Buzz
The rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake seems to have reached its conclusion, with Kendrick Lamar declared the victor by unanimous decision. But the beef has left such a cultural imprint that even its side stories are going viral this week. Allow me to break it down for you. I’ll also dive into the ‘Block Party’ campaign, discuss whether pickles belong in Dr. Pepper, and introduce my new favorite saying: ‘That’s poop from a butt.’
What’s ‘BBL Drizzy’?
This week’s viral sensation is the song ‘BBL Drizzy,’ which is taking over social media with countless versions. Here’s the backstory: As part of the ongoing rap war between Drake and Kendrick, Drake released a track called ‘Push Ups,’ where he told Kendrick’s associate, Metro Boomin’, to ‘shut yo ho-ass up and make some drums.’ In response, Metro released a remix of a King Willonius song titled ‘BBL Drizzy,’ which plays off the rumor that Drake had undergone Brazilian butt-lift surgery. Metro also stripped the copyright from the song and offered $10,000 to anyone who could come up with the best verse. This challenge went viral, leading people around the world to create diss tracks targeting Drake. Essentially, Metro gave everyone a free bat and said, ‘I’ll pay you to keep beating that dead horse.’
Here are just a few highlights from the countless renditions of BBL Drizzy that have emerged:
The original version’s smooth 1970s-inspired vibe.
YouTube rapper Packgod’s unique spin on it.
Jovial YouTube rapper Yukon’s take on the track.
The Japanese interpretation of BBL Drizzy.
A merengue-style cover.
A harp rendition of BBL Drizzy.
If there was any doubt about who triumphed in the 2024 Rap War, it’s clear now: Drake is being roasted by a harp.
Could the Kendrick vs. Drake feud be fostering literacy?
Every conflict has its unexpected outcomes, and this one may be encouraging reading. At least, that’s what Ms. C., a teacher with a TikTok presence, claims. In a recent video, she shared: “I have students who usually avoid reading, yet they’re diving deep into these lyrics with the most careful, thorough analysis I’ve ever witnessed. They’re identifying subtle quadruple entendres and articulating their interpretations with great clarity to their classmates.”
Why is 'Blockout 2024' gaining attention?
Earlier this week, TikTok user blockout2024 shared this video suggesting that celebrities would lose revenue if people started blocking them on social media. In a follow-up video, they explained, 'When we criticize them, they profit. When we praise them, they profit. But when we block their social media accounts and forget their names entirely, they lose everything.'
It's still unclear if it’s having an impact, but I’d bet on the fact that 'It’s not working.' Online activism hasn’t exactly been successful in the past. People online often overestimate their own influence, and the Block Party movement depends on Taylor Swift's fans caring more about Palestine than keeping up with her updates. Maybe I’m being skeptical, but I don’t think that shift will happen on a large enough scale to make a difference. Even if a million followers blocked Taylor Swift due to this campaign, she’d still have 282 million left. And that’s just on Instagram. Without diving into Middle East politics, this whole situation has a distinct #Kony2012 vibe.
Bumble Introduces a Dystopian Vision for the Future of Dating
Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of the dating platform Bumble, recently shared a chilling glimpse of what online dating could look like in the future during a Bloomberg interview. She envisions a world where each user is paired with an AI wingman or wingwoman to assist with connections. You’d confide in your AI companion, and it would analyze every other person’s AI assistant to find a perfect match. 'There could come a time when your dating assistant goes on dates for you with another assistant, so you don’t have to talk to 600 people,' Herd stated.
While I generally prefer avoiding conversation, as many have pointed out online, this idea is straight out of a Black Mirror episode. Not in a broad sense, but in a very specific episode: season 4, episode 4, “Hang the DJ.”
What’s the deal with Pickle Dr. Pepper?
The weird culinary trend of the week on TikTok: pickles and Dr. Pepper. This video from TikTok user Kayleeh109 has racked up almost 3 million views. The instructions: go to Sonic, fill a cup halfway with pickles, pour Dr. Pepper on top, and presumably, drink it. My stomach is already turning just thinking about it, but I haven’t tried it yet, so maybe I’m wrong? Judging by the response videos, people seem to like it. Mostly folks from the south. I’m still not convinced though. It could all be a prank meant to get me to drink something revolting.
My all-time favorite Gen-Z phrase: “That’s shit from a butt.”
Every day, millions of insults are tossed around online, but once in a while, a phrase is so perfectly on point that it takes on a life of its own. Case in point: “That’s shit from a butt.” Initially coined to describe food (that looks like shit from a butt), this phrase has now evolved to describe anything that’s awful. A song you don’t like? Shit from a butt. Jerry Seinfeld’s new Netflix movie? Shit from a butt. Putting pickles in Dr. Pepper? Shit from a butt.
