May 2023 was filled with both memorable and forgettable moments in pop culture. From Halle Bailey‘s influence on The Little Mermaid to a viral altercation in Vegas and a shocking arrest, here are the top stories that defined the month.
It was reported that the R&B singer was upset with Taylor for abandoning his AMA tribute performance, leading to its cancellation. Brown expressed dissatisfaction with Taylor’s presence at Usher’s skate birthday party, where the incident occurred. Usher tried to mediate the situation.
Halle Bailey Makes A Splash At The Box Office
May 26 marked the release of the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid with Halle Bailey as Ariel. This casting choice left a lasting impact on young Black girls, as Bailey’s portrayal of the iconic character represented a “Black Girl Renaissance.”
The film, directed by Rob Marshall, featured Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, and Awkwafina. The Little Mermaid achieved its highest opening ever with a Black female lead, earning an estimated $97 million.
Additionally, the singer/actress’s “Black Girl Renaissance” continued through the singer’s representation of Ariel’s hair in The Little Mermaid as Bailey reclaimed Ariel’s role.
The creation of her Ariel hair, reportedly costing $150,000, was entrusted to Oscar-nominated hairstylist Camille Friend. After a crucial conversation with Halle, Camille understood the importance of maintaining her locs for the character.
DaniLeigh Arrested?
The drama unfolded on May 30 as singer DaniLeighwas arrested in Miami for driving under the influence (DUI) and causing injury to another person.
The R&B singer faced three felony charges, including leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury and injuring a person while driving under the influence. Her arrest sent shockwaves through the music industry.
More Top 23 of 2023
As we reflect on the top moments of 2023, it’s worth mentioning other highlights from earlier in the year, such as the passing ofGangsta Boo, which deeply impacted hip-hop. The saga of 2023 continues with more stories to come.
Kanye Westis back in the spotlight with his bold attempt to acquire Lil Durk’s contract from the “All My Life” rapper’s current record label. This move follows their recent collaboration on the controversial song “Vultures.”
‘Vultures’
Kanye West is again making headlines, this time for his ambitious plan to acquire Lil Durk’s contract with Alamo Records. On November 23, Ye, Lil Durk, Ty Dolla $ign, and Chicago rapper Bump J took the stage for the first live performance of “Vultures” at the nightclub Blu Dubai.
This appearance fueled the speculation surrounding their collaboration and hinted at the possibility of a deeper partnership between Ye and Durk. Also, rumors have circulated about Ye and Ty Dolla $ign working on a collaborative project in Alula, Saudi Arabia.
Tensions Rise
According to TMZ, the news about the Yeezy mogul wanting to buy Durk out of his contract came after their recent collaboration on the track “Vultures,” which showcased their chemistry and musical prowess. The song has also recently sparked controversy due to Ye’s lyrics, where he raps:
“How I’m anti-semitic, I just f*cked a Jewish b*tch.”
In addition, tensions have risen as Alamo Records CEO Todd Moscowitz reportedly blocked Durk from working on a second song set to appear on Ye’s upcoming album.
Kanye West is allegedly looking to buy Lil Durk out of his record contract with Alamo Records.pic.twitter.com/6MnI6rBC5j
Interestingly, this is not Ye and Durk’s first time joining forces on a track. In July 2022, the duo appeared on Cardi B’s “Hot Sh*t,” which received widespread praise from fans and critics alike. This previous collaboration strengthened their musical bond and raised expectations for future joint projects.
As the speculation and anticipation swirl around this potential union, neither Ye nor Durk have confirmed any future projects together.
Updated By: Chris Samuel (11/29/23 at 5:21 pm)
Kanye West & Chris Brown Face Backlash For Dancing To ‘Anti-Semitic’ Song
Kanye West and Chris Brown have sparked controversy as they face criticism for dancing to Ye’s new song, “Vultures,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The song’s lyrics have since been deemed “anti-Semitic,” and the intense backlash on Twitter (X) has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the two artists.
‘Vultures’
Kanye West and Chris Brown have found themselves in the eye of a storm after being criticized for dancing to a song that contains lyrics labeled as “anti-Semitic.”
The star artists were seen in a video circulating on social media from November 23, partying in Dubai and enjoying Kanye’s new track “Vultures” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. However, it was Ye’s lyrics that ignited a firestorm, with lines such as:
“How I’m anti-Semitic? I just fu*ked a Jewish b*tch.”
Kanye West and Chris Brown listening to “Vultures” at his private party in Abu Dhabi pic.twitter.com/HC0yC6DMjo
The clip showing the Chicago rapper, Chris Breezy, Ty Dolla $ign, and other artists dancing to “Vultures” has sparked outrage among many people.
One user on Twitter (X), named @TerriShaltiel, referred to Kanye as a “vile, disgusting, racist Jew hater.” Another user, @MohusseinEleven, expressed their disdain for the lyrics, stating, “That anti-Semitic line may just be right there with the worst lines I’ve ever heard.”
