Category: Viral

It has not been the best year for Drake, as he found himself on the wrong end of 2024’s biggest rap beef with Kendrick Lamar, whose final salvo in the duel, “Not Like Us”, lived at the top of the charts for most of the summer. Beyond that, Drake’s beloved Toronto Raptors have fallen back towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference, as they look to rebuild around Scottie Barnes but seem like they may have to battle through some lean years before they can get back in the contending conversation.

A 7-22 start to the season for Toronto has made them (and Drake) a bit of an easy target, and the latest to get some shots in at Drake’s expense were the Houston Rockets broadcast team. After the Rockets held on late for a 114-110 win over the Raptors on Sunday night, many fans raised an eyebrow when Houston’s play-by-play man said the Rockets were “victorious tonight against the Guangdong Dragons.”

That line was pulled from Drake’s response to Fred VanVleet’s farewell to Toronto two summers ago, when Drake wished VanVleet luck on the “Guangdong Dragons”, likening the Rockets to a Chinese Basketball Association team — but getting the name wrong, as they are the Guangdong Southern Tigers.

Houston’s announcers did not forget about this and waited more than a year to drop this line after a win over Toronto, although I think it would’ve hit much harder had they said “the Guangdong Tigers are victorious over the Raptors” rather than trying to flip the name onto Toronto. In any case, there’s still a week left in 2024 for anyone trying to get a lick in on Drake, as it seems to still be open season.

Stray Kids accomplished a feat that no band or artist — not The Beatles, not Taylor Swift, not Jay-Z — has ever pulled off.

The K-pop group‘s latest album, Hop (which is technically being billed as a mixtape), is their sixth No. 1 to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart with over 187,000 equivalent album units in its first week. According to Billboard, that makes Stray Kids “the first act to debut at No. 1 with its first six chart entries in the nearly 69-year history of the chart.”

Stray Kids’ previous chart-toppers are 2022’s Oddinary and Maxident, 2023’s 5-Star and Rock-Star, and 2024’s Ate.

“I think we always tried to capture our own story as it is, without trying to make up anything,” Stray Kids member Changbin told USA Today earlier this year. “However, we still tried to make it interesting by telling the story in our own authentic style, no matter what the theme is.” Bang Chan added, “One thing for sure is we put in our souls and minds into the music.”

Stray Kids is touring North America in 2025, including stops in New York City, Los Angeles, and Mexico City. You can see the full dates for the dominATE World Tour here.

Social media is a virtual space where people nowadays spent a decent portion of their lives, so what happens there is significant. With that in mind, as 2024 counts down its final days, now is a good time to look at who generated the most attention online, by checking out which 2024 Instagram posts got the most likes across the platform.

Per data collected on Wikipedia and accurate as of December 23, the most-liked Instagram post shared this year comes from user @pop_cj6, and it compiles two videos. One is of a horse having a surprised reaction after a person takes off the horse mask they were wearing, and the other is an edited clip, made to look like a panda is having a shocked reaction to a person removing their panda mask. It has 31.2 million likes and is currently No. 14 on the all-time list of most-liked Instagram posts.

In second in 2024 is a post from footballer Kylian Mbappé announcing his signing with Real Madrid (25.5 million likes). Following that is Justin Bieber’s photo of his and Hailey Bieber’s son (23.1), Selena Gomez announcing her engagement to Benny Blanco (22.8), and cricket player Virat Kohli celebrating India’s victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup (21.7).

Gomez’s rank is especially impressive considering her post was only shared on December 12. Gomez, meanwhile, had one of 2023’s most-liked posts, too.

In case you missed it: Back in 2011, Kim Kardashian released her debut single, “Jam (Turn It Up).” A few years later, in 2014, she reflected, “It’s definitely a memory and it was a fun experience. We gave the proceeds to a cancer organization. But if there’s one thing in life that I wish I didn’t do… I don’t like it when people kind of dabble into things they shouldn’t be. And that I don’t think I should have. Like, what gave me the right to think I could be a singer? Like, I don’t have a good voice.”

Well, Kardashian apparently isn’t ready to give up on music yet: Today (December 23), she released a Travis Barker-produced rendition of the holiday classic “Santa Baby.” She shared a lo-fi video for the track, too, which primarily features Kardashian crawling around as a hectic Christmas party unfolds around her. At the end, there’s even a quick cameo from Christmas icon Macaulay Culkin.

