Drake brings out R&B stars, U.K. rappers and an unlikely singer-songwriter at London shows
The Toronto rapper is headlining the Wireless Festival in London all weekend and kicked it off with a celebration of R&B Friday night, bringing out the reclusive Lauryn Hill, Mississauga native PARTYNEXTDOOR and contemporary R&B powerhouses Bryson Tiller, Giveon, Mario and Bobby Valentino.
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CBC
11 hours ago
- CBC
What is a Jet2 holiday? Explaining the viral meme
The soundtrack to the meme originally came from a 2022 commercial A new meme is taking off on TikTok and it's coming straight from the airport. It goes like this: in an animated British accent, a woman declares that 'nothing beats a Jet2 holiday,' while comically bad, dangerous or silly vacation fails fill the screen. The voiceover comes from a commercial for Jet2, a U.K.-based discount travel company. The videos are garnering millions upon millions of views, as more and more people on TikTok join in on the fun. But the commercial and sound aren't actually new. What's a 'Jet2 holiday,' anyway? Jet2 first aired its commercial back in December 2022, according to a news release. The voiceover describes Jet2's travel deals while music plays in the background. The song is Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne, which came out in 2015. Jet2 later uploaded the commercial to YouTube in January 2024, and someone posted it to TikTok that August. According to the website Know Your Meme, which tracks online trends, the Jet2 Holiday meme began to take off in late 2024. WATCH — Meet the 11-year-old behind the aura-farming boat meme It started with a November 2024 post that shows an angry camel chasing a person in the desert. A gif of the original Jet2 holiday meme on TikTok. A camel chases someone on holiday, as they nervously yell. (Image credit: alfred_m08/TikTok) As the person screams and the camel continues running, we hear a voice say: 'Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday.' The video received more than 3.7 million likes in less than a year. Some other examples of videos using the Jet2 holiday sound. Left, a girl appears to run and eventually roll down a sandy hill. Right, a boy on vacation opens a large set of curtains in his hotel room, only to reveal a very, very tiny window. (notchloeexx/TikTok, bben9450/TikTok) Jet2's official TikTok jumped on the audio trend in April 2025 by posting its own video. It received 12 million views. But the meme didn't really go viral until this summer. Trending now As of July 18, more than 1.3 million videos have been posted using the sound. And Google Trends, which keeps track of popular search terms, shows a big jump in the number of people searching for terms like 'Jet2holiday' in recent weeks. A Google Trends search of Jet2holiday, reveals spikes of interest, or searches for the term lately. (Image credit: Google Trends) Tell us what you think! Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the 'send us feedback' link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Province
2 days ago
- The Province
This Day in History, 1973: Somebody drops LSD into Robert Plant's drink at a Led Zeppelin concert
The British quartet were big favourites in Vancouver, but cut their 1973 show short to take Robert Plant to the hospital July 20,1973 file photo of Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin at the Pacific Coliseum. Vlad Keremidschieff Vancouver Sun Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. One of the great rock 'n' roll photos in The Vancouver Sun archives is Vlad Keremidschieff's shot of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant performing at the Pacific Coliseum on July 18, 1973. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors It shows Plant in full rock god mode, extending his right arm and ending with a fist, his long flowing locks looking more like a mane than hair, his tiny vest ripped open to reveal his bare chest. An unknown editor has outlined his figure in whiteout, so that the background could be cropped out in the paper. In case the graphic artists who laid the paper out didn't understand, the editor has written three X's in the background. But the serious look on his face is a bit puzzling. Is he brooding? Is he angry? Is he dazed and confused? July 20,1973 file photo of Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin at the Pacific Coliseum. Vlad Keremidschieff Vancouver Sun Probably the latter. Led Zeppelin cut their concert short that night. 'It was explained to an almost surly Coliseum audience that lead singer Robert Plant was being taken to the hospital and would we please leave in an orderly manner,' reported the Sun's reviewer Don Stanley. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It wasn't in the papers at the time, but somebody apparently had slipped some LSD into Plant's drink, which had a negative impact on his performance. July 18, 1973 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Pacific Coliseum. Vlad Keremidschieff / Vancouver Sun Photo by Vlad Keremidschief / Vancouver Sun Not knowing this, Stanley ripped them. 'Their concert was terrible, unbelievably inept for the top draw in contemporary rock,' he wrote. Jeani Read of The Province was kinder, writing Plant 'fronted the group admirably for the better than two-hour set,' but said the concert 'was hardly an unmitigated triumph.' Read noted 'much of their original amazing adrenalin drive' had dissipated into 'long, slowly evolving extended versions of their blockbuster early material.' Stanley was not big on a 20-minute drum solo by John Bonham. 'Most drum solos are boring,' he wrote, 'this one was wretched.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Led Zeppelin had a long history in Vancouver, dating to the band's first appearance opening for Vanilla Fudge at the Agrodome on Dec. 28, 1968. Reviewer Jim Allan of the Columbian wasn't impressed, writing 'Led Zeppelin went over like a Led balloon.' But Brian McLeod of The Province loved the quartet he mistakenly called 'Mad Zeppelin,' noting guitarist Jimmy Page 'performs like Carlos Montoya in a 10-gallon hat' and Plant 'sings Joan Baez with affliction and affection, using the cry of a thousand banshees to punctuate his feelings.' It may seem odd to link Robert Plant with Joan Baez, but she recorded the Led Zeppelin standard Babe I'm Going to Leave You years before they did. Zeppelin soon exploded in popularity, playing two Vancouver shows in 1969 as well as single dates in 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1975. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As their audience grew, so did the wildness of their audience. At a March 22, 1970 Coliseum show, the Express (a union paper during a newspaper strike) reported 'about 50 senseless fans' vaulted onto the stage 'during the fever pitch of Whole Lotta Love.' A story about a near-riot at a Led Zeppelin concert at the Pacific Coliseum on Aug. 20, 1971. PNG On Aug. 19, 1971, the band sold out the Coliseum (17,141 tickets), leaving 3,000 fans outside. The ticketless fans tried to force their way in, resulting in a battle with police and security that left 35 fans and two police officers injured. Rather than risk a larger riot, the police let the 3,000 fans into the Coliseum. Zeppelin was supposed to play Vancouver again on June 18, 1972. But after Rolling Stones fans rioted when they couldn't get into a Coliseum concert on June 3, 1972, the city cancelled the Zeppelin show. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The promoter had already printed up posters for the show, but almost all of them were destroyed before being put up. This has made it something of a Holy Grail among Led Zeppelin collectors: the poster's designer Kerry Waghorn says copies have sold for $17,000. Kerry Waghorn's illustration of Led Zeppelin was done for a June 18, 1972 concert at the Pacific Coliseum. The image was reused by Gary Switlo of Concert Box Office for a calendar (here), but originals of the poster are exceptionally rare because the concert was cancelled and the posters were either not distributed or taken down. Photo by Kerry Waghorn / PNG Waghorn was given 150 of the posters by the promoter, but threw them out because he didn't like his illustration. Oddly, Keremidschieff's great 1973 photo of Robert Plant wasn't used with Don Stanley's review — the Sun used another Keremidschieff shot of Plant. The one with whiteout must have been used at another time. There is also a marvellous Keremidschieff print of guitarist Jimmy Page from the 1973 show playing a double neck guitar, but it wasn't used with the review, either. It's included in the online version of this story. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. jmackie@ Read More Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Vancouver Canucks Celebrity News News News
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ex-Raptors exec Masai Ujiri remains focused on humanitarian work as Giants of Africa Festival nears
NEW YORK (AP) — Masai Ujiri's July is shaping up to be quite the rollercoaster ride. The recently-fired former Toronto Raptors executive is navigating his sudden departure from a franchise where he'd spent 13 seasons while also launching the second edition of his private foundation's Giants of Africa Festival — all within a one-month span. The humanitarian work, Ujiri pledged, will continue regardless of his employment status. The British-born NBA executive, raised in his father's native Nigeria, founded Giants of Africa in 2003 — back when he was just starting off as a scout and long before becoming the first African team president of a professional North American sports franchise. 'It's an obligation for me,' Ujiri said. 