Adding to the controversy, one user named @kaejaecamb highlighted Kanye’s lyrics as misogynistic, calling attention to the disrespect shown towards women. They criticized Kanye’s treatment of his wife, stating, “Look at how he makes his wife dress. It’s completely about showing off her body to serve his own ego.”
‘I’M PRO LIFE!’
In response to the backlash, Brown took to his Instagram story on November 26. He vehemently denied being anti-Semitic and asserted that his music is for the entire world.
“Ima a Piru, I aint Muslim or Jewish so don’t start no shit won’t be no shit!!!”, Brown wrote, “IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM AM I ANTISEMETIC!!!”. “IM PRO LIFE AND I MAKE MUSIC FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!! So please do not get tricked into thinking I spread hate or am kool with it! This [is] for the millions of young kids that look up to [me] and [might] be confused,” Brown added.
Neither Kanye nor his representatives have given a comment on the matter.
Kanye’s ‘Anti-Semitic Past’
Kanye West has a past involving anti-semitic controversy.
In October 2023, he was accused of “trolling” the Jewish community by filing a trademark for the term “YEWS,” which is a play upon the words “Ye “ and “Jews.”
The Yeezy mogul has also lost brand deals due to anti-semitic comments. In October 2022, Gap was one of the companies that cut ties with him after an anti-semitic rant on Twitter (X), formerly known as Twitter.
Along with Gap, Kanye also lost a brand deal with luxury designer French brand, Balenciaga. The ended relationship between the two sides was also due to his anti-semitic rant on social media.
In addition, a former business partner of Kanye named Alex Klein accused him of anti-semitic abuse back in June. Klein also says that Kanye “praised” Adolf Hitler and called him derogatory names while working with him on his Donda 2 album.
Slim Thug Faces Backlash
Another rapper who recently came under fire for controversial comments was Houston rapper Slim Thug. On his Instagram story, he said that sexual assault victims should be given a time frame on when to break their silence, rather than wait years to accuse someone.
Kanye West and Chris Brown have sparked controversy as they face criticism for dancing to Ye’s new song, “Vultures,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The song’s lyrics have since been deemed “anti-Semitic,” and the intense backlash on Twitter (X) has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the two artists.
‘Vultures’
Kanye West and Chris Brown have found themselves in the eye of a storm after being criticized for dancing to a song that contains lyrics labeled as “anti-Semitic.”
The star artists were seen in a video circulating on social media from November 23, partying in Dubai and enjoying Kanye’s new track “Vultures” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. However, it was Ye’s lyrics that ignited a firestorm, with lines such as:
“How I’m anti-Semitic? I just fu*ked a Jewish b*tch.”
Kanye West and Chris Brown listening to “Vultures” at his private party in Abu Dhabi pic.twitter.com/HC0yC6DMjo
The clip showing the Chicago rapper, Chris Breezy, Ty Dolla $ign, and other artists dancing to “Vultures” has sparked outrage among many people.
One user on Twitter (X), named @TerriShaltiel, referred to Kanye as a “vile, disgusting, racist Jew hater.” Another user, @MohusseinEleven, expressed their disdain for the lyrics, stating, “That anti-Semitic line may just be right there with the worst lines I’ve ever heard.”
Adding to the controversy, one user named @kaejaecamb highlighted Kanye’s lyrics as misogynistic, calling attention to the disrespect shown towards women. They criticized Kanye’s treatment of his wife, stating, “Look at how he makes his wife dress. It’s completely about showing off her body to serve his own ego.”
‘I’M PRO LIFE!’
In response to the backlash, Brown took to his Instagram story on November 26. He vehemently denied being anti-Semitic and asserted that his music is for the entire world.
“Ima a Piru, I aint Muslim or Jewish so don’t start no shit won’t be no shit!!!”, Brown wrote, “IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM AM I ANTISEMETIC!!!”. “IM PRO LIFE AND I MAKE MUSIC FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!! So please do not get tricked into thinking I spread hate or am kool with it! This [is] for the millions of young kids that look up to [me] and [might] be confused,” Brown added.
Neither Kanye nor his representatives have given a comment on the matter.
Kanye’s ‘Anti-Semitic Past’
Kanye West has a past involving anti-semitic controversy.
In October 2023, he was accused of “trolling” the Jewish community by filing a trademark for the term “YEWS,” which is a play upon the words “Ye “ and “Jews.”
The Yeezy mogul has also lost brand deals due to anti-semitic comments. In October 2022, Gap was one of the companies that cut ties with him after an anti-semitic rant on Twitter (X), formerly known as Twitter.
Along with Gap, Kanye also lost a brand deal with luxury designer French brand, Balenciaga. The ended relationship between the two sides was also due to his anti-semitic rant on social media.
In addition, a former business partner of Kanye named Alex Klein accused him of anti-semitic abuse back in June. Klein also says that Kanye “praised” Adolf Hitler and called him derogatory names while working with him on his Donda 2 album.
Slim Thug Faces Backlash
Another rapper who recently came under fire for controversial comments was Houston rapper Slim Thug. On his Instagram story, he said that sexual assault victims should be given a time frame on when to break their silence, rather than wait years to accuse someone.
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