Rihanna Changes Her Instagram Profile Picture, Sparks Fan Speculation

In the social media era, one of the first signs that a major artist is gearing up to enter a new era is when they change their social media. Die hard fans will pick up on the changes immediately whether their social pages are wiped entirely which superstars like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande have done in the past, or whether their bios and profile pictures are updates to match the new era. A new era is exactly when people have been hoping for from Rihanna for a LONG time now.

Riri’s last studio album Anti dropped all the way back in 2016 to massive acclaim from both fans and critics alike. But fans hoping for her to follow up on that positive momentum have been waiting and waiting. That’s why some online panicked when she changed her long-standing Instagram profile picture earlier this week. She’s used a simple black and white drawing as her profile picture for an entire decade now and it’s become an image fans recognize immediately. But after 10 years she finally saw fit to update the picture, though it may not actually mean what some fans were hoping.

Read More: SZA Reveals That Rihanna’s “Consideration” Was Originally Hers

Rihanna’s New Fenty Profile Pic

Once the initial burst of excitement faded fans had to dissect the actual reasons for the profile picture change. The new pic is a slightly bizarre image of a stick figure holding a Fenty product. That led many to believe that the change didn’t actually have anything to do with new music at all. RiRi’s focus has seemingly shifted almost entirely to her fashion and cosmetics brands in recent years and that seems to once again be the case here.

Though Rihanna has kept details on her new music pretty vague, she did at least recently confirm that A$AP Rocky is working on a new album. What do you think of Rihanna changing her profile pic for reasons that seemingly have nothing to do with music? Do you think she will release her long-awaited new album in 2024? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: What Is Rihanna’s Best-Selling Album?

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Kanye West Explains Why Lil Durk “Broke His Heart” & Fell Out With Him

Kanye West’s new interview on Justin LaBoy’s The Download podcast contained a whole lot of scandalous, bizarre, or interesting revelations. We could talk about the “Like That” remix he premiered, his lewd obsession with Michelle Obama, the alleged assault investigation against him after Bianca Censori was allegedly sexually assaulted… it’s a doozy. However, something that folks probably didn’t expect to hear about was that Ye and Lil Durk fell out of favor with each other, or at least, that’s how the Yeezy mogul sees things. They previously collaborated on various cuts, and as two Chicago rappers, some hometown fans likely feel very disappointed by this rift.

“Durk sent in a verse and he said, ‘Take my Yeezy shirt off and make it a doormat,’” Kanye West claimed of Lil Durk. “He said it four times. I hit him up and said, ‘You’re breaking my heart. Who told you to do this?’ I’m like, ‘Man, this is bad for the city. Who told you to do this?’ It’s like when J. Cole did the diss track or whatever. You got Drake, he’s really paid to come at my neck. But it’s another thing for somebody like that to come around you. It’s the whole friends [and] enemies talk.

Read More: Charlamagne Tha God Goes Off On Kanye West, Reveals He’s Been Hating On Drake For Years

Kanye West Speaks On Lil Durk: Watch

He must have never really liked me,” Kanye West went on concerning Lil Durk. I don’t know exactly what it is. I spoke to this man a few times about the line and then he changed the line to: ‘I take my Yeezy hat off and give my lil’ h*e that.’ And I’m just like, ‘Why y’all think y’all can play with me?’” It seems like he might be referring to a leaked track off an upcoming VULTURES volume, “Field Trip,” which also reportedly features Playboi Carti and Kodak Black.

Meanwhile, the “PROBLEMATIC” creative also expressed that these lyrics hurt him more than Drake taking Smurk on tour during the VULTURES 1 rollout. “And it’s f**k Drake for taking Durk right at the beginning of the Vultures role [sic] out I’ll come back to yall if I think of more f**k you’s,” he had ranted on Instagram. These issues between these former partners could extend to them removing each other’s contributions off of their respective most recent albums, or perhaps some disagreements over label contracts. All of that, though, is purely speculative. Nevertheless, for more news and the latest updates on Kanye West and Lil Durk, keep checking in with HNHH.

