We’re hoping VULTURES 2 is the wildest album rollout of 2024. We can’t imagine an album being more scattered and confusing than this, much less conceive of an artist who could get away with it. The album has been a talking point for all the wrong reasons, between streaming removals, sample clearances, and the rumor that Kanye West used AI to complete his verses. All that said, VULTURES 2 has sold decently well. Chart Data has dropped the first week numbers for the anticipated sequel, and it’s set to do better than expected.
The outlet reports that Kanye West and Ty Dolla’s Sign’s joint album will sell 83K units in its first week. That’s good enough for a number two spot on the Billboard 200. In a separate tweet, Chart Data noted that the number two debut will end Kanye West’s streak of having albums top the charts. To make things even worse, Taylor Swift will be the artist who ends it. Swift will continue to hold down the top spot with her most recent album, The Tortured Poets Departments. As we previously noted, Swift put out four new versions of the album on August 8. Innocuous enough on the surface, but fans were quick to point out the fact that West dropped four versions of VULTURES 2 the same day.
Fans will never know for sure whether Swift was trolling Kanye West with her rollout. That being said, the VULTURES sequel would have struggled regardless. Ye’s album sales have been steadily declining in the last few years. Jesus Is King and DONDA sold 264K and 309K first week, respectively. VULTURES was a significant downturn with only 148K units sold. VULTURES 2 is the first time Kanye West’s career that he has failed to sell at least 100K in the first week. That said, album sales appear to be the least of the star’s worries these days.
Kanye West took to social media on August 8 to blast Atlantic Records over their business tactics. He said that the label was threatening to take both VULTURES albums down from all streaming platforms. “40% of all revenue from V1 and V2 needs to be paid to Atlantic,” the rapper claimed. “If we don’t handle immediately Atlantic will issue take downs for both albums.” West then likened himself to an indie artist, and continued to release new music throughout the day. “This is what ‘they’ do to independent artists,” he added on his IG Story. We will have to wait and see where the VULTURES 2 story goes next.
It’s a confusing time to be a Kanye West fan. The last week has been filled with highs and lows the likes of which few fanbases have experienced. West dropped VULTURES 2 after months of delay. Then, the rapper made tweaks. Lots and lots of tweaks. So many tweaks, in fact that VULTURES 2 barely looks or sounds like the project that originally dropped. Kanye West resorted to dropping four different versions of the album on his personal website, Yeezy.com. Then, within hours of doing so, Taylor Swift decided to release four versions of her latest album. Coincidence? The fans don’t think so.
To be fair, few things are coincidental when it comes to Taylor Swift. She has a reputation for being one of the most calculated (and oftentimes, vindictive) artists in the world. Swift and West have had beef for over a decade, and the narrative has really turned in Swift’s favor since the rapper interrupted her at the VMAs. She’s become the biggest artist on the planet in the 2020s. West, meanwhile, has become a pop culture pariah. It’s very conceivable that Taylor Swift would drop four different versions of her album the same exact time West is doing so as a means of overshadowing him.
August 8, the day all this happened, was a particularly hectic one for West. The rapper uploaded new songs that were taken down from streaming platforms within hours. Then, he tweeted out that Atlantic Records are trying to stifle his creativity and threatening to take both VULTURES albums down as well. It’s a mess of a situation, and one that’s developing faster than people are even able to cover it. By the time I finish writing this, there will likely be new changes to VULTURES 2. Did we mention that West took down the different versions of the album on his website? It’s impossible to tell whether Taylor Swift’s drop was partially to blame, but wilder things have happened. Especially with these two artists.
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Taylor Swift, however. The album that now has multiple versions for sale, The Tortured Poets Department, was her worst received yet. Fans felt like the singer rehashed what made her notable in the first place. The singer also decided to cancel multiple tour dates in Europe after two ticket buyers were arrested. According to Newsweek, the ticket buyers in question were planning to launch a terrorist attack in Vienna, where Swift was slated to perform.
The 2024 MTV VMAs are set to air live from New York’s UBS Arena on September 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Before then, though, there’s one big bit of info that has just been unveiled: the nominees.
Taylor Swift leads the pack with 10 total nods (as Variety notes), while Post Malone has nine and Sabrina Carpenter, Eminem, and Ariana Grande have six each. SZA and Megan Thee Stallion also both have five apiece.
There’s fan voting for 15 categories, and that’s open now until August 30 (although Best New Artist will be open until September 10). More information on voting is available here.
As for what you’d be voting on, find the full list of nominees below.
