailles this year, inspiring this pick from the Swedish power metal band.
Sailing is a vintage sport, and no voice takes a listener back to a certain time than Holiday’s swinging tone. Across this 1937 song, Holiday is in full force, weaving interesting phrasing and tempos.
SHOOTING: “Get Low,” Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins
In film, shooting is often depicted by athletes getting low on the ground to shoot — see what we did there? The reality is a bit more complicated, but the sentiment still stands.
Before becoming a celebrated voice in Latin trap and reggaetón, Carrión was a competitive swimmer, even representing his native Puerto Rico at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.
The visual for this one-time K-pop bop shows the girl group getting very serious about table tennis. The song has all the ebullience of the sport, too.
With the Olympics taking on special significance for the athletes representing the Palestinian territories this year, the energetic techno track from one of the most exciting Palestinian DJs goes to taekwondo, in honor of competitor Omar Ismail. Ismail is the lone Palestinian athlete to qualify in his own right for the Games, although others got in through a wild-card system.
When all else fails, this bombastic rock hit delivers. The band wrote the song’s chord changes to mirror punches in “Rocky III.” That might make it seem better suited for boxing, but truth be told, this classic works even better for triathlon. The song is all about endurance — just like the sport.
Three years ago, N’Gapeth helped France win gold at the Tokyo Olympics. He’s competing once again this year, and also happens to be a very talented rapper.
The fittingly named London indie rock band of yesteryear were once masters at articulating the scars of youth. And adolescence often feels like an internal wrestling match.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
MUMBAI – The youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, married his longtime girlfriend early Saturday in what many dubbed the wedding of the year, attended by global celebrities, business tycoons and politicians, highlighting the billionaire’s staggering wealth and rising clout.
The wedding rituals, including exchanging garlands by the couple and walking around the sacred fire, began Friday and were completed past midnight.
The celebrations of Anant Ambani marrying Radhika Merchant took place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and the family home. The marriage culminated months of wedding events that featured performances by pop stars including Rihanna and Justin Bieber.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a reception organized by the Ambanis on Saturday evening.
The Ambanis hosted a “blessing ceremony’’ for friends and family members to meet the couple and wish them a happy married life.
India Today television news channel reported that the newlyweds touched Modi’s feet as a show of respect and sought his blessings.
The four-day wedding celebrations began Friday with the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony and will be followed by a grand reception to run through the weekend. The guest list includes former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson; John Kerry, the former U.S. special envoy for climate, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser; and Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake and David Beckham, according to local media. The Ambani family did not confirm the guest list.
Television news channels showed the arrivals of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who was dressed in red, and professional wrestler and Hollywood actor John Cena.
Kardashian sisters Kim and Khloé took a ride in a motorized rickshaw through bustling Mumbai streets Friday before joining the wedding ceremonies, the Press Trust of India news agency said.
International guests wore traditional clothes by major Indian fashion designers. They put on embroidered sherwanis — long-sleeved outer coats worn by men in South Asia. Cena came in a sky-blue sherwani and white pants. Nick Jonas wore a pink sherwani and white pants.
Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor attended the wedding and danced to popular Hindi movie songs. Indian cricketers, including icons Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, were among the invitees.
Police imposed traffic diversions around the wedding venue from Friday to Monday to handle the influx of guests who flew to Mumbai, where heavy monsoon rains have caused flooding and flight disruptions for the past week.
The extravaganza and the display of opulence that comes with the wedding have led many to raise questions about rising inequality in India, where the gap between rich and poor is growing. The event has also sparked anger among some Mumbai residents, who say they are struggling with snarled traffic.
“It affects our earnings. I don’t care much about the wedding,” said Vikram, a taxi driver who uses only one name.
The father of the groom, Mukesh Ambani, is the world’s ninth-richest man, with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes. He is the richest person in Asia. His Reliance Industries is a conglomerate reporting over $100 billion in annual revenue, with interests that include petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecoms and retail.
The Ambani family owns, among other assets, a 27-story family compound in Mumbai worth $1 billion. The building contains three helipads, a 160-car garage and a private movie theater.
The groom, 29-year-old Anant, oversees the conglomerate’s renewable and green energy expansion. He also runs a 3,000-acre (about 1,200-hectare) animal rescue center in Gujarat state’s Jamnagar, the family’s hometown.
The bride, Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and is the marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare, according to Vogue.
Ambani’s critics say his company has relied on political connections during Congress Party-led governments in the 1970s and ’80s, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule after 2014.
The Ambani family’s pre-wedding celebrations have been lavish and star-studded from the start.
In March, they threw a three-day prenuptial bash for Anant that had 1,200 guests, including former world leaders, tech tycoons and Bollywood megastars, and performances by Rihanna, Akon and Diljit Dosanjh, a Punjabi singer who shot to international fame when he performed at Coachella. The event was also attended by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.
It was the start of lavish, months-long pre-wedding celebrations that grabbed headlines and set off a social media frenzy.
In May, the family took guests on a three-day cruise from Italy to France, which included Katy Perry singing her hit song “Firework” and a performance by Pitbull, according to media reports.
Last week, Justin Bieber performed for hundreds of guests at a pre-wedding concert that included performances by Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan.
Ambani also made headlines in 2018, when Beyoncé performed at pre-wedding festivities for his daughter. Former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry were among those who rubbed shoulders with Indian celebrities and Bollywood stars in the western Indian city of Udaipur.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Rafiq Maqbool And Rajanish Kakade, Associated Press
Summer began with one definitive truth: if you thought you were a hater, you’re not a hater like Kendrick Lamar is a hater. I’ll admit: Drake has won his share of rap beefs. In 2015, he got into it with Meek Mill over claims that Drake doesn’t write his own songs. He emerged victorious, though he’s never beaten those ghostwriting allegations. Still, he took the crown, and “Back to Back” is still one of my favorite of his songs. However, we can’t forget that he’s taken some big hits and some super public losses, too.
In the summer of 2018, he and Pusha T started a fire that culminated in the revelation that Drake had a son, Adonis. While now, Adonis is frequently at his father’s side at public appearances like basketball games and even appeared on his album, being forced into claiming your son by a Soundcloud diss track is crazy.
But what’s crazier is how Kendrick shut this summer down for Drake. For a pop star who usually spends summers at the top of the charts, he’s spending this one in hiding. All because Kendrick decided to instigate probably the greatest rap feud of our generation and win it. I want the next season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud to be about this. I want to take a class at a liberal arts college about the ethics or psychology or marketing behind it. I want political scientists to write think-pieces about what this says about the political and economic state of the world. But until then, here’s the Popdust take on Kendrick’s war on Drake — and why there’s one obstacle that keeps me from celebrating his victory lap.
First things first: The history of Kendrick Lamar starting beef
For context: Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rap artist of our time — decorated with Grammy wins, American Music Awards, and even a Pulitzer Prize for the album DAMN. He is also a Gemini. Unpredictable. Opinionated. Occasionally, arrogant. It’s what makes him great and why we love him. Other famous Geminis include Gwyneth Paltrow and Kanye West. You get it. Figures who are unstoppable when they use their mercurial madness for good, and problematic at best when they get a tad too unhinged. The question is: on which side of this line does Kendrick Lamar’s latest venture fall?
