Latest news with #Compton-born
Euronews
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Pamela Bach, Baywatch star and ex-wife of David Hasselhoff, dies aged 62
From a modern hip-hop masterpiece to Canada's greatest export since maple syrup, via UK dancehall-grime-funk, here's our pick of the three albums celebrating a major anniversary this month. ADVERTISEMENT Every month of 2025, Euronews Culture takes a trip down memory lane and handpicks a trio of albums celebrating a major milestone. These are the three records you should choose to (re)discover as they respectively turn 10, 20, and 30 this March. Turning 10 in 2025: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly Top Dawg Entertainment Release date: 15 March 2015 In a nutshell: It's been fourteen years since Compton-born Kendrick Lamar dropped his debut album, and the music scene hasn't quite been the same since. Last year was something of a consecration for the artist who has become one of the most influential rappers of all time. From the Drake-destroying battle, the victory lap that was 'GNX', to this year with his Grammy sweep and the Super Bowl halftime show, it's clear that no one can dethrone hip-hop's poet laureate. Before all that though was third album, 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. No one could have predicted quite to what extent his 2015 effort would not only top his previous storytelling masterpiece, 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City', but herald him as the most distinctive generational voice of his time. No hyperbole. Why it's our pick: What can be said about 'To Pimp A Butterfly' that hasn't already been gushed about profusely? Not much, except to say that every now and then, an album comes along that feels like it simultaneously holds a mirror up to culture and comes to define it. The album is urgent, lyrically dexterous, exigently executed, timely and timeless - a veritable milestone in hip-hop alongside 'Madvillainy', 'Illmatic' and 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. By fusing hip-hop, R&B, jazz, funk and spoken word, Lamar constructed a politically charged opus that is both hopeful and enraged, as evidenced by two of the album's standout tracks: the Grammy-winning 'Alright', a modern-day 'What's Going On' that became the unifying anthem of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and 'The Blacker The Berry', a track dripping with righteous anger which interrogates and celebrates the concept of Blackness to better comment on the Black American experience. It's an unashamedly heady album, not just because of its themes that explore historical and psychological oppression - as well as entrenched racism with the American system - but also due to its musically rich makeup. 'To Pimp A Butterfly' doesn't reveal all its layers in one go, making it an album which rewards listens 10 years since its release. Many consider it Lamar's best; what's certain is that as we celebrate its first decade, it's a strong contender for the greatest album of the 21st century. Would you look at that - turns out there's still plenty to say. Key tracks: 'King Kunta', 'U', 'Alright', 'Hood Politics', 'The Black The Berry', 'I'. Standout lyric: 'I'm black as the moon, heritage of a small village / Pardon my residence / Came from the bottom of mankind / My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide / You hate me don't you? / You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture / You're fuckin' evil / I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey / You vandalize my perception but can't take style from me / And this is more than confession / I mean I might press the button just so you know my discretion / I'm caught in my feelings, I know that you feel it / You sabotage my community, makin' a killin' / You made me a killer, emancipation of a real nigga.' ('The Blacker The Berry') Also turning 10 in March 2025: Sufjan Stevens' 'Carrie & Lowell', one of the American musician's most glorious and heartbreaking albums; 'Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit', the superb debut from Courtney Barnett; Laura Marling's 'Short Movie'; Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor's fifth record 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'. March 2015 was a good month for music. Turning 20 in 2025: M.I.A. – Arular M.I.A. – Arular XL Recordings / Interscope Records Release date: 22 March 2005 In a nutshell: 20 years ago, listeners discovered the sounds of Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam aka: M.I.A., the British rapper and singer of Tamil origin. Combining dancehall grooves, hip-hop brashness, as well as a hefty dose of raga, world music and punk spirit, her debut album was a true statement of intent. Her underground and unclassifiable sound was finally emerging, and you'd never heard anything like it before. Why it's our pick: Chances are you know at least one song by M.I.A.: her 2008 Grammy-nominated hit 'Paper Planes', which was featured