Read More: Kanye West Receives Truly Bizarre Character Description From White Nationalist Nick Fuentes

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Chris Brown & Quavo Timeline: Why Are They Beefing, And How Did We Get Here?

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Throughout this month, it seems like the theme in the Black music scene is “everybody fighting.” “Everybody” in this case has begun to take on its literal definition, as even disgraced but somehow still insanely popular R&B star Chris Brown has joined the Black music Royal Rumble currently taking place on social media platforms and DSPs across the world wide web. His beef appears to be with Quavo, and the two have traded diss tracks and Twitter barbs for the better part of the last three days.

Read on for a timeline of Quavo and Chris Brown’s “beef.”

April 2017 – Quavo Seemingly Begins Dating Chris Brown’s Ex

Prior to the rumor surfacing that Quavo had begun dating Karrueche Tran, he and Brown had apparently been on friendly terms. Brown appeared on Migos’ 2015 track “Just For Tonight” and a year later, Quavo returned the favor on Chris’ mixtape track “Whippin’.” However, in April of 2017, TMZ reported Quavo and Tran were seen spending time together, which apparently incensed Brown, who couldn’t let go of his prior relationship with the model/influencer, despite her dumping him in 2015. She later filed a restraining order against him, alleging harassment and abusive behavior.

June 2017 – The Two Stars Confront Each Other

In June that year, Brown and his entourage confronted Quavo and his at the BET Awards, but for the past few years, the two have appeared to be on good enough terms… until now.

April 2024 – Brown Calls Out Quavo, Quavo Responds, And A Beef Is Born

On April 11, Brown released the deluxe edition of his 2023 album 11:11 with a new song, “Freak,” in which he referenced the 2017 fling, seemingly revealing he still harbors a grudge about it after all this time (of course he does). “OK, now f*ckin’ my old b*tches ain’t gone make us equal / Sippin’ that 1942 ’cause I don’t do no Quavo,” he sings — a reference to the resemblance between Quavo and “Jose Cuervo,” the popular brand of tequila.

A day later, Quavo dropped “Tender,” a song responding to Brown’s call-out, in which he raps, “You did the b*tch wrong and now the b*tch gone, she posted with a thug / Call the b*tch phone, she won’t come home, don’t beat her up,” — a pretty obvious reference to Brown’s history of abusive relationships, including the infamous 2009 incident in which he battered Rihanna so badly, she was hospitalized.

April 2024 – Chris Brown Drops “Weakest Link”

Chris came back with “Weakest Link” a week later, on April 20. In it, he not only addresses Quavo’s “Tender” taunts about Karrueche, but also suggests that turnabout is fair play and that he slept with Quavo’s ex Saweetie. “They say revenge is sweet, now think about that sh*t,” he raps. “Don’t let that line go over your head, I might just sing about that sh*t / I had her fiending ’bout that d*ck, there’s something sweet about that sh*t / I got some tea up out that b*tch, but I ain’t go speak about that sh*t.”

Quavo’s response, “Over Hoes & B*tches,” dropped last night (April 22) and continues to drag out Brown’s abusive past. We’ll see if if these two continue to taunt each other, but let’s all just hope it blows over because at this point, the returns are diminishing rapidly. I never thought I’d say this, but Kendrick really needs to respond to Drake; the quality of these rap beefs is about as good as month-old milk.

Benzino Had This To Say About The Sexual Orientation Rumors Swirling Around Diddy & Meek Mill

Benzino’s place in hip-hop is an interesting one to say the least. If you ask a majority of people that follow the genre, the reviews may not be glowing. The Source magazine co-founder from Boston, Massachusetts is probably mostly known for his never-ending saga with legendary Detroit rapper Eminem, and it is probably why he gets so much hate. A lot of fans respect Em’s stature in rap and if you try to tear him down, you are going get to get backlash for it. But Ben is seemingly earning some respect as of late over a recent interview clip.

In his appearance on the We In Miami Podcast, the rapper and businessman was asked about the fury of rumors surrounding Meek Mill and Diddy. Of course, the host is referring to the speculation that these two were sexually involved with one another. Unlike 50 Cent, Benzino had no jokes to make. Instead, he showed great compassion for them during his impassioned response.