The braggadocious rapper is known for taking shots at his peers. His message is always clear: I’m the greatest rapper of our time, but it would be nice to have some competition. In 2013, he issued this direct challenge when he appeared on Big Sean’s “Control” with Jay Electronica. This verse is the equivalent of Nicki Minaj’s verse on “Monster.” It’s so fire that most people forget whose song it was in the first place. When you talk about “Monster,” you talk about Nicki. When you talk about “Control,” you talk about Kendrick and the shockwaves he sent through the industry.
The year before, he dropped his career-defining concept album good kid, m.A.A.d city. Knowing he’d just released one of the most dynamic rap albums of all time, he appeared on “Control” to make sure everyone else on the planet knew it too. In a three minute verse, he issued a challenge to every rapper in the game, name-dropping 11 of the biggest rappers at the time (like the good old days) — including J.Cole and Drake.
“Jermaine Cole, Big KRIT, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron’, Tyler, Mac Miller — I got love for you all but I’m tryna murder you,” he rapped. “What is competition? I’m tryna raise the bar high,” he continued.
The verse was a wake-up call. Kendrick was banging on everyone’s doors and telling them to get to work. And, to his credit, they did. Every rapper felt like they had to prove themselves, and the music we got in the verse’s wake was their attempt. From Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late mixtape, which took him finally from R&B to full rap star, to J. Cole’s Forest Hills Drive, some of these rappers released their best work.
But while there was love in “Control” — especially since Kendrick had collaborated with and even toured with some of the artists mentioned a few years prior — the past decade certainly changed things.
A definitive timeline of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef in 2024
The Big Three? Kendrick, Cole, and Drake
Though some say Kendrick started the current iteration of the feud, it actually goes back to Drake’s album For All the Dogs. In “First Person Shooter,” J. Cole actually gives Kenny props — describing him, Ken, and Drizzy as the “big three.”
But in March 2024, Lamar appeared on “Like That” alongisde Future and Metro Boomin We Don’t Trust You album to say: “motherf**k the big three, n*gga, it’s just big me.”
In response, Cole released “7 Minute Drill” in early April. He went album for album, giving a pretty ungenerous take on Kendrick’s albums, insinuating he is washed up, irrelevant, and jealous — mad talk from someone who’s just called him part of the “big three.”
“Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic / Your second shit put niggas to sleep, but they gassed it / Your third shit was massive, and that was your prime / I was trailin’ right behind, and I just now hit mine / Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead / How ironic, soon as I got it, now he wants somethin’ with me.”
However, in a surprising move, Cole soon took himself out of it. At the Dreamville Festival in North Carolina just days later, Cole publically apologized on stage — not a common occurrence in the rap world. Calling it “the lamest shit [he] ever did in [his] f**king life,” he said that though the internet seemed to “want blood,” he didn’t. While the decision was met with an overall groan from fans and the rap community — tapping out of beef so soon made him look like he couldn’t handle the heat. However, now, it seems like Cole knew something Drake didn’t: when to quit.
At first, critics pointed to other times Kendrick has thrown shots. It didn’t have to be personal, they said, and a rap battle is distinct from rap beef. Rap battles are integral to the genre, and the fire is always friendly. But J Cole was soon proved right when Drake put his two cents in, and the battle went from a tiff about artistry to something increasingly more personal.
Drake v Kendrick, one on one
On April 19th, Drake released his first response: “Push Ups.” Its notable lyrics included digs on Kendrick’s height (even though short kings are up right now) and on his TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment) record deal — namely for making him do that verse on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood.”
The most incensed lyrics, however, were about Kendrick’s legacy. “What’s a prince to a king? He a son. / Get more love in the city that you from.” Drake implied that he was bigger physically and career-wise, “Sonning” Kendrick. But it was implying that Drake was more popular in the West Coast, where Kendrick is Regal, that really took this beef to another level.
Known for his “Back to Back” disses, Drake doubled down days later with “Taylor Made Freestyle” — with Swift catching strays again. The title implies that Kendrick pushed back his latest release out of fear of Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department and says that Taylor’s running the music industry (kinda true).
However, the song’s controversy doesn’t end there. Drake used AI to take on the voices of Kendrick’s West Coast idols and make more jokes about Lamar not being the “West Coast savior” he thinks he is. However, the Tupac Shakur Estate threatened to sue if Drake didn’t delete the track. For those counting at home, that’s two diss tracks wiped from the internet before Kendrick could even respond.
Still with me? This is where it really gets interesting.
“Euphoria” et al
Kendrick released “Euphoria” on April 30, 2024. One of the definitive two tracks from this feud, “Euphoria,” is a six-minute saga that essentially says you wanted to get personal? Let’s get personal. Up until this point, Kendrick’s jabs were about the music. But in “Euphoria,” he takes shots at everything imaginable about Drake: his fashion sense, his friends, his hip-hop credentials, and even his Blackness — saying no one wants to hear him say the N-Word anymore.
The more hateful the bar, the better. The most-quoted lyrics were even a reference to a DMX interview about Drake from a few years ago, implying that hip-hop legends don’t respect Drake or his posturing. “It’s always been about love and hate, now let me say I’m the biggest hater,” he said before going on a tirade that put all other haters to bed and crowned Kendrick the biggest hater ever. “I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress / I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it’s gon’ be direct / We hate the bitches you fuck ’cause they confuse themself with real women / And notice, I said “we,” it’s not just me, I’m what the culture feeling.”
Early in the morning 3 days later, Kendrick released another track: “6:16 in LA.” This song is about OVO, Drake’s team and brand, and how there might be disloyalty in the ranks. He rapped: “Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me?/ Fake bully, I hate bullies / You must be a terrible person/ Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it/Can’t Toosie Slide up out of this one, it’s just gon’ resurface.”
Hours later, Drake responded to the claims about his team with claims about Lamar’s family in “Family Matters.” This, again, took the beef to another level. He made claims about infidelity and even domestic abuse in Kendrick’s relationship. While the jury is still out on whether or not these claims are true (Kendrick denied them), like anything, words are about impact, not intent. And these words got Kendrick riled up.
Now that they were talking about family, literally minutes later Kendrick released “Meet the Grahams”, making good on the line in “Euphoria”: “Don’t tell lies about me, and I won’t tell no truths about you.” He confirms that this beef won’t end with an apology, though it started with one. It’s for life. Petty king. “F**ck a rap battle, this a lifelong battle with yourself,” he raps.
“Not Like Us”: The Finisher
And in quick succession, Kendrick released the defining song of the beef — a real contender for song of the summer. “Not Like Us” compares Drake’s OVO crew to Kendrick’s West Coast crew, specifically calling them sex offenders. The cover art is an aerial photo of Drake’s Toronto hellscape of a mansion with a cluster of sex offender symbols over it. Scathing. Humiliating. And when the lyric of the summer is about your penchant for grooming young women? How will Drizzy ever recover?
He put in a valiant effort with his next track, “The Heart Pt. 6.” He came back at Kendrick’s family and even asserted that he’d fed Kendrick false information — a goofy move for a goofy man. But maybe it would’ve worked the way he wanted if not for “Not Like Us.” As it was, there was nothing he could say to top that. Kendrick was at his most spiteful, most hateful, and most talented. And the song became an instant anthem. What could Drake really do about that?
Kendrick won. Now he’s on his victory lap
For a minute, rap fans were divided. With each new track showcasing the rappers at their best, some were divided about who was winning. From the salacious revelations to the actual bars, everyone was talking about the beef and what it meant. But after the release of “Not Like Us,” even Drake fans had to agree that their man was cooked.