in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. However, before that came the more lo-fi 'Arular', a raw debut that wanted its listeners to dance to political songs. Indeed, themes of conflict and revolution are everywhere in 'Arular' - the title being a clue, as it refers to the political code name used by her father during his involvement with Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups. Standout tracks include the sexually charged 'Bucky Done Gun', which was reportedly influenced by her experiences of civil war in Sri Lanka; the downtempo jungle sounds of 'Sunshowers', which tackles the topic of gun culture and led MTV US to censor its sounds of gunshots (the death of irony, ladies and gentlemen); and 'Galang', a dancehall banger containing plenty of sexual innuendos and references to weed, as well as nods to The Clash's 'London Calling'. While it may sound abrasive and musically scattergun, there's something addictively weird and wonderful about this album. M.I.A. may have refined her sound with more confident efforts like 'Kala' (2007) and 'Mantangi' (2013), but 'Arular' remains a fascinating debut album well worth revisiting. Key tracks: 'Pull Up The People', 'Bucky Done Gun', 'Fire Fire', Sunshowers', 'Galang'. Standout lyric: 'They say rivers gonna run though / Work is gonna save you / Pray and you will pull through / Suck a dick'll help you / Don't let em get to you / If he's got one you get two / Backstab your crew / Sell it I could sell you.' ('Galang') Also turning 20 in March 2025: UK indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs' debut 'Employment' which features pretty much all their hits apart from 'Ruby'; Jack Johnson's best album, 'In Between Dreams', featuring the uplifting hits 'Better Together', 'Good People' and 'Sitting, Waiting, Wishing'. Turning 30 in 2025: Céline Dion – D'eux Céline Dion – D'eux Columbia Release date: 30 March 1995 ADVERTISEMENT In a nutshell: Who said 13 was unlucky? It certainly wasn't for Queen Céline, whose thirteenth studio album 'D'eux' remains her greatest to this day. Mainly written and produced by French singer-songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman, the album includes hits like 'J'irai où tu iras', 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore', 'Je sais pas' and 'Vole' - the latter three later recorded in English as 'If That's What It Takes', 'I Don't Know' and 'Fly' on Dion's next album, 1996's Grammy-winning 'Falling Into You'. Most anglophone listeners will know that record, but as good as it is, the French-language 'D'eux' is a superior beast. It was prosaically titled 'The French Album' in the US (scoff and eyeroll all you want, they've asked for it) and it became the best-selling French-language album - as well as the best-selling non-English language album by a female artist - of all time. Why it's our pick: We could wax lyrical about how beautiful this album is, how it rightly stayed at the top of the French charts for a record-breaking 44 weeks, or how Céline expertly navigated the most commercially successful phase of her career in the 90s – a decade in which she outsold both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Instead, here's a question: Have you ever listened to the song 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore' and, in a moment of reckless abandon, fuelled by heartbreak and too much wine which made you forget you have the singing voice of an enchanted plimsoll, belted out the song's lyrics as if your love life depended on it? Well, you should. Preferably culminating on your knees, with your clenched fists becoming outstretched arms. Seriously, has there ever been a more soul-stirring declaration of love? No there hasn't, and no cries of protest citing Whitney's 'I Will Always Love You', Stevie's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' or Percy's 'When A Man Loves A Woman' count. On the swoon scale, they all rank high, but the crown remains Céline's. And if you were thinking about the maudlin 'All Of Me' by John Legend, you need to take a long hard look in the mirror and start rethinking some things, sunshine. Key tracks: 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore', 'Je sais pas', 'Les derniers seront les premiers', 'J'irai où tu iras'. Standout lyric: 'J'irai chercher ton cœur si tu l'emportes ailleurs / Même si dans tes danses d'autres dansent tes heures / J'irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes / Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m'aimes encore.' ('Pour que tu m'aimes encore') ADVERTISEMENT Also turning 30 in March 2025: Radiohead's second album 'The Bends', a significant step up from 'Pablo Honey' and a sure sign that there was a lot more to the Oxford quintet than their hit 'Creep'; Joan Osborne's debut 'Relish', featuring her biggest hit 'One of Us'; ex-Wu-Tang member Ol' Dirty Bastard's hardcore hip-hop debut 'Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version'. Happy listening and catch you next month!
