Music
Kendrick Lamara and “Not Like Us” lessons – a year later

At the top of March 2025-I used to be just greater than a month ago-I used to be asked for a party for a newly broken 7-year-old. When I asked the boy’s mother if there have been any special requests for songs, the just one she could take into consideration was Kendrick Lamara’s “Not Lame”, a song that for my part just isn’t possible to surprise in history, since the song defining 2024. It was time in my life when Kendrick Lamar’s song dressed. “Squabble Up” from the most recent album of Lamar, “GNX”, the album The Rapper, currently gives live shows within the United States and Canada from SZA to sold -out stadiums. Kendrick Lamar is currently one among the best artists on the planet.
In May 2024, my children knew Lamara only by name; Now they know his catalog and argue about who can call essentially the most songs in it. A year after Lamar dropped “Not Like Us”, one of the crucial virulent and dance records DISS of all time, the whole lot is feasible for Lamar. For Drake, the recipient of this eating and dance record Diss … eh, not a lot. Who would think that?
“Not Like Us” was released on May 4, 2024 and It wasn’t even the one song released by Lamar that day. What began kind of, with the hospitable verse of Lamar on the longer term and “Like that this” (March 22), led to the discharge of Drake “Pushs” (April 13), and then “Taylor created freestyle” (April 19), after which for my part is the actual best record in the entire form, “Euphoria” (April 30). Then got here the fluurry: Kendrick dropped “6:16 in La” on May 3, and then Drake released “Matters Family” later on the identical day.
Very shortly after Drake dropped this record, Kendrick returned to “Meet The Grahams” (within the early May) of the group’s absolute darkest record, then dropped his record, “Not Like Us” later that day. What a difference a day. Drake will drop “The Heart entitled 6”, but to be honest, no person cared. Damage was caused; Kendrick, Drake, with “Not Like Us”, catchy bop with quote lines, wildly repetitive accusations and a section of connection and answers, which I mean, if you happen to need a plan, tips on how to recognize one among the best acts on the planet, Kendrick jumped and showed (Folks).
This song led to the entire concert, called Amazon, called “Pop out: ken & friends” in Juneteenth (June 19, 2024), where Drake had all night dedicated to his face, assisted by Dr. Dre and most LA celebrities, which also doubled as some Unity Unity program in Los Angeles.
July 4 Video for “Not like us” I fell, transferring the “jumping” motif to latest, heavy levels of Compton. This film has over 330 million views, which seems … low. The success of the identical song meant that the machine appears in Super Bowl … In February 2025 you saw. I saw it. This is essentially the most regularly viewed show of the Super Bowl in history. And even if you happen to have not watched it in real time, definitely obviously I watched the video replay; The performance on the YouTube NFL website currently has over 120 million views.
I believe it might be safely said that “not like us” modified the whole lot. Sure, before this beef with Drake (we’ll soon reach him), Kendrick was already one of the crucial respected artists in hip-hop, let alone musical. He is the one rapper who received the Pulitzer Award (thus far), won 22 Grammy Awards – five, of which he won in 2025 for “Not Like Us” – not less than two separate books written about him from an analytical perspective by two very respected journalists, and his song “Alight” is the song Black Lives Matter Ruch. He will succeed beyond the wildest imagination of most rappers, but “not like us” turned Kendrick into a different way.
“Not Like Us” turned him into a pop star, whose songs live at the highest of the charts; Currently, his song “Luther” from Shans is the primary song within the country and He has been for 10 weeks. Kendrick does things that Drake once did, aside from doing it without creating songs, which after all are to hit the highest of the hits. Quoting Jay-Z from his song “Come and Get Me” from 1999, Kendrick didn’t crossover, “brought suburbs to the hood.” A year later, Kendrick Lamar appears in Gatorade advertisements, which might not seem shocking a year ago, but now seems obvious. His vulgar with Drake and ultimately the discharge of the song, which took over the complete conversation resulting in the album, which became a right away classic, modified Kendrick, a year later, into a certified pop sensation. Kendrick has at all times been a transcendent artist, but now he’s in a rare atmosphere of each transcendent and business.

