Current Events
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A nationwide economic boycott of Target has led to a significant decline in its valuation, with another extended boycott set to begin.
According to reports, a one-day economic blackout held last week (reportedly initiated by the Peoples Union USA group) had a strong impact on Target’s earnings, just as the big box chain is facing another extended boycott of its stores. The data revealed that Target saw an 11% drop in customer traffic in its stores last Friday (Feb. 28), and a 9% drop in visitors from 5.2 million to 4.7 million through its website. Their dedicated app also saw a significant decline, going down 14% from 4.2 million to 3.5 million when compared to figures from Feb. 14.
The findings come weeks after Target’s announcement at the end of January that it had come to the end of a three-year program that focused on building Black careers at the company as well as promoting Black-owned businesses and improving the experiences of Black shoppers. The program was started by the Minneapolis-based retail chain in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by officers from that city in 2020. Target also announced that it would roll back other diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals set for that three-year cycle, leading to backlash from the public.
The chain acknowledged a “small decline” in revenue in February but didn’t acknowledge the one-day blackout, instead projecting that there was “meaningful year-over-year profit pressure in its first quarter relative to the remainder of the year” relative to ongoing consumer uncertainty in combination with the current tariff wars enacted by President Donald Trump. Target’s full-year revenues saw a drop from $107.4 billion in 2023 to $106.6 billion in 2024. Notably, their stock valuation dropped 13% from $135.21 to $117.14 a share.
A new boycott is set to begin Wednesday (March 5), initiated by Atlanta-based pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Baptist Church. The “fast” will take place over the 40 days of the Lent season. “Black people spend on average $12 million a day in Target, so with that large of a consumption pie, we need to be treated with a great decibel of respect,” Dr. Bryant said in an interview, noting that 50,000 people had signed an online petition stating they’d participate.
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The Jazz and Soul music giant Roy Ayers has passed away. He was 84.
Variety reports that the Jazz vibraphonist’s family confirmed that he passed away on Tuesday, March 4, after a “long illness.”
“It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer, and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4, 2025 in New York City after a long illness,” reads the Ayers family’s statement. “He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed. A celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming.”
Ayers is perhaps best known for his song “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” from his 1976 album of the same name, which has been sampled countless times by Hip-Hop and R&B musicians. Ayers often credited Mary J. Blige’s 1994 “My Life,” which liberally samples the aforementioned song, with reviving his career and enriching his bank account.
Also a composer and record producer, Ayers’ deep and rich catalog of music has long been mined for samples that got flipped into new beats that hipped a new generation of listeners to his grooves. Some of those recognizable songs include “We Live In Brooklyn, Baby,” “Searching,” and “Running Away,” where were in turn chopped and massaged into new works from the like of Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Mos Def, Kendrick Lamar. A Tribe Called Quest and many, many more. Also notable was Ayers’ crafting of the soundtrack to the Blaxploitation classic Coffy, which stars Pam Grier.
One of this writers favorites was Ayers connecting with The Roots on their “Proceed II.”
Rest in powerful peace Roy Ayers.
This story is developing.
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Texas Representative Al Green made a powerful protest during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address until being ejected.
On Tuesday (March 4), President Donald Trump began the first State of the Union address of his second term in office. The tense air in the chambers grew as Democratic Representative Al Green stood up just two minutes in and began to shout at Trump, pointing his cane. “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” he yelled. Republican congresspeople began to chant “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and clapped while yelling at Green to sit down. House of Representatives Majority Speaker Mike Johnson warned Green to sit down or be removed from the chambers, stating that members of Congress “are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the house and to cease any further disruptions.” When Green refused to sit, Vice President JD Vance made a “get out” motion with his thumb.
“Finding that members continue to engage in willful and concerted disruption of proper decorum, the chair now directs the Sergeant-at-arms to restore order,” Johnson read from a sheet of paper, making the ejection official. “Remove this gentleman from the chamber!” Green was then led out as Republicans applauded. Outside, the 77-year-old Green spoke to reporters from C-SPAN. “I’ll accept the punishment. It’s worth it to let people know that there’s some of us who are going to stand up against this president’s desire to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security,” he said.
https://x.com/cspan/status/1897117558500700644
Green plans to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump over his comments about acquiring the Gaza Strip – the Houston-based politician initiated three unsuccessful attempts to impeach Trump during his first term. His protest was a contrast to reports that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic congressional leaders to attend and not cause any disruptions. Many who attended held up signs that read “Save Medicaid” and “Musk Steals.” referring to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).
