Latest news with #squabbleup
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Halle Bailey's new man's identity reportedly revealed as Scott Bridgeway, Kendrick Lamar's producer
Halle Bailey's new man's identity has reportedly been revealed as Scott Bridgeway, a music producer associated with Kendrick Lamar. The Little Mermaid actress was seen vacationing with him in Italy while on break from filming her next movie. Photos posted by The Shade Room showed Halle on a yacht with the man now identified by fans as Ruchaun Akers, professionally known as Scott Bridgeway. The couple were seen swimming, snapping pictures, sharing kisses, and relaxing—appearing close and comfortable together. Bridgeway, originally from Roanoke and raised in North Carolina, is a hip-hop producer with reported credits that include work with Kendrick Lamar on his album GNX, specifically for tracks "luther "peekaboo" and, "squabble up". The timing of the sighting has drawn attention, as Halle is currently involved in an ongoing custody case with ex-boyfriend DDG over their son, Halo. In May, Halle was granted a restraining order after accusing DDG of domestic violence during a custody exchange. She alleged he left her with bruises and a chipped tooth. Halle also accused him of unlawfully entering her home and continuing to harass her after their separation. Though DDG tried to block her from taking their son abroad for work, the court granted Halle temporary sole custody, allowing her to travel for filming. The custody hearing is still pending. Meanwhile, DDG has remained vocal online, recently stating during a livestream that he would prefer using a fertility clinic for future children to avoid co-parenting. While the legal proceedings continue, Halle's peaceful moments with Bridgeway suggest a possible new chapter, both personally and professionally.
Hamilton Spectator
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Drake who? In his Toronto return, Kendrick Lamar rose above the drama to deliver a career-spanning spectacle
Rogers Centre, Toronto, June 12, 2025 We all love a bit of drama. A bit of conflict. As humans, we thrive on it. For over a year, music fans have feasted on the bitter discord between Kendrick Lamar and Drake , obsessing over each sensational new development in what's been touted as the greatest rap beef of the 21st century. So it should come as no surprise that Lamar's arrival in Toronto on Thursday night — his first venture north of the border since the feud erupted last spring — to perform on the city's biggest stage was touted as another triumph for the Compton rapper, or framed as a juicy opportunity to provoke his rival on his home turf. But inside Rogers Centre, the spectre of Drake was hardly discernible. Lamar didn't mention him, nor did make reference to the feud even once during a nearly three-hour show. Instead, Lamar chose the high road, providing fans with an electric, career-spanning spectacle that felt less like a victory lap than a joyous celebration of a hip hop superstar operating at the peak of his powers. 'I see Toronto ain't playing tonight,' a smiling Lamar exclaimed midway through the show, following a rousing performance of 'Family Ties,' his 2021 collaboration with Baby Keem that sparked the first of several enthusiastic 'Kendrick' chants from the tens of thousands in attendance. And though Lamar chose not to fan the flames of conflict on Thursday, there were plenty of fireworks, both literal and figurative, provided by both Lamar and his co-headliner SZA, in an expensive extravaganza that sagged a little at times, but mostly soared. I'll admit that I was somewhat skeptical ahead of Thursday's show — the first of Lamar and SZA's back-to-back gigs in Toronto. Something about seeing a hip hop show at a baseball stadium felt wrong, somehow. With a capacity of 50,000, Rogers Centre is more than double the size of Scotiabank Arena, where Lamar typically performs when he comes to Toronto. As I filtered into the stadium and took my seats, I was surprised at the makeup of the crowd: the vast majority of fans appeared to be under 25, and many were teenagers, some sitting with their parents, munching popcorn or admiring their newly purchased merch. Between the main show and the opening DJ set from Mustard, the vibe felt more like a comic convention than a hip hop show. All that changed when the lights went down and a black Buick GNX was rolled slowly toward the middle of the sprawling stage, as the menacing horns of 'wacced out murals' blasted through the stadium's booming speakers. Lamar, the superstar Compton rapper who's been embroiled in a year-long feud with Drake, The audience leapt to the feet immediately as Lamar emerged from the car, kicking the show off with furious medley of upbeat songs from across different eras of his storied career — 'squabble up' from 2024's 'GNX,' 'King Kunta' from 2015's 'To Pimp A Butterfly,' and 'ELEMENT' from 2017's 'DAMN.' After about 10 minutes, the audience erupted for a second time as SZA — who more than once has cancelled Toronto shows at the last minute — emerged from beneath the stage on a rising platform to perform '30 for 30,' a standout collaboration with Lamar from her recent album 'Lana.' It was a thrilling moment, buoyed by the natural chemistry between the two artists, their voices duelling and eventually dovetailing in the song's final chorus. As Lamar exited the stage, SZA was joined by a troupe of dancers to perform three songs from her beloved debut album, 'Ctrl,' her voice nearly drowned out by the thousands of fans singing along at the top of their voices. The rest of the show proceeded in this unique fashion: a miniset by Lamar followed by a miniset from SZA, with collaborations peppered in between. SZA (left) and Kendrick Lamar (right) perform at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May. In an era where co-headlining tours are commonplace, pairing Lamar and SZA together for the Grand National Tour stands out as a particularly brilliant move. Longtime collaborators, both artists are currently riding a wave of unprecedented commercial and critical success: Lamar's record-breaking diss track 'Not Like Us' recently won five Grammys, while SZA's 2022 album 'SOS' recently spent its 85th week on the Billboard Top 10. But more importantly, Lamar and SZA feel remarkably compatible: Lamar, at 37, the slippery shape-shifter and lyrical savant. SZA, at 35, the master craftswoman of irresistible hooks that seamlessly fuse hip hop and R&B. Both standing tall as their musical peers slowly recede from cultural relevancy, whether by self-sabotage ( Kanye West ), by self-imposed exile ( Frank Ocean ), by the seductions of capitalism ( Rihanna ) or by the stench of all-consuming solipsism ( Drake ). Still, following the excitement of the show's first half-hour, both the strengths and flaws the stadium setting became apparent. On the one hand, the show's production was spectacular. Flanked by gigantic screens displaying cutting-edge visuals, along with incredibly charismatic dancers, it was easy to get lost in the performance, even if you were far from the stage. Most arresting was the show's use of stunning pyrotechnics, with thick columns of flames climbing hundreds of feet toward the stadium's ceiling. (Lamar's performance of 'euphoria,' one of two Drake diss tracks he performed throughout the evening, featured more pyro than the entire Metallica show I saw last summer.) On the other hand, the sound in the stadium was frustratingly muddy, with the bass often overpowering Lamar's vocals, and an irritating echo making it difficult to make out banter between songs. The complex stage setup, which included stages that disappeared behind sliding screens, made it difficult to see the performers for stretches at a time, sometimes blocking them completely from view depending on your vantage point. But these issues didn't seem to spoil the fun for fans, who were absolutely dialed in for Lamar's midshow set, which featured some of his biggest hits ('Humble,' 'Backstreet Freestyle'), along with two deconstructed versions of songs from his 2012 debut 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.' Nor did the apparent sound issues deter fans from embracing the fun and pure absurdity of SZA's midshow set, during which she showed off both her range and eclectic style with a string of songs from 'SOS' and 'Lana.' For 'F2F,' she brought out a guitarist and bassist, briefly transforming the show into a millennial pop-punk fever-dream. For 'Kitchen,' she performed while riding a giant ant, as dancers dressed as giant praying mantises roamed the stage. ('She's such a stoner,' the woman next to me observed.) SZA performs at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May. As the show entered its third hour, the novelty of Lamar and SZA trading sets began to wear off, and the audience energy began to ebb, even as the two artists trotted out some of their most beloved hits — Lamar's 'Money Trees,' SZA's 'I Hate U' and of course 'All the Stars.' It was nearly 11 p.m. when Lamar finally kicked the show back into a high gear with the hyphy banger 'TV off,' as the word 'MUUSSTTAAARD' echoed through the stadium amid exploding fireworks and billowing columns of flame. With the crowd's energy revitalized, Lamar finally launched into a long-awaited rendition of 'Not Like Us' — the chart-topping, record-breaking, multiple Grammy-winning diss track that doubled as knockout punch in Lamar's feud with Drake; a song that sparked a million think pieces, prompted an explosive defamation lawsuit and arguably changed the shape of hip hop forever. And yet, in the context of the Grand National Tour, 'Not Like Us' somehow transcended all the drama and baggage attached to it. There were no sly comments from Lamar, no cheeky visuals or ad-libs. In fact, Lamar said nothing at all. Instead, the tens of thousands in the arena simply bounced along to the track with the same verve and enthusiasm as they did for the half dozen major hits that Lamar performed earlier in the evening. Admittedly, there was something visceral about chanting along to the song's more inflammatory lines, taking part in the gleeful fun we've been witnessed from a distance for over year now. But it all felt somehow detached from Drake, while the feud felt suddenly contrived and overwrought. (Earlier in the evening, Lamar performed 'Poetic Justice,' a song that features Drake, while SZA performed a cover of his song 'Rich Baby Daddy,' a reminder of the Toronto's rappers ubiquitous, etherlike influence on hip hop.) Though 'Not Like Us' was certainly a highlight, the show reached its pinnacle earlier in the night with Lamar's performance of 'Alright,' a galvanizing, politically charged track from 2015 that became a rallying anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement, and which has taken on fresh relevance amid the ongoing protests against mass deportation in the U.S. ' And we hate popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure ,' the audience shouted along, in a moment that provided a much deeper sense of emotional catharsis than the lines ' c ertified lover boy, certified pedophile.' As 'Not Like Us' ended, some half-hearted 'one more time' chants bubbled up, but quickly faded away, as fans realized that, after over 50 songs, the show was finally coming to an end. Wearing a bright red jumper, SZA returned to the stage once to perform 'Luther' and 'Gloria,' both lovely duets off Lamar's most recent album. 'Love and faith, that's what this is all about,' she told the exhausted audience, who began filtering out of the stadium before the final song had even wrapped.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar Performs Drake Diss Track 'Not Like Us' at Super Bowl 2025 — With Slight Lyric Change
