Latest news with #Diamond-certified
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Toronto's 'Starboy', aka The Weeknd, receives a key to the city
Toronto's very own Starboy has been awarded a key to the city ahead of his highly anticipated concerts at Rogers Centre. Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd, received the honour from Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a private ceremony on Saturday. "I'm deeply honoured to receive the key to the city. It feels good to be home. Toronto is where I found my voice, and I'm committed to helping the next generation find theirs," he said in a statement. To mark the occasion, the singer and entertainment company Live Nation will be also partnering up to support the the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and The Weeknd's alma mater of Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute "to create spaces for youth to connect, create and thrive," says a news release from the City of Toronto. Students from both institutions were present at the ceremony on Saturday. "Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye represents the best of our city. From Scarborough to the global stage, he has reshaped modern music while using his platform to support health and humanitarian causes at home and around the world," said Chow in a statement. "I am proud to honour one of our city's greatest artists with a key to the city to celebrate his contributions to music, society and our culture." Chow also proclaimed the weekend of July 26 and 27 as "The Weeknd Weekend" in Toronto. The Diamond-certified artist has smashed through global chart records with hit songs like Call Out My Name and Can't Feel My Face. Born and raised in West Scarborough, he made history as the first Canadian solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2021. The Weeknd will be playing four concerts at Rogers Centre on July 27, July 28, Aug. 7 and Aug. 8.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pusha T Addresses Drake's UMG Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'
Pusha T is, once again, making his stance clear when it comes to his longtime rival, Drake—this time in light of the rapper's recent lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The legal action, sparked by Kendrick Lamar's scathing 'Not Like Us' diss track, has prompted reactions across the Hip-Hop community, but Pusha isn't holding back. In a new profile with GQ, the Virginia Beach native shared his blunt reaction to Drake's decision to take legal action, questioning what it means for his place in rap culture. 'I don't rate him no more,' Pusha said of Drake. 'The suing thing is bigger than some rap sh*t. I just don't rate you. Damn, it's like it just kind of cheapens the art of it once we gotta have real questions about suing and litigation. Like, what? For this?' Though critical of the lawsuit, Pusha did acknowledge that Drake may have a legitimate case, subtly referencing how his own 2018 diss, 'The Story of Adidon,' was allegedly suppressed by UMG. Still, as for reigniting their lyrical feud, Pusha appears unmoved. 'I think after everything that had been done, I don't think there was ever anything subliminal to be said ever again in life. Not only just musically, like bro, I actually was in Canada. I actually had a show and made it home,' he said, before adding: 'So, I can't pay attention to none of that. I did the dance for real, not to come back and tip-toe around anything.' Elsewhere in the article, Pusha touched on his fallout with Ye West, as well as he and his brother No Malice's forthcoming Clipse album, set to drop this summer. Speaking of Drake, the rapper recently made music history, becoming the artist with the most Diamond-certified singles ever, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). With the recent elevation of 'Hold On, We're Going Home' and 'Best I Ever Had' to Diamond status—each representing 10 million units sold or streamed—Drake now holds an unprecedented 10 Diamond singles. The hitmaker surpassed both Post Malone and Garth Brooks, who previously shared the top spot with nine a piece. More from Pusha T On Current Relationship With Ye: "I Don't Think He's A Man" DJ Akademiks Clowns Ab-Soul For Being Legally Blind In Response To Diss Track Drake Breaks Record For Most Diamond-Certified Singles In RIAA History
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Drake Breaks Record For Most Diamond-Certified Singles In RIAA History
