Summary

Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap battle escalates with diss tracks alleging serious accusations, dividing fans and keeping the feud ablaze. The 2024 Met Gala dazzles with its "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" theme, featuring stunning looks from celebrities, while notable absences, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Beyoncé. Ryan Gosling's latest film "The Fall Guy" falls short of expectations with a disappointing opening weekend, contrasting with the enduring appeal of "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace," which reclaims its force at the box office for its 25th anniversary. Director Patty Jenkins delivers a blow to fans as she confirms the cancellation of Wonder Woman 3 amid changes in the DC universe's leadership. Indie artist Washed Out captivates fans with their latest hit "The Hardest Part," accompanied by a groundbreaking AI-generated music video. Dua Lipa uplifts spirits and teases her newest album "Radical Optimism" with a memorable SNL appearance.

For those who read...

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Trending Topics…

• Rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar have gone for each other’s throats in a recent rap battle between the artists. Both rappers have released multiple diss tracks that have spanned over a month, with the most recent releases this past weekend having fans dizzy over their lyrical ammo. Both rappers have made accusations about each other, with Lamar alleging that Drake has a history of grooming underage girls and that he has a secret child in the track “Not Like Us.” Drake has made claims that Lamar is guilty of domestic violence and that Drake’s team released the false story about his child to bait Lamar. Many rap fans have taken sides in the ongoing fight, and many believe that this battle is far from over.
• and the 2024 Met Gala took place yesterday, with the theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” having many celebrities and stylists bringing some of the best fashion looks of the year. The four co-chairs were Zendaya (who made her first appearance in five years), Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth, and Bad Bunny. Many viewers were surprised to see Taylor Swift not in attendance after she RSVP'd last week in the wake of her newest album. Other notable no-shows included Rhianna and Beyonce, both of which have made history with their previous Met Gala looks.  

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Popcorn Picks…

• Ryan Gosling’s recent movie, ‘The Fall Guy’, had quite a disappointing opening weekend with $28.5 million. Anticipated to be the kick off to the summer 2024 box office, this action-packed rom-com fell short of Gosling’s previous summer hit Barbie, with over $155 million over its opening weekend in the US alone. 
• Disney Studios re-released ‘Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace’ for its 25th anniversary and Star Wars Day this past weekend, and the film took the second spot at the box office with $14.5 million earned globally. The force is still strong!
• and Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins confirmed in a recent podcast that Wonder Woman 3 has officially been axed in the wake of DC’s takeover by James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Rhythm Report…

• Indie artist, Washed Out, recently released their latest hit, “The Hardest Part”, which surprised fans with a 4 minute accompanying music video made entirely by OpenAI’s text-to-video model, Sora.
• and Dua Lipa used her SNL monologue this past weekend to spread positivity as she explained the central theme of her newest album, ‘Radical Optimism’ while also teasing fans with a performance of two tracks from the album.  

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That’s all for your pop culture news, thank you for listening to Current2 Pop Culture, the easy way to stay entertained!

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Drake and Kendrick Lamar's Explosive Rap Battle (Vulture, Today, Rolling Stone)

Fashion's Finest: Met Gala 2024 Unveils Stunning Styles (Variety, Vogue, NYT)

Ryan Gosling's 'The Fall Guy' Disappoints (Indie Wire)

'Phantom Menace' Resurgence for 25th Anniversary (Walt Disney Company)

Patty Jenkins Confirms Cancellation of Wonder Woman 3 (EW)

Washed Out's AI Music Video (NBC)

Dua Lipa's SNL Showcase (Billboard)