'It's a passion.' The foundation's ambitions have risen with his own success. Giants of Africa has reached thousands of campers across 18 countries. It has helped build more than three dozen courts on the continent. High-profile supporters include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's The Archewell Foundation. 2023's inaugural Giants of Africa Festival united more than 250 boys and girls around a week of basketball clinics, life skills lessons and community building that culminated in a concert headlined by South African superstar Tyla. The goal? A 'borderless Africa' as Ujiri likes to say. The festival returns to Kigali, Rwanda, on July 26 with a lineup featuring Nigerian pop singer Ayra Starr and WNBA great Candace Parker. Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard — brought to Toronto by Ujiri for the team's championship-winning 2018-2019 season — will mentor campers and train underserved youth. Ujiri discussed the upcoming event, and his future, with The Associated Press. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Q: Why'd you expand Giants of Africa Festival 2025 to 320 young participants from 20 African nations? A: When we had the last festival, we really focused on — whether it was the basketball, the life skills, the coaching, the mentorship — we focused on culture. We focused on the whole ecosystem of how we feel kids need this opportunity to grow. It really inspired us to think about how we bring this to more countries. We're doing this incredible, incredible fashion show showing the print, the threads of Africa, and who we really are. It used to be weird where you'd see somebody wearing cloth from Africa. Now it's part of the fashion. It's part of us. It's just like Afrobeats — it's part of life everywhere. Everybody wants to wear a boubou. You see a lot of fashion designers from all over the world using our prints. We want to showcase that and give these youth the opportunity to see that this is how they can also expand their minds. Q: How does it feel to see basketball investments lead to the sport growing across the continent? A: It's been unbelievable. With these camps, it started off as basketball development, but you've seen that really become something that has really grown even bigger. I saw Pascal (Siakam), I saw (Joel) Embiid, I saw all these guys as youth in camps. Seeing them as 15-, 16-year-old kids in camp, you can't even project. And that tells you how much talent we have on the continent. I always say Africa's biggest jewel is the talent of the youth. One out of every four people in the world are going to be Africans by the year 2050 and the median age is 20. We should be investing on the continent. Q: How does Giants of Africa use sports to get the youth to consider different careers? A: I'm the prime example of that. I didn't play in the NBA. I didn't even play high-level college or high-level Europe. The entry point for me was a scout in the NBA. From then on lots of people helped me to create this path that I'm on still. I go back to Basketball Without Borders, when the NBA gave me the opportunity to be a director. That has led to me becoming an executive in the NBA. That's the example I want to give. That's why we have so many people coming to this festival to really show these kids — whether it's me or a journalist or a sports doctor or sports lawyer — there's so many careers. And the start is sports and doing it passionately and doing it well. Q: How did women's empowerment become a focus for the foundation's work? A: When I first started, I was doing boys camps. Not every kid is going to make it to the NBA. So we started focusing on life skills. That was teaching respect, honesty, being on time. One of the big focuses was respect for women. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. So, I'm challenging these boys but I'm not challenging myself. I can't say 'women's empowerment' and 'respect women' and just do these camps for boys. So, we introduced the girls. And it's not 50 boys and 10 girls just for token. It's equality. They all have a basketball and they have the same court time. We can't just say it. We actually have to do it. Q: What does your recent Toronto Raptors departure mean for your humanitarian work? A: Job, no job, wherever I am, whatever kind of job I'm doing, Giants of Africa is key. The focus will always be that just because I owe it to the youth of the continent. I owe it to the continent. My goal is not how big does Giants of Africa get. I look at it as: how big are these youth going to become? They'll go on to do other things. They could go on to become a president or become a governor or become president of a team. The hope is that this experience here will even make them reimagine many of the things that they want to do. So, Giants of Africa will never go anywhere. ___ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit
