Jay-Z Vs. Tony Buzbee: A Breakdown Of Rape Allegations, Lawsuit & More

Jay-Z has ascended to the top of hip-hop and broke barriers, opening the doors for those who’ve followed him and eventually, earning the title of hip-hop’s first official billionaire. For the most part, he’s managed to maintain a relatively near and tidy image. He’s gone on to achieve things that most wouldn’t have imagined were possible within a lifetime.

However, Hov hasn’t gone through his career without criticism or backlash. The latest allegations against him are appalling, for lack of better terms. A newly amended lawsuit against Diddy accuses the 55-year-old Brooklyn native of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The lawsuit, filed by Tony Buzbee, claims that she was drugged at a VMA afterparty when she was hardly a teenager and woke up to being sexually assaulted by Diddy and Jay-Z. Though his name was initially redacted as “Celebrity A” in the initial filing, the recent amendment has spotlighted Jay-Z in unflattering ways. The rapper has since denied all of the claims against him.

Read More: Jay-Z’s Explosive Allegations Send Social Media Spiraling

Background 

Though the lawsuit initially focused on Diddy’s alleged wrongdoings, the amended file lists Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter as a defendant. It states that around September 7th, 2000, a friend of the then 13-year-old Plaintiff drove her to Radio City Music Hall in New York City where MTV hosted their annual Music Video Awards. Doe said she arrived at the venue where crowds surrounded artists and celebrities until the show began. At that point, she remained outside and watched the ceremony from a jumbotron. The lawsuit claims she was determined to make her way into the award show or an afterparty and approached limousine drivers parked outside of the venue in an attempt to talk her way in.

Eventually, Doe spoke to a limousine driver who she claims worked for Diddy. The driver reportedly told her that the Bad Boy founder “liked younger girls” and said she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” The lawsuit said the driver took her to the afterparty after chauffeuring Combs and others to the event which was located at a “large white residence with a gated U-shaped driveway.” Doe said she signed an NDA upon her arrival, though she never received a copy. 

The Afterparty Accusations Against Jay-Z & Diddy

Once entering the party, she recognized several celebrities she wanted to see at the award shows. She said some she met while waitstaff walked around the room with trays of drinks. Doe added that there she witnessed marijuana and cocaine being used openly. Eventually, she said she accepted a drink described as a “reddish-yellow mixture that tasted like orange juice, cranberry juice, and something bitter.” The suit claims she felt “woozy and lightheaded” after taking a few sips and needed to lie down.

The Plaintiff said that she entered an empty room with a single bed, though she didn’t lock the door. She claims Diddy, Jay-Z, and an unnamed female celebrity, listed as Celebrity B, entered the room with Diddy allegedly grabbing her and screaming, “You are ready to party!” She claims Diddy threw her against a wall, and once she stood up, he threw her onto the bed before Jay-Z allegedly began undressing her while she became disoriented. The lawsuit claims that Jay-Z raped her while Celebrity B watched. Diddy allegedly attempted to force her to perform fellatio on him but she punched him and he stopped.

Buzbee claims that Jay-Z and Diddy violated the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act by committing a “crime of violence motivated by gender.” As a result, Doe suffered from “physical injuries, emotional distress, psychological harm, anxiety, humiliation, physical and emotional pain and suffering, family and social disruption, and other harm.” She seeks an unspecified amount that will be determined in court. 

Read More: 50 Cent Finally Weighs In On Jay-Z & Diddy Rape Allegations

Jay-Z Responds

Within minutes of the reports emerging, Jay-Z issued a rare statement calling out Buzbee and referred to the lawsuit as a “blackmail attempt.” Jay suggested that the “demand letter” was an attempt to make him settle due to the public scrutiny. “These allegations are so heinous that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” he wrote. Describing Buzbee as a “deplorable human,” Jay said the attorney “seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics.” “You claim to be a marine?! Marines are known for their valor, you have neither honor nor dignity.” 

“My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people. I mourn yet another loss of innocence.”

Jay offered his condolences to the “true victims” in the world before issuing some serious words to Buzbee. “I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn,” adding that from where he’s from, they “don’t play these types of games.” “We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable,” he wrote. “I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”

The Anonymous Lawsuit

On November 18th, law firm Quinn Emanuel, who has represented Jay-Z in the past, filed a lawsuit against Buzbee for extortion “based on Buzbee’s threats of publicizing false information for financial gain.” At the time, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a “John Doe.” Buzbee later issued a message on his Instagram page where he stated that he would not “allow the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers to intimidate or silence sexual assault survivors.”

“It has been reported that a lawsuit has been filed against my firm claiming extortion. The lawyers that filed it also immediately called TMZ in an apparent effort to silence those who allege sexual assault,” it reads. “The case filed against my firm is not only without legal merit, it is laughable. Here is why: On behalf of two clients who allege sexual assault, we sent a standard demand letter to a New York lawyer that we know represents an alleged perpetrator and potential defendant. The letters were sent seeking a confidential mediation in lieu of filing a lawsuit. No amount of money was included in the demand letters. No threats were made. The demand letters sent are no different than the ones routinely sent by lawyers across the country in all types of cases.” 

The amended lawsuit now includes claims that Jay-Z was the John Doe, stating, “Upon present information and belief, Jay-Z responded to said letter by not only filing an utterly frivolous lawsuit, but by also orchestrating a conspiracy of harassment, bullying and intimidation against Plaintiff’s lawyers, their families, employees, and former associates in an attempt to silence Plaintiff from naming Jay-Z herein. This effort was meant to scare Plaintiff and to discredit her counsel.”

Read More: Meek Mill Calls Out American Media As Jay-Z & Diddy Face Bombshell Allegations

Buzbee Fires Back At Jay-Z

The disrespect toward Buzbee’s marine background evidently hit a sore spot, leading the attorney to fire back via Instagram. Accompanied by a photo of his time in the marine, he accused Jay-Z and his team of a “coordinated and aggressive effort that has included harassing my kids, contacting my clients and former clients to encourage them to sue me, contacting my colleagues or former employees asking if I’ve “abused” them, showing up at my current employees’ homes to harass them, filing frivolous cases against me and my law firm, defaming me with outrageous assertions to anyone who will listen, and having mysterious people follow me and my family, I’m still THAT guy.” He added, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I am quite certain the sun is coming.”

In a subsequent tweet, he added, “What [Jay-Z] fails to say in his recent statement is my firm sent his lawyer a demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim and that victim never demanded a penny from him. Instead, she only sought a confidential mediation. Since I sent the letter on her behalf, Mr. Carter has not only sued me, but he has tried to bully and harass me and this plaintiff. His conduct has had the opposite impact. She is emboldened. I’m very proud of her resolve.”

Jay-Z’s Attorneys Want Plaintiff To Identify Herself

Following Buzbee’s social media posts, Jay-Z’s attorneys fired back in court where they, not only took issue with the Instagram and X/Twitter claims but also demanded that the Plaintiff reveal her identity. “Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint should be dismissed, and the motion to proceed anonymously denied as moot. In the alternative, the Court should require Plaintiff to identify herself so that Mr. Carter can adequately defend himself against these baseless and spurious allegations,” the filing reads. Moreover, Jay-Z’s attorneys accused Buzbee of fueling this lawsuit through a personal agenda, rather than trying to bring justice to the alleged accuser.

“Defendant Shawn Carter has built an impeccable reputation. He has never been accused of, let alone engaged in, any sexual misconduct. Until today, when Plaintiff—in an Amended Complaint filed by Attorney Anthony Buzbee—has leveled baseless allegations and accused Mr. Carter of despicable acts while hiding behind the pseudonym ‘Jane Doe.’ These claims are not about justice for victims. Nor are they about giving victims of sexual violence a voice. Instead, they are merely the next chapter in Attorney Buzbee’s sprawling extortion saga—a saga whose aim is base and measured in dollars. Buzbee has devoted himself to the business of extracting large settlements from celebrities, high-net-worth individuals, and businesses with any public ties to Sean Combs Combs (a/k/a “P. Diddy,” a/k/a “Puff Daddy,” a/k/a“Diddy,” a/k/a “PD,” and a/k/a “Love”) following his indictment for sex crimes in September 2024.”