Video Of The Year
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “Lunch” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Artist Of The Year
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Eminem – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
SZA – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song Of The Year
Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – “Lovin On Me” – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
Best New Artist
Benson Boone – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Chappell Roan – Island
Gracie Abrams – Interscope Records
Shaboozey – American Dogwood / EMPIRE
Teddy Swims – Warner Records
Tyla – Epic Records
MTV Push Performance Of The Year
August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes” – Atlantic Records
September 2023: GloRilla – “Lick or Sum” – CMG / Interscope Records
October 2023: Benson Boone – “In the Stars” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
November 2023: Coco Jones – “ICU” – Def Jam
December 2023: Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
January 2024: Jessie Murph – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
February 2024: Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
March 2024: Chappell Roan – “Red Wine Supernova” – Island
April 2024: Flyana Boss – “Yeaaa” – Vnclm_/ Atlantic Records
May 2024: Laufey – “Goddess” – Laufey / AWAL
June 2024: Le Sserafim – “Easy” – Source Music / Geffen Records
July 2024: The Warning – “Automatic Sun” – Lava / Republic Records
Best Collaboration
Drake Feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy ” – OVO / Republic Records
GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
Jessie Murph Feat. Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
Jung Kook Feat. Latto – “Seven” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Post Malone Feat. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Best Pop
Camila Cabello – Geffen / Interscope Records
Dua Lipa – Warner Records
Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
Drake Feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy ” – OVO / Republic Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!” – CMG / Interscope Records
Gunna – “Fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott Feat. Playboi Carti – “FE!N” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “Lifeline” – AK Records / Gamma
Muni Long – “Made For Me” – Def Jam
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – Fax Records / Epic Records
Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good” – Mega / Gamma
Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
Best Alternative
Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit
Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed” – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire” – This Compilation / Warner Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)” – Warner Records
Best Rock
Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – Island
Coldplay – “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Green Day – “Dilemma” – Reprise Records / Warner Records
Kings of Leon – “Mustang” – Capitol Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Human” – Roxie Records Inc. / BMG Rights Management
U2 – “Atomic City” – Interscope Records
Best Latin
Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Bad Bunny – “Monaco” – Rimas Entertainment
Karol G – “Mi Ex Tenia Razon” – Bichota / Interscope Records
Myke Towers – “Lala” – Warner Music Latina
Peso Pluma & Anitta – “Bellakeo” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment
Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería” – Sony Music US Latin
Best Afrobeats
Ayra Starr Feat. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin / Republic
Burna Boy – “City Boys” – Spaceship / Bad Habit / Atlantic Records
Chris Brown Feat. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” – Chris Brown Entertainment / RCA Records
Tems – “Love Me JeJe” – Since ’93 / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – Fax Records / Epic Records
Usher, Pheelz – “Ruin” – mega / gamma.
Best K-Pop
Jung Kook Feat. Latto – “Seven” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
NCT Dream – “Smoothie” – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
NewJeans – “Super Shy” – ADOR / Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “Lalalala” – JYP Entertainment / Imperial / Republic Records
Tomorrow X Together – “Deja vu” – Bighit Music / Imperial / Republic Records
Video For Good
Alexander Stewart – “If Only You Knew” – FAE Grp
Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For (From the Motion Picture “Barbie”)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay – “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best for Me” – Twenty Nine Music Group
Raye – “Genesis” – Human Re Sources
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love” – Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records
Best Direction
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Directed by
Christian Breslauer
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Directed by Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Rich Lee
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Directed by Bardia Zeinali
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Cinematography
by Anatol Trofimov
Charli XCX – “Von Dutch” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Jeff Bierman
Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Warner Records – Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko
Olivia Rodrigo – “Obsessed” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Marz Miller
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rodrigo
Prieto
Best Editing
Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment – Editing by Nick Yumul
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Editing by Luis
Caraza Peimbert
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Editing by David Checel
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Editing by Nik Kohler
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island – Editing by Jai Shukla
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes
Best Choreography
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Choreography by Margaret Qualley
Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography
by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos
Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records – Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – “The Boy is Mine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Digital Axis
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual
Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post
Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records – “Selfish” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by Candice Dragonas
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Olivia Rodrigo – “Get Him Back!” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston
Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – “360” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Grace Surnow
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloyd Co. / RCA Records – Art Direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Olivia Rodrigo – “Bad Idea Right?” – Geffen Records – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman
The real horror in M. Night Shyamalan‘s Trap isn’t the psychopathic serial killer named The Butcher or even the cat-and-mouse chase between the killer and the FBI — it’s having to choose which song would be the best mid-set break in order to go to the mile long merch line only to find out that the shirt you want is sold out. That’s the terrifying stuff.