There can be Drake, which for my part is now and will at all times be one of the crucial sold artists on the planet. He has … a year; Much longer than I believe he (or anyone) expected, but he went. But so long that Drake had his back against the wall and such a non-hop way was illuminating. Shortly after dropping the “GNX” Lamar Drake, he began proceedings in motion, which might find yourself suing his own label – Universal Music Group (UMG) – contributing to the undeniable fact that they effectively overstated “they don’t like us” for profit on the expense of Drake. Remember, Drake and Kendrick are on the identical label.
In the movement, which a year ago, which never seemed prone to me from Canadian Teflon, now feels the best as possible karen hip-hop, and very intruder, which Kendrick accused him, a costume that can’t shake (yet). I even have never had a problem with Drake’s music, because Drake at all times made hits and like Kendrick, I like Drake, who makes me dance within the club. But now I don’t love Drake as a man; It seems small and small and like a sore loser. I’m not alone in it. Drake’s Cool has long gone. There is a guy who can release music – the album from Partynextdoor on Valentine’s Day, that even he would need to admit that he didn’t hit the identical – but he doesn’t move the needle anymore. He is Drake with all distinctions, no cultural trace. In fact, it isn’t any longer like us.
I do not know what is going to occur next to Kendrick Lamar. At the moment he’s on the longest lap of the victory of all time, reaching heights, I bet that even his own team didn’t realize that he was available to him. At the moment there may be Barry Bonds with the Home Run record; He was already entering Galeria Sław, but now he’s talking to one of the best to do that, jumping a few of those that believed that their gaps were cemented. Everything is subjective and that is what hip-hop is for, what to argue, analyze, enjoy and dance. Regardless of how you chop it, I bet that nobody could predict how one song could make Kung Fu Kenny’s profession look a year later.
Now, if you happen to forgive me, I even have to do the trick while my son asks “television” within the automobile, not only because he likes to shout “mustaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”,, “loved” the whole lot I wanted was a black big nation, being rational, give them what they ask for “uh …”.
What a difference annually.

(Tagstranslate) @Ap
Music
The Weeknd’s Return: New Music, Grammys and its next era

The artist currently often called Weeknd spent the last 15 years, constructing his popularity “Dark Prince of Pop”. Starting as an enigmatic artist who released his songs anonymously, The Weeknd became a worldwide superstar and a house brand. But now-a few albums from the list Nickname Weeknd In favor of his real name Abel Tesfaye.
This is just one other step within the evolution of Tesfaye as an artist. To understand its influence on contemporary music, let’s take a have a look at the modest beginnings of Mixtape Weeknd, his meteoric known and what next for a person standing behind the nickname.
Musical Evolution Weeknd: from Mixtapes to Supergowy
Early dark mixtape
After spending most teenage years to party and problems with the law, Tesfaye began to release music anonymously in 2009. His first effort was a group of leaked demonstrations entitled “Noise”. Songs comparable to “Love Through Her” and “Material Girl” aroused the interest of online listeners, establishing a dark sound R&B and hedonistic topics from which he could be known.
Transition to the mainstream pop
In 2011, Tesfaye used the noise generated by his first editions, spending a variety of additional mixtapes – “House of Balloons”, “Thursday” and “Echo of Silence” – which might later switch to the platinum album of the “Trilogy” compilation.
But this was his contribution to the soundtrack within the dirty film “Fifty Shades of Gray” from 2015, which might really drive The Weeknd music from the bedrooms and basements to the national pop radio. Combining the sexy delivery of Tesfaye with a skillful pop approach, “Zarach IT” not only reached the number three on the Billboard Hot 100 list, but was nominated for the ACADEMY ASCADEM Award for the perfect original song and his first Grammy Award for the perfect R&B performance.
Albums and Weeknd era

“Kiss Land” and “Beauty for madness”
Before Tesfaye released his official debut album “Kiss Land” in 2013, he was already a recognized R&B trailblazer. The Canadian artist prepared for the album, traveling to Tokyo and beginning to handle more experimental and film styles that may turn into central for later Tesfaye works.
While his second album from 2015, “Beauty Behind the Madness”, nodded to his dark R&B roots on songs comparable to “Shameless”, he also leaned in POP with hits comparable to “Can’t Feel My Face”.
“Starboy”, “My dear melancholy” and “After hours”
The seeds he planted on “Kiss Land” and “Beauty Behind the Madness” would bloom the next project The Weeknd, “Starboy” from 2016. With the assistance of the electronic duo Daft Punk, Tesfaye successfully combined his experimental tendencies and fresh production in several primary pop hit, including “I Feel It Come” and the title song.
Later, the older work of Wieknd fans was treated with a brief return to the shape for the EP “My Melncholy” from 2018, which studied his breakup with the singer Selena Gomez and the model Bella Hadid. But EP was not an indication that The Weeknd abandoned his latest path. Two years later, he published “After Hours” inspired by the Nineteen Eighties, which began the second trilogy.
“Dawn FM” and “Hurry up tomorrow”
Thanks to the “Dawn FM” from 2022, Tesfaye selected a nostalgic radio program as a crap device to make sure moody meditations on fame, life and death. The album was a critical and industrial success, setting a brand new Billboard Global 200 list record and pushing Weeknd to #1 for the perfect Spotify listeners.
His latest project “hurry up tomorrow”, limited the trilogy with even darker treatment of those topics, while pointing to the artist’s next evolution. While melancholy, as all the time, Tesfaye sings a couple of sense of readiness to vary his ways, especially on the title track.
Innovation and Strategy: The Weeknd’s Vision in music and film