Read More: Diddy’s Lawyers Defend Jay-Z Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against The Rap Moguls

A Letter Requesting A Dismissal

Shortly after demanding to unmask the accuser, Alex Spiro, Jay-Z’s attorney, wrote a letter to Judge Analisa Torres requesting that the case be dismissed entirely. Spiro echoed similar sentiments in the recent court filing responding to the lawsuit in the letter. “Due to the highly sensitive nature of this matter and the intense media scrutiny it has generated, we respectfully request to be heard on an expedited basis. For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Carter is entirely innocent. This is a shakedown. He is not mentioned, referenced, or implicated in any way in the criminal investigation of Mr. Combs. He is neither a target nor a person of interest in that investigation,” the letter reads. The letter also accuses Jane Doe and Buzbee of trying to use the judicial process to “generate unwarranted media attention and pressure Mr. Carter into a settlement.” 

Buzbee Gets Shakespearean On Hov

The public’s perception of Buzbee undoubtedly became impacted by Jay-Z’s statement and legal filings. However, as media outlets continued to highlight Jay-Z’s defiant press release, Buzbee, once again, issued a statement bashing claims that he tried to “extort and blackmail” the rapper. Buzbee denied that he made any threats but instead, sent a “standard demand letter seeking a mediation on behalf of a woman who alleges Jay-Z sexually assaulted her as a minor.” While Jay-Z targeted Buzbee in his statement, along with his court filing, the attorney said that his client preferred “to attempt resolution short of filing a lawsuit.”

“What you are seeing played out now is a coordinated and desperate effort to focus the public’s attention on me personally to avoid attention on the allegations being made by my clients. This effort has included harassing my family and colleagues and even offering former clients money to sue me—which is illegal,” the tweet continues. “When an alleged perpetrator behaves in this manner, wildly asserting that a basic demand letter is “extortion,” and aggressively using the media to attack the opposing lawyer while at the same time ignoring the allegations being made by the alleged victim, it reminds me of a famous line from Shakespeare: ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.’”

Coercion Claims 

Alex Spiro, Jay-Z’s attorney, told the judge they have reason to believe that Buzbee could be pressuring clients to create false accusations, per TMZ. In a declaration filed to the court, Spiro said that one of his associates received a lead from a woman who claimed that she once contacted Buzbee’s firm for representation in court over sexual trafficking and abuse claims. What’s interesting about these claims is that she saw Buzbee’s call out to anyone who may have been an alleged victim of Diddy, though she reportedly claimed her accusations had nothing to do with the mogul. Still, she said Buzbee asked her, “At what point did you meet Diddy?”

According to the claim, the woman said she felt “forced to lie.” When she refused, Buzbee’s firm reportedly dropped her as a client. Furthermore, Spiro said that the woman reached out to his firm because Buzbee’s conduct “discredits those who are legitimate victims,” and her anonymity was due to her fear of retaliation. 

Buzbee Calls It “Ridiculous”

“This is so ridiculous. If someone calls our intake and has a viable case that we believe has merit and we can pursue we will pursue it. We are currently pursuing hundreds of cases against individuals other than PDiddy. What we won’t do is pursue a case that we don’t believe has merit,” Buzbee told TMZ in response. “I can’t speak to what she told the intake folks to even tell you what this woman claimed if and when she called,” he continued, adding, “We certainly don’t need to ‘pressure’ anyone to pursue a case.”

“Jay-Z’s team is desperate and seemingly out of control,” he added in a statement to Deadline. “Their investigators have recently been caught on tape offering current clients of our firm one thousand dollars to sue our firm. This conduct is reprehensible and illegal. There will be consequences coming soon.”

Alleged Recorded Audio

Doubling down on his statements to Deadline, Buzbee, once again, shared some information through his social media channels surrounding Jay-Z and Spiro’s alleged conduct. Buzbee said he has recorded phone calls with “investigators” from New York who contacted current and former clients with promises of getting them paid. Sharing alleged transcripts from a call, he revealed that they said: “anyone Googling Buzbee and his company — his practice — are going into litigation.” Furthermore, they allegedly said that they’re putting together “this thing” for a company they work for, adding that “We gave this kid 1,000 bucks to start yesterday just to get him on the right path,” and blatantly stating that “At the end of the day, this is going to go through the courts, Buzbee is getting sued.” In short, Buzbee said, “These guys are on tape offering to pay clients to sue our law firm. That’s a crime.”

Disgruntled Client Sues Buzbee

There have been plenty of questions arising from Buzbee’s amended lawsuit, along with the claims issued on Jay-Z’s behalf. However, there’s at least one former client of Buzbee who claims that there might be merit to Hov and Spiro’s claims. Per TMZ, Matthew Ray Thompson Jr. filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Buzbee withheld a large amount of his settlement money. Worse, he says that Buzbee loaned him his own funds with high interest. 

Thompson Jr. claimed that he retained Buzbee, who filed a lawsuit on his behalf in November 2023, after a work-related injury. While pending trial, he received automatic payments from his employer but those payments were redirected to Buzbee. Thompson claimed that these funds were loaned to him from Buzbee, who allegedly held more than 60% of the money while tacking on interest. Moreover, Thompson claims other clients have dealt with similar tactics by Buzbee’s firm. “Buzbee has become rich by milking settlements with threats of negative attention from people who rely on their public reputations for livelihood,” the suit reads.

Buzbee responded to Thompson Jr, claiming that the allegations were false. “Mr. Thompson was solicited and paid to bring this case. It has no merit. The lawyers who brought it would have seen that had they bothered to do any due diligence at all,” he said. “The bottom line is that the investigators who manufactured this case and the lawyers who filed it were reckless and foolish. The case is junk and the effort behind it will be exposed.”

He added, “Jay-Z’s investigators contacted more than forty former clients they apparently found on Venmo. They each were offered $1000 to sue me. We have the investigators caught on tape admitting they gave this ‘client’ money to bring this case. We will be seeking state bar action against the lawyers involved because such conduct is a state law crime and also violates the ethical rules that govern lawyers. The case itself is frivolous and will be dismissed as such.”

Will This Impact Jay-Z’s Partnership With The NFL?

Some have questioned how these allegations should impact Jay-Z’s businesses. However, AP reports that the rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact his deal with the league. Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the league’s relationship with Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation has produced Super Bowl halftime shows, remains unchanged despite ongoing litigation.

The NFL’s collaboration with Roc Nation began in 2019 and recently expanded. Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans, with Roc Nation co-producing. Additionally, Beyoncé, Jay-Z’s wife, will perform at the Ravens-Texans game on Christmas. Goodell praised Roc Nation’s contributions to league events and social justice initiatives.

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Drake Trolls Kendrick: Disses & Drama In Hip-Hop’s Top Feud

As the kerfuffle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake enters the legal system, it doesn’t mean that Aubrey Graham’s trolling has come to a halt. Despite being one of the top-selling artists in the world, the OVO head honcho has had quite a rough year. His war of words with K.Dot has dominated Hip Hop conversations since its lyrical launch in the Spring of 2024. Now, Drizzy has set off a controversial lawsuit against UMG regarding allegedly using illegal bots to boost the success of Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Some found it surprising, considering the seemingly organic global sensation that the hit track became, but the 6 God doesn’t seem to be taking his L in stride.

Yet, there are those who don’t believe that Drake suffered a loss in this Rap beef. Granted, it will go down in Hip Hop history as one of the greatest battles between chart-topping artists to date, making it an ongoing hot topic across outlets, podcasts, and social media users looking to spark discussions. A point that no one could ignore is Graham’s incessant trolling of his opponent, taking to the internet to drop off photos, comments, gestures, and the like to poke the bear. They are moves that Lamar seemed to reference in his lyrics, but it hasn’t stopped Drake from using trolling to show Dot’s attacks don’t faze him. We’ve gathered just a handful of Drizzy’s attempts at prodding Kendrick during their beef, and some believe that, often, Champagne Papi is his own worst enemy.

Targeting Kendrick Lamar’s Manager

In Rap beef, some say anything goes and no one is safe, and Drake made sure to include not only Lamar’s family, but to troll the rapper’s manager, Anthony Selah. Back in April, Drake added a photo of Selah to his Instagram Story, where he mocked the entertainment executive. In between turtle emojis, he wrote, “Wonder is today the day,” seemingly referencing that Kendrick was taking too long issuing a response to a track. That wasn’t all—Drizzy popped back up the following day with another image of Selah. This time, it was a photo of the music manager holding two large OVO bags with the caption, “We getting in our bag or nah?” It looks like Lamar’s camp certainly was.

“They Have Nothing To Drop”

Although the tension between Drake and Kendrick didn’t begin in 2024, it indeed reached its peak this year. Two days after trolling Anthony Selah, DJ Akademiks reposted a message from L.A.’s REAL 92.3’s DJ Hed. The media personality didn’t take kindly to the way Drake was moving on the internet. “The Canadian ‘responded’ after over a decade of being dared to come outside,” Hed wrote. “Still has yet to officially claim said ‘response.’ He’s now taunting Ant in attempts to garner a reaction. If you enjoy microwave meals that’s on you. We prefer cooked food on this side.” Akademiks also caught a stray when DJ Hed told him “to post that.” Later, Drizzy took to trolling Hed by replying, “Use me as a ‘they have nothing to drop’ button,” egging on the opposition and their supporters.

Compton Community College ‘Fit

April was a busy month of trolling for Drake because a little over a week after prodding Selah and firing back at DJ Hed, another photo stirred controversy. The OVO star is known for posing on the ‘Gram, showing off his luxury fits, jewelry, and vacations. However, some believed he was throwing shade at Kendrick Lamar by rocking a Compton Community College sweatshirt, a school with which Dot has been actively involved for many years. Further, Lamar has always carried his hometown of Compton on his back throughout his career and activism.

This was a blatant dig, but it didn’t do much—other than that, in June 2024, in the throes of the Rap beef, Dot made a surprise appearance at Compton Community College. There, he delivered an inspiring commencement speech. “I wanted to come out here just to tell y’all how much I appreciate y’all. I’m proud of the city of Compton, I’m proud of Compton College, most importantly, I’m proud of the graduates out here,” said Lamar. “I know what it takes. You had a lot of hardship, not only in your house, in your communities, but most importantly, in yourself, and that’s the toughest thing to overcome. We still growing day by day, brick by brick, making sure we develop, not only in the physical form but in the spiritual as well.”

Tupac & Snoop A.I. Verses

One of the strangest parts of this Rap beef between these two heavy hitters had to be Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle.” The track perplexed listeners not only due to its A.I.-generated verses from Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur but also because many didn’t understand why Drake would think this was a flex. Additionally, it caught the attention of U.S. Senator Tom Tillis from North Carolina. Drizzy and Co. wanted to use the two West Coast, Los Angeles legends’ voices to mock Lamar, but it backfired across the board.

Later, Tupac’s estate emerged with a reported cease and desist letter, while Snoop shared a video on social media, evidently addressing the controversy. Moreover, Drake decided to remove the song from the internet, avoiding the legal drama. As far as Senator Tillis is concerned, he has long advocated for protecting entertainers’ likenesses and voices when addressing the future of A.I. Tillis played a portion of the A.I. verses from “Taylor Made Freestyle” in Congress. He punched the importance of lawmaking surrounding the topic. “So, we’ve got work to do and legislation addressing the misuse of digital replicas will have a multi-billion dollar implication,” said Senator Tillis. “We’ve got to get it under control.”

Wearing A Tupac Shirt Amid Beef Battle

Both Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been outspoken regarding their admiration of the late Tupac Shakur. Both have cited him as an influence, but for some, Dot has exemplified Pac’s character and talents. Yet, although Southern California wasn’t Shakur’s birthplace, he is long hailed as a West Coast G.O.A.T. from the Bay to L.A. This is felt throughout Hip Hop, as artists from California often call on Tupac as their inspiration. This includes Lamar, who never skips a beat to praise the activist, lyricist, and Hip Hop icon as a motivator in his career.

This is why, when in July, Drizzy posed, once again, on the ‘Gram to show off another gossip-worthy ‘fit. While he trolled Kendrick with the Compton Community College shirt the first time around, he returned with a Tupac look that made fans think he was subliminally targeting Lamar. Drake’s “Only God Can Judge Me” t-shirt wasn’t exactly subtle, especially considering his A.I. Tupac verse. Lamar mentioned Drake’s admiration of Pac during their battle on “Not Like Us.” He rhymed, “You think the Bay ‘gon let you disrespect Pac, n*gga / I think that Oakland show gon’ be your last stop, n*gga.”

Custaaaard!

Hip Hop exploded when Kendrick Lamar dropped his surprise GNX, an album hailed as a classic within 24 hours. One word has taken over social media timelines as his lyrics, cadence, and musicality continue to be dissected. On the Lefty Gunplay-assisted “TV Off,” Dot yells, “Mustaaaaard,” referencing famed L.A. producer DJ Mustard, who is also one of the primary producers of “Not Like Us.” The shout from Lamar on the “TV Off” has become a cultural phenomenon, with billion-dollar corporations like McDonalds even jumping in on the fun.

Drake has also seen the hype because he dropped in the comment section of LosPollosTV’s Livestream. The discussion was focused on comparing Drake’s Certified Lover Boy to Lamar’s GNX, and Drizzy slid in with a quick message: “CUSTAAAARRRRRD.” He kept things going by asking viewers to back up his trolling with, “We need a donut emoji in the chat custarrrrddddd.”

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Andrew Schulz & Kendrick Lamar Beef, Explained

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX has been at the center of attention since its release on November 22nd, and it hasn’t been all positive, partially due to the strays that a few individuals caught, including comedian Andrew Schulz. In the post “Not Like Us” summer, Kendrick Lamar emerged victorious against his feud with Drake and left fans on the edge of their seats for his next body of work. Some felt it would likely arrive before the Super Bowl, but no one expected it to drop so soon. 

“wacced out murals,” the album’s intro, sets the tone while Kendrick gets a few things off his chest. He takes a shot or two at Drake, namedrops Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, and airs out his grievances surrounding white comedians who make disparaging remarks towards Black women. “Don’t let no white comedian talk about no Black woman, that’s law,” Kendrick raps on the song. The one line in particular caused a storm online and eventually, earned a response from Schulz, who assumed that bar was targeting him. Below, we’ll be breaking down the controversy at large and the escalating feud between Kendrick Lamar and Andrew Schulz. 

Read More: Kendrick Lamar “wacced out murals” Lyric Breakdown

Flagrant Podcast 

U.K.-based podcast hosts James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu of Shxtsngigs appeared on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast in the fall when they engaged in a discussion surrounding the “Black girlfriend effect.” Duncan and Dawodu argued that Black women “glow up the other culture” in mixed relationships. “All of a sudden, they have a line-up, clean shape up. He glows up, bro,” Duncan said. However, Schulz said that it was actually a “protective instinct.” 

“They shave their hair because they start losing it, because he’s so stressed to be around this Black girl complaining about sh*t all the f*cking time. That’s why they shave their head,” Schulz said. “They grow a beard because there’s more cushion when they get slapped the f*ck out of.” The comments earned some widespread backlash from both Schulz and the Shxtsngigs podcast hosts who eventually offered an apology. However, Schulz doubled down on the “edgy” humor without offering an apology to those offended by the misogynoir commentary.

“wacced out murals”

In the third verse of the GNX intro, Kendrick Lamar seemingly references the situation, though without mentioning names, it’s really an “if the shoe fits” type of situation, especially since Gary Owen responded to the song. In “wacced out murals,” Kendrick raps, “Don’t let no white comedian talk about no Black woman, that’s law/ I know propaganda work for them, and fuck whoever that’s close to them/ The n***as that’s coon, the n***as that being goons, slide on both of them.” 

Many assumed Kendrick Lamar targeted Andrew Schulz since the ShxtsNGigs controversy happened a few months prior. And while Kendrick Lamar’s bar could definitely apply to Andrew Schulz, the subsequent bars indicate that the issue is figures like Duncan and Dawodu who let the joke slide unchecked. 