Drake has separated himself from the pack even further. This week, the 38-year-old rapper broke the record for the most RIAA Diamond-certified singles in history after two of his classic songs broke the 10 million units threshold. 2009's 'Best I Ever Had' and 2013's 'Hold On, We're Going Home' featuring Majid Jordan were the latest Drizzy records to go Diamond, joining 'God's Plan,' 'One Dance,' 'Hotline Bling,' 'SICKO MODE,' 'Life Is Good,' 'Work,' 'Love Me,' and 'No Guidance.' These 10 records make him the first artist to reach that milestone, whether it be albums or songs. Garth Brooks runs behind him with nine Diamond-certified albums. Post Malone has 9 Diamond-certified singles. The Toronto superstar is also 2025's No. 1 best-selling artist in the United States based on total album units, according to Chart Data. LPs like Take Care and For All The Dogs still chart well, but it's the addition of his February collaboration with PARTYNEXTDOOR, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, that has aided in the milestone. Earlier this month, the 21-song effort officially crossed the one million units threshold, thus making it another Platinum album for the powerhouse. Drake added another No. 1 album to his resume with $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, which was also PARTYNEXTDOOR's first No. 1 album achieving the highest first-week sales. 'Gimme A Hug' was the initial standout record, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. 'Nokia' was more of a slow-riser, initially debuting at No. 10 but slowly climbing to No. 2. He added to the record's momentum with the greyscale 'Nokia' music video at the end of March, which was loaded with symbolism and cultural references to Toronto. Currently, the part-time crooner is inviting fans to conceive their own music video treatment for the cult favorite 'Somebody Loves Me,' so time will tell when that visual lands. More from Drake's Hotline Blings After Phone Number Gets Leaked During Livestream Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul Trade Bars Amid Coastal Rhyme War With Ray Vaughn UMG Seeks To Dismiss Drake's Amended "Not Like Us" Defamation Lawsuit
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Drake breaks RIAA record with 10 Diamond certifications across singles and collaborations
Drake has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the artist with the most RIAA Diamond certifications ever — a total of ten. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) confirmed the news on May 28, announcing that his singles 'Hold On, We're Going Home' and 'Best I Ever Had' have now reached Diamond status, joining an already impressive list. With this update, Drake's Diamond-certified catalog also includes hits like 'God's Plan,' 'One Dance,' 'Hotline Bling,' Travis Scott's 'SICKO MODE,' 'Life Is Good' with Future, Lil Wayne's 'Love Me,' and Chris Brown's 'No Guidance.' These achievements place Drake ahead of Garth Brooks and Post Malone, who each hold nine Diamond certifications. The RIAA celebrated the milestone with a social media post showcasing all 10 plaques. Drake now stands as the first artist to hit double-digit Diamond certifications across both singles and albums. An 11th certification may be on the horizon, with 'Nice for What' currently certified 9x Platinum. Fans quickly reacted on social media. 'You just simply can't say anything bad about this,' one person wrote. Others used the occasion to reference Drake's ongoing rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, commenting, 'Looks like the 20v1 didn't work out!' Beyond the certifications, Drake continues to stay active. In February, he released his collaborative album $ome $exy $ongs 4 U with PARTYNEXTDOOR, with two tracks still charting on the Billboard Hot 100. This summer, he's scheduled to headline all three nights of Wireless Festival in London from July 11–13 and is also planning the return of OVO Fest in Toronto. Drake's consistency and dominance show no signs of slowing down.
Hypebeast
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Drake Shatters RIAA Diamond Certification Record with 10 Certifications
Summary Drakehas officially made history, breaking the record for the mostRIAADiamond Certifications of any artist, ever. The Recording Industry Association of America announced that the 6God has earned his 10th Diamond certification, cementing his unparalleled commercial success. This remarkable achievement means Drake is the first artist to reach double-digit Diamond certifications across both singles and albums. His two latest additions to the Diamond club are the beloved tracks 'Hold On, We're Going Home' and 'Best I Ever Had.' Each Diamond certification signifies 10 million equivalent units sold or streamed in the United States. Currently,Scorpion's 'Nice for What' which is currently at nine-time Platinum, could be the 11th Diamond plaque. With this milestone, Drake surpasses country music legend Garth Brooks, who held nine Diamond-certified albums, and Post Malone, who has nine Diamond-certified singles. Drake is the first artist to enter the double-digit Diamond certifications across albums and singles. This new record further solidifies Drake's legacy as one of the most commercially dominant and influential artists in music history.