Even worse, they started playing “Not Like Us” and “Euphoria” on the radio. That’s how you know you’ve lost a rap battle: they play one person’s songs on repeat but never spin yours. And these were serious plays. Serious enough that “Not Like Us” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and “Euphoria” climbed to No. 3. Two songs of the summer? Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar behavior — our short stars!
And if that weren’t enough, “Not Like Us” might even win a Grammy. When TMZ asked Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. about the track, the music mogul said: “That’s a relevant record that’s impacting on so many levels. So much creativity and talent.”
All summer, I’ve been saying that if I were Olivia Rodrigo, I’d be sick seeing the girl who stole my boyfriend top the charts with the most infectious songs of the summer (Sabrina supremacy … hope Olivia gets her driver’s license or whatever that song was about). Similarly, if I were Drake, I’d be ill at the thought that a song so scathing was doing numbers on the charts. Especially since Drake is used to sitting pretty at No.1 in the summer. Sorry, man, not this year.
The significance of Kendrick’s Pop Out show
We’ve established that Kendrick Lamar is the most petty person that ever exists. So it should have been no surprise when he announced a show in Los Angeles on Juneteenth. To double down on the fact that, despite Drake’s claims, he does get love from his city, he dedicated the night to the West Coast by bringing out, you guessed it, his friends.
With the Pop Out concert, Lamar proved that the feud wasn’t just about taking personal shots, it was about territories. Teams. Friends. And the love you get from your city. After his status as the definitive West Coast rapper was challenged and his ties to his city were questioned, Kendrick Lamar brought out not just West Coast artists but also united members from rival gangs on stage. It was an incredible show of unity and the power of culture on Juneteenth. But imagine being Drake, and people are literally ending beef just to dance on your grave? And to make matters worse, it’s streamed live online for the world to see?
The show — and the rap beef in general — was also about proving how embedded in Black culture Kendrick is, as opposed to Drake, according to his claims. It was ultimately about the difference between pop versus rap. Pop, where Drake falls, according to Kendrick, is about individuality and topping charts. That’s why all of Drake’s shots were about making hits and having a lot of fans. Kendrick even let him have his flowers for that on “Euphoria,” saying: “I like Drake with the melodies, I don’t like Drake when he act tough.” Hop-hop, as Kendrick demonstrated, is about the culture. “This ain’t been about critics, not about gimmicks, not about who the greatest,” he continues.
And Kenny is not the only person in the hop-hop community who feels that way. In January, Yasiin Bey — the rapper formerly known as Mos Def — called Drake a pop artist, not a hip-hop artist. In later statements, he clarified his critique but didn’t retract it, saying: “I require more of myself and others than just talent or charm or charisma — particularly in times of urgent crisis.” As a rapper who was prominent during the 90s and early 2000s, Bey sees the artform as connective, capable of having an impact outside of a club or Target shopping aisle. “What I would like to see, in terms of creators or creative people in the world as it relates to our culture, is for people to connect with us beyond the jukebox or the dance floor.”
Kendrick’s impact has always been felt in his music. From showcasing the realities of life in Compton in Section.80 to analyzing the cultural impact of gang violence in good kid, m.A.A.d city, and talking about Black culture in To Pimp A Butterfly, his music, videos, and performances are always reflective of Black culture and life. The Pop-Out Show showed he walked the walk, too.
Until it didn’t.
The only flaw of Kendrick’s Pop Out show: Why Dr. Dre complicates Kendrick’s legacy
There are two main headlines from The Pop Out: Ken & Friends show. The first was how Kendrick broke the record for how many times he played the same song in succession. To close the show, he played “Not Like Us” not once, not twice, but FIVE times in a row. He’s petty! He’s a hater!
During the course of the show, and including during the encores, he also brought out West Coast artists to show his connection to his city. The surprise guest list included: YG, Tyler, The Creator, Roddy Ricch, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, Russell Westbrook, ScHoolboy Q, Steve Lacy, Mustard, and Tommy the Clown.
However, one surprise guest tarnished the legacy and made a hypocrite out of Kendrick. Dr. Dre. Kendrick brought out Dr. Dre to perform one of his songs. Introducing Dre, he said: “It’s only right that we start from day one, you know? So where would we be without our legends?”
However, although Dre was a fixture in 90s California rap, his legacy has become problematic over the last few decades. Dr. Dre has been accused by multiple women of physical assault, from writer Dee Barnes in 1991 to singer Michel’le, who was in an abusive relationship with Dre between 1990-1996. This is extra ironic because Kendrick uses a sample from Michel’le in “Like That,” but is still platforming her abuser? Rightfully, critics have pointed out this hypocrisy in the wake of spending all that time on his diss tracks rapping about the abusers in Drake’s circle.
Bringing out Dre complicated the entire message of the Pop Out. Does solidarity only exist for Black men? Does calling out abuse only matter when it’s to knock someone down a peg — not to actually hold anyone accountable or get justice? At the end of the day, what good is a community gathering that celebrates Black culture when it’s still invested in some of the same toxic protections of misogynoir?
While I’ll still be playing “Not Like Us” for what it stands for, I will continue to hope that Kendrick takes his own words to heart so I can more wholly celebrate his victory.
Each new song is claiming to be the song of the summer. This is not random TikTok singers doing their obligatory self-promo with the tried-and-true hook: “Did I just write the song of the summer?” But don’t blame them. Blame the labels that are vying for a number-one hit. Blame TikTok for making songs viral overnight. Or blame each and every one of us who exclaims “song of the summer!” whenever our favorite songs come on the radio. There’s even a Spotify playlist power ranking all of this years contenders.
Everyone’s seeking the perfect summer soundtrack. I make a new playlist once time April hits (overeager, I know) with all the songs I have on repeat for the season. It ranges from UK Drill to Alt-Pop bangers. If you don’t have Central Cee and Clairo playing back-to-back this summer, what are you even doing?
But yet, come summer one song stands out as the song of the season. It’s the song that’s on everyone’s mind and everyone’s playlist. It’s the song everyone requests at parties, that plays every hour on the hour at the club, and the song we find ourselves humming mindlessly at the pool and on the beach.
Some years, it’s obvious. But this year, we’re spoiled for choice.
Dare I say it: we’re having a Summer 2016 Replay. For Gen Z and younger Millennials, Summer 2016 has taken a mythical quality online. Fall and Winter were when everything started to go wrong — some even say the killing of Harambe that May was the catalyst to all the ceaseless tragedy that’s happened since. If you’d told us then what the world would look like now, I would not have believed you. It was the rise before the fall. It was a summer of possibility, incredulity. And it was a summer of really good music.
Leading up to Summer 2016, we had new albums from Beyonce ( Lemonade), Rihanna (ANTI, her last project), Drake (Views), Justin Bieber (Purpose), and Ariana Grande (Dangerous Woman). Those albums gave us summer hits like “Sorry,” “Work,” “One Dance,” “Controlla,” “Love Yourself,” “Into You,” and so. Much. More. Not to mention, right at the end of summer, Frank Ocean finally dropped “Blonde” and changed music forever. He ushered in the genre-less, experimental sound to mainstream music and is on the inspo board of everyone you love, I promise.
The radio was also blasting singles that still get regular play at clubs. Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill In Ibiza,” “This is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa’s first hit “Hotter than Hell,” “Cheap Thrills” by Sia, and “Panda” by Desiigner. Doesn’t that take you back?
Since then, no other summer has matched the vibes and the soundtrack of Summer 16. Last summer was the summer of cinema — with OppenBarbie taking over the box office and the planet. It was the summer of the girl, too. But summer 2024 is promising to have it all.