The Initial Response

Shortly after the album dropped, social media dissected every angle of the album. However, Akademiks eventually highlighted this particular bar in a live-stream, revealing that he contacted Schulz who felt as though Kendrick was speaking about him. “Is this guy too woke to understand a joke?” Schulz allegedly told Akademiks who relayed the message to his audience. 

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Announces 2025 “Grand National” Tour With SZA: Tickets, Dates & More

Andrew Schulz Fires Back On The Latest Flagrant Episode

During the latest episode, Schulz offered an official response where he deemed Kendrick Lamar hypocritical and a clout-chaser for dissing comedians. “Nobody has respected women more through art than rappers,” he said sarcastically. “So I completely understand how a rapper could look at a comedian telling a joke and be like, ‘Yo, y’all need to switch that sh*t up. How dare y’all keep saying your wives are annoying. Be more like us and… b*tches ain’t nothing but hoes and tricks. I beat my b*tch with a stick, what?’” 

Schulz continued to group all rappers together, claiming that hip-hop’s long history of misogyny makes Kendrick look like a hypocrite. Moreover, he brought up Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming comedy movie with Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park, who themselves have a history of creating edgy and offensive material.

Afterward, Andrew Schulz’s co-host, Akaash Singh, brought up the number of accused abusers that Kendrick has collaborated with over the years, including Kodak Black and Dr. Dre. He also cited the Spotify controversy a few years ago when Kendrick Lamar threatened to remove his music from the streaming platform in response to the Hate Content & Hateful Conduct Policy that removed XXXTENTACION and R. Kelly’s music from editorial and algorithmic playlists.

Schulz’s Sexual Assault Joke Fails To Land

In the same episode, Schulz told his co-hosts that he would “make love to him and the only thing he could do is decide if it’s consensual or not.” “I would make love to him and there’s nothing he could do about it. Just Kendrick Lamar. I would make love to him and the only thing he could do is decide if it’s consensual or not,” Schulz began.

“That’s the only thing he could do. If it’s me and Kendrick, it’s about physics,” he continued. “I don’t even know if I’ll get hard. But, if we’re in a cell, and we’re bored and we’re done tattooing each other–whatever you do in a cell, and we ran out of board games and we did all the other things, and we cleaned everything, and I’m like, ‘Man, I might as well f*ck you.’ There’s nothing he can physically do to stop that. I’d put his legs in the air and choose a position.”

Schulz Faces Backlash

While Kendrick Lamar hasn’t responded to Andrew Schulz yet, the comedian has felt the wrath of the hip-hop community at large, though the internet at large has been divided. Schulz has faced plenty of condemnation from people like TDE Punch, Meek Mill (who he later responded to), Peter Rosenberg, and many others. However, DJ Akademiks pointed out the contradiction in the public’s response, citing the viral moment when Saucy Santana threatened to rape him following a volley of insults between the two. Some agreed with Ak, and others felt it wasn’t similar at all.

At this point, it seems like Schulz might be dragging this more than it needs to be, especially since Kendrick intended to make a point of defending Black women, resulting in threats of sexual violence against him. Despite his issues with that initial line, Schulz agrees that GNX is still a good album. We’ll keep you posted on anymore developments surrounding Kendrick Lamar and Andrew Schulz’s feud.

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Hottest Hip-Hop Albums & Songs Of November 2024

Overall, November 2024 was a great month of hip-hop albums, and it was also a month that contained some phenomenal singles. Of course, Ab-Soul, FERG, and many others came through with some projects that fans were certainly expecting. However, it was Kendrick Lamar who completely shook things up when he decided to drop the album GNX out of nowhere. It is a project that has subsequently given way to a tour, which is set to begin in April. Meanwhile, on the singles front, we got some incredible stuff from a plethora of artists, including MIKE, Hi-Tech, and many others. So without further ado, here are our favorites from the last 30 days.

Read More: Hottest Hip-Hop Albums & Songs Of October 2024

Kendrick Lamar – GNX

Ab-Soul – Soul Burger

FERG – DAROLD

MIKE – You’re The Only One Watching

Denzel Curry – Got Me Geeked

Kendrick Lamar ft SZA – Luther

HiTech ft. Zelooperz – SHADOWREALM

Maxo Kream- Big Hoe Me

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Kendrick Lamar Announces 2025 “Grand National” Tour With SZA: Tickets, Dates & More

All I ever wanted was a black Grand National/ Fuck being rational, give ’em what they ask for,Kendrick Lamar raps “tv off” from his new album, GNX. Arriving with little to no announcement, the “Not Like Us” rapper’s highly anticipated sixth studio album has easily met and even surpassed our expectations for his follow-up to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Equipped with plenty of West Coast bounce, and a pair of cameos from SZA, Kendrick went above and beyond with GNX

It’s not surprising, especially since he’s a little over two months away from his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance in New Orleans. While there is speculation surrounding a follow-up album, it has yet to be confirmed by Kendrick himself. However, he will be hitting the road after the Super Bowl for the Grand National Tour, alongside SZA. The Compton rapper will be hitting a series of stadiums–not arenas–across North America, including a stop in Toronto, the hometown of his archnemesis. With tickets set to go on sale this week, here’s everything you need to know about Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National tour. 

Read More: The Biggest Hip Hop Tours Of All Time

Exclusive Ticket Presale & General On-Sale Dates

Tickets for the “Grand National Tour” will be available through an exclusive presale for Cash App Visa Cardholders starting Wednesday, December 4th at 10 AM local time and running through Thursday, December 5th at 10 PM local time. To access the presale, customers can use the first nine digits of their Cash App Card and complete their purchase using the same card. General tickets will go on sale starting Friday, December 6th at 10 AM local time on grandnationaltour.com. Cash App Card users can also score a 20% discount on official tour merchandise purchased on-site during the tour.

Who Will Be Opening For Kendrick Lamar? 

SZA will be joining Kendrick Lamar on the forthcoming Grand National tour. SZA appears twice on Kendrick’s new album on the songs, “luther,” which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and “gloria.” Although it’s been nearly two years since the release of S.O.S., the Grand National tour might be an indication that she has a new album coming soon. In fact, there is a good chance that she could be sliding through before the end of the year with a new project. Lana perhaps? During her appearance on Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon 2, she confirmed that her next album would be released by the end of 2024. 

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Wants To Change A Woman’s Life For The Better On SZA-Assisted “Luther”

What To Expect From The Tour?

As usual, Kendrick keeps a tight ship, thus making it practically impossible to predict what he might have up his sleeve on the upcoming tour. The Big Steppers tour was a highly theatrical outing that saw Kendrick and Baby Keem perform globally. The tour also earned a total revenue of $111 million across 73 shows. It became the highest-grossing hip-hop tour of all time. However, it was later dethroned by Drake and then, Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus tour. 

Tour Dates

Minneapolis – April 19 – U.S. Bank Stadium
Houston – April 23 – NRG Stadium
Arlington – April 26 – AT&T Stadium
Atlanta – April 29 – Mercedes Benz Stadium
Charlotte – May 3 – Bank of America Stadium
Philadelphia – May 5 – Lincoln Financial Field
East Rutherford – May 8 – MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford – May 9 – MetLife Stadium
Foxborough – May 12 – Gillette Stadium
Seattle – May 17 – Lumen Field
Los Angeles – May 21 – SoFi Stadium
Los Angeles – May 23 – SoFi Stadium
Glendale – May 27 – State Farm Stadium
San Francisco – May 29 – Oracle Park
Las Vegas – May 31 – Allegiant Stadium
St. Louis – June 4 – The Dome at America’s Center
Chicago – June 6 – Soldier Field
Detroit – June 10 – Ford Field
Toronto – June 12 – Rogers Centre
Hershey – June 16 – Hersheypark Stadium
Washington, DC – June 18 – Northwest Stadium

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Kendrick Lamar “GNX” Review

The duality in Kendrick Lamar’s catalog has been even more prevalent in his recent outings. His albums, from Section.80 to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, have often explored the cause-and-effect of his surroundings. good kid m.A.A.d city detailed his upbringing in Compton and the things he’s witnessed and experienced that informed his character. To Pimp A Butterfly, on the other hand, delved into survivor’s remorse as his star power shined globally. Through these albums and beyond, the essence of the West Coast continuously permeated each project. However, the influence of Los Angeles has never been more pronounced than it is on his sixth studio album, GNX. After a triumphant summer that saw Kendrick Lamar unify the streets of Compton on one stage and singlehandedly change the perception of hip-hop’s biggest star, GNX is a return to the stomping grounds that celebrates the past, present, and future of Los Angeles.  