In Trap, Josh Hartnett plays the enthusiastic father/part-time murderer taking his teen daughter to see her pop idol Lady Raven. Why the concert started at 1 p.m. and was over by 4:30 p.m. is still unclear, but Shyamalan is famously mysterious.
While some of the concert scene might have seemed over-the-top, Hartnett learned first-hand that Lady Raven’s fans are actually nothing compared to the Swifties. “I became well-versed after the movie, but before I really didn’t know,” Hartnett said of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Harnett took his daughters to see Swift at Wembly Staduim in June. “It was wild,” Hartnett recently told People Magazine.. “I’ve never experienced anything like it: 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium losing their minds, including my two daughters.”
Hartnett might have thought that the fans in the film were exaggerating, but once he went to the tour, he got it. “Some of the stuff, while we were filming, I was thinking, ‘God, this is a little over the top. The amount of the fervor of the audience, and they know every word.’ Then I went to the concert. I was like, no, it’s exactly right.” It’s really hard to replicate the power of the Swifties when they all align into one conglomerate, but it’s similar to the inner workings of an ant colony. It’s good that Hartnett was able to see that in play out.
Obviously, Hartnett could not go to a Taylor Swift concert without doing his research, which included his favorite album. “The thing is, my kids weren’t really into pop music so much last year when we shot [Trap],” he explained. “Then when they heard the Eras Tour was coming because their friends at school were all into the concept, they just immediately became Swifties — and really hardcore Swifties. We listened to that music for six months nonstop in the car before we went to the show,” he said.
So which Era is Hartnett? While he might look like a Reputation stan, he prefers the classics. “The album that they play a lot at our house is 1989, and I like that album. It’s a good album.” Hopefully this revelation won’t start a social media war between the Swfities and the Lady Raven fans.
Believe it or not, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign actually released their long-awaited album Vultures 2. One track that’s generating some attention is “Lifestyle,” which sees Lil Wayne addressing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
On his opening verse, Wayne raps, “I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce.”
It didn’t take long for Swift to deliver what some have interpreted as a response to the line. She performed in Warsaw, Poland hours after the song was released, and at one point, she wore a t-shirt that says “I Bet You Think About Me.”
As Page Six notes, it’s a shirt Swift has worn on stage before, but some fans believe her choosing to wear it at that show wasn’t a coincidence.
One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “She’s so funny for wearing the I bet you think about me shirt after Ka*ye name dropped her and Travis in his song an actual comedian.” Another said, “[When I] saw the k*nye thing a little bit ago and I knew she was gonna wear it lmao.”
In late 2023, Swift addressed her infamous phone call with Ye, calling it a “fully manufactured frame job.” Months later, Ye wrote on social media, “I’m sure I’ve been far more helpful to Taylor Swift’s career than harmful.”
Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign have finally released their highly-anticipated second collaborative album, Vultures 2. One track that’s causing waves on social media is the eighth song, “Lifestyle,” which features an appearance from Lil Wayne. With his verse, Wayne trolls Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. “Ice up in my veins, old flames tryna melt me / I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce,” he raps. The bars are noteworthy considering West and Swift’s longstanding feud. Swift previously mentioned Kim Kardashian and West in an interview with TIME Magazine, in 2023, for the publication’s Person of the Year piece.
“Make no mistake—my career was taken away from me,” Swift remarked, referring to Kardashian leaking her and West’s phone call over the song “Famous.” “You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar.” Wayne is one of several high-profile artists with appearances on the project. On other tracks, Don Toliver, Playboi Carti, Kodak Black, Future, Young Thug, and many more rappers all contribute. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign as well as Vultures 2 on HotNewHipHop. Check out “Lifestyle” below.
And I start talkin’ dirty like I’m Nelly Give me mouth and lip service like a celly Codeine and cocaine, that’s Lisa Turtle when it’s Kelly Ice up in my veins, old flames tryna melt me I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce
Technology is weird. Thanks to AI, we can duplicate celebrities’ voices (even against their wishes), and those celebrities can even interact with each other — or themselves. Last month, The Weeknd used ChatGPT to have a conversation with his “10-year-old self,” and today, Eminem was able to interview his alter ego Slim Shady for Complex with the aid of the same sort of de-aging tech that brought back Luke Skywalker and had us all posting pictures of ourselves as babies on Snapchat a few years ago.