The summer festival circuit is in full swing with lineups that people are actually excited about and performances that are making and reigniting stars. Chappell Roan at Coachella blasted her way to success, going from a niche, “gay famous” singer to a mainstream hitmaker. Lana Del Rey is so back in a big way after headlining Coachella with a special appearance from Billie Eilish. Billie released her best album yet, full of summer bangers and ballads alike.
But we can’t talk about Summer 16 without talking about Sabrina Carpenter. “Espresso” has been sitting pretty at the top of the charts since spring. It’s everyone’s hyperfixation song. It’s been played and played and I’m not even close to tired of it. While Sabrina has been writing music for years, her 2023 album emails I can’t send has been a gamechanger for her career. Her mainstream success was slowly climbing with hits like “Nonsense” and “Feather” but nothing can compare to the level of fame she’s seeing in the wake of “Espresso.”
Out of nowhere, the lead single from her upcoming album became the unexpected song of pre-summer. But as we head into the season’s later months, can it keep up its momentum? Only time will tell. We’re spoiled for choice this summer with a bevy of hits from artists of every genre. Of course there are expected summer stars like Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Post Malone, but other more surprising contenders are vying for the Song of the Summer Title.
Here’s what we think of all of summer’s most infectious songs:
Espresso — Sabrina Carpenter
The perfect summer anthem. “Espresso” is a feel-good bop that I can listen to on repeat. I doubt I’ll ever get tired of it — no wonder it won’t exit the Billboard chart. The only thing keeping it from being the definite song of the summer is that it came out in early Spring. But don’t worry, Miss Sabrina has more than one card up her sleeve.
Please, Please, Please — Sabrina Carpenter
After announcing her next album, Sabrina released her latest single, “Please, Please, Please,” alongside the video with her boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. “Don’t embarrass me, motherf*cker,” she croons in the song — talk about relatable. Taking a different tone than “Espresso” but no less infectious, Sabrina’s close-to-Country crooning displays that she’s a versatile star who won’t be banging out versions of the same song forever.
I Had Some Help — Post Malone ft Morgan Wallen
Speaking of Country Music, Post Malone’s country era is going swimmingly for the former-rapper with his new song, “I Had Some Help,” featuring Country star Morgan Wallen. Post Malone is no stranger to songs of the summer with hits like 2017’s “Congratulations,” 2019’s “Circles,” and his Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse song “Sunflower” in 2019. This summer, he’s switching up genres but still racking up streams. Be prepared to hear this at every barbecue, beach house, or lake house or this summer.
II Most Wanted — Beyonce and Miley Cyrus
When Beyonce released her own Country album, it came with the infectious hit, “TEXAS HOLD EM.” The song’s opening line, “This ain’t Texas,” was on the tip of my tongue for months. Now that the album’s finally out, the surprising hit is her unexpected collaboration with Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted.” Miley had the song of the summer last year with “Flowers” and teaming up with Beyonce on this emotional ballad is pure magic.
Nasty — Tinashe
Tinashe has been toiling for years aiming for a hit, and now she finally has one. A true TikTok song, this summer anthem went viral in a hilarious video of TikTok user Nate Di Winer when he posted a video of himself dancing to Hey Choppi’s “Blind.” Tinashe took the video’s success, overlaid her own video and audio over it, and it went crazy-crazy-viral. The rest is history. Now it’s a sneaky, sleeper hit of the summer. And the TikTok sound “I’ve been a nasty girl” is sure to outlive it and head into the golden days of Autumn — at least.
Million Dollar Baby — Tommy Richman
We can’t talk about TikTok songs without mentioning Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby”. No, not the 2004 brutal boxing film starring Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. It’s a viral hit that instantly became an earworm. Who is Tommy Richman, you might ask? The 24-year-old singer and rapper is brand new to the scene — and what a debut. I wish it really was 2016 so everyone’s Instagram captions could be “Million Dollar Baby.” Simpler times.
Too Sweet — Hozier
TikTok is also responsible for Hozier’s first #1 hit in the US. Hozier’s been bringing his Irish accent-tinged voice to the charts since his massive debut single, “Take Me to Church.” But it took a post-album EP to skyrocket him to #1. After releasing Unreal, Unearth in late 2023, Hozier dropped a 4-song EP this April with some extras that didn’t make the album. And thank goodness he didn’t let these songs languish because “Too Sweet” is the folksy summer anthem we need.
Good Luck Babe! — Chappell Roan
The gays won with this song. Chappell Roan has been belting out her ballads and bops of yearning since her extended album promotion in 2020. Finally, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, her debut album came out in late 2023 but it took until her 2024 single “Good Luck Babe!” to get people to tune in. But now that the masses are listening, they cannot stop. This unapologetically queer hit has transcended the gay pop genre and is a chart-topping summer anthem for all of us entering our eras of yearning.
LUNCH — Billie Eilish
Speaking of unapologetically queer, this new Billie Eilish era is unmatched. Billie’s brand-new album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, is a masterpiece and already gaining Grammy buzz. Album of the Year? Probably. And she deserves it. She traverses genres and moods with this album, managing to create a sound that’s refreshingly unique and a album that feels cohesive despite its leaps and bounds. “LUNCH” is the sapphic song of my dreams, and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is a pop ballad that shows her range and her ability to create pop songs that last forever. [Read our full review of HIT ME HARD AND SOFThere.]
Cinderella — Remi Wolf
Remi will always be on my summer playlist so it’s exciting to hear her getting mainstream play. “Me and the boys in the hotel lobby,” is an infectious hook. And paired with her belting the chorus, it’s a textured song that I want to scream along to in my car with the windows down. [Read out interview with Remi Wolf at Spotify’s Lorem party here.]
Houdini — Dua Lipa
Queen of Vacationing. Queen of Red Carpets. Formerly, Queen of Summer. After 2017’s “New Rules” made her a certified pop girl, and “Levitating” was the post-covid anthem, we all expected Dua to have the Song of the Summer with hits from her latest album, Radical Optimism. Although hits like “Houdini” and “Training Season” have charted moderately well, they didn’t seem to stick. The vibes are good though, earning them a spot on my summer playlist despite everyone falling asleep on the job.
Houdini — Eminem
While Dua’s “Houdini” remains in the middle of the charts, Eminem’s return to music with his song, “Houdini” is climbing up the charts. It debuted at number #2 and is reaching for #1. This is his best showing on the charts in over a decade and bodes well for his upcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). The song is classic Slim Shady controversy bait. If cancel culture were actually real, Shady would be canceled for this one for sure — there’s a line about Megan Thee Stallion being shot (can rappers leave her alone?) and calling everything “gay.” But it’s catchy so it’s definitely going to stay in the charts for a while.
Not Like Us — Kendrick Lamar
By far, the most buzz-worthy rap hit is Kenrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” One of the final songs in the weeks-long saga that was his beef with Drake, it’s the final nail in the Drizzy coffin. You know you lost a rap war when one of the diss tracks becomes the song of the summer. Ouch!
BAND4BAND — Central Cee, Lil Baby
Wanna know who else is beefing? The US and UK rap scenes. The collaboration from Central Cee and Lil Baby isn’t bringing the two countries together, but tearing them apart. Each side is claiming their country carried the song. The British claim Lil Baby doesn’t sound as tough or “hard” as Cench, while Americans are making TikToks dancing to Cench’s verse in Bridgerton-like garb. I just want everyone to have fun. After Central Cee teamed up with Dave for my personal favorite song of last summer, “Sprinter,” they could never make me hate him.
places to be — Fred Again.. Ft Anderson .Paak and CHIKA
I wanna hear this at the club. I wanna hear this on a rooftop. I wanna hear this while sprinting through a field or rolling down a hill or doing something else to fix my inner child. “places to be” is fun, refreshing, and sounds like the endless possibilities of summer. [Read our review of Fred Again..’s Stanford show here.]
Social media is ABLAZE over Kendrick Lamar’s now-legendary ‘The Pop Out: Ken & Friends‘ show on Juneteenth that brought out everybody from Dr. Dre to LeBron James for a monumental night that will reverberate though Hip-Hop history forever.
Moments later, Kenny reunited with his TDE fam Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock onstage and performed his “6:16 In LA” Drake diss before bringing out West coast legend Dr. Dre to join the celebration.
Dr. Dre performed “Still D.R.E” and “California Love” before commemorating the moment EVERYBODY was waiting for.
In thee moment of all moments, Kendrick blew the roof off the Kia Forum with his first-ever performance of “Not Like Us” that sent the whole entire internet into a FRENZY.
Not only did Kendrick perform the diss for the first time, he did it at least SIX times just in case a certain Canadian didn’t hear it the first five times.
“Y’all ain’t gonna let anyone disrespect the West Coast or mock our legends” -Kendrick Lamar pic.twitter.com/iz6w01UrZt
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 20, 2024
During the show’s finale, Kendrick celebrated the unity that Los Angeles showed on Juneteenth in a beautiful moment that showed why he’s one of the greatest to ever do it.
“Let the world see this, for all of us to be on this stage together, unity, from East side–LA, Crips, Bloods, Piru, this is special,” he said. “We put this together just for ya’ll.”
What was your fave moment of the Pop Out? Tell us down below and peep the funniest, wildest, and pettiest tweets, memes, and videos from Kendrick’s star-studded Pop Out on the flip.
Do you remember a few years ago when everyone was wearing their gigantic Anthropologie initial necklaces? You could see the emboldened Scarlet Letter from a mile away. Everyone who was anyone had one…but quickly, they cycled out of style. Mine still remains in my archives, collecting dust as a relic in my jewelry cabinet.
Every two years or so, there’s a new form of the Anthropologie initial necklace that surfaces. Suddenly, we are all super proud of our initials. Since my name is essentially pronounced like a letter, I’m wearing my name loud and proud.
There was the monogram trend that went hand-in-hand with Lily Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines. Your initials emblazoned on any surface: sheets, towels, bags, and of course, necklaces.
Yes, the trend may die but the idea remains the same. And look I get it, an initial necklace seemingly should never go out of style…because it’s an homage to your name. However, we tend to get overzealous with trends…and these initial necklaces are far from simple.
Which is why I cringed internally when I saw Hailey Bieber donning a diamond-encrusted, bubble-letter, initial necklace. I knew what was coming. I got war flashbacks to girls flocking the necklace stand at Anthro. Going from store to store just to find their initials. Chills.
What is the Hailey Bieber Initial Necklace, you ask?
Hailey is a minimalist in her style – often layering thin gold bangles with chains and simple diamonds. Which is what made this necklace stand out in the first place. She’s now accessorizing her cool “It Girl” style with a huge necklace. But doesn’t it also kind of remind you of a chain a football player would wear pregame?
Bieber isn’t known for her endzone celebrations, however. She’s known for her trends and her fashion (and also her husband). And, actually, she designed this herself.
Alex Moss, a New York-based jewelry designer whose brand has skyrocketed since his 2020 opening, is the genius behind the design. He’s crafted pieces for A$AP Rocky and Drake, but when Hailey came to Moss for her design – it wasn’t even a glema in his eye yet. He says,
“I have to give Hailey all the credit for the idea of the B,” explains the jeweler. “She told me her vision of a bubble letter; I thought of it like an inflatable birthday balloon.”
And that’s not all. Alex Moss then proceeded to design a similar styled “J” ring that Hailey often sports. The same bubble letters, the same diamonds, everything.
I can already see it now: jewelry brand after jewelry brand mass producing copies of Hailey’s initial necklace…because anything Hailey touches turns into a sell-out trend. In fact, when you Google “Hailey Bieber initial necklace”, there are already a few dupes on the market.
But I’m here to be your voice of reason. You don’t need the gaudy initial necklace just because Hailey has it. Please.
Look, I’ll speak for myself to make it make sense: I don’t know how to style this necklace to make it work for everyday wear. It’s ginormous, gargantuan, capacious, sizable, ample, tremendous, and astronomic. It takes up half of Hailey’s chest. You can barely see what she’s wearing past that huge piece.
It’s good for Hailey Bieber, but maybe not so doable for the non-Nepo Babies like us.
Timeless Initial Necklaces That Aren’t Hailey’s
I know we all want to be as glamorous as Hailey, but sometimes less is more…especially when you can’t afford the real deal Alex Moss necklace that she sports. And, if you purchase something a bit more muted, you’re guaranteed a timeless piece that won’t make you cringe in a few months time.
If you’re looking for an initial necklace revival, here are a few of my fave unostentatious picks:
Brook and York Mackenzie Birthstone Initial Pendant – I love this because it’s wholeheartedly you. Both your birthstone and your initial stamp will give you something that no one else has. Plus, I love how dainty it is.
Kendra Scott Inline Initial Necklace – Unique, but not taking away from your outfit. This will give you something different that you can easily layer with other necklaces.
Kendra Scott Diamond Letter Initial Necklace – Diamonds are a girl’s best friend…and if you liked the sparkle from Hailey’s necklace, this will give you a nice fix without overdoing it.
Abbott Lyon Double Initial Crystal Necklace – Something different, yet still fun – having both of your initials overlapping. It’s classy and I haven’t seen many people wearing it yet. A bonus.
Abbott Lyon Initial Necklace –One of my favorites because of its simplicity…yet something about the font and design makes it simply singular.
In one widely shared video, a high school English instructor who goes by @stillateacher on TikTok says that her formerly Drake-devoted students are convinced that Lamar has won the dramatic, weekslong lyrical feud.
“They were ready to throw down for Kendrick,” the teacher says in the clip. “I have students who hate reading who are doing the most meticulous close reading of these lyrics that I have ever seen. They’re finding subtle quadruple-entendres [in Lamar’s work] and explaining them eloquently to their peers.”
(To be fair, Lamar has a leg up; in 2018, the Compton, California, rapper ― known for his dynamic wordplay and thematically rich albums ― became the first artist from a genre other than jazz or classical to earn a Pulitzer Prize for music.)
In southern Georgia, Kaitlyn Lee’s ninth grade class in English language arts, or ELA, is also highly plugged into the Drake-Lamar rap beef.
“We have a fairly informal classroom culture, and I encourage discussion about current topics so that we can see how ELA applies to them,” Lee told HuffPost. “They’ve had some strong opinions on how both artists have approached each other, as well as the allegations about Drake’s personal life.”
A quick study, Lee has tried to squeeze some literary lessons out of her student’s enthusiasm. For example, the class recently dissected one particular lyric from Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
“Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” is a triple-entendre, Lee explained to her class, playing on musical theory and Drake’s biracial background ― the key of A minor has no sharps or flats, meaning it’s comprised of only white piano keys and no black ones ― while also referencing the allegations that Drake had inappropriate relationships with underage girls, which he denied on a track of his own.
