the monday roundup

featuring some winners and losers

Hi, happy Monday! Last night was the Super Bowl - the Eagles played some football, the Chiefs absolutely did not. Sorry to Mr. Swift on the loss!

Besides the Eagles, Kendrick Lamar, who played the halftime show, was the big winner of the night. I liked his set, I LOVED his flared jeans. I thought the live mix wasn’t great (not his fault) and I’m a little surprised he didn’t do any songs from earlier albums, but otherwise a solid showing on the biggest stage. And while he was on the biggest stage, he decided to once and for all end Drake.

Forget the Chiefs, Drake is the biggest loser of last night. There were whispers that Kendrick might not be able to perform “Not Like Us,” his Grammy-winning diss track, as Drake is currently suing Universal Music Group for defamation. No, such luck for Drake! Instead, Kendrick smirked and looked straight into the camera at, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ‘em young,” before the stadium sang along to “A MINORRRRR.” Adding insult to injury, Serena Williams, Drake’s rumored ex, co-signed the entire thing by making an appearance.

[The NFL has blocked its content from display on Substack, click here to watch the halftime show]

I’m rarely stunned by a primetime live performance, but I gasped and had my hands over my mouth for the entirety of the “Not Like Us” portion. Between the Super Bowl and the Grammy wins, it seems like the industry as well as people who know Drake personally agree with Kendrick’s accusations. Not that I want him to, but how does Drake ever show his face again after something like this? This is career-ending, right? Time will tell!

I will probably listen to “Not Like Us” a dozen more times this week to pay my respects to Kendrick’s power. I’m also listening to new albums from Sharon Van Etten, Carlie Hansen, and Oklou plus tracks from Valerie June, Esther Rose, Charlie Hickey, and more!

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