Let’s be clear, though: GNX isn’t a victory lap, nor is it entirely dedicated to doubling back on his feud with Drake, even though that energy is felt across every song. More than anything, this album ushers in a new era for Kendrick Lamar where the weight of critical acclaim and numbers feel secondary to his creative vision, especially as his first post-TDE project under pgLang. With that in mind, the album begins with a giant middle finger to the industry and those who’ve shed an ounce of doubt on him. The sparse horns and glitchy synths of “wacced out murals” become a canvas for Kendrick to release the tension from the months of narratives that followed his victory against Drake and those who’ve tried to smudge his legacy. It’s a broader painting of the potential implications of the feud; a retort to critics; and a declaration of his coveted position at the top of the food chain. Sonically and thematically, “wacced out murals” is as blistering as it is cathartic, tying in everything from Snoop Dogg co-signing “Taylor Made Freestyle” and the allegations from “6:16 In L.A.” to Lil Wayne’s rather entitled reaction to losing out on the Super Bowl Halftime show. Despite a history of showing love to those who came before him, it’s a moment where he forces the dynamic to shift between himself and those who’ve influenced him.

Still, the core of the album could be best summarized in one line in the intro: “F*ck a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this sh*t.” Although there are more than enough double entendres to sink your teeth into, GNX largely carries the atmosphere that he set this summer with “Not Like Us.” “squabble up,” the highly anticipated snippet from the “Not Like Us” music video, delivers on all fronts–perhaps, one of the few snippets in hip-hop history that lived up to its hype. It’s a vibrant and animated West Coast banger that links its present form with nods to dance music that you would likely hear Snowfall’s Skully listening to during an Angel Dust trip and West Coast’s rich musical tapestry, thanks to the sample of Debbie Deb’s “When I Hear Music.” Similarly, “hey now” ft. Dody6 transforms a husk and bassy production into a sinister dance number with a nod to D4L’s “Scotty” for an immediate stand-out. 

For as much as this album departs from Kendrick’s usual theatrical concepts, it doesn’t lack in storytelling qualities. “Reincarnated” is a masterclass in storytelling, where he masterfully channels Tupac Shakur’s cadence while detailing the story of the devil through three musicians. Then there’s the outro, “gloria,” an “I Used To Love H.E.R” homage that personifies Kendrick’s pen as a woman. Ultimately, GNX is a mixed bag that encapsulates variety without losing its cohesion. As much as these records, along with “luther” ft. SZA (who also appears on “gloria”), and “dodger blue,” provide lush soundscapes and velvety melodies that cut through the boisterous production across the album. 

Though there are plenty of ways to dissect this album, its most important characteristic is its commitment to uplifting the West and carrying on tradition. The ecosystem of Los Angeles’ rap scene is vast and complicated with street politics, especially as burgeoning talents across the city began making waves. The inclusion of artists like Lefty Gunplay, whose four-word outro is just as much of an earworm as Kendrick’s new drop for DJ Mustard on “tv off,” Peysoh, and Deyra Barrera, emphasize the theme of West Coast unity, especially among Black and Brown communities. 

As Kendrick Lamar enters this new chapter in his career, he ensures that he ties up loose ends. “Heart pt. 6”–a dig at Drake’s failed attempt to hijack a series dedicated to Kendrick’s growth–provides fans with the type of closure and explanation that they’ve been longing for, even before Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. It’s a vulnerable and honest flashback to Top Dawg Entertainment’s humble beginnings that detail their journey together but more importantly, his decision to leave the label to establish pgLang alongside Dave Free. While fans might be saddened that a Black Hippy album isn’t in the cards, “heart pt. 6” sheds light on Kendrick’s aspirations. But that’s just it–Kendrick’s growth and elevation as an artist and business requires sacrifices, even if it comes at the cost of the expectations that his fans hold over his head. GNX is a glorious first leap in this chapter of Kendrick’s career where he embraces the next generation of stars, proudly carries the torch for the West Coast, and demands the respect that he’s earned. 

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Drake’s “Not Like Us” Petitions: A Guide To The Rapper’s Allegations Against UMG

Drake remains one of the highest streamed musicians in the world but still, “Not Like Us” allegedly damaged his career, according to two new pre-action petitions. Earlier this week, the rapper’s attorneys filed two separate court documents requesting for UMG to preserve evidence pertaining to the success of Kendrick Lamar’s hit record. The first case targeted UMG and Spotify with claims of violating RICO and manipulating streams through botting and influencers. The second filing calls out UMG and iHeartMedia on claims of defamation. Below, we’ve broken down both filings. 

Read More: Drake’s Alleged Motivations Behind “Not Like Us” Lawsuit Revealed

The Alleged Manipulation Scheme

The petition outlines a strategy by UMG to artificially inflate the popularity of “Not Like Us.” This included using bots to generate fake streams, making undisclosed payments to Spotify for song promotion, and engaging in payola (illegal payments) to radio stations. Additionally, UMG reportedly paid influencers and social media platforms to promote the song without transparency about these financial arrangements.

A core issue is the “strategic partnership” between Spotify and UMG, which the petition describes as an effort to “amplify music discovery and social interaction and enhance fan experiences across the platform.” Moreover, the petition also claims that UMG, which entered a global license agreement with Spotify in 2020, charged the streaming service 30% less to license “Not Like Us” in exchange “for Spotify affirmatively recommending the Song to users who are searching for other unrelated songs and artists” without disclosing this information to the public. 

The Debunked Theories

An interesting part about this document is that it points out several viral headlines since the song’s release. In one part, it alleged that Apple’s Siri redirected listeners who wanted to listen to Certified Lover Boy to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” in which Kendrick uses Drake’s album title as a lyric, based on reporting by Jeremy Hecht and an article from Vibe Magazine

“On information and believe, UMG paid, or approved payments to, Apple Inc. to have its voice-activated digital assistant ‘Siri’ purposely misdirect users to ‘Not Like Us.’ Online sources reported that when users asked Siri to play the album ‘Certified Loverboy’ by recording artist Aubrey Drake Graham d/b/a Drake, Siri instead played ‘Not Like Us,’ which contains the lyric ‘certified pedophile,’ an allegation against Drake,” the filing reads. While a hefty allegation, Hecht later clarified that Siri used lyric recognition.

Read More: Drake Alleges “NFR Podcast” Was Paid To Cover Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

Impact On Drake’s Career & Frozen Moments

Drake, through Frozen Moments, claims economic harm from UMG’s actions. The aggressive promotion of “Not Like Us” created a zero-sum scenario in the music industry, where one song’s success can hinder another artist’s opportunities. UMG’s alleged favoritism toward Kendrick Lamar directly impacted the visibility and profitability of Drake’s own music.

Frozen Moments also highlights UMG’s attempts to deflect blame. Instead of addressing Drake’s grievances, UMG suggested legal action against Lamar and threatened counterclaims if Drake pursued them. Moreover, the filing alleges that “UMG has been taking steps in an apparent effort to conceal its schemes, including, but not limited to, by terminating employees associated with or perceived as having loyalty to Drake.”

What Exactly Does Drake Want?

Drake Not Like Us Lawsuit petition
Mar 4, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Rap artist Drake celebrates a basket by the Toronto Raptors against the Portland Trail Blazers at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Trail Blazers 117-115. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn

The petition is filed under New York law to request pre-action discovery, a process that allows evidence gathering before filing a formal lawsuit. Frozen Moments seeks to substantiate claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), alleging wire fraud and bribery, and under New York’s Deceptive Business Practices and False Advertising Acts. To build the case, the petition asks the court to compel UMG and Spotify to release documents, including records of payments to third parties for song promotion, information about bot usage for fake streams, and details of licensing agreements and financial arrangements between UMG and Spotify. Frozen Moments also seeks a court order requiring UMG and Spotify to preserve all related communications and documents. The concern is that critical evidence, such as social media messages and text communications, may be lost if not safeguarded during the legal process.

Read More: Meek Mill Suggests That Drake Is Off His Rocker Amid His Kendrick Lamar Lawsuits

UMG’s Response

After news broke, UMG issued a statement to Variety regarding the “absurb” claims. “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” a rep said. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”

Drake Vs. UMG & iHeartMedia

The day after filing the petition in New York, Drake filed another legal petition against Universal Music Group in Texas, along with iHeartMedia, in Texas. This time, the Canadian star is accusing UMG of orchestrating a deceptive promotional campaign for Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” while simultaneously causing damages to Drake’s reputation and career. Under Texas Rule 202, Drake is attempting to, once again, gather substantial evidence before filing a formal lawsuit against the aforementioned parties. Let’s break down the second petition that Drake filed this week.

Defamation & Botting Claims

Drake Not Like Us petition
Nov 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Canadian recording artist Drake (center, black outfit) watches the action between the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The second filing echoes similar sentiments of streaming manipulation and payola. However, at the core of this petition is accusations of defamation. “Not Like Us,” which Drake claims includes defamatory language such as “certified pedophile” and labeling him a “predator,” was released under UMG’s watch. However, Drake believes that the label had the authority to either refuse the song’s release or at the very least, demand changes to the lyrics. The rapper claims that UMG, instead, chose to exploit the controversy for financial gain which, in turn, caused harm to his business. Drake’s petition also accuses UMG of manipulating platforms like Spotify and radio airwaves to falsely inflate the song’s popularity. This alleged manipulation includes the use of bots, undisclosed payments to influencers and platforms, and “payola”—a term referring to secret payments to radio stations to play certain songs, which is illegal under U.S. law.

Read More: Drake’s Manager Quotes “Red Button” Lyrics Amid “Not Like Us” Petitions And The Trolls Can’t Help But Laugh

The Specifics Against UMG

The petition outlines several allegations against UMG and their alleged partnership with iHeartRadio. Similar to the New York filing, this petition details claims of an alleged manipulation scheme to enhance the popularity and streams of “Not Like Us” in an attempt to boost profits for UMG. These include using bots to artificially boost “Not Like Us” streaming numbers and citing an alleged whistleblower who they claimed received thousands of dollars to help the song garner over 30 million streams on Spotify in the days after its release. Moreover, Drake claims that UMG also paid influencers to promote the song without disclosing the financial relationship–a violation of advertising transparency laws. 

Then, there are the claims of payola. Drake believes that UMG funneled payments to radio stations, specifically those under iHeartRadio, to make sure “Not Like Us” gained heavy radio play in the months after the feud. Legally speaking, this is an alleged violation of the Communications Act of 1934. This also goes hand-in-hand with the claims that UMG orchestrated an elaborate marketing campaign to use discretionary funds to pay unknown third parties to promote the song, inflate its metrics, and as a result, drive media attention.

As mentioned above, a primary focus point in this article is defamation. The filing suggests that UMG greenlit the song to streaming services and radio. Considering the language used in the song, Drake claims UMG did little to prevent the accusations of pedophilia from proliferating across official streaming services and radio. Even more, he believes it was done in an attempt to profit off of the controversy. 

iHeartMedia’s Alleged Role

Drake Kendrick Lamar beef
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 10: Rapper Drake attends day eight of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

In regards to iHeartMedia, the largest audio media company in the U.S. that owns hundreds of radio stations, Drake’s petition hopes to put the company’s alleged role under the microscope. The petition suggests that iHeartMedia played a significant role in UMG’s campaign by promoting “Not Like Us” across their platforms. Because of this, Drake is hoping to uncover whether iHeartMedia accepted undisclosed payments from UMG in exchange for prioritizing the song on the airwaves.

Due to the song’s popularity and constant rotation, Drake’s legal team argues that iHeartMedia cooperated in amplifying the harm caused to his career. This petition also highlights the financial relationship between UMG and iHeartRadio. According to the court documents, iHeartMedia pays UMG licensing fees to play its artists’ songs. This allegedly gives UMG leverage in what music gets airtime. Because of this, Drake’s legal team wants to explore whether the financial dynamic allowed UMG to manipulate radio play for “Not Like Us.” 

What Drake Hopes to Uncover

Drake’s petition asks the court to authorize depositions from representatives of UMG and iHeartMedia. He wants access to evidence of financial transactions, communications, and internal documents that could confirm the use of bots, payola, and undisclosed promotional payments. This includes records of payments made to influencers, radio stations, and social media platforms, evidence of bot usage to inflate streaming numbers; and details of licensing agreements and financial benefits exchanged between UMG and iHeartMedia. Additionally, Drake is requesting that UMG preserve all related communications and data out of concern that evidence might otherwise be destroyed or concealed.

Read More: Kevin Durant Shows Love To Drake On Instagram Amid UMG Lawsuits

The Implications

This pre-action filing could put a spotlight on the transparency and fairness in the music industry, or the lack thereof. However, it all depends on whether the court determines that there is substance to these allegations. If the evidence supports Drake’s claims, Drake could pursue lawsuits against UMG, iHeartMedia, and Spotify. Still, this could also expose possible tactics that Drake used in his career, too. Whether or not Drake has also used bots and payola in his career remains unclear, though if it turns out to be the case, then there might be some sort of reevaluation of the streaming records that he’s broken. At the same time, this could effectively expose the alleged malpractices of the music industry as a whole. For better or for worse, Drake might be the catalyst to change industry practices indefinitely. 

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Kendrick Lamar “Squabble Up” Music Video: 8 Key References You May Have Missed

Get ready for a no-brainer phrase that’s already been cooked to death: Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX is a love letter to many things. But above all, it’s an exciting and passionate celebration of Black culture, the West Coast, and hip-hop. So it should come as no surprise that our first visuals from the project, the “squabble up” music video, are filled to the brim with the type of galaxy-brained, deep, sometimes simple, but always compelling references that he’s become so beloved and also infamous for. Drake was joking about quintuple-entendres back during his “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss, and K.Dot himself raps the following on the new LP’s opener, “wacced out murals”: “F**k a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this s**t.

While most of the easter eggs and callbacks in the “squabble up” music video don’t carry those multiple meanings and subtle shots, they do present a very rich, appreciative, and distinct snapshot of Black and West Coast culture that many fans appreciated. Whether it’s showing a love for classic film and television, iconic albums, cultural legends, or the history of Black political identity and advocacy, Kendrick Lamar came through with some really slick homages… Plus plenty of homework for people out of the loop. We’re sure we missed plenty of significant inclusions such as the Compton Christmas parade and a CUZZOS cameo, so make sure to point out your favorite finds in the comments section down below.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar “GNX” Full Credits: SZA, Mustard, Roddy Ricch & More

The Roots’ “The Next Movement” Music Video

First up is the most obvious and present visual reference throughout Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video. The shoot’s set itself and the compositional framing parallel that of The Roots’ 1999 music video for “The Next Movement” off of their classic album Things Fall Apart… Save for the velvet curtains, changes in lighting, and topsy-turvy blocking. The color of the walls, the lights on the ceiling, and even the square ridges around the room all evoke Black Thought and company’s original video, while still very much making the new homage its own thing.

However, this is one of the more surprising and unexpected tributes you’ll find in Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video. That’s because there isn’t really much of a West Coast connection here, but The Roots are undeniably one of the all-time legendary hip-hop groups that always have a lot to say about culture, politics, and history. As such, it’s not a complete shocker, especially when you consider that GNX as an album is filled with these loving celebrations of rap music and its legends. From the Rakim evocations on “tv off,” the very clear Nas interpolation on “man at the garden,” plus some other lyrical nods to folks like Biggie Smalls, the Compton lyricist is proud to represent the art form beyond his regional barriers.