Read More: Drake Taunts Kendrick Lamar On “Taylor Made Freestyle”: Breaking Down The Bars

Benzino Shows Compassion For Diddy & Meek Mill

 
 
 
 
 
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“It’s none of our f***ing business if [Diddy] and Meek Mill are f***ing or not f***ing,” Benzino said. “The internet makes all our business everybody’s business. At least the privacy of what we’re doing in our bedroom should be private.” The interviewer interjected, saying that Meek is painted as a “real street n****,” but Benzino believes that does not matter one bit. “That’s a different narrative because real street n****s can be gay. Like we again we gotta be adults and we gotta look at this for what it is.” He continued, “You can’t have a personal opinion on who a n**** f***s unless you are in the room with them.”

What are your thoughts on the opinion that Benzino has about Meek Mill and Diddy’s situation? Were you surprised he had this positive of a response to the question, why or why not? Do you agree with the fans speculation that he is “a gay man defending another gay man?” We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Benzino, Meek Mill, and Diddy. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.

Read More: Kanye West Dismisses Drake’s Music: “Your Raps Don’t Mean Sh*t”

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Saweetie Targets Quavo, But Not Chris Brown: Fans React To Her Responses To Disses

Saweetie is causing some significant fan debate right now around her role in the beef between Chris Brown and Quavo. For those unaware, the most recent development between those artists was the latter’s “Over H*es & B***hes” diss against the former, which got mixed reactions from fans and outright dismissal from Brown himself. However, the Los Angeles femcee heated things up in a different way by posting a screenshot of an unopened DM that the former Migo sent her. What fans found contentious and scandalous, particularly for Huncho Jack, is that she is only targeting her former partner here and not the person that dragged her into this mess in the first place.

As such, a lot of folks think that what Chris Brown said about Saweetie cheating on Quavo with him could be true, although this is obviously just gossip still. There’s also her upcoming single to consider, something that she teased rewriting the bars for to perhaps address some of this. Regardless, fans still debated whether this timeline was warranted, whether the Georgia rapper deserves some primary criticism from the Icy Girl, and what her lack of response to Breezy says about the dynamic. Some are analyzing it from the rap beef perspective, and others are simply here for the relationship and cheating drama.

Read More: Saweetie Reveals Warner Wouldn’t Clear Single She Teased, Defends Making “Retail” Music

Saweetie Causes Fan Debate With Her Quavo Shade While Staying Silent On Chris Brown

Either way, this is definitely contributing to a lot of wild discussion and theorizing. One ironic part about all this is that Quavo and Chris Brown aren’t making back-and-forth claims about a single lady. Saweetie is very much in a relationship with YG at the moment, or at least, that’s what they’ve indicated in live performances and on social media following break-up rumors. As such, many wonder if he’ll have anything to say about all of this, or if he’s standing by his woman 100%.

More Fan Reactions

Meanwhile, many folks wonder what this beef could bring next, especially since the R&B star seems uninterested in a response. Nevertheless, who do you think is “winning” right now and is the “Richtivities” artist right in taking these approaches? In any case, give us your takes down in the comments section below. Also, log back into HNHH for the latest news and more updates on Chris Brown, Quavo, and Saweetie.

Read More: Saweetie Responds To Accidentally “Picking A Side” In GloRilla & JT Beef

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Ray J Sparks Concern Among Doctors & Friends With Bizarre Face Tattoos

Ray J is once again making headlines for some wild stuff, although this might be a little more tame in many’s eyes. In fact, he’s been on an upward trajectory as of late, with the biggest story about him recently being some dating rumors with Sukihana that really ignited over this past weekend. However, the Mississippi entertainer is drawing a lot of concerned, amused, or perturbed reactions online due to his new collection of face tattoos. They include the names of his children, Melody and Epik, plus the logo of his Tronix TV network, as he showed off on Instagram Live on Monday (April 22).