Weeknd joins “Idol”
Until 2023, Tesfaye proved his power as a pop star and began to look for brand new artistic efforts. HBO series “Idol“-who co-founded with the director of” Euphoria “, Sam Levinson-he offered him many latest challenges, including delays, prescribing and hasty changes.
Critical party and fans
Working along with Lily Rose-Depp and sharing writing inscriptions with Levinson, The Weeknd was largely chargeable for what led to an enormous critical and industrial failure. The charged sexual nature of the narrative of the series didn’t resonate with the audience, who recognized “Idol” each disturbing and it’s difficult to follow. The result was the primary real Tesfaye brush with failure as a mainstream artist.
Grammy return: change of perspective

The failure of “Idol” could change the attitude of Tesfaye to greater than just television as a tool for telling stories. When “After Hours” was neglected by the Grammy 2021 awards without nomination – even for the hit hit “Olinding Lights” – the artist criticized the Recording Academy and began a boycott of annual ceremonies.
Over the next 4 years, Tesfaye refused to submit his music to contemplate Grammy. But this boycott would end the surprising end in 2025, when he returned to the Grammys stage to make just a few songs from his album “Has hurry up tomorrow”.
Was it a tip on the next change within the profession of the controversial singer?
Rebranding as Abel Tesfaye: Why did The Weeknd change his name?
Tesfaye’s experience working on “The Idol” had one other significant impact on the artist: the sport within the series reminded him of the artificiality of his character, The Weeknd.
After removing within the series, Tesfaye said within the WW magazine: “This reaches the place and time when I prepare to close the Weeknd chapter.”
The artist quickly explained that he didn’t intend to completely withdraw from the music: “I will continue to create music, maybe like Abel, maybe like The Weeknd,” he thought. “But I still want to kill Weeknd. And I will do it. Finally. I definitely try to lose this skin and reborn.”
Live trips and performances Weeknd

After hours, until performance and location at dawn
If you hope you will notice the weekly live, before you get to the nickname, you may still catch him in his record place after the hours of the Dawn route, which has turn into strong since 2022. The route-which will stop within the United States and Canada this summer, including cities comparable to Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Vancouver-Union in September.
What to expect
The route program leads fans through a guide journey of the Weeknd era, made a characteristic artist’s style for moody glasses. According to reviewers of Tesfaye live shows, he organizes a stunning program, together with spare dancers, pyrotechnics and thrilling interpretations of hits comparable to “victim”, “can Feel My Face” and “often”.
Cultural influence and heritage: redefining R&B and Pop

Redefination of recent R&B and Pop
Music Weeknd has all the time been a refreshing contrast with the industry dominated by squeaking pop stars and conventional forward R&B. Thanks to the polarizing theme and daring aesthetic election, Tesfaye isn’t applying to create music that provokes.
Influence on emerging artists
Unfilted Weeknd texts and experimental sound landscapes inspired many more moderen artists to understand authenticity and innovation of their music. Young artists, comparable to 6lack and Partenextdoor, take obvious recommendations on Tesfaye music and even peers, comparable to Drake, Usher and Miguel, turned on some Weeknd sounds in their very own music.
Expanding in film and business
Despite the error from “Idol”, Tesfaye still imprints its trail on television and film. He made his debut within the film in “Uncut Gems” in 2019, he expressed the primary character within the upcoming animated film “Ari The Bat” and is working on a brand new film with director Trey Edward Shults.
In addition to the movie and TV, Tesfaye also borrowed his creative eye of cooperation with Puma, H&M clothing corporations and a washing monkey.
New music chapter and identity
Is this an actual revival for Abla Tesfaye or simply a brief change on his creative path? Regardless of its name, nothing can erase the massive influence he had on R&B and pop music. He influenced various artists – even a number of the biggest pop stars within the industry – to wear latest genres and tell their most intimate stories through music. Regardless of what’s going to occur next, Tesfaye has already strengthened his heritage – in music and more.
Still interesting Canadian star? Check our archives for more information The Weeknd.
(Tagstranslate) The Weeknd
Music
Chris Brown arrested in Great Britain in connection with the incident at the Night Club in London in London