African-American Flag + Black Panther Party

This particular section of “squabble up” has many important nods, plus some still unexplained ones like the two balloons. But let’s get one of them out of the way by reminding ignorant readers that the flags featured in this segment are not a nod to EbonyPrince2k24. That’s the African-American flag designed by artist David Hammons in 1990. It replaces the red, white, and blue of the United States flag with the colors of the Pan-African flag, which represents the African diaspora, pan-Africanism, and Black nationalism. Even though its creator Marcus Garvey and his ideologies have faced a lot of historical reevaluation over the years, the Pan-African flag still stands as a powerful call for African unity across colonized and diaspora populations against a system that would rather quell them. In the context of Black plight in the U.S., the African-American flag reclaims that cultural heritage.

In addition, toward the end of “squabble up,” Kendrick Lamar stands near what looks like a Black Panther Party statue and some artwork of Black Jesus. Furthermore, all these elements combine to speak on themes of Black mobilization, unity, identity, political thought, advocacy, and empowerment. Also, it speaks to the different layers of loyalty and confrontation that Kendrick engages in. This one is more about Black culture versus its exploiters, but there’s also West Coast culture versus its naysayers and Dot himself versus the rap game. Throughout it all, he doesn’t flinch. Still, this is not the writer to speak on this deeply (or any of these references, for that matter), so we encourage you to branch out with your own diligent, self-aware, and respectful research if you aren’t a part of the community.

Read More: Drake Hits UMG & Spotify With Bombshell Allegations Over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Streams

Kendrick Lamar’s “Dummies” Book

Not every single reference in the “squabble up” music video is worthy of a full breakdown. Sometimes, it’s just a funny and gassed-up flex. For example, the most confident part of the whole visual is when Kendrick Lamar sits down to read a book titled How To Be More Like Kendrick For Dummies. Of course, when you’re making so many homages in a music video for a song off an album that pulls so much from past and contemporary hip-hop artists both in and outside of the West Coast, this is a pretty ironic statement that shoots itself in the foot a bit. But it works just as well as a boisterous bite from the 37-year-old to everyone under him in the rap game. He probably thinks that all of them want a copy, but if they think those attempts will help them, they’re probably dummies.

Trunk Boiz’s “Scraper Bike” Music Video

The last key reference in this part of Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” is the Trunk Boiz’s first hit, “Scraper Bike.” It introduced the hip-hop audience to the scraper bike scene in Oakland back in 2007, and you can see the “ThatGO” bike from its music video appear in this new GNX visual. It’s yet another Bay Area-adjacent nod, and also anchors “squabble up” in a pretty millennial timeframe for its audience. Sure, there are a lot of references across a couple of decades, but this is a deep cut from the 2000s that folks probably needed to particularly tap in for. Some folks say that the Trunk Boiz themselves are the ones in the video, but we can’t confirm that just yet. Check in down there in the comments if you’ve got the scoop.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Rolls Out Physical Copy Pre-Orders For “GNX”

Ice-T’s Power Album & Taz Arnold

Ice-T is one of gangster rap’s most pivotal pioneers on the West Coast, so a shoutout to his craft and contributions was a perfect addition. “squabble up” features a woman with a shotgun in the back of the room, calling back to Ice’s 1988 album Power. Also, style icon and Sa-Ra group member Taz Arnold appears at around the same time, holding up “Hood Love” four-finger rings (which possibly alludes to Spike Lee’s classic 1989 film Do The Right Thing, too).

In addition, Kendrick Lamar wears all-blue in this music video, just like Ice-T on the Power cover. It’s an interesting decision given his all-red attire at “The Pop Out” on Juneteenth. More importantly, it might represent the gang unity that Kendrick’s been so adamant about this year, to which there are some other allusions in “squabble up.”

Soul Train Scramble Board

Another obvious but beloved inclusion in Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video is the Scramble Board from the legendary TV show Soul Train. That was one of the mainstays of the program, in which dancers had to unscramble the board and piece together the letters to form the name of that show’s performer or a renowned individual in Black culture. As you can probably guess, folks immediately put their tinfoil hats on and attempted to decipher this Scramble Board for themselves. The biggest clue spreading around the Internet right now is that “omnia est aliquid” – which is what’s spelled out in the visuals – roughly translates to “Everything is something” in Latin. What does that mean? No idea. But if everything is something, maybe we just need a couple more days to figure it out…

Read More: Kendrick Lamar & Drake Will Go Head To Head At The Billboard Music Awards

Menace II Society

Spoiler warning if you’re reading this from under a rock… Although the embeds probably ruined it anyway. Menace II Society is the Hughes brothers’ 1993 directorial debut, and it’s an essential piece of not just Los Angeles media, but Black cinema during the ’90s and beyond. It narrates the story of Caine Lawson and his friends in the Watts and Crenshaw communities, and the crime drama ends tragically as a child on a toy tricycle witnesses horrific murder. “squabble up” features an actor portraying that same orange-jacketed boy on a tricycle, and the camera focuses on him when Kendrick Lamar raps the following line: “Don’t hit him, he got kids with him, my apologies.” It’s an ominous sign and a pretty dark one, too, but the lyrics and visuals also point to an alternate ending for the original movie in which that kid didn’t see what he saw.

Nate Dogg & Isaac Hayes Albums

Finally, Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video references to two beloved records with key differences and similarities. The late great Nate Dogg’s G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 CD hangs from the chandelier in one shot, paying homage to the Long Beach legend’s debut studio album. The second LP is one of Isaac Hayes’ best albums, 1971’s Black Moses, as a man stands in the room wearing the same clothing depicted on the cover art. In particular, this era of the Memphis soul legend preceded and led up to his performance at the Wattstax benefit concert in Los Angeles in 1972, commemorating the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots in 1965. This Hayes-honoring man appears right when other portraits of Black Jesus are on screen, calling back to themes of nationalism, identity, and community.

Even though Isaac Hayes is not from Los Angeles, both albums here have significant connections to the West Coast… and perhaps to Kendrick Lamar himself. Both Hayes and Nate Dogg’s LPs are double albums, and you’ve probably already heard the theory that we’ll get a more grand, thematic, and formal K.Dot album very soon in the wake of GNX. Will that manifest? We can’t wait to find out. Either way, as the visuals for “squabble up” prove, Kendrick gave us so much food for thought with this album and its rollout (or lack thereof) that a long or short wait can’t dampen our excitement for what’s next or our excited appreciation of what’s here.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX” Gets Hit With Premature First Week Sales Projections

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Kendrick Lamar “wacced out murals” Lyric Breakdown

It feels like there’s a thin line between coincidences and calculated moves, at least for Kendrick Lamar. He’s often a few steps ahead of most, and the release of his new album, GNX, has been one of the year’s most anticipated albums, even though no one knew whether it would drop in 2024. It marked his first official project since Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and his first album release post-TDE.

Context is important for this album. His historical beef with Drake is at the fore of this feud, especially after “Not Like Us” dominated the summer. However, this album isn’t strictly about Kendrick’s grievances with his peers–he’s coming for what’s his and destroying anything in his path. It all begins with “wacced out murals,” the blistering intro track that serves as the “Bomb First (My Second Reply)” to Kendrick’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. The first line alone addresses reports that one of his murals in Compton had been defaced in the wake of his Super Bowl halftime show announcement but this stands as a metaphor for the backlash he received following the news. Regardless, Kendrick is out for blood, and below, we’re breaking down the lyrics for the intro to GNX.

The Compton Mural

Despite the overwhelming amount of unity and support on the West Coast these days, there may have been a few individuals who just weren’t feeling Kendrick’s “Not Like Us.” The defacing of the artwork at Compton’s Honduras Restaurant Mi Sabor was seemingly handled by an OVO supporter, who X’d out Kendrick’s eyes, wrote the letters T and F, along with “OK,” before finishing with the acronyms of Drake’s October Very Own brand, XXL reports. 