The protest visibly rattled Trump, as other Democratic congress members walked out at various points during his speech, which included fellow Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, and Florida Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost who was spotted wearing a black t-shirt with a message on the back that read, “No Kings Live Here.” Other Democratic lawmakers such as New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez chose not to attend the State of the Union address.
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Source: Taylor Hill / Getty / Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is returning to NBC and will star in a new comedy series pilot.
Morgan will play a disgraced former football player on mission to repair his image in the series from Tina Fey and other 30 Rock alum Robert Carlock, who serve as Fey’s co-showrunner and writer, Sam Means, as well as producers Eric Gurian and David Miner.
Variety reports Carlock and Means will pen the new pilot, which will be live on NBC if it gets picked up. Outside of Morgan, no other names have been announced regarding the yet-to-be-named show.
Universal Television and production companies Little Stranger, Bevel Gears, and 3 Arts are also involved in the single-camera pilot.
For Morgan, he will be booked and busy, last year it was announced that he would be starring in a Paramount+ spinoff of CBS’ The Neighborhood titled Crutch, where he will play Cedric The Entertainer’s character, Calvin Butler’s cousin.
If you’re wondering how Morgan will be able to star in two sitcoms on competing networks, Variety reports that his deal allows him to do so without any worries.
This new project will reunite Morgan and Fey, who starred in NBC’s 30 Rock from 2006 to 2013, which lasted seven seasons. His performance as fan favorite Tracy Jordan earned him an Emmy nomination.
Before 30 Rock, Morgan rose to fame during his seven seasons on Saturday Night Live thanks to his characters, Astronaut Jones and Brian Fellows. He eventually got his own comedy series, The Tracy Morgan Show.
That’s not where Morgan’s credits end. In 2023, he released the Max stand-up special Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far. He was also in Martin and starred in TBS’ The Last OG, Comedy Central’s Crank Yankers, and Green Eggs and Ham.
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Source: WWD / Getty / French Montana
Hip-Hop continues to have a significant Trump problem. French Montana is catching flack for jumping on Lara Trump’s new song and has some headscratching “bars” on it.
French Montana doesn’t care where and how he gets his money. The rapper decided not to read the room and hopped on Lara Trump, the wife of Felon 47 aka Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump’s new song “No Days Off.”
Trump, who is basically a DEI hire in any job she gets, was the former head of the Republican National Committee, where she helped mold it in her father-in-law’s image, is now a Fox News host while also moonlighting as a pop singer.
On the god awful song, Lara Trump sings about her so-called image and career, bellowing on the songs first line, “”I’m a little hard to read/ You only know what they show you when you turn on the TV/ So think of this as a reboot,” before adding “work, work, work” and “can’t stop, won’t stop.”
The Coke Boys crafter didn’t help elevate the track either, stupidly rapping, “working like a slave, living like a king,” adding, “Me and Lara at your front porch, knock knock.”
French Montana and Lara Trump showing up on your front door is definitely something nobody wants, just like this song, that we will not be sharing.
The Song Is Getting Trashed
As expected, social media has been clowning both artists, specifically French Montana, for even doing the song.
https://x.com/BeanzGotGamez/status/1893066540527816903
“The new Lara Trump & French Montana song is a disgusting display of how someone with only a tiny amount of actual talent can slug their way up to the top of a corrupt industry. To a lesser extent you can say the same about Lara Trump, too,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Rolling Stone wrote about the song, “French Montana Can’t Save Lara Trump’s Atrocious New Single,”.
Damn.
You can see more reactions to the trash record below.
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The Daily Show’s host Jon Stewart called out Elon Musk for proposing to sit down for an interview with him and backing out.