“Everybody tripping,” Ray J remarked, indicating that his friends and even medial experts are pretty worried about this decision and apparently his mental health. “I had a few doctors call me and DM me. Thank you, I appreciate the love because if you worried about me, then please let me know. If I’m falling by the wayside, If I’m going left, help me go right. I’ma listen. Straight up.“ Then, he relayed plans to make them even larger on his face despite concerns, and claimed that they were unfinished at the moment.

Read More: Ray J & Chrisean Rock TV Deal: Tronix Founder Urges Junior’s Mom To Work With Him

Ray J Shows Off New Face Tattoos: Watch

“I’m about to go finish them right now, and I’ma really go big today,” Ray J planned out, which probably didn’t help with folks already expressing concern. “When I’m done with them, then I think everybody might f**k with them. But if they don’t, you ain’t got to look at me.” Furthermore, in a separate clip, he explained that, while he thinks the tats make him “look real unattractive,” it was his intention to make it so that he probably wouldn’t appear in more movies or TV shows, thus allowing him to focus on more executive and behind-the-scenes entrepreneurship.

“It’s all in for me now,” the 43-year-old posited. “I did this on purpose.” Nevertheless, what do you think about these face tattoos? Is Princess Love’s ex making the right boss move here to avoid TV and movie deals or was there a simpler way to do this? Drop your thoughts on all this in the comments section below. In addition, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and more updates on Ray J.

Read More: Ray J Says Diddy’s Friends Need Time To “Understand” Allegations Before Speaking Out

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Charlamagne Tha God Goes Off On Kanye West, Reveals He’s Been Hating On Drake For Years

Charlamagne Tha God discussed Kanye West’s ongoing feud with Drake during the latest episode of The Breakfast Club. In doing so, he revealed the Vultures rapper has been hating on Drake for longer than fans may realize. In particular, he recalled one instance when Ye slammed Drake and Virgil Abloh during an interview years ago.

“Kanye West is the leader of the legion of lame,” Chalamagne began. “What a hating ass human. What type of man sits around and says we were all energized by the elimination of another man? This man is so miserable and has never dealt with whatever hurt and pain he’s feeling and he just wants to project it onto other people. I don’t even want Kendrick to respond no more. On ‘Like That,’ he clowned Drake and Cole for cliquing up. Don’t you be a part of the legion of lame, Kendrick. Future, you neither. Run from Kanye. Metro what are you doing? All of y’all should be running from Kanye West. Have you not read the 48 laws of power? Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky. You can die from somebody else’s misery. Kanye made the whole thing corny. It was entertaining until he brought his jealous, envious ass into the picture. So lame.”

Read More: Kanye West’s Music Fanbase Is Dwindling, Charlamagne Tha God Suggests: Watch

Kanye West Performs At Rolling Loud

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Rapper Kanye West performs onstage during the “Vultures 1” playback concert during Rolling Loud 2024 at the Hollywood Park Grounds on March 14, 2024, in Inglewood. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Charlamagne continued: “By the way, he’s been hating on Drake. When I interviewed him back in the day when we was walking through the hills… he was hating on Drake and Virgil [Abloh] then, talking about they took the culture from him. And this is when he was up. This is when Yeezy when booming and he was still hating because he’s an unlucky, unhappy, hating ass human. We shouldn’t even give him no energy.” West discussed his issues with Drake during an appearance on Justin Laboy’s podcast, The Download, over the weekend. He explained that the “elimination of Drake” is energizing himself and others. He also shared a remix of Metro Boomin and Future’s song, “Like That,” on which he targets the Toronto rapper.

Charlamagne Tha God Speaks On Kanye West & Drake’s Feud

 
 
 
 
 
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Check out Charlamagne’s full comments on Ye above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Charlamagne Tha God as well as Kanye West and Drake’s feud on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Charlamagne Thinks Kanye West Is Beefing With Drake Over Sneaker Sales

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Everyone Taylor Swift Seemingly References In “The Tortured Poets Department”

While receiving the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album on February 2, 2024, Taylor Swift announced her eleventh studio album. As expected, fans all over the world went berserk over the surprise announcement, and have eagerly awaited the album since. Then, on April 19, 2024, Taylor Swift finally dropped The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), shocking fans again by delivering having a double album. Without a doubt, it is currently the biggest musical release of 2024. 