Drake

Of course, much of “wacced out murals” addresses the aftermath of his beef with Drake as early as the first verse when he raps, “It used to be f*ck that n***a but now it’s plural,” and “Put they head on a Cuban link as a monument,” which is an undoubted declaration of his unanimous win in the feud earlier this year. Much of the contention in the song–and the album at large– is directed at Drake or at the very least, what the Canadian rapper represents. However, the third verse of “wacced out murals” directly addresses a few talking points from the beef including a callback to “6:16 In L.A.”:

N***as from my city couldn’t entertain old boy
Promisin’ bank transactions and even Bitcoin
I never peaced it up, that shit don’t sit well with me
Before I take a truce, I’ll take ’em to Hell with me
If that money got in the hands of a crash dummy
Could jeopardize my family and burden the ones who love me

These lines refer to the rumors that Drake tried to put money out in the streets for dirt on Kendrick Lamar. Alleged Kendrick affiliate, Coolee Bravo, claimed that he fed Drake false information for $150K. This has yet to be confirmed but Kendrick suggests that Drake was playing with fire, especially since someone could’ve taken things too far and caused physical harm to Kendrick’s family.

Lil Wayne 

While many have debated whether or not Lil Wayne was dissed on GNX, Kendrick clearly had no issues taking his foe’s boss to task following the NOLA rapper’s complaints about the Super Bowl. “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he raps in the second verse. Not only a reference to J. Cole’s “Let Nas Down” but this line serves as a direct response to Weezy and co. (Nicki Minaj etc.) who leaped to criticize Roc Nation and the Super Bowl without congratulating Kendrick Lamar.

For obvious reasons, the Young Money crew didn’t feel compelled to acknowledge Dot’s success after he duked it out with Wayne’s most notable protegé. This probably stung even more considering Kendrick once released a whole mixtape in dedication to Weezy. In fact, the intro of the project includes a glowing endorsement from Lil Wayne. 

A few lines later, Kendrick seemingly takes digs at Lil Wayne’s musical output as of late. “Quite frankly, plenty artists, but they outdated/ Old-ass flows, trying to convince me that you they favorite,” he raps. It’s unclear if this is a shot at Wayne but most would agree that Wayne is far from his prime these days.

In response, Lil Wayne expressed confusion in a post on X. “Man wtf I do?! I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all.  No one really wants destruction,not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love,” he tweeted. 

Snoop Dogg

The West Coast’s never been as unified, though it seemed like Snoop felt like he was above the politics. Following the release of Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle,” where he used AI to replicate Snoop Dogg and Tupac and taunt Kendrick, the Doggfather seemingly crossed a line by posting the song on his Instagram and co-signing Drake’s effort, despite the backlash. “Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/ I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go,” Kendrick raps on the song. Kendrick evidently felt some type of way about Snoop Dogg’s praise for Drake, especially since Snoop passed the West Coast torch to Dot. In response, Snoop tweeted, “K dot new album GNX 💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤   It was the edibles   🤦🏾 😆👊🏿  west west king.” 

Nas

In the midst of the Super Bowl halftime show fallout, only a few people emerged with congratulatory messages for Kendrick Lamar. One of which was Nas, who also congratulated Kendrick on the release of GNX shortly after its release. “Always inspired by my brother KL. Keeping the essence of this shit alive and at the forefront. Salute King!” Nas captioned his latest post.

Diddy

Though his name appears to be omitted, Kendrick seemingly acknowledged the reckoning that the music industry is currently facing.

“Okay, f*ck your hip-hop, I watched the party just die
N**gas cackling about— while all of y’all is on trial
N**gas thought that I was antisocial when I stayed inside of my house
You better off to have one woman, everything tricky right now”

Some interpreted this as a shot at Diddy while others speculated that Kendrick might be referring to Young Thug and Lil Durk. However, Diddy’s trial has produced several unsavory memes, such as the term “No Diddy,” the baby oil memes, or the speculation surrounding “Diddy parties,” which makes this more likely the reference. Moreover, his claims against Drake on “Not Like Us” and “meet the grahams” seemingly mirror some of the allegations against Diddy in his court cases. 

J. Cole

In another one where names aren’t mentioned, Kendrick seemingly takes a few digs at J. Cole who has willingly taken more Ls than Drake this year. With the release of “Port Antonio,” Cole attempted to address his position in the feud and his fear of “losing a bro” while maintaining that he’s a formidable opponent in the booth.

Twice on “wacced out murals,” Kendrick seemingly addresses J. Cole’s attempt to both sides his way through the beef. First, he mentions, “F*ck apologies, I wanna see y’all geeked up,” which feels like it could reference Cole’s initial statements at Dreamville Festival where he vowed to pull “7 Minute Drill” off of DSPs and offered an apology to Kendrick. The second time in the song where Kendrick appears to reference the feud is in the third verse when he raps, “Ayy, fuck anybody empathetic to the other side, I vow/ A bitch n***a love bitch n***as, they exist with ’em in style/ Exterminate ’em right now.” Since “Port Antonio” was Cole’s attempt to thwart the narrative surrounding his decision to bow out, it appears that Kendrick isn’t giving J. Cole as much grace as he’d like.

Andrew Schulz

Even Andrew Schulz caught a stray on “wacced out murals.” Toward the end of the song, Kendrick seemingly references Schulz’s controversy with James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu, the British podcasters who apologized after engaging in some edgy misogynoir banter on the Flagrant podcast. “Don’t let no white comedian talk about no Black woman, that’s law,” Kendrick says. “Is this guy too woke to understand a joke?” Schulz said in response to the line, according to DJ Akademiks.

Katt Williams

Before the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake exploded, Katt Williams set the tone for 2024, and it appears that Dot channeled that spirit. Katt Williams sat down with Club Shay Shay at the beginning of the year for an explosive interview where he aired out his grievances with the entertainment industry, calling out everyone from Steve Harvey to Diddy. So when Dot raps, “Make Katt Williams ‘nem proud, the truth ‘bout to get loud,” we can imagine that he’s readying the world for a rude awakening. 

The post Kendrick Lamar “wacced out murals” Lyric Breakdown appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Mariachi Singer Deyra Barrera Tells Backstory Behind Her Kendrick Lamar Collabs On “GNX”

One of the most surprising but welcome elements of Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX is the feature list, with stars SZA and Roddy Ricch catching people’s ears. However, there are also a lot of hard-hitting West Coast rappers on the tracklist, plus some gorgeous vocal contributions from one Deyra Barrera from Tucson, Arizona. The mariachi singer told Rolling Stone of how she linked up with the Compton lyricist. She explained that their collaborative origin was when she sang a tribute at Game 1 of the World Series to former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who passed away in October.

“My skin gets goosebumps because all of this happened so quickly for me,” Deyra Barrera recalled to the publication about this “blessing.” “I want to cry. This is taking me by surprise. I was in tears, singing for my friend who died, at a packed stadium. And, el señor [Kendrick Lamar] was there. He listened to me sing. I believe in angels. And [Valenzuela] is an angel for me. I had no idea what I would record. I make mariachi, not rap. They told me they wanted my style, my voice. I had no idea how it was going to end up on the record. He welcomed me and was so kind. He said, ‘You have such a powerful voice. Thanks for coming.’ I had no idea what to say. Lamar is a genius, a maestro. Everything he makes is magic.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Causes Huge Debate Over New Album “GNX” Doing Big Numbers

Deyra Barrera’s Performance That Captivated Kendrick Lamar

“Ever since I can remember, we’ve sung to pay for rent and to make enough money to eat,” Deyra Barrera remarked of the path that led her to this moment with Kendrick Lamar. “It’s been many years of highs and lows, but I haven’t thrown the towel in because this is what I love. I hope this helps me. This industry is really difficult. I need to take advantage of this God-given moment to grow as a singer. From now on, I need to work a lot to have more people listen to my music, and learn who I am. I know Kendrick is going to do the Super Bowl Halftime Show… Imagine if he invited me to sing with him? That would be incredible. I hope people know that it’s Deyra Barrera who is on these songs.”

Days after that World Series game, Deyra Barrera was in Kendrick Lamar’s studio hearing the beats from the album. She wrote down some lines evoking the emotions that Kendrick’s team told her he wanted to present. Eventually, K.Dot stopped by to greet Barrera and express his gratitude for her contributions, even though she says they didn’t get to spend much time together after discussing their ideas. She appears on GNX‘s intro, “wacced out murals,” the track “reincarnated,” and the album’s outro, “gloria.”

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Praises Ab-Soul’s Lyrical Abilities On New Album

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