On Monday night’s (March 3) episode of The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart kicked the show off with a quip about injuring his finger the week before while critiquing tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for cost-cutting attempts and wreaking havoc on the federal government. That led to Musk announcing in a post on X, formerly Twitter,
that he’d come on the Comedy Central show on one condition. “I will do it if it airs unedited.” Stewart quickly accepted. “Sure, we’d be delighted – as a matter of fact, let me sweeten the pot. The interview can be 15 minutes, it can be an hour, two hours,” he began before quipping, “’ll be honest, I don’t think this network makes any other programming, so we can do whatever the f—k we want as long as we wrap before the new season of ‘South Park,’ which comes out like May or June of 2026.”
But Stewart then mentioned seeing Musk’s follow-up posts on X where he attacked Stewart as being “very far left” and a “propagandist”, highlighting them as he spoke on-air, concluding with Musk’s stating that he was “not bipartisan”. That led Stewart to fire back, “Again – the guy who custom-made his own dark MAGA hat that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president who he spent $270 million to elect thinks I’m just too partisan.” Stewart wasn’t done with his skewering of Musk. “I’m really not sure what he thinks “bipartisan” means, but it’s generally not, but it’s generally not, I support Donald Trump and also Germany’s AFD party That’s not bipartisan. That’s just the same s–t.”
The host stated that he does support more efforts toward government efficiency and that he has serious critiques of DOGE but isn’t interested in playing games. “If you want to come on and talk about it on the show, great. If you don’t want to, sure,” he said. “But can we just drop the pretense that you won’t do it because I don’t measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times? Because, quite frankly, that’s bull–t. You know it. I know it. Bull–t.”
Check out the entire monologue above.
Source: MICHAEL TRAN / Getty / Megan Thee StallionMegan Thee Stallion definitely stole the show at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with her head turning drip.Fresh off her birthday celebration abroad, the Houston rapper popped out and bared all, well almost, taking a page out of Lil Kim’s book, but opting to have both breasts out, instead of just one.Thee Stallion had jaws dropping in her olive-green gown, which featured feather details and an open back paired with two barely there nipple parties styled by Erica Archibald. She also wore her hair up to complement the look.Source: Taylor Hill / Getty
Speaking about her look on the Vanity Fair Oscar Party red carpet she said, “I just really wanted to give like ‘she’s baring it all at Vanity Fair.”
“She’s definitely giving Poison Ivy,” she continued.
While the hotties were here for the look, Megan Thee Stallion’s dress definitely garnered plenty of negative reactions.
“Gorgeous woman but this pasty looks like she went right on Amazon and bought it the night before. Same with when Nicki did it years ago. Lil Kim did it best: hers felt like a part of the outfit and not an accessory,” one user on X, formerly Twitter said.
Another user on X wrote, “this could’ve been executed way better, a chop sista.”
Damn.
Earlier in the day, Megan Thee Stallion attended the 33rd annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, where she served on the event’s hosting committee.
For that look, she showed off the curves, but kept things more tamed in terms of having g
Source: Michael Kovac / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion
If you think Megan Thee Stallion’s looks were a miss, we will leave that up to you. You can see more photos in the gallery below.
1. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
Megan Thee Stallion at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones held at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images) vertical,color image,photography,arts culture and entertainment,usa,california,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
2. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Inside
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BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/VF25/WireImage for Vanity Fair) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,california,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
3. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,people,full length,one person,arts culture and entertainment,usa,looking at camera,arrival,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
4. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,topix,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
5. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
6. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
7. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,topix,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
8. 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Arrivals
Source:Getty
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,film industry,california,fashion,award,awards ceremony,entertainment event,vanity fair oscar party,oscar party,beverly hills – california,wallis annenberg center for the performing arts,megan thee stallion,radhika jones
9. Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party – Arrivals
Source:Getty
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: (Exclusive Coverage) Megan Thee Stallion attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 02, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage) color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,california,west hollywood,annual event,elton john,oscar viewing party,aids,oscar party,megan thee stallion
10. Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party – Arrivals
Source:Getty
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 02, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,arrival,music,rapper,california,west hollywood,fashion,annual event,red carpet event,elton john,oscar viewing party,aids,oscar party,black tie event,megan thee stallion,hip hop music
11. Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party – Arrivals
Source:Getty
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Megan Thee Stallion attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 02, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic) vertical,color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,usa,arrival,music,rapper,california,west hollywood,fashion,annual event,red carpet event,elton john,oscar viewing party,aids,oscar party,black tie event,megan thee stallion,hip hop music
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Hazel Dukes, the former NAACP national president and national civil rights leader, passed away in Harlem over the weekend.
On Saturday (March 1), longtime civil rights activist Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes died at her home in Harlem, New York. She was 92. Her passing was announced by her only son, Ronald. Former New York Governor David Patterson, a close friend and former neighbor of Dukes when she lived in Roslyn, Long Island, confirmed to reporters that she passed away at 6:20 a.m. surrounded by her family.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 17, 1932, Dr. Dukes was born to Edward and Alice Dukes. Activism was a strong influence from her youth, as Edward Dukes was a Pullman porter and union organizer, and one of their neighbors was Rosa Parks, who would become an iconic figure of the Montgomery bus boycott. After moving to New York in 1955 with her family, Dr. Dukes worked for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Head Start program and became one of Nassau County’s first Black hires at the county’s Attorney’s office as well as the Economic Opportunity Commission.
She would make education and anti-poverty initiatives her focus for her political career, becoming a force alongside the “Gang of Four” – Percy Sutton, David Dinkins, Charles Rangel, and Basil Paterson – representing Harlem and the Black community’s interest for decades. It led to her 1977 election to lead the NAACP’s New York State Conference (a position she held until her passing) and to become president of the national organization from 1989 until 1992. Dr. Dukes was a passionate activist, unafraid to spar publicly with enemies such as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, as she recounted in a New York Amsterdam News profile last year. “I had fights with them,” said Dukes. “We had a NAACP convention. Giuliani was so bad that I said he could not even bring greetings. His behavior toward the Black community was so bad that he could not speak at an NAACP convention.”
Numerous political allies paid homage to Dr. Dukes upon the news of her death, including Mayor Eric Adams, who ordered all flags at City Hall to be lowered at half-staff in her honor. Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman also decreed the same honor for Dr. Dukes upon hearing of her passing. Adams counted her as one of his most staunch supporters, having appointed her to his Charter Revision Commission in 2023, which was a temporary panel to suggest changes in city government.
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Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo officially entered the race to be New York City’s next mayor, drawing criticism from opponents–except for incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo officially entered the race to unseat New York City Mayor Eric Adams over the weekend, framing his return to politics as a move to save a city “in crisis.” In a 17-minute video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Cuomo framed his announcement as a reintroduction and appeal. “We have had times when we are at our shining best, and there are times when we struggle and endure great hardship. But we also know we can handle a crisis because we have,” he said. “We recently did it together through COVID,” referring to his tenure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cuomo, who left office in 2021 after being embroiled in a scandal after a report found he sexually harassed multiple women while in office, referenced that situation (as well as findings of mishandling the COVID crisis in nursing homes): “Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely, and I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it, and I hope to show that every day,” he said. The 67-year-old also left the door open to working with President Donald Trump. “I will work with anyone who wants to work for the benefit of New York,” Cuomo said. “I hope President Trump remembers his hometown and works with us to make it better. But make no mistake, I will stand up and fight for New York. I have done it before and will do it again.”
The announcement video caps off months of speculation and strategic planning by the man once dubbed “America’s Governor.” His entry was greeted with swift attacks by his competitors in the Democratic primary, including current NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and State Senator Zellnor Myrie. As for Mayor Eric Adams, when asked by reporters about Cuomo’s declaration, he replied, “I have a great record to run on. We look forward to the campaign.” Adams is still wrangling with federal corruption charges, as well as potentially having to return $10 million in matching campaign funds from 2021 in addition to having matching donation requests denied. Cuomo currently has a campaign chest of $8 million, which he could use in conjunction with a super PAC known as Fix The City created by former supporters.
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Source: Rich Polk / Getty
The Drake versus Kendrick Lamar feud has gone so mainstream that it even got a mention at the Academy Awards. Halfway through the Oscars, host Conon O’Brien decided it was a good time to send a stray shot at the Toronto rapper.
“Well, we’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile,” said O’Brien.
He wasn’t done, adding, “Don’t worry, I’m lawyered up,” alluding to Drake’s now infamous decision sue his own record label for promoting Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” despite its damage to his reputation, allegedly.
Drake was somewhere minding his business, but here we are.
The clip started making the social media rounds quickly and Drake is once again trending for all the wrong reasons.