Euronews
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Album anniversaries – March 2025: Kendrick Lamar, M.I.A., Céline Dion
From a modern hip-hop masterpiece to Canada's greatest export since maple syrup, via UK dancehall-grime-funk, here's our pick of the three albums celebrating a major anniversary this month. ADVERTISEMENT Every month of 2025, Euronews Culture takes a trip down memory lane and handpicks a trio of albums celebrating a major milestone. These are the three records you should choose to (re)discover as they respectively turn 10, 20, and 30 this March. Turning 10 in 2025: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly Top Dawg Entertainment Release date: 15 March 2015 In a nutshell: It's been fourteen years since Compton-born Kendrick Lamar dropped his debut album, and the music scene hasn't quite been the same since. Last year was something of a consecration for the artist who has become one of the most influential rappers of all time. From the Drake-destroying battle, the victory lap that was 'GNX', to this year with his Grammy sweep and the Super Bowl halftime show, it's clear that no one can dethrone hip-hop's poet laureate. Before all that though was third album, 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. No one could have predicted quite to what extent his 2015 effort would not only top his previous storytelling masterpiece, 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City', but herald him as the most distinctive generational voice of his time. No hyperbole. Why it's our pick: What can be said about 'To Pimp A Butterfly' that hasn't already been gushed about profusely? Not much, except to say that every now and then, an album comes along that feels like it simultaneously holds a mirror up to culture and comes to define it. The album is urgent, lyrically dexterous, exigently executed, timely and timeless - a veritable milestone in hip-hop alongside 'Madvillainy', 'Illmatic' and 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. By fusing hip-hop, R&B, jazz, funk and spoken word, Lamar constructed a politically charged opus that is both hopeful and enraged, as evidenced by two of the album's standout tracks: the Grammy-winning 'Alright', a modern-day 'What's Going On' that became the unifying anthem of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and 'The Blacker The Berry', a track dripping with righteous anger which interrogates and celebrates the concept of Blackness to better comment on the Black American experience. It's an unashamedly heady album, not just because of its themes that explore historical and psychological oppression - as well as entrenched racism with the American system - but also due to its musically rich makeup. 'To Pimp A Butterfly' doesn't reveal all its layers in one go, making it an album which rewards listens 10 years since its release. Many consider it Lamar's best; what's certain is that as we celebrate its first decade, it's a strong contender for the greatest album of the 21st century. Would you look at that - turns out there's still plenty to say. Key tracks: 'King Kunta', 'U', 'Alright', 'Hood Politics', 'The Black The Berry', 'I'. Standout lyric: 'I'm black as the moon, heritage of a small village / Pardon my residence / Came from the bottom of mankind / My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide / You hate me don't you? / You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture / You're fuckin' evil / I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey / You vandalize my perception but can't take style from me / And this is more than confession / I mean I might press the button just so you know my discretion / I'm caught in my feelings, I know that you feel it / You sabotage my community, makin' a killin' / You made me a killer, emancipation of a real nigga.' ('The Blacker The Berry') Also turning 10 in March 2025: Sufjan Stevens' 'Carrie & Lowell', one of the American musician's most glorious and heartbreaking albums; 'Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit', the superb debut from Courtney Barnett; Laura Marling's 'Short Movie'; Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor's fifth record 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'. March 2015 was a good month for music. Turning 20 in 2025: M.I.A. – Arular M.I.A. – Arular XL Recordings / Interscope Records Release date: 22 March 2005 In a nutshell: 20 years ago, listeners discovered the sounds of Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam aka: M.I.A., the British rapper and singer of Tamil origin. Combining dancehall grooves, hip-hop brashness, as well as a hefty dose of raga, world music and punk spirit, her debut album was a true statement of intent. Her underground and unclassifiable sound was finally emerging, and you'd never heard anything like it before. Why it's our pick: Chances are you know at least one song by M.I.A.: her 2008 Grammy-nominated hit 'Paper Planes', which was featured