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It looks like Drake has given Kendrick Lamar‘s GNX a listen.
Two weeks after the Compton rapper surprise-dropped his new album — and amid an ongoing feud that recently culminated in two legal filings by Drizzy — the “God’s Plan” artist poked fun at one of the LP’s most viral lyrics. On “TV Off,” Lamar barrels onto the track with a loud “MUSTARRRRRD!” battle cry to honor producer Mustard, and while watching a recent Los Pollos TV livestream, Drake put his own spin on it.
After commenting “We need a donut emoji in the chat,” according to XXL and multiple other outlets, the Canadian hip-hop star wrote, “CUSTAAAARRRRRD.”
The trolling comes amid Lamar’s reign over the Billboard charts in GNX‘s opening week, with the album debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and launching seven of its tracks to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. With “Squabble Up” at the top, “TV Off” occupies the No. 2 spot, while “Luther” featuring SZA, “Wacced Out Murals” and “Hey Now” sit at Nos. 3-5, respectively.
The LP dropped Nov. 22. Three days later, Drizzy’s Frozen Moments LLC filed a legal action against his and Lamar’s shared publisher, Universal Music Group, and Spotify over allegations that the two companies conspired to artificially boost the popularity of K-Dot’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” through bots, payola and other methods. UMG quickly denied the accusations, calling them “offensive and untrue” in a statement to Billboard, adding, “No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
The next day, Drake initiated a second action, this time alleging iHeartRadio accepted payments from UMG to promote Lamar’s song on air. The second filing also accused UMG of defamation for allowing the release of “Not Like Us,” despite its lyrics “falsely” branding Drake a “certified pedophile” and “predator.”
The filings mark an unprecedented escalation of the two musicians’ ongoing beef, which exploded into the court of public opinion in the spring when Drake and Lamar began lobbing rapid-fire diss and response tracks at one another. The former kicked things off with “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” to which Dot fired back with “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams,” “Not Like Us” and more.
As for the Mustard of it all, the producer is celebrating his successes on the charts this week. “I’m just getting started,” he wrote on Instagram Dec. 2 while highlighting the high positions of “TV Off” and “Hey Now” on the Hot 100.
Venezuelan band Rawayana announced Tuesday night (Dec. 3) that its tour scheduled for this month in Venezuela was canceled, two days after President Nicolas Maduro criticized its recent hit “Veneka” as an insult to Venezuelan women.
The announcement also comes months after the trippy-pop group openly expressed its stance against the Maduro government following the disputed July 28 presidential election.
“Our Venezuela tour CANCELED,” Rawayana wrote in a post on Instagram, explaining that ”this is how we say goodbye to our country until further notice. Our music is not made to divide.” The band also thanked its followers and asked them to be on the lookout for ticket refunds.
“Someday we’ll get together again. Now watch us conquer the world!” added the band, which just last month won its first Latin Grammy, for best pop song for “Feriado,” and received a Grammy nomination for best Latin rock or alternative album for ¿Quién Trae Las Cornetas?
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Rawayana’s canceled concerts in Venezuela were scheduled for Dec. 13-29, and included dates in Caracas, Mérida, San Cristóbal, Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Lechería and Margarita Island.
It was not specified if the group canceled the tour, or if it was the government. “For security issues and protection of our allies, I don’t want to give statements,” Rawayana frontman Alberto “Beto” Montenegro told Billboard Español Wednesday (Dec. 4). “What is evident doesn’t require much explanation.”
On Sunday (Dec. 1), during a speech at an event called Toma de Caracas, Maduro fiercely criticized Rawayana’s song “Veneka,” which has given a positive tone to a term considered derogatory. The song also became a viral hit on social media since its October release. “The women of Venezuela are called dignity, respect and are called Venezuelans, they are not venekas,” Maduro said. “The group that made that song as insulting, as derogatory, as horrible as ‘Veneka,’ screwed up.”
In July, when the Venezuelan electoral authority declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the votes (although it has not shown the documents that support the results), the opposition denounced irregularities in the count and claimed that its candidate, Edmundo González, had obtained almost 70% of the votes, Rawayana was among the many Venezuelan artists in exile who reacted to the political situation in their country.
“Venezuela has been living a great fraud for many years … an ideological, moral and ethical fraud,” Montenegro told Billboard at the time. “Unfortunately we are not surprised by another electoral fraud, we have already seen it all.”
Rawayana’s Tuesday night post — which in addition to the brief statement also includes photographs of the band’s early days in Venezuela, at the Latin Grammy red carpet and performing at a massive concert — generated dozens of reactions from major names in entertainment, media and politics.
“A new announcement will be soon. In Freedom!!!” opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has been under protection since August due to threats against her integrity, wrote in the comments section.
Danny Ocean, Elena Rose and Mau y Ricky — who were featured on the October cover of Billboard Español‘s Music from Exile: Venezuelan Voices Find Purpose in the Fight for Their Country — also responded to their compatriots’ announcement.
“Soon you will sing and we will all go to be there with you,” expressed Danny.
“There is no darkness that can stop the love we want to give to our country. Soon we will be back. For now with faith, we go on,” wrote Elena Rose.