Since the album dropped, it has accomplished some groundbreaking feats, and Swifties can’t get enough of it. They’ve also enjoyed deciphering many of the somewhat cryptic lines the singer included in most songs. Taylor Swift seemingly references several people throughout the songs on TTPD such as Jack Antonoff, Charlie Puth, Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith, and Stevie Nicks, among others, throughout the album. Here’s a list of people she references.

Read More: Taylor Swift Album Panned By Internet Critics Due To Cringy Lyrics And Boring Production

Matt Healy 

Taylor Swift and Matt Healy met in 2014, but it wasn’t until 2023 that they got romantically involved. The two dated for a while in 2023, but broke up in June of that year. Following the release of TTPD, many fans believe Taylor Swift indirectly refers to the 1975 frontman in some songs. She seemingly references Healy on “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” and “Down Bad,” where fans believe she sings about their breakup. This also happens in “The Black Dog,” “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.” However, Taylor also sings about when she was head over heels for the singer on some tracks. She does so on “But Daddy I Love Him,” “Guilty As Sin?” and “LOML.”

God save the most judgmental creeps who say they want what’s best for me / Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I’ll never see / Thinking it can change the beat of my heart when he touches me,” Swift sings on “But Daddy I Love him.” Fans believe the lyrics are a response to the reproach she got for dating Healy after it was revealed he had made racist remarks and offensive jokes in the past.

Joe Alwyn

Before Matt Healy, Taylor Swift dated the British actor and heartthrob Joe Alwyn, and many Swifties thought the two would be endgame. However, they broke up in April 2023. Following the release of TTPD, many listeners believe that Taylor Swift references Alwyn and their breakup on a few songs. These include “So Long, London,” “Fresh Out the Slammer,” “LOML,” and “How Did It End?” Swifties believe “So Long, London” is a heartbreaking sequel to “London Boy” from Lover, which she also wrote about Alwyn. On “So Long, London,” she seemingly refers to Alwyn as “London,” saying goodbye to their romance.

Read More: Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn Break Up After 6 Years Together

Travis Kelce

On TTPD, Taylor Swift lovingly sings about Travis Kelce on the tracks in which she references him. After going through the motions of heartbreak, she moves on to a glowing new love on tracks like “The Alchemy” and “So High School.” Swift and Kelce have been dating since late 2023, and the fire of their romance seems to be burning brighter than ever. Many who have listened to TTPD are convinced that Taylor Swift wrote “The Alchemy” about Kelce.

For one thing, the song contains many football references. Also, it is one of the songs in which Swift does not reminisce but sings about a current lover. All evidence points to the song being about the football player she is madly in love with right now. She also briefly references Kelce on “Chloe or Sam or Sofia or Marcus.” On the track, she sings, “And you saw my bones out with somebody new / Who seemed like he would’ve bullied you in school.

Kim Kardashian

When fans saw the title of the track “thanK you aIMee,” they assumed it would be about Aimee Mann. However, the capitalized letters that spell out “KIM” eventually convinced them it was about Kim Kardashian. Taylor Swift never actually mentions Kim’s name on this TTPD track. However, from fans’ speculations, the message is pretty clear: the singer is not a fan of the Kardashian. “One day, your kid comes home singin’ a song that only us two is gonna know is about you,” one lyric states. “Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman / But she used to say she wished that you were dead,” Swift also sings.

Lucy Dacus 

Lucy Dacus is a singer/songwriter, and a third of the Grammy-winning group Boygenius. On “The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift sings, “Sometimes I wonder if you’re gonna screw this up with me / But you told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever leave.” Although Lucy’s last name isn’t mentioned on the song, fans believe Taylor is referencing the Boygenius member. Dacus was one of the opening acts for The Eras Tour. Due to their history, it’s very possible Dacus was the one Taylor Swift wrote about on the TTPD title track.