in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. However, before that came the more lo-fi 'Arular', a raw debut that wanted its listeners to dance to political songs. Indeed, themes of conflict and revolution are everywhere in 'Arular' - the title being a clue, as it refers to the political code name used by her father during his involvement with Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups. Standout tracks include the sexually charged 'Bucky Done Gun', which was reportedly influenced by her experiences of civil war in Sri Lanka; the downtempo jungle sounds of 'Sunshowers', which tackles the topic of gun culture and led MTV US to censor its sounds of gunshots (the death of irony, ladies and gentlemen); and 'Galang', a dancehall banger containing plenty of sexual innuendos and references to weed, as well as nods to The Clash's 'London Calling'. While it may sound abrasive and musically scattergun, there's something addictively weird and wonderful about this album. M.I.A. may have refined her sound with more confident efforts like 'Kala' (2007) and 'Mantangi' (2013), but 'Arular' remains a fascinating debut album well worth revisiting. Key tracks: 'Pull Up The People', 'Bucky Done Gun', 'Fire Fire', Sunshowers', 'Galang'. Standout lyric: 'They say rivers gonna run though / Work is gonna save you / Pray and you will pull through / Suck a dick'll help you / Don't let em get to you / If he's got one you get two / Backstab your crew / Sell it I could sell you.' ('Galang') Also turning 20 in March 2025: UK indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs' debut 'Employment' which features pretty much all their hits apart from 'Ruby'; Jack Johnson's best album, 'In Between Dreams', featuring the uplifting hits 'Better Together', 'Good People' and 'Sitting, Waiting, Wishing'. Turning 30 in 2025: Céline Dion – D'eux Céline Dion – D'eux Columbia Release date: 30 March 1995 ADVERTISEMENT In a nutshell: Who said 13 was unlucky? It certainly wasn't for Queen Céline, whose thirteenth studio album 'D'eux' remains her greatest to this day. Mainly written and produced by French singer-songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman, the album includes hits like 'J'irai où tu iras', 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore', 'Je sais pas' and 'Vole' - the latter three later recorded in English as 'If That's What It Takes', 'I Don't Know' and 'Fly' on Dion's next album, 1996's Grammy-winning 'Falling Into You'. Most anglophone listeners will know that record, but as good as it is, the French-language 'D'eux' is a superior beast. It was prosaically titled 'The French Album' in the US (scoff and eyeroll all you want, they've asked for it) and it became the best-selling French-language album - as well as the best-selling non-English language album by a female artist - of all time. Why it's our pick: We could wax lyrical about how beautiful this album is, how it rightly stayed at the top of the French charts for a record-breaking 44 weeks, or how Céline expertly navigated the most commercially successful phase of her career in the 90s – a decade in which she outsold both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Instead, here's a question: Have you ever listened to the song 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore' and, in a moment of reckless abandon, fuelled by heartbreak and too much wine which made you forget you have the singing voice of an enchanted plimsoll, belted out the song's lyrics as if your love life depended on it? Well, you should. Preferably culminating on your knees, with your clenched fists becoming outstretched arms. Seriously, has there ever been a more soul-stirring declaration of love? No there hasn't, and no cries of protest citing Whitney's 'I Will Always Love You', Stevie's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' or Percy's 'When A Man Loves A Woman' count. On the swoon scale, they all rank high, but the crown remains Céline's. And if you were thinking about the maudlin 'All Of Me' by John Legend, you need to take a long hard look in the mirror and start rethinking some things, sunshine. Key tracks: 'Pour que tu m'aimes encore', 'Je sais pas', 'Les derniers seront les premiers', 'J'irai où tu iras'. Standout lyric: 'J'irai chercher ton cœur si tu l'emportes ailleurs / Même si dans tes danses d'autres dansent tes heures / J'irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes / Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m'aimes encore.' ('Pour que tu m'aimes encore') ADVERTISEMENT Also turning 30 in March 2025: Radiohead's second album 'The Bends', a significant step up from 'Pablo Honey' and a sure sign that there was a lot more to the Oxford quintet than their hit 'Creep'; Joan Osborne's debut 'Relish', featuring her biggest hit 'One of Us'; ex-Wu-Tang member Ol' Dirty Bastard's hardcore hip-hop debut 'Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version'. Happy listening and catch you next month!