Mau and Ricky, who had planned to share the stage with Rawayana for their first performance in their native country, wrote: “We had the illusion of going up there to sing with you for the first time there. Our dream will come true!!!! Sending hugs.”
In the United States, the band — up for a Grammy at the Feb. 2 ceremony — is confirmed for Coachella 2025, which will take place on the weekends of April 11-13 and 18-20 in Indio, Calif.
Check out Rawayana’s statement on the tour cancellation below:
Maurene Ryan Comey, a lead prosecutor in the sex trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, has joined the prosecutors’ team in the ongoing case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Comey, who also happens to be the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, […]
Village People founder Victor Willis is once again tackling two issues surrounding the disco band’s 1970s smash hit “Y.M.C.A.”: Donald Trump’s use of the track in his 2024 presidential campaign and the characterization of the song as a “gay anthem.”
In a lengthy Facebook post on Monday (Dec. 2), the 73-year-old singer-songwriter doubled down on why he chose to let the president-elect play “Y.M.C.A.” at rallies and events leading up to his win in November, with Willis saying he “didn’t have the heart” to block the usage — despite originally asking Trump to stop in 2020 — upon realizing that the politician seemed to “genuinely like” and was “having a lot of fun” with “Y.M.C.A.” Plus, as Willis noted, the dance tune has only “benefited greatly” in terms of chart placements and sales since the twice-impeached former POTUS incorporated it into his campaign.
“Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of Y.M.C.A.” the musician wrote. “And I thank him for choosing to use my song.”
Willis also pointed out that Trump had, according to him, obtained the necessary license from BMI to play the song. The artist previously noted that the billionaire was legally allowed to use “Y.M.C.A.” in an October press release, in which Willis also stated that — despite supporting Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the 2024 election — he would not go through any channels to bar Trump from using the track as it would’ve been “stupid and just plain hateful” to do so.
Controversy surrounding Trump’s unauthorized use of artists’ music is nothing new, with Village People — prior to Willis’ change of heart — being just one of many acts since the polarizing president elect’s first White House bid in 2016 to ask that he stop playing their songs at campaign events without direct approval. This year alone, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, the Foo Fighters, Jack White and several others issued statements slamming Trump for doing so, while Isaac Hayes’ estate went as far as filing a lawsuit against the politician in August for using the late soul singer’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” at multiple rallies.
However, as Willis noted in his post, it can pay to be on Trump’s playlists. In November, “Y.M.C.A.” ascended to the top of Billboard‘s Top Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart more than four decades after its release, spending two weeks at No. 1. And according to the Village People star, the song “is estimated to gross several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song.”
As for another debacle that has “reached a fever pitch” amid Trump’s continued use of “Y.M.C.A.,” according to Willis, the singer wrote that any branding of the track as a “gay anthem” is “completely misguided” and “damaging to the song.” He also threatened legal action against “each and every news organization that falsely refers” to it as such starting in January 2025, although he personally doesn’t mind if “gays think of the song as their anthem.”
“This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout, and since one of the writers [Jacques Morali] was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people,” Willis wrote. “To that I say, once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not … such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to [illicit] activity for which it does not.”
“Y.M.C.A.” has indeed been widely adopted by the LGBTQ community over the years, with many interpreting the lyrics as references to the gym chain’s reputation as a popular cruising site back in the day — plus, the track comes from a 1978 album titled Cruisin’. Even so, Willis’ latest post is not the first time he’s sought to distance the track from the gay anthem label, writing in a 2020 Facebook post: “No one group can claim Y.M.C.A. as somehow belonging to them or somehow their anthem. I won’t allow my iconic song to be placed in a box like that.”
Clearly, Willis hasn’t budged on his stance in the four years since. “The true anthem is Y.M.C.A.’s appeal to people of all strips including President Elect Trump,” he concluded in his Monday post. “But the song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is.”
Zayn Malik is honoring his late friend Liam Payne.
On Friday (Nov. 29), the 31-year-old singer dedicated his song “It’s You” to his former One Direction bandmate during a concert on his Stairway to the Sky tour in Payne’s hometown of Wolverhampton, England. Zayn also took a moment to share a few heartfelt words about Liam, who tragically passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16.
“So, I’ve been doing something at the end of the show every night, and it’s being dedicated to my brother Liam Payne. Rest in peace. I hope you’re seeing this in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton, this is for you Liam,” Malik said in a fan-captured video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
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The “Pillowtalk” singer had previously paid tribute to Payne during the opening date of his Stairway to the Sky tour at the O2 Academy Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, on Nov. 23. During his set, Zayn displayed the words, “Liam Payne 1993-2024 Love You bro,” on a screen with a red heart while his 2024 song “Stardust” played in the background.
Malik attended Payne’s funeral just days before launching the tour, joining his former 1D bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan in paying their respects to the late singer.
Before his U.K. concerts, Malik postponed the start of his first official solo tour following the news of Payne’s passing.
“Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the STAIRWAY TO THE SKY Tour,” Malik wrote on X. “The dates are being rescheduled for January and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days. Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”
Zayn also paid tribute to Liam with an emotional Instagram post shortly after hearing the tragic news.
“I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” Malik wrote alongside a photo of himself laying in Payne’s lap as the two then-teenagers take a nap. “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and I was loved.”
Bob Bryar, the former drummer of My Chemical Romance, has died. He was 44.
The musician, who was the rock band’s longest-serving drummer, was found dead in his Tennessee home on Tuesday (Nov. 26) after being last seen earlier in the month, according to TMZ. Authorities have stated there is no suspicion of foul play. Bryar’s possessions — including musical equipment and weapons — were not taken.
Animal control was reportedly called to the home to remove a pair of dogs after Bryar’s decomposed body was discovered. The cause of his death had not been confirmed at press time.
Billboard has reached out to My Chemical Romance’s representatives for comment.
Bryar, who had previously worked as a sound technician for The Used, joined My Chemical Romance in 2004 while the two bands were on tour. He replaced the band’s original drummer, Matt Pelissier, shortly after the release of their second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.
Bryar was a key member of My Chemical Romance during their rise to fame, contributing to the New Jersey band’s second album, The Black Parade, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2006. He was also involved in the writing of the group’s 2010 release, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, but left the band before its release.
“This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly,” My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero wrote at the time. “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors, and expect you all to do the same.’”
After departing from My Chemical Romance, Bryar retired from music and became a real estate agent, according to TMZ. He also devoted much of his time to dog rescue charities and sanctuaries.
Earlier this month, My Chemical Romance announced a series of 2025 stadium shows where they will perform The Black Parade in full. Bryar was not scheduled to appear at any of the performances. The 10-city tour will launch on July 11, 2025, in Seattle.
A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday (Nov. 27) again refused to release Sean “Diddy” Combs on bail ahead of his sex trafficking and racketeering trial next year, citing the rapper’s “propensity for violence” and evidence that he poses “a serious risk of witness tampering.”
The star’s lawyers had argued he could be released on a $50 million bond and live under house arrest with “near-total” restrictions, but federal prosecutors had argued that Diddy had been trying to “subvert the integrity” of the case from jail and would continue to do so if released.
In a ruling issued late Wednesday, Judge Arun Subramanian sided with the government, saying that “no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community” if Combs was released ahead of trial.
“There is compelling evidence of Combs’s propensity for violence,” the judge wrote. “There is evidence supporting a serious risk of witness tampering.”
In denying bail, Judge Subramanian cited evidence that Combs had “initiated and had unexplained communication” with a witness who had been called to testify before the grand jury and that he had likely already violated prison rules since he was arrested in September. The judge also cited a legal precedent that said “wealthy defendants” should not be released on bail to “self-funded private jails.”
“Given the nature of the allegations in this case and the information provided by the government, the Court doubts the sufficiency of any conditions that place trust in Combs and individuals in his employ —like a private security detail — to follow those conditions,” Judge Subramanian wrote.
A spokesperson for Combs did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday evening.
Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.
A trial is currently set to start on May 5. If convicted on all of the charges, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.
At a hearing in September, Judge Andrew L. Carter refused to release Combs on bail, saying that prosecutors had presented “clear and convincing evidence” that he posed a danger to the community. He said “no condition or set of conditions” could guard against the risk of Combs obstructing the investigation or threatening or harming witnesses.
Earlier this month, Combs’ lawyers renewed their request for bail with Judge Subramanian, who took over the case last month after Judge Carter recused himself. They again offered to pay a $50 million bond but with a “far more robust” package of restrictions. They also cited the recent release of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries after he was arrested on similar sex trafficking charges.
“There is no legal basis for continuing to force Mr. Combs to prepare for trial from jail,” his lawyers wrote in court filings.
The government fired back last week, arguing that Combs would still pose a grave risk of obstruction of justice if released. In doing so, they accused Diddy of trying to tamper with the case from behind bars, including reaching out to witnesses, leaking favorable materials, and orchestrating “social media campaigns” to influence public opinion and taint the jury pool.
“Defendant has continued to engage in a relentless course of obstructive conduct designed to subvert the integrity of these proceedings,” the prosecution wrote in the filing.
The decision means that until trial, Combs will remain in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal prison in Brooklyn often used to house defendants awaiting trial. He will also likely re-launch his appeal of the bail issue to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which has been on hold while he asked Judge Subramanian to reconsider.
Former American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy was sentenced to eight years in prison this week for a 2022 DUI car crash in South Carolina that killed 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris. According to WSPA, Kennedy, 20, plead guilty to driving under the influence resulting in death on Monday and was sentenced to 25 years in prison […]
Old Dominion made history at the 2024 CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday (Nov. 20) evening. Not only did the country outfit nab the 2024 CMA Award for vocal group of the year, but it became the second-most awarded vocal group in the history of the Country Music Association Awards. Explore Explore […]
Candace Owens has reacted to allegations of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attempts to obstruct justice in his upcoming sex trafficking and racketeering case. Last week, prosecutors claimed that Diddy allegedly had family members reach out to potential witnesses and victims while he’s been behind bars, and urged a judge to deny the embattled mogul’s bail request. […]