After a sweep of his categories during last week's Grammy Awards, Kendrick Lamar brought his 2024 anthem 'Not Like Us' to the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. The GNX rapper performed 'squabble up,' 'Humble,' 'DNA,' 'euphoria,' 'man at the garden' and 'peakboo' before teasing that he wants to 'play their favorite song but you know they love to sue' — a reference to the Drake diss track 'Not Like Us' and the current lawsuits surrounding the song. He decided against it, instead slowing it down, going into 'luther' and 'All the Stars' with Grammy Award-winning singer SZA. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kendrick Lamar Delivers Electric Performance With SZA During Super Bowl Halftime Show Tom Brady's $740,000 Jacob & Co. Watch Is Among the Status Brands at Super Bowl LIX Trump Tells Fox News He Is Serious About Canada Becoming 51st State in Super Bowl Interview Fans have been speculating whether or not Lamar would perform the diss track during the NFL's biggest stage. The 37-year-old rapper wasn't too forthcoming about performance specifics ahead of the game at a pre-Super Bowl press conference on Thursday, but he did tell fans to expect a performance with 'storytelling.' The Compton native had Samuel L. Jackson introduce the performance and brought out his producer Mustard to perform. It was previously confirmed that SZA would be joining in during the performance. Finally, Lamar went into the chart-topping 'Not Like Us.' The critically acclaimed song, released amid an ongoing feud with rapper Drake, is one of several diss tracks the rapper released against the Certified Lover Boy artist, including 'euphoria,' which he also performed. Sticking to the song's original lyrics in the moment, Lamar called out Drake by name. He noticeably skipped over the use of 'pedophiles' in the song but had the entire stadium screaming at full volume 'Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor.' Tennis superstar Serena Williams was also shown dancing in the performance. 'I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon,' the sports icon said in a video posted to X. 'I would've been fined. It was all love.' Super Bowl halftime show babyyyyyyyyy — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) February 10, 2025 'Not Like Us' was one of 2024's biggest hits, spending two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The song won all five of the Grammy Awards it was nominated for, including song and record of the year, transcending a simple diss track and becoming an international and cultural anthem. As The Hollywood Reporter's Janeé Bolden put it, the recent achievement is 'latest FAFO moment for the track's intended target.' The song also recently crossed over a billion streams on Spotify and was inducted into the streamer's Billions Club. 'Not Like Us' is at the center of a defamation suit from Drake against Universal Music Group, the parent record label to which he and Lamar are both signed. The new lawsuit claimed UMG 'approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track' that was 'intended to convey the specific, unmistakable and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response.' In November, Drake's Frozen Moments company filed a petition in a New York court alleging that UMG 'launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, 'Not Like Us,' in order to make that song go viral, including by using 'bots' and pay-to-play agreements.' Both Spotify and UMG refuted the claims, with the record label saying the allegations were 'offensive and untrue.' 'UMG and Spotify have never had any arrangement in which UMG charged Spotify licensing rates 30 percent lower than its usual licensing rates for 'Not Like Us' in exchange for Spotify affirmatively recommending ['Not Like Us'], including 'to users who are searching for other songs and artists,'' the streamer said in a statement following the petition. Lamar made his Super Bowl debut during the 2022 halftime show when he joined rap legend Dr. Dre and other titans of the rap and R&B world, including Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige. The Philadelphia Eagles lead the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 as of halftime during Super Bowl LIX. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Super Bowl halftime show set list: What songs did Kendrick Lamar perform?
Kendrick Lamar was chosen to perform at the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles and his set list was mostly his new music. While on stage at the Superdome in New Orleans, Lamar delivered an exciting set list that included TK and TK. Following his massive beef with Drake, we had some bold predictions for what his set list (as well as his guest performers) could potentially look like in New Orleans. Here is what Lamar ultimately chose to do when it was all said and done: Super Bowl halftime show review: Kendrick Lamar televised the revolution and it was utterly brilliant 'GNX Preview Song' 'squabble up' 'humble' 'DNA' 'Euphoria' 'Man At The Garden' 'Peekaboo' 'Not Like Us (pump fake)' 'Luther' 'All The Stars' 'Not Like Us' 'TV Off' This was excellent work by Kendrick Lamar and it did not let us down.
