'Kendrick Lamar over Beyonce': Ray-Ray McCloud fuels Emmy war with controversial music opinion inside Falcons camp
Ray-Ray McCloud, wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and also a music producer had a tough but clear choice when TMZ Sports asked him who should win the 2025 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Live Special.
Both
Kendrick Lamar
and Beyonce are nominated for their major performances during the 2024-25 NFL season. McCloud, when caught on camera this week in Atlanta, gave the edge to Kendrick. He praised Beyoncé, calling her one of the best ever, but said Kendrick's Super Bowl halftime show was simply 'perfect.' His bold pick is now stirring up debate across fans and viewers.
Ray-Ray McCloud says Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl show beats Beyonce's Christmas concert
Ray-Ray McCloud spoke with TMZ Sports in Atlanta earlier this week, and he was asked the hot question- Beyonce or Kendrick for the Emmy? He said both stars gave amazing shows, but he had to vote for Kendrick Lamar.
'Beyonce's was hard. You can't knock Beyonce. She's one of the best performers ever,'
he said. 'But Kendrick, the moment, the whole setup, the aesthetic, all of it, man. I think it was perfect how everything laid out for him.'
The 2025 Emmy Awards are set for September, and both shows are in the running for Outstanding Variety Live Special. Kendrick's Super Bowl LIX show aired on February 9, 2025, during the big game in New Orleans, and pulled in over 133.5 million viewers.
Beyonce's Netflix Christmas concert, which dropped on December 25, 2024, brought in 27 million U.S. viewers. Fans are now watching closely to see who takes the prize.
Also Read:
Olivia Rodrigo steals the spotlight at Chicago Cubs game after electrifying Lollapalooza show
Ray-Ray McCloud opens up on music, Falcons' season hopes, and his personal goals
Besides football, Ray-Ray McCloud is also serious about music. He showed TMZ inside his Atlanta studio, where he records and produces songs.
'Music is my therapy, bro,'
he shared. He says his tracks play during warmups and even right before kickoff.
The 28-year-old wide receiver also spoke about the Falcons' goals this year.
Ray-Ray
McCloud said. He's focused on giving it everything this season, on the field and in the studio.
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match
here.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Katie Feeney joins ESPN lineup with SportsCenter on Snapchat and College GameDay role
Katie Feeney joins ESPN lineup with SportsCenter on Snapchat and College GameDay role (Image via Getty) Katie Feeney is joining ESPN as a content creator for sports and lifestyle channels. In its official press room on Monday, August 4, 2025, ESPN announced it. Feeney has over 14 million TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube followers. Leading a new incarnation of SportsCenter on Snapchat, which has over 9 million subscribers, she will produce brief films for ESPN's social media channels. This indicates ESPN's goal of using digital channels to connect with more people. For the new autumn content on the ESPN app, Feeney will also create unique videos. Katie Feeney joins ESPN's digital lineup On August 4, 2025, ESPN signed Katie Feeney in its U.S. press room to drive growth on digital channels. Feeney is a 2022 graduate of Pennsylvania State University. The 22-year-old from Olney, Maryland, will lead SportsCenter on Snapchat every day and make short videos for ESPN's social networks. The refreshed SportsCenter on Snapchat reaches more than nine million people. She will also create vertical videos for an enhanced ESPN app experience launching in early fall. Feeney began her career shooting content for the Penn State football team on the sidelines. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Auto Insurance Rates Drop in Tennessee Policy Auto Pro Get Quote Undo In 2022, she made history as the NFL's first social media correspondent for the Washington Commanders, covering rookie camps, training camps, and team events. She has also covered events like the Super Bowl and the Oscars. 'From capturing Penn State games on the sidelines to now joining the biggest platform in sports, this journey has been incredible,' said Feeney. ESPN and fans are excited to see her work. Her social videos mix sports news with fun moments. Fans can follow her soon. Katie Feeney brings fresh voice to studio shows Three major ESPN studio shows will feature Katie Feeney. She will be featured on Monday Night Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown, and College GameDay. She will show behind-the-scenes movies, interact with fans, and give game updates on these occasions. Also Read: Stephen A Smith Blasts Michelle Obama Over ESPN Drama Jab And Offensive Donald Trump Claim Feeney uniquely blends access, personality, and Gen-Z culture, according to Kaitee Daley, Senior Vice President of Digital, Social, and Streaming Content at ESPN. 'Her perspective and creativity are a perfect match for how we're reimagining coverage,' said Daley. Katie Feeney first made history in 2022 as the NFL's first social media correspondent for the Washington Commanders. Since then, she has covered the Super Bowl and the Oscars. Fans can watch Feeney on ESPN this fall when the new shows start. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump calls Taylor Swift 'no longer hot' while praising Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad
Taylor Swift Dragged into Sydney Sweeney Ad Drama as Trump Says She's Not 'Hot' Anymore. (Image-X) You'd think a jeans commercial wouldn't be political warfare, but here we are. What started as a cheeky American Eagle campaign featuring Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney has spiraled into an unexpected culture war with Taylor Swift caught in the crossfire. The moment the words 'great jeans' turned into a thinly veiled pun about genetics, the internet exploded. And then came Donald Trump , calling Sweeney 'hot,' dragging Taylor as 'no longer hot,' and turning what should've been a harmless denim moment into a full-on GOP-vs-Swift spectacle. Trump calls Sydney Sweeney 'hot' and Taylor Swift 'no longer hot' for the American Eagle ad drama American Eagle's new campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney was all about wordplay: 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,' with the word genes crossed out in classic handwritten rebel font. But what was meant to be flirty and fun got dragged on social media for echoing eugenic undertones. Critics online pointed out how the ad seemed to elevate a very specific standard of beauty, white, blonde, blue-eyed and combined with genetics talk, things got uncomfortable real fast. Then Donald Trump got involved, and chaos officially began. After finding out Sydney is a registered Republican, Trump went straight to Truth Social and posted: 'Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there. It's for American Eagle, and the jeans are flying off the shelves. Go get 'em Sydney!' He followed it up with, 'Being WOKE is for losers. Being Republican is what you want to be.' He even took the opportunity to bash Jaguar or any company that doesn't align with his vibe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bo Derek's Probably The Most Gorgeous 68-Year-Old. Paperela Undo But the most unexpected moment? Trump deciding to take a swipe at Taylor Swift out of nowhere. Trump randomly veered into pop star territory, taking a direct shot at Swift's popularity. He said: 'She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became NO LONGER HOT .' Cue the record scratch. The attack felt wildly out of place, especially since Taylor had nothing to do with the jeans ad but that didn't stop Trump from making it political. With Swift being vocal about progressive causes and her support for Biden, it's clear she's the go-to 'woke celeb' target for conservative outrage. So when Sweeney got the Republican stamp of approval, Swift naturally got the backhanded burn. This isn't the first time Trump's taken jabs at Taylor, but calling her 'no longer hot' while praising Sweeney as the new conservative darling? That's petty on a whole new level. American Eagle's stock soared nearly 24%, because of course controversy sells. Right-wing pundits like Megyn Kelly and Ted Cruz jumped in to praise Sweeney's 'anti-woke energy,' while left-leaning critics continued dragging the brand for 'objectifying' women and playing with dangerous cultural symbolism. Also read - Nicki Minaj and Dez Bryant's viral beef explained: $10 million fight offers, Roc Nation fallout, and social media chaos For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
'Hottest' ad out there: Trump jumps into row, backs Sydney Sweeney; takes surprise jibe at Taylor Swift
US President Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind actress Sydney Sweeney and her controversial American Eagle jeans advertisement, calling it the 'HOTTEST' ad currently on the market and praising her for being a registered Republican. 'Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the 'HOTTEST' ad out there,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'It's for American Eagle, and the jeans are 'flying off the shelves.' Go get 'em Sydney!' Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and White Lotus, has become the centre of political and cultural debate after her denim campaign stirred controversy over perceived racial implications and the use of wordplay involving 'genes' and 'jeans.' Public records confirm that she registered with the Republican Party in Florida in June 2024, which Trump cited as a reason for endorsing her. During a stop in Pennsylvania on Sunday, Trump had said: 'If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.' Trump contrasted Sweeney's campaign with what he called 'disasters' from other brands, writing: 'On the other side of the ledger, Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER!' He claimed the CEO had resigned 'in disgrace' and compared the fallout to Bud Light's infamous backlash after a marketing misstep, adding, 'BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SO FOOLISHLY LOST.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Update: The Strategy Uses By Successful Intraday Trader TradeWise Learn More Undo He didn't stop there. Trump took also took a fresh swipe at pop star Taylor Swift, sayin, 'Just look at Woke singer Taylor Swift. Ever since I alerted the world as to what she was by saying on TRUTH that I can't stand her (HATE!). She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT.' He concluded his post with a potshot at the democrats: 'The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.'