Prince Williams/Rick Kern/Getty Images
Kim Randolph, a seventh grade honors English teacher in Denton, Texas, said that her class is very into the beef between Drake and Lamar. “Middle schoolers love drama, so this is right up their alley,” she joked.
“This is bringing poetry to life in a way that my students can relate and connect to,” Lee said.
Of course, the English teacher has one caveat and a reminder for her students when they discuss the feud: Violence and confrontation are never the best options, and “some of this rap battle is probably for clout and publicity.”
Still, she said, a good teaching moment is a good teaching moment.
Other English instructors have seized on their Swiftie students’ excitement over “The Tortured Poets Department,” an album that leans into its literariness with references to Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and songwriter-poet Patti Smith.
Kim Randolph, a seventh grade honors English teacher in Denton, Texas, is a Swiftie through and through, as are many of her students. On release day for “The Tortured Poets Department,” she let her class listen to the album as they worked independently.
“The boys immediately latched on to ‘Fortnight,’ but only because they were thinking of Fortnite the game,” Randolph said. “But that led us into a fun conversation about the word ‘fortnight’ and where they might encounter it in the real world.”
They’ve also used the album to explore examples of figurative language: the metaphors in “Fortnight” (“All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless February”), similes in the album’s title track (“I scratch your head, you fall asleep, like a tattooed golden retriever”), and imagery in “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” (“I’m queen of sandcastles he destroys”).
Randolph’s class is into the beef between Lamar and Drake, too. “Middle schoolers love drama, so this is right up their alley,” she joked.
Katherine Mummert teaches ELA for grades nine through 12 at an alternative high school in Marshalltown, Iowa. Two years ago, she started teaching a seminar course for 12th grade students titled “Taylor Swift and 19th Century Literature: A Comparison of Themes.” In the class, they treat Swift’s discography as poetry and find parallels in her lyrics with Victorian-era poets like Robert Browning.
“We watch her live performances and music videos and read through the lyrics line by line,” Mummert told HuffPost. “Once we have a grasp on what Swift’s intended message is, we look at a piece of literature from the 19th century that discusses the same thematic topics.”
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Swift — pictured here delivering a 2022 commencement address at New York University — writes lyrics that are great teaching tools for lessons on figurative language, educators say.
A real crowd favorite is the song “No Body, No Crime” and the accompanying text “Porphyria’s Lover” by Browning.
Mummert thinks teens have been deep-diving into the lyrics of their favorite pop songs since the dawn of the genre; it’s only now that teachers and professors are beginning to “give credibility” to the pastime.
Today, there are even college classes devoted to the study of Swift’s lyrics. One of Harvard’s latest English courses, Taylor Swift and Her World, is taught by professor Stephanie Burt, a literary critic, poet and massive Swiftie.
Burt told HuffPost that she’s excited to see music fans getting so obsessive and nerdy about some of the more absorptive pop works of late: deciphering Lamar’s Drake takedowns line by line on the website Genius, for instance, or looking for Easter eggs and allusions to past work in Swift’s growing catalog. Podcasts like “Dissect” and “Song Exploder” pick apart lyrics and artists’ oeuvres just like an advanced college English class would.
“I recommend close-reading songs; otherwise we’re not doing the songs justice,” Burt told HuffPost. “‘Close reading’ is really just a name for sustained attention to a work of art that uses words.”
Lamar and Swift — pictured here at the 2016 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles — have been discussed heavily in middle school and high school English classes throughout the country.
Brian Mooney is an assistant professor of education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, but he used to teach English at High Tech High School in North Bergen, New Jersey.
Back in 2015, when Lamar released “To Pimp a Butterfly,” Mooney’s freshman English class explored the album as a text in conversation with Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye.”
Mooney and his class considered the “Black is beautiful” cultural movement of the 1970s while making contemporary connections to Lamar’s album in a way that he says deepened their study of both.
“My students were surprised at the thematic similarities, including ideas about mental health, white beauty standards, racism and internalized oppression,” Mooney told HuffPost.
“In some ways, my students weren’t surprised that we studied a hip-hop album because it was really no different than studying Shakespeare,” he said. “It was just as complex, provocative and intellectually rigorous, but in a way that affirmed their cultures, identities and lived experiences.”
Mooney put his students’ essays, as well as their Lamar- and Morrison-inspired art, on a blog that made its way to the rapper’s camp, which led Lamar to drop by Mooney’s classroom. NPR made a short doc about his visit that’s well worth a watch.
“When Kendrick visited our classroom, he really came to learn from my students,” the professor said. “He listened closely to their writing, responded thoughtfully to their ideas and became part of our learning community.”
Not surprisingly, the kids were bowled over by Lamar’s appearance and how much he took away from them.
“I remember one student reflecting on the visit who said that if a random person walked into my classroom that day, they wouldn’t have been able to tell who was the teacher, who were the students and who was the Grammy award-winning rapper,” Mooney said. “It broke down those walls, which is what great teaching often does.”
Ultimately, Mooney believes that educators have a responsibility to keep up with youth culture because it’s where their students are deeply immersed. He’s happy to see so many teachers and professors finding fresh and interesting ways to center pop music, especially when it comes to hip-hop — arguably the largest youth culture movement of the past 50 years.
“We have to remember that we don’t just teach content. We teach human beings within social, cultural and political contexts,” Mooney said. “I believe that in order for students to learn, they need to know their teachers care about them, their lives, their interests and their passions.”
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Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we’ll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can’t find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
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Kendrick Lamar can officially take his victory lap as “Not Like Us” debuts at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The performance Kendrick Lamar displayed over the last six weeks will be discussed and studied far beyond his time. When it comes to hip-hop beef, he showed that when they go low, he’ll take it straight to hell. What was supposed to be a friendly altercation between him and Drake turned personal rather quickly, and thanks to a well-planned strategy, Kendrick came out victorious.
According to Forbes, Kendrick’s last response “Not Like Us” exploded across the United States like wildfire coming in at #1 on the Billboard Top 100.
Kung Fu Kenny out Drake’d Drake delivering a certified hit that could eventually end up being the song of the summer. Reportedly Kendrick knocked all his songs out in one session while recording a new album. If true this battle showed how many pockets he could hit flaming anticipation for his new project.
Also “Euphoria” his first response in the battle jumped to #3 on the Billboard charts.
Looking back it’s almost unbelievable his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” became a full-fledged battle that saw J. Cole wave the white flag. One thing about hip-hop it will always be exciting and no matter how good it gets the most exciting times are always ahead.
(CNN) — While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
“Nobody won the war,” he wrote. “This wasn’t about skill. This was a wrestling match level mudslinging and takedown by any means necessary — women & children (& actual facts) be damned.”
Drake and Lamar have engaged in a lyrical battle in recent weeks, releasing “diss tracks” against each other that include personal and professional jabs that have fueled online debate among their fans.
Social media leaned into the drama with memes and hot takes about who “won.”
But Questlove appeared to take a darker attitude about it.
“Same audience wanting blood will soon put up ‘RIP’ posts like they weren’t part of the problem,” he wrote in is note. “Hip hop truly is dead.”
Questlove disabled the feature that allows for comments on his post.
Related
Lisa Respers France is a senior writer for CNN’s entertainment team, former host of the “Lisa’s Desk” franchise and author of the “Pop Life Chronicles” newsletter.