While Kardashian herself hasn’t been too involved with music lately aside from this, her Skims shapewear brand has been recruiting some of today’s biggest stars for campaigns. The list includes Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Lana Del Rey, and more.

Watch the “Santa Baby” video above.

In the hip-hop scene, Drake seems to be public enemy number one. However, the “No Face” rapper just received a public statement of appreciation from one hip-hop legend.

Yesterday (December 21), André 3000 stopped by The New York Times’ Popcast podcast to discuss all things music. During the conversation (viewable here), André 3000’s verse on Kanye West’s Donda song “Life Of The Party” became the topic of conversation. As André talked with hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli, he revealed he should “thank” Drake for leaking it on his OVO Sound Radio show.

Although he expressed disappointment in the verse being used as a tactical move in Drake and Ye’s beef, he is happy to know that fans were still about to enjoy it. “I mean the history of it now, I know Kanye and Drake…were beefing at the time,” he said. “I don’t know how [this is so odd] Drake got a hold of the song before Kanye was able to put it out. And Drake released it on his radio show.”

André went on to say, due to creative differences the likelihood of his verse being released as he recorded it was up in the air. “At that point, Kanye and I weren’t really in agreeance with how the song would be release,” he said. “So, I’m not sure if it was even going to come out. I don’t know if Drake knew that the song wasn’t going to come out and said, ‘I’m going to put it out.’ Because Kanye was at a point in his life that he didn’t want any curse words on the album. And I said, ‘I’m cool with no curse words, but just take me off the song.’”

Unfortunately, the two didn’t come to an understanding before the track was eventually leaked. But André isn’t made about Drake leaking it, saying: “I kind of have to thank Drake for letting that song see the light of day.”

After earning the top-seed in the Western Conference in 2023-24, the Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves outclassed by the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals, losing to Luka Doncic and company in six games.

The young Thunder took note of their shortcomings in that series and went into this summer determined to address them as best they could. They gave a big contract to Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency to provide the rebounding and rim protection at center they were lacking alongside Chet Holmgren, and traded Josh Giddey to the Bulls for Alex Caruso, upgrading their backcourt rotation alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, adding a better defender and a player more comfortable off the ball.

Those moves have allowed OKC to jump out to a 22-5 start to their season, once again moving to the top of the West, even with Holmgren missing most of the season with a hip injury. On Sunday, the Thunder made sure that their acquisition of Caruso wouldn’t be a one-year rental, signing the guard to a 4-year, $81 million contract extension, per Shams Charania. Caruso gets some long-term financial stability and a healthy raise off of the ~$10 million he’s making this year, locking himself into a situation that seems ideal for his talents.

For the Thunder, they make sure to take one of their top free agents off the board early and make Caruso part of their foundational core group, as he’s quickly made a seamless fit into the Oklahoma City ecosystem. For this contract to be a value deal down the line, they’ll need Caruso to shake out of a career-worst shooting funk (27 percent from three), even if he can’t replicate his sharpshooting from a year ago (40.8 percent in Chicago). Still, what he allows them to do in terms of keeping an elite wing defender on the floor at all times along with or opposite Luguentz Dort makes them a truly hellacious defense to deal with, and if the shooting even returns to a league-average mark, this could end up being another high-value deal for the Thunder.

Justin Timberlake is taking full responsibility for drinking and driving. But, fans of the “Drown” singer have joking charged him with indecent exposure due to a recent wardrobe malfunction.

Back on December 12, Timberlake unintentionally gave The Forget Tomorrow World Tour attendees a full view of his crotch (viewable here) while performing at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. But during his December 20 tour stop in Kansas City, Missouri, Timberlake made a subtle address to his onstage look to overlook another viral moment.

In a clip (viewable here), as Timberlake floats above the T-Mobile Center crowd strapped into a harness, the musician swapped out his basic tee for a longer custom cut tunic. Users online have applauded Timberlake for modifying his tour apparel. Others considered the embarrassing moment as karma for how he handled the infamous Super Bowl Halftime performance incident with Janet Jackson.

“Y’all hurt that man’s feelings. And I’m here for it,” wrote one user.

“Y’all… the way he insecurely tugged on his new long tunic ,” penned another.

“The damage has been done sir,” added another

“I absolutely love this for him, and Britney, and Janet…,” chimed another.

With the tour scheduled to run well into 2025, Timberlake has a few more weeks to perfect his show garments.