Chris Brown was arrested on Thursday at Lowry Hotel in Manchester in England, in connection with the incident at the London Night Club in 2023, in keeping with American edition Sun. On May 14, he flew to Manchester, where the authorities were notified of his presence.
The arrest results from a quarrel on February 19, 2023, between the bronze and the music producer, Abe Diaw, who claims that Brown attacked him with a bottle, after which hit him and kicked him at the nightclub in London. Diaw was taken to the hospital, where he had to make use of KUL after discharge. London Metropolitan Police are holding Brown in terms of “suspicion of causing severe damage to the body.”
DAW also made a civil claim against Brown for $ 16 million (12 million kilos) compensation related to the incident.
This isn’t Brown’s first brush with the right to attack at the nightclub. In 2012, Brown was involved in the Night Club in New York, which included the NBA star All-Star Tony Parker and Rapper and the pop star, Drake. As early as 2024, Brown was accused of assaulting 4 live shows behind the scenes at the TEXASA concert bus stop; Brown is the defendant for $ 50 million in connection with the alleged incident.
Over the years Brown had a litany of runs with the authorities for allegations and accusations of varied arguments, fighting and assault and was accused of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Brown is He planned to make a limited series of live programs in Manchester from June 15 and is preparing for his stadium “Breezy Bowl XX”, which he made available In the Instagram post On the occasion of his 20 years in the music industry. The program includes Summer Walker at the American stage of the trip and Bryson Walker for the European leg, which is able to start on June 8 in Amsterdam.
“Celebrating 20 years of cb. So excited that I can share this moment with the world and my amazing fans. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful faces. Taking you these eras, but most importantly, give you my heart and soul,” reads the signature.
The brown song “Remains” is currently 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and spent 35 weeks on the chart and it arrived No. 1 on the adult R&B AirPlay taber.

(Tagstranslate) Chris Brown (T) Chris Brown Assault (T) London (T) Manchester
Music
Keke Palmer shares his POV with a breakdown in the shady remix of Usher “Confessions Part II”
In July 2023, Keke Palmer and her dad and former boyfriend Darius Jackson caused one of many great debates in social media. After Palmer was noticed (great, I can add) at the Usher concert this summer, Jackson began to X to share his contempt for the mother of selecting his child, causing a discourse with the “equivalent” of her outfit.
Although Jackson was very open about this case, Palmer was silent about her feelings at a viral moment – to this point. On Friday, May 9, the Wielfenian star released a recent song entitled “My Confessions”, in which she spills all tea at this moment and her break with Jackson.
“This is personal.” My confession “is exactly as it sounds – whether giving the feelings I buried”, Palmer he wrote on Instagram About the song. “Sometimes we need a closure, it does not come from a conversation – it results from being honest with each other. This is this song. My room. My brightness. My way to let go.”
The record, which rises from the “Confessions Part Conmissiones”, was written by Palmer and her best friend for 22 years, Tayla Parx, who says that the star “no” saw her through every version of herself. Describing the song as “harsh, emotional and real”, Palmer takes the listeners back to July 2023 and lirially explains every little thing about how Jackson broke up with her at the time, which prompted her to the evening of girls.
“Summer ’23, we were in Vegas, on the right/we broke up with me and jumped to the flight/you were an attempt to find the way to” positive “/so I thought I have a girl’s night”, sings. “48 hours later online/I made me a villain, but you lied, mm/but the truth is that now we now have now already ended in Vegas.
In the whole song and the lyrical film accompanying her, Palmer refers to Jackson’s controversial tweets, and even reported tensions between her and his family.
“Your family, they don’t like me, that’s good / but when did you come back on the side? / When I met you, you hated them as if you hated me now.”
Similarly, he turns to the response and response to his criticism about her appearance at the Usher concert: “72 hours, now your feelings hurt/my fans were pulling you because you had a nerve/you almost turned me into a banality/thought that your child will make me want to stay.”
As the chorus notes: “F— Your projections / These are my confessions”, Palmer explains how difficult it’s to inform her the truth when she sings: “Telling that it was difficult for me / Telling only for my peace / truth hurts and it is mine.”
Since the breakup, Palmer has revealed her and Jackson toxicity and the way much she hated the attention of the media surrounding her relationship.
From his memory “Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your National”, to the upcoming album “Just Keke”, Palmer says that “not to play perfectly here”, but “honestly,” and tell her story.

(Tagstranslate) Keke Palmer (T) Music
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