When R3HAB and Jason Derulo first stitched their music together on their first collab, they knew they had something special. Six years ago, two idols in their respective genres decided that not only could they make good music together with R3HAB’s remix of Derulo’s “Goodbye”…but they instantly understood this was the start of a lasting relationship where they’d create hit after hit for years.
Two years later in 2020, R3HAB hopped on Derulo’s “Take You Dancing” for another official remix…and then again in 2024, he hopped on “Spicy Margarita.” Now, we have the first official original release from Jason Derulo and R3HAB with their sexy pop-dance record, “Animal.”
“Animal” is the perfect song to dance to with your friends this summer. When you pair Jason Derulo’s dreamy vocals with R3HAB’s proven ability to create a hit house track, you know you have a masterpiece on your hands. You can listen to the track here:
For the past 15 years, R3HAB has honed his craft and seemingly perfected the art of the remix. He’s breathed new life into songs by the biggest artists in the world: Rihanna, Drake, Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris, Sia, and many, many more. And it’s not because of luck, R3HAB has spent years perfecting his style of progressive house music.
He has a discography that most artists can only dream of…and as time goes on, he shocks listeners with new production styles that will always be replay-worthy. His innovation in production and creating music is what makes him special, a highly revered DJ in the industry who can twist any old track into a club-worthy dance bop.
R3HAB’s accolades go far beyond his official remix stamps- he’s a dynamic live performer who plays some of the biggest festivals in the world to crowds of tens of thousands, he garnered 1 billion streams on Spotify in 2023 alone, and deservedly is #14 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJ List.
But the thing about R3HAB is that this isn’t the end of his career by any means. He continues to wow his audience with every new release, every live performance, and every remix. There’s no sign of stopping R3HAB.
After his release of “Animal,” I got the chance to speak with R3HAB about his iconic career and the creation of the track. Check it out below!
PD: Congratulations on “Animal” with Jason Derulo! This is your fourth collaboration together…how did you two start working together?
Jason and I have had a great run with remixes over the last six years, starting with “Goodbye” with David Guetta and Nicki Minaj. Our musical styles complement each other well, so we followed up with my remix of “Take You Dancing.” Since then, we’ve been trying to find the right record.
PD: “Animal” is the first new record you two have done together. How did you two end up making the record?
We tossed ideas back and forth for a long time until we landed on “Animal.” We instantly felt this song would be a perfect match for Jason’s pop style and my dance production.
PD: You’ve performed at some major festivals like Coachella and Tomorrowland. What are your favorite tracks to perform live?
I love to play unreleased music, there’s a special feeling about bringing a record fresh off the press after a long studio session and seeing the crowd react to it. Contrasting the new energy, I always enjoy including some R3HAB classics like “Karate”, “Flashlight” or “Tiger”.
PD: You’ve been massively successful in your remixes…with official mixes for Rihanna, Drake, Taylor Swift, and more. What’s your production process like when going into a remix?
Every song tells a different story and as a remixer my goal is to find a new way to tell it without ruining it (laughs). My production process relies on a selection of sounds from the original record and landing on the first idea, which is fundamental for the remix. I always make sure there’s a R3HAB electronic element attached to it.
PD: What’s one song you’d like to remix next or a collaboration you’d like to do?
I’ve been loving late 1990s / early 2000s records, and have a lot of fun incorporating them into current sonic ideas. Records like “All Around The World” and “Rock My Body” fit this concept. I love the way fans of the original song get to feel some nostalgia while making new memories.
PD: What’s next for you this year?
Festival season has just begun and I’m really hyped for the summer shows around the corner. I’ve been working on a lot of new music and can’t wait to share it in the coming months. Stay tuned!
If you haven’t gotten “BBL Drizzy” out of your head, you can thank Metro Boomin — but you also need to thank King Willonius. Metro’s beat is a sped-up version of a ’70s-style R&B song that Willonius posted nearly a month earlier, inspired by Rick Ross accusing Drake of getting a Brazilian butt lift.Now, that song has become one of the bright spots in Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s beef after Metro challenged fans to freestyle over the track. (Drake should’ve been careful when he told Metro to “shut your ho ass up and make some drums.”) Even your mom might be singing along.
Willonius has been “trying to work just as hard as Kendrick” during the beef, writing and producing over a dozen songs inspired by the rappers trading bars. A comedian and songwriter, he makes the songs using artificial-intelligence software, feeding his lyrics and toggling with different prompts until he gets a product he likes. “When I first got introduced to tools like ChatGPT, it unlocked all my creativity,” he says. “Honestly, it felt like I had an advantage over a lot of my peers, just in the ability to create at warp speed.” Now, it’s helped him make his mark on hip-hop history. “Hope I get a BBL out of it. Nah, I’m joking.”
So Rick Ross first coined “BBL Drizzy.” What made you think, That’s a song? I mean, it was hilarious. Just the words “BBL Drizzy” is funny in itself. But I always had a history of anytime something was trending on Twitter/X, I would make a song and throw it on my SoundCloud. This time I put it on X, and it took off like wildfire. The timing of “BBL Drizzy” and the Drake-Kendrick beef being so polarizing, it was the perfect storm.
What is your process from writing to making the song with AI? Anytime I come up with lyrics, it is just thinking of a concept and thinking about what type of impact I want to have or story I want to tell. For “BBL Drizzy,” it was essentially a singer celebrating his BBL. Like, “Hey man, I got a BBL — I got the best BBL.” Instead of shaming somebody about having a BBL, let’s celebrate Drake for his BBL.
Then actually producing the song with AI, is that a lot of trial and error? How do you get to the final product? Yeah, a lot of trial and error, just going back and forth with the different prompts. I have a really great ear, so it’s just listening to the music once it’s done and being like, I don’t like this, then just keep reiterating the track until it’s something that I feel that people would enjoy. Then just keep tweaking it until you find what actually works. That particular track, I’ve done it in multiple different styles, country, Afrobeats, yacht rock, and it works in each one.
So how did you find out that Metro Boomin flipped this into a beat? I was leaving the Improv late at night; I think it was three o’clock in the morning. I just saw it on X, and I was like, Man, this is insane. Then people started calling me and texting me.
Do you think he did a good job with it? Yeah, he did an excellent job. I mean, it is going viral right now, man. I made the song back in early April, and it had this moment where it did its thing, then it kind of died down. Things don’t stay viral for very long. Then he came back and flipped it and now it’s massive. You got nuns dancing to it. It is taking on a whole life of its own.
What have been some of your favorite versions that you’ve seen? I like the dude playing the guitar. That was really dope. I liked the Indian dancer. The Duolingo TikTok was interesting. I’ve been working, so I haven’t seen a lot of the videos.
Metro eventually thanked you on X for the sample. Have you heard more from him since? Not much. He gave me a shout-out, so that was cool. It’s been a lot of people riding for me. Any time somebody posts the song, there’ll be people in the comments like, “Hey, that’s King Willonius who made that and wrote it.” That’s probably the biggest misconception with AI. People think that you can just throw a prompt in there and it’ll make a track like that, but like, AI doesn’t know about “thicker than a Snicker.” You’re not going to get lines like that from AI.
What did you think about Drake using AI of Tupac on “Taylor Made Freestyle”? Drake just opened up the floodgates. I think Drake gave permission for everybody to use AI. Prior to that, people that were making AI songs last year, it was kind of taboo. For the biggest rapper in the world to use AI to imitate one of the greatest rappers ever, a deceased rapper, I think anything goes now because of that.