The Independent
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kendrick Lamar earns first UK number one with Drake diss track
Kendrick Lamar has earned his first ever number one in the UK singles chart after his Drake diss track 'Not Like Us' surged in popularity following the Super Bowl. The song was released nine months ago as part of the feud between the two rappers but has seen a spike in popularity following his performance in New Orleans on 9 February. Lamar, 37, rapped the song at the NFL match following speculation over whether it would be included in his set due to allegations it makes about Drake and the Canadian rapper's ongoing legal action against label Universal Music. The two rappers were occasional collaborators more than a decade ago, but Lamar began taking jabs at Drake with the fight escalating last year with the pair releasing multiple songs about each other. During the performance, the Compton-born rapper made sure to look into the camera as he name-dropped Drake creating a viral moment in the process. The song gained such popularity that even household brands like Duolingo and Apple Music joined in with the mockery. 'Not Like Us' has also become the most-streamed song in the UK this week, according to the Official Charts Company, gaining 6.4 million streams over the last seven days. Two of the rapper's collaborations with R&B singer SZA have also climbed into the singles chart top five this week, with 'Luther' in at number four and 'All The Stars' rounding out the list. Elsewhere, Lola Young's 'Messy' is positioned at number two while 'Pink Pony Club' by Chappell Roan has taken the third spot. Over in the albums chart, Sabrina Carpenter's Short N' Sweet has spent a third non-consecutive week at the top spot, with Critical Thinking – the latest studio album from rock band Manic Street Preachers – debuting at number two. Drake's album with Canadian singer PartyNextDoor, Some Sexy Songs 4 U, has entered at number three and the rest of the top five is comprised of The Wombats' album Oh! The Ocean and Can't Rush Greatness by London rapper Central Cee.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drake concert branded ‘dystopian' over fan signs begging for money
Photos from Drake's recent concert in Sydney are going viral as they showed fans with signs apparently begging the Canadian artist for money. Drake has been known to hand out large sums to fans during shows or otherwise help them pay for medical bills, debts or other expenses. Earlier this week, he was filmed scanning the crowd holding their signs aloft at the Qudos Bank Arena when he spotted one woman with a sign that said she was 20 weeks pregnant. In the clip, the 'Hotline Bling' star, 38, reacted with disbelief as he ordered his security to 'get her out of there' and upgrade the fan to the VIP section and give her 'like $30,000'. While performing in Melbourne, he reportedly handed out $25,000 to two fans, including one who referenced his seven-year-old son with a sign that said: 'Adonis for President.' However, a picture of Drake standing on stage in front of hundreds of fans waving their signs has gone viral, with one person branding the scene 'dystopian'. Among the placards were ones asking for help to buy an engagement ring, one who wanted to buy their mother a Hermes Birkin bag, another hoping to pay off her mum's mortgage, one asking for help paying vet bills, and one that simply said: 'Drake… Give my father a break.' Them signs in Australia for the Drake concert 🤦♂️ — Your Favorite Burner 🔥 (@BurnerforBets) February 20, 2025 'We gotta bring back shame,' one disproving person wrote on X/Twitter. 'This photo is actually sad as hell,' another critic said. Another wrote: 'If you can afford a concert, maybe spend the money you spent on attending on the necessities some of these signs are saying? 'But also, ban signs.' 'Going to a concert and making a sign begging the artist for money is actually embarrassing,' another X user agreed. Critics on social media seemed divided over whether fans should simply show their appreciation for Drake during his shows, rather than ask him for money, or whether Drake himself had encouraged such behaviour. In 2023, Drake gave one fan $50,000 after he claimed he'd spent all his savings on tickets for him and his girlfriend before they broke up. Drake has been engaging in a flurry of generous activity in the wake of his rival Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. The Compton-born rapper's 12-minute gig is now the most-watched halftime show of all time, beating previous records set by artists including Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas. Lamar's performance went viral in part thanks to his rendition of 'Not Like Us', his Grammy-winning diss track against Drake released last year. Drake raised eyebrows last month when he filed a lawsuit against his own record label, Universal Music Group – which also represents Lamar – for defamation over lyrics in 'Not Like Us' that accuse him of being a paedophile. The hip-hop artist, born Aubrey Drake Graham, claims in the lawsuit that Universal knew the allegations were false but 'chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.' Lamar is not named in the suit. It continues: 'In controversy, UMG saw an opportunity, seized it, and continued to fan the flames.' Drake is scheduled to play three further shows in Brisbane, before returning for his final Sydney show at the Qudos Bank Arena on 7 March. Last weekend, it was announced that Drake would headline all three dates at this summer's Wireless festival, which will mark his first UK performances in six years.