The Starting Line

Throughout TTPD, Taylor Swift namedrops a few people, and on “Black Dog,” she mentions The Starting Line. Matt Healy is a big fan of the pop-rock band, so Swift mentioning them is clearly a reference to her ex-lover. “When someone plays The Starting Line/ And you jump up, but she’s too young to know this song/ That was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming,” Taylor Swift sings on “The Black Dog.”

Clara Bow

When Taylor Swift revealed the tracklist for TTPD, many fans were curious about who or what Clara Bow was. “You look like Clara Bow in this light,” Swift sings in the opening of the eponymous track. Clara Bow was an American actress, and if you’re unfamiliar with the name, there’s a reason why. The actress was a movie star in the silent film era, and she died in 1965. Her name isn’t one that comes up often in recent film discourse. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that young fans of Swift’s music didn’t know her before. However, they certainly do, now.

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Kanye West Explains What Happened During Alleged Bianca Censori Sexual Assault

Kanye West made some headlines last week after he became the subject of a police investigation out in Los Angeles. Originally, it was reported that he allegedly punched a man in the face. However, it was later alleged that the man had sexually assaulted Censori, which is what led to Ye’s actions. Overall, it all seemed unfortunate, and fans were immediately on Ye’s side, as you always have to protect your family. During a recent interview with Justin Laboy, Ye was given the opportunity to explain what allegedly went down.

In fact, this was the first subject that was touched on in the interview. As Ye explains, he and Censori were in a hotel, where she was looking to go to the bathroom. She alleges that a man came up to her and grabbed her. Ye never saw it go down, but he made sure to talk to security about the whole thing. Kanye subsequently revealed that he told the man to leave the premises, but he allegedly refused. That is when Kanye said that he had to put the man to sleep, which has obvious implications.

Read More: Kanye West’s Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Dropped

Kanye West Speaks

This all occurred last Wednesday night, and since that time, there has been no official update from authorities on all of this. For now, it would appear as though this is not going to lead to significant punishment for Ye. However, that could always be subject to change. Hopefully, Censori is doing okay, and these kinds of things do not happen again.

Let us know what you think of the story being told by Kanye West, in the comments section down below. Do you think it is okay to get physical with someone who is doing bad things to your family? Do you believe any consequences will come of this? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Kanye West Unleashes “Vultures” Trailer: Watch

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Drake Taunts Kendrick Lamar On “Taylor Made Freestyle”: Breaking Down The Bars

While Kendrick Lamar fans either patiently or desperately anticipated his response to Drake’s “Push Ups,” his opponent chose not to wait until he suits up. Drizzy dropped “Taylor Made Freestyle” on Instagram late Friday night (April 19) after sharing “Push Ups” on streaming services that same day. Add onto that the other players in rap’s coup d’état, and you’ve got a whole lot of drama that the 6ix God is happily laughing through.

The principal idea is that Drake wants Kendrick Lamar to respond to him because the Compton lyricist has supposedly been sitting on a diss track for four years. That’s in addition to the fact that Dot ignited this whole situation with his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” On “Taylor Made Freestyle,” Drake uses three main tactics and angles to portray K. Dot as a scared dog who “barked up the wrong tree and got his head popped off in a crowded room.” Whether you think this is a desperate move or a nail-in-the-coffin moment, the OVO mogul certainly got what he wanted: respect through being disrespectful.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Ignites More Drake & Kendrick Lamar Diss Speculation With Announcement

Drake Turns “The West Coast” Against K.Dot: The A.I. Snoop & ‘Pac Verses

Examining the primary controversy surrounding the song is imperative to understand the levels of disrespect. The first two verses on “Taylor Made Freestyle” use A.I. technology to replicate Tupac and Snoop Dogg’s voices, respectively. Drake raps from their “perspective” about how “they” want Kendrick Lamar to ether Drake on behalf of the West Coast. However, lines like “You supposed to be the boogeyman, go do what you do” question whether Kendrick is really like that, as Snoop and ‘Pac were more combatively upfront in their Death Row days. Aubrey also alludes to Snoop passing Kendrick the torch as the new frontrunner for the West Coast at a 2011 concert in L.A., emphasizing this historical pressure.