Do you think Drake actually got a BBL? He’s rich enough that he could get it. I saw a TikTok with a doctor and he was saying that Drake got one, but who knows? I don’t know him. If he did, shout out to him, then he really is BBL Dizzy.
Between Drake versus Kendrick, who is winning right now? I would have to say Kendrick is winning. Drake’s last diss record, “The Heart Part 6,” just felt like a lackluster effort. He was like, “Yeah, okay, I’m kind of tired of this.” But if you look at the music that really moved the people, it was Kendrick’s music. Who knows how much was factual or not, but if you just look at the impact of the records, I think Kendrick did a lot more to change how we look at Drake. But at the end of the day, “BBL Drizzy” is the best song of the whole beef.
Drake Assures ‘He’s Okay’ After Security Guard Shot Outside Toronto Mansion, The incident involving a security guard being shot outside rapper Drake’s mansion in Toronto’s affluent Bridle Path neighborhood has sparked a police investigation. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, and left the security guard seriously wounded.
The guard was standing outside the gates of Drake’s property when he was shot by an unknown assailant, who then fled the scene in a vehicle. The security guard suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. It is currently unclear whether Drake was at home at the time of the shooting, but his team has been cooperating with the investigation.
Drake Assures ‘He’s Okay’ After Security Guard Shot Outside Toronto Mansion
This incident comes in the wake of an ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, with Lamar releasing diss tracks against Drake, including one that featured an aerial view of Drake’s mansion. The feud has escalated, with Lamar’s fans renaming parts of Drake’s neighborhood on Google Maps in response to the diss tracks. The shooting has not been linked to the feud, but it has added a new dimension to the tensions between the two artists.
Key Takeaways:
A security guard was shot outside Drake’s mansion in Toronto, leaving him seriously wounded.
The incident is under investigation, with Drake’s team cooperating with authorities.
The shooting occurred amid an ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, with Lamar’s diss tracks against Drake contributing to the tension.
The feud has escalated, with Lamar’s fans renaming parts of Drake’s neighborhood in response to the diss tracks.
Drake Assures ‘He’s Okay’ After Security Guard Shot Outside Toronto Mansion
On the morning of May 7, 2024, a significant incident unfolded outside the mansion of Canadian hip-hop artist Drake in Toronto, Canada. A security guard was reportedly shot, leading to a situation that has sparked concern and speculation among fans and the public alike. The incident occurred at Drake’s home, which has been cordoned off by police tape, indicating that the investigation is centered around this location.
The security guard, an adult male, was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The shooting took place early in the morning, and the assailant or assailants fled the scene in a vehicle. At the time of the incident, it was not confirmed whether Drake was present at his home. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Drake was injured or directly involved in the incident.
The Toronto Police Service has been actively investigating the shooting, with Inspector Paul Krawczyk stating that the authorities are in contact with Drake’s team and that they are fully cooperating. Krawczyk also mentioned that it is too early to speculate about a motive for the shooting, but he confirmed that a vehicle fled after the incident.
This incident comes amidst a high-profile feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has been making headlines. The feud escalated with Lamar’s track “Not Like Us,” which featured a satellite image of Drake’s mansion and included allegations against Drake. Drake responded with “The Heart Part 6,” denying the allegations and stating that he is “way too famous” to get away with such crimes.
The shooting has not only raised concerns about the safety of Drake and his security team but also highlighted the ongoing tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. The incident has sparked discussions about the impact of public feuds on the public’s perception of celebrities and the potential for such conflicts to escalate into violence.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Drake’s team has assured that he is okay, and the focus remains on the investigation into the incident. The public and media are closely following developments, with the incident serving as a stark reminder of the potential dangers that celebrities and their security teams face in the public eye.
A security guard working at Drake’s home in Toronto, Canada, has been shot, authorities said Tuesday.Inspector Paul Krawczyk said during a press conference that police were called to the home about 2 a.m. local time, where they found a wounded man who was taken to the hospital in serious condition.Authorities said the man was working outside the gate at the home when he was shot. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.Krawczyk declined to answer if Drake was in the residence at the time of the shooting, but said authorities are in touch with the artist’s team and they are cooperating.When asked by journalists if the shooting had anything to do with the recent feud Drake has been embroiled in with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar, Krawczyk said no motive has yet been determined. He added there were multiple suspects involved, who left in a vehicle. Police have video of the incident.CNN has reached out to representatives for Drake for comment.The lyrical battle between Drake and Lamar intensified recently as each released songs about the other, with personal and professional jabs.Representatives for Lamar were not immediately available.
CNN —
A security guard working at Drake’s home in Toronto, Canada, has been shot, authorities said Tuesday.
Inspector Paul Krawczyk said during a press conference that police were called to the home about 2 a.m. local time, where they found a wounded man who was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Authorities said the man was working outside the gate at the home when he was shot. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.
Krawczyk declined to answer if Drake was in the residence at the time of the shooting, but said authorities are in touch with the artist’s team and they are cooperating.
When asked by journalists if the shooting had anything to do with the recent feud Drake has been embroiled in with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar, Krawczyk said no motive has yet been determined. He added there were multiple suspects involved, who left in a vehicle. Police have video of the incident.
CNN has reached out to representatives for Drake for comment.
The lyrical battle between Drake and Lamar intensified recently as each released songs about the other, with personal and professional jabs.
Representatives for Lamar were not immediately available.
Toronto police say a security guard working outside the Bridle Path neighbourhood home of rap superstar Drake was seriously injured in a shooting early Tuesday morning.
Insp. Paul Krawczyk told reporters the shooting happened at around 2 a.m. outside of the gates of the Park Lane Circle home, which is near Bayview and Lawrence avenues.
“That person was working, apparently, as a security guard at the residence,” Krawczyk said.
“He was standing outside of the gates in front of the residence when the shooting occurred.”
Drake house shooting: Toronto Police confirm security guard shot, in serious condition
Krawczyk said he could not confirm if Drake was home at the time of the incident. He did note police are in contact “with his team” and that they are cooperating with investigators.
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The security guard was taken to hospital in serious condition, Krawczyk said.
Police have collected video evidence which captured the shooting, Krawczyk said, but noted he would not release any further details on suspects or a vehicle description because of “video quality issues.”
“As we have information and we’re able to analyze the video better, then we’ll be able to provide more information,” Krawczyk said.
He said “individuals” were seen in a vehicle but did not specify how many.
Police tape off Park Lane Circle in Toronto’s Bridle Path neighbhourhood on May 7, 2024.
Doug Gamey / Global News
The shooting comes amid an ongoing feud between Drake and rapper Kendrick Lamar, though Krawczyk would not comment if that had anything to do with Tuesday’s shooting.
“I am aware of what you’re talking about,” Krawczyk said.
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“But it is so early in the investigation that we don’t have a motive at this time. And so I cannot comment further on that.”
SHOOTING:(UPDATE) – occurred at a a residence on Park Lane Circle – the man shot was a security guard who was standing outside the gates, o/f of the home – the man remains in hospital – a vehicle fled the scene – anyone with info 416-808-2510 or Crime Stoppers#GO978573 ^sc
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 7, 2024
The track is over five minutes long and attempts to dispute several claims made by Lamar, 36, in his earlier raps targeting Drake, 37. Much of the response sees Drake deny grooming underage girls for sex, an allegation that has followed the rapper for years now.
So far, there’s been nine tracks released in the ongoing feud between Drake and Lamar — though Drake seemed to imply he’s growing tired of their back and forth, regardless of how enthusiastic their collective fanbases have been.