Drake isn’t the only person upset with the data reporting from streaming giant Spotify. Just as users’ frustration caused by their Spotify Wrapped results, the platform’s holiday list has swooped in to spark a generational ruckus.

Yesterday (December 21) on Instagram, Spotify revealed its most-streamed holiday songs of all time. To the surprise of absolutely no one, the list included Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” WHAM!’s “Last Christmas,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” among others.

But Spotify’s most-streamed holiday songs by decade is where users are torn. Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” is the winner for the 1950s. For the 1960s Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” was declared the top tune. Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” grabbed the top spot for the 1970s. WHAM!’s “Last Christmas” reigned for the 80s and Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” held it down for the 90s.

The 2000s is where things seem to get rocky for users. Britney Spears’ “My Only Wish (This Year)” was the crowned jewel of Y2K. For the 2010s and 2020s, Ariana Grande reigned supreme. In the Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” was the victor for the 2010s and “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me” with Kelly Clarkson is the current winner for the 2020s.

“The fact that ‘Fairytale Of New York’ isn’t on here is appalling,” penned one user advocating for The Pogues’ 80s track.

“‘Fruitcake’ and Laufey took this year for me,” chimed another pushing for a Sabrina Carpenter and Laufey 2020s placement.

Others were torn between Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga’s cover of “Santa Claus is Coming To Town.” While some were fuming that Gene Autry’s “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was seemingly disqualified due to it being officially released in 1949 despite charting in 1950.

Apparently, everything can’t be filled with holiday cheer.

After Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunited, fans believe the stars finally found their fairy tale ending. Unfortunately, after two years of wedded bliss the “This Is Me…Now” singer filed for divorce.

Despite it all, JLo doesn’t appear to have any regrets in dissolving their union. During a sit down with British Vogue (viewable here), Jennifer Lopez seemingly addressed her sudden split from Affleck while discussing her role in Unstoppable, which is produced by her estranged husband’s company Artists Equity.

As Lopez chatted with Judy Robles (whom she plays in the film), the two women talk about Robles’ rocky divorce. Lopez chimed in with her own thoughts on the romantically shattering experience, saying you can’t hold on to societal shame “or the regret” that things didn’t work out.

“You kind of go, ‘That’s who I was at that time,’” she said. “There were things that I needed-There was a part of my soul that needed to grow. And it grew and in its perfect timing with in its perfect way when I was ready. That’s part of the journey I think of life and of healing those parts of ourselves that we don’t understand sometimes.”

Although Lopez never named Affleck in her statement, users online believe he was the inspiration for it. Based on reports, during the time of filming Lopez and Affleck’s marriage was not in good standing. Still, Lopez has dealt with several painstaking divorces in the past including from Marc Anthony, Cris Judd, and Ojani Noa.

Earlier in the conversation, Lopez shared how she bounces back from hardships, saying: “I think the way I overcome things is not by thinking of them as happening to me but happening for me and what is the lesson that needs to be learned in the moment. When I think of things that way and stay in a kind of a more positive mindset about it, it’s easier to kind of embrace it for the lesson that it is.”

Kendrick Lamar is beaming with hometown pride. In fact, the “Squabble Up” rapper dedicated his latest chart-topping album, GNX, to showcase his love for Compton, California and the surrounding areas.

Despite Kendrick’s dedication to his neighborhood, he isn’t immune to local hate. According to XXL, a mural in Kendrick Lamar’s honor has been defaced. This isn’t the first time the piece, located on Rosecrans Avenue behind Honduran restaurant Mi Sabor has been defiled. Back in September, the visual piece was vandalized with gang graffiti.

The latest markings have not been identified, but the artist responsible for it, Sloe Motions, expressed his displeasure with its defacement yet again. “I was one of the artist who painted the mural and the guy who blacked out the Kendrick face literally just made it worse,” he wrote in the comment section of XXL’s upload.

After the release of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Wacced Out Murals,” where he addressed the first incident, Motions detailed his frustration when his first piece was vandalized. “A couple months ago our Kendrick mural got hit. Of course, we were pissed and wanted to fix it, but it just kept getting worse,” he wrote. “Flash forward to today and Kendrick drops a song about the situation. It doesn’t necessarily make it ok, but it does feel good to have our hard work for the community immortalized in a song by one of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you, Kendrick Lamar for making this situation a little better today.”

Kendrick Lamar has not addressed the latest vandalization.