Unsurprisingly, Slim was less than nice to Em, roasting him repeatedly throughout the interview and even comparing him to modern-day star Taylor Swift. “We sold all that sh*t off my back, b*tch,” he railed. “Don’t get it twisted; wasn’t for me, you’d still be wearing that ‘same damn Nike Air hat.’ You’re not f*ckin’ Taylor Swift — you only had one era that mattered: mine.”
“You’re not f*ckin’ Taylor Swift. You only had 1 era that mattered”
The premise of the interview is that Eminem has been brought forward from the past to berate and deride Em, who seemingly tries to defend his creative choices in light of a changed world and newfound maturity — although, it’s arguable that there’s an angry inner voice controlling the actions of the 51-year-old rapper. Still, you gotta give him props, almost no other rapper has ever committed so strongly to an album concept.
During Open’er Festival, fans grew concerned about Ice Spice’s wellbeing after she seemed disassociated onstage. Today (July 7) the recording artist came face-to-face with a sea of trolls at Rolling Loud Europe. As Ice Spice performed “Karma (Remix),” her collaboration with Taylor Swift, the Austrian audience began to boo.
Initial, Ice Spice seemed confused by the reaction (especially considering Swift’s global reach). But, shortly after the audience flashed a few thumbs down motions toward her, Ice Spice responded by blowing a kiss.
Taylor Swift and Ice Spice’s friendship has continued to blossom since their song. They were even spotted together at Super Bowl 2024. Based on Ice Spice’s defense of Swift, they will remain strong.
Travis Kelce is no stranger to a big stage, as the star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs has played in four Super Bowls and won three of them. He’s usually doing the thing he does best when tens of thousands of people are watching him live (and millions more on TV), but on Sunday night in London he took a bit of a step outside his normal comfort zone in support of his girlfriend.
At Taylor Swift’s third night of The Eras Tour in London, Kelce made his on-stage debut, joining two of Swift’s dancers for a song transition before “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” carrying Swift to a broken heart-shaped couch. Unsurprisingly, when the camera zoomed in to show it was Kelce dressed as one of the dancers, the crowd went wild, and he seemed to have the time of his life on stage.
After the show, Swift posted to Instagram to thank all the special guests from that evening, including Gracie Abrams who debuted a new song with Swift, and that included Travis who had Taylor “cracking up/swooning” over his performance.
Wembley Stadium round one was so surreal. Looking out into crowds of 90,000 fans each night and hearing that VOLUME… Those were some of the loudest crowds I’ve ever heard. Acoustic sections went OFF. I got to sing ‘Castles Crumbling’ with @yelyahwilliams for the first time – hadn’t performed with her since 2011 and man my heart was just so full of love for her and our friendship. Then the impossibly gifted and wonderful @gracieabrams came and surprised the crowd with the first performance of our song ‘us.’ And I’m still cracking up/swooning over @killatrav’s Eras Tour debut Never going to forget these shows. Can’t wait to do it 5 more times in August. Up next: Dublin!!
We’ll see if Kelce pops up on stage again before the Chiefs start training camp, or if this was just a one-time appearance, and maybe Travis can work on finding a way to get Taylor on the field with the Chiefs at some point.
Travis is typically in the VIP area enjoying the show with the various celebrities that show up for each night of the tour, but on Sunday he got much more involved, taking an on-stage role for the first time. Late in Sunday’s tour stop in London, fans were stunned to see Kelce dressed as one of Swift’s dancers in a top hat and tuxedo during a transition between “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” into “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” as he came out on stage, clearly having a blast, and carried Swift to a broken heart-shaped couch before touching up Swift’s makeup (and miming doing the same for himself).
It’s the first time we’ve seen Kelce hop up on stage, and he certainly seemed to enjoy every minute of it, trotting out with a little heel click and hamming it up as the crowd went crazy at his appearance. Typically we see Kelce’s dance skills in the end zone, but this time he put himself to the test with some professionals on stage. We’ll have to see if this fall he works any The Eras Tour choreography into his celebrations. Also, this sets the bar high for Swift when she shows up at her next Chiefs game, as it might be tough to reciprocate this moment — unless she’s ready to take some snaps at slot receiver.
(@Aris_Multiverse) 
Never going to forget these shows. Can’t wait to do it 5 more times in August. Up next: Dublin!! 
| TRAVIS KELCE’S FULL SURPRISE APPEARANCE FOR “I CAN DO IT WITH A BROKEN HEART” AT TODAY’S SHOW!