Aside from any ethical conversations about the use of A.I. here, the illusion is just a shiny taunt in this context and doesn’t truly emulate either Cali legend. Kendrick, on the other hand, previously used similar technology in ways many felt were more thematically appropriate and less disrespectful to their subject’s memories. These include talking to ‘Pac on TPAB‘s “Mortal Man” or using deepfakes of Will Smith, Nipsey Hussle, and more to draw parallels between their stories and his own in the music video for “The Heart Part 5.” But more importantly than all of this, the “Evil Ways” spitter questions the “Savior” creative’s L.A. ties by mentioning an apartment he bought in New York, and accuses Lamar of faking his aggressive funk and being “out of moves” in this “chess game” that the world is watching.

Read More: Snoop Dogg Seems To React To Drake Using His AI Voice On Kendrick Lamar Diss

Kendrick Lamar Is A Swiftie Through & Through, Drizzy Declares

Drake also audits Kendrick Lamar’s artistic roots through Taylor Swift’s new album, which dropped the same day “Push Ups” hit DSPs and this “freestyle” hit @champagnepapi’s IG. Specifically, he claims that Kendrick hasn’t responded yet because he doesn’t want to interfere with Swift’s schedule, despite Drake mentioning her as his only competition on the song “Red Button” last year. “She Taylor-Made your schedule with Ant, you out of the loop / Hate all you corporate industry puppets, I’m not in the mood,” he raps, possibly referencing TDE’s Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, or Kendrick’s manager Anthony Saleh. It follows similar points from “Push Ups” and posits that Mr. Duckworth is prioritizing money over his craft.

On this point, though, someone tried to turn this argument against Drake: Kanye West. The now-independent Chicago artist raps the following on his “Like That” remix: “Where’s Lucian? Serve your master, n***a / You caught a little bag for your masters, didn’t ya? / Lifetime deal, I feel bad for n***as.” This paints the former Degrassi star as a puppet of UMG head Sir Lucian Grainge who, in 2022, confirmed that Drake entered a multi-faceted deal with Universal Music Group, per Variety. At the time, the publication reported that Drake signed a rumored “Lebron-sized deal” with UMG that could be worth upwards of $400 million.

Nonetheless, Ye’s retort remains muddy, speculative, and lacks actual information that would make these claims worthwhile in this feud. Another muddy point is how Ye and Drake argue over ghostwriting and credits when they’ve both written for each other. Regardless, Kendrick Lamar is now “independent” through pgLang. However, another separate report from Variety in 2020 indicated that Lamar signed a worldwide administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing.

“Taylor Made Freestyle” Anticipates Kendrick’s Next Shots

Finally, Drake addresses potential disses that Kendrick Lamar’s response track would include. The Tupac A.I. verse begs K.Dot to call out the “Canadian lightskin” for “liking young girls.” First, this attempts to disarm shots at his perceived racial ambiguity and insecurity. Later, it addresses the speculation surrounding his alleged proximity to Millie Bobby Brown, Bella Harris, and others when they were underage. It’s important to note that the only documented evidence of this type of alleged behavior was from a Denver concert in 2010. Per The Guardian, the then-23-year-old Drake brought a girl onstage, caressed her, kissed her on the lips, and was shocked when the girl told her that she was 17 — the age of consent in Denver — afterward. However, her actual age is still officially unconfirmed at press time.

In addition, Drake jokes that Kendrick Lamar needs a “quintuple entendre” on his response track, mocking how folks hype up his complex pen. This complements his claim that “Push Ups” only took him “an hour or two” to write and that his next diss track is when Kendrick will really lose. Overall, the Certified Lover Boy tries to downplay his rival’s artistic value and patience through consistent pressure. Some jabs could be interpreted as hypocritical, though, such as Drake questioning Kendrick’s street ties. Nevertheless, as of writing this article, there are only rumors of whether or not K.Dot will eventually respond mercilessly or if he’ll pull a J. Cole. But history shows us that a single verse can change everything.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef: “Like That” & “Push Ups” Disses Locked In Streaming War

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