Publishing date: Nov, 11, 2022
If you’re anything like us, we see an interesting headline during our daily scroll—pause to read it—but then keep scrolling without reading the actual story. So at the end of each week, we’re rounding up all the buzziest, news-worthy headlines you might have missed. Think of it like the “saved” feature on Instagram but for news instead of aesthetically pleasing photos. Rihanna drops a new song from the Wakanda Forever movie, Drake and 21 Savage are facing a lawsuit for their counterfeit Vogue magazine, and the infamous Fyre Festival co-founder is planning his next big event—this is what you missed.
#1
Rihanna Drops ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Single “Born Again”
Two Rihanna singles dropping in the span of a month? Feels like we’re living in the twilight zone and we’re not complaining. “Born Again” is coming to us on the heels of her last single “Lift Me Up”, also from the Wakanda Forever soundtrack, and the Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4”. All this to say, it’s been a busy time RiRi, and she does it all even with a baby under her wings. This mid-tempo track boasts Rihanna’s harmonized voice floating over soft piano keys for an otherworldly sound fit for the kingdom of Wakanda. It may not be the new album her navy has been hoping for but after a six-year hiatus from music, we’ll take what we can get. The Marvel sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is now in theaters nationwide and the soundtrack also features Burna Boy, Tems, Stormzy, PinkPantheress, and Future. Here’s to hoping there’s more where that came from and we’ll have a new Rihanna album to follow in good time.
#2
MSCHF Uses 24kGoldn’s Arm as Art and It Gets a Fist Bump From Cousin Greg
No one saw a collab between MSCHF and 24kGoldn coming, at least not in the way we expected. If the name MSCHF sounds familiar, that’s because they are the creative powerhouse that launched Lil Nas X’s controversial Satanic Nike sneakers and The Weeknd’s highly sought-after saw blade vinyl. This time around, they transformed a space in New York into a run-down strip mall with “stores” like a “GameStop” full of various offbeat video games and a “Footlocker” including paintings of feet and distortions of classic shoes. On the first day of the gallery’s opening, 24kGoldn showed up and sat behind a wall with only his hand and arm to be seen and touched. The installation is thought-provoking, begging the question of what becomes of the concept of celebrity once their most distinct features are removed from the experience. Needless to say, the exhibition was a success as many showed up to dab the “Mood” singer. Among them is Nicholas Braun, the actor who plays Cousin Greg in the show Succession. The entire event seems to be a disorienting Black Mirror episode but we’re in the mood for it.
#3
Condé Nast Is Suing Drake & 21 Savage Over Their Fake ‘Vogue’ Cover
Last week, Drake and 21 Savage fooled the world into thinking that they went on a promotional tour for their new joint album Her Loss, by appearing on SNL, The Howard Stern Show, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, ColorsxStudios, and the cover of Vogue. Announced via their personal socials, it didn’t take long for fans to realize that none of it was real and that it was a calculated imitation of the typical album rollout, arguably creating more hype. Artists notoriously only do press surrounding the release of a new album but Drake and 21 Savage decided to sidestep the media by creating their own content and leveraging their combined 138 million Instagram followers to disperse it. Most of the platforms they copied either ignored the unauthorized use of their brand or suggested they make the fake a reality (NPR was in particularly good spirits about this). All except for one…Vogue. Are we really surprised Anna Wintour didn’t take kindly to this? The fashion magazine’s company, Condé Nast, and parent company, Advance Magazine Publishers, announced this week that they’re suing Drake and 21 Savage for trademark infringement, brand dilution, and false advertising. In the lawsuit fine print, it’s said that Condé Nast did not authorize, much less support, the counterfeit version of Vogue, and they are now seeking $4 million in damages. The artists have yet to respond to the news but Honestly, Nevermind it’s going to take a lot more than $4 million to turn these “Privileged Rappers” into “Broke Boys”.
#4
Just John Releases “CARNAGE” Single Signifying a New & Explosive Era
Toronto-based artist, Just John, is back with his first single in over a year. “CARNAGE” fuses elements of hip-hop with the boisterous energy of punk that Just John is known for and lays the groundwork for his new unpredictable era. The accompanying music video, directed by Lil Man Purse, visually depicts darker tones in a nocturnal setting and builds on the chaotic energy of the song. Speaking about the release, Just John says it’s “the go-to upper to come alive” and he couldn’t be more excited to share all his pent-up energy with the world. For new and returning fans, Just John’s music is informed by his understanding of different cultures and perspectives which he constantly seeks to expand. Made for the dreamers with wild imaginations, “CARNAGE” serves as the first of hopefully many more exciting releases to come from Just John in the new year.
#5
Fyre Festival Co-Founder Billy McFarland Announces New Event in the Bahamas
You know you infamously failed when Netflix and Hulu both make a show based on your epic downfall. So you’d think that once jail time was served and debts were repaid, the correct course of action would be to try out a different career, right? Nope, not for Billy McFarland, the co-founder of the failed 2017 Fyre Festival, as he is set to launch a new treasure-hunt event in the Bahamas following his recent release from prison. Talk about moving up and onwards. If you’re familiar with what happened in 2017, you may raise an eyebrow when you hear that the disgraced organizer plans to invite participants back to the island where the original Fyre Festival took place to play a game of treasure hunt as they track down bottles containing messages. He first teased the event on TikTok, alluding to something “a little crazier, but a whole lot bigger than anything I’ve tried before.” He then explained his plans to make a documentary titled After The Fyre about his experience handling the fallout of the failed festival. The news begs many questions like does the island have the infrastructure it sorely needed back in 2017 to house travelers? Or is bottled water going to be readily available without Andy King having to take one for the team? The thought of McFarland doing something “a little crazier” than Fyre Festival is crazy in itself but we’re all curious to see how this unfolds.