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Drake concert branded ‘dystopian' over fan signs begging for money
Photos from Drake's recent concert in Sydney are going viral as they showed fans with signs apparently begging the Canadian artist for money. Drake has been known to hand out large sums to fans during shows or otherwise help them pay for medical bills, debts or other expenses. Earlier this week, he was filmed scanning the crowd holding their signs aloft at the Qudos Bank Arena when he spotted one woman with a sign that said she was 20 weeks pregnant. In the clip, the 'Hotline Bling' star, 38, reacted with disbelief as he ordered his security to 'get her out of there' and upgrade the fan to the VIP section and give her 'like $30,000'. While performing in Melbourne, he reportedly handed out $25,000 to two fans, including one who referenced his seven-year-old son with a sign that said: 'Adonis for President.' However, a picture of Drake standing on stage in front of hundreds of fans waving their signs has gone viral, with one person branding the scene 'dystopian'. Among the placards were ones asking for help to buy an engagement ring, one who wanted to buy their mother a Hermes Birkin bag, another hoping to pay off her mum's mortgage, one asking for help paying vet bills, and one that simply said: 'Drake… Give my father a break.' 'We gotta bring back shame,' one disproving person wrote on X/Twitter. 'This photo is actually sad as hell,' another critic said. Another wrote: 'If you can afford a concert, maybe spend the money you spent on attending on the necessities some of these signs are saying? 'But also, ban signs.' 'Going to a concert and making a sign begging the artist for money is actually embarrassing,' another X user agreed. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members) Critics on social media seemed divided over whether fans should simply show their appreciation for Drake during his shows, rather than ask him for money, or whether Drake himself had encouraged such behaviour. In 2023, Drake gave one fan $50,000 after he claimed he'd spent all his savings on tickets for him and his girlfriend before they broke up. Drake has been engaging in a flurry of generous activity in the wake of his rival Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. The Compton-born rapper's 12-minute gig is now the most-watched halftime show of all time, beating previous records set by artists including Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas. Lamar's performance went viral in part thanks to his rendition of 'Not Like Us', his Grammy-winning diss track against Drake released last year. Drake raised eyebrows last month when he filed a lawsuit against his own record label, Universal Music Group – which also represents Lamar – for defamation over lyrics in 'Not Like Us' that accuse him of being a paedophile. The hip-hop artist, born Aubrey Drake Graham, claims in the lawsuit that Universal knew the allegations were false but 'chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.' Lamar is not named in the suit. It continues: 'In controversy, UMG saw an opportunity, seized it, and continued to fan the flames.' Drake is scheduled to play three further shows in Brisbane, before returning for his final Sydney show at the Qudos Bank Arena on 7 March. Last weekend, it was announced that Drake would headline all three dates at this summer's Wireless festival, which will mark his first UK performances in six years.
