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Amber Rose’s “African Queen” Caption Sparks Online Firestorm Despite Charitable Visit To Kenya

Honk Magazine

Amber Rose may have had good intentions when she touched down in Kenya, but it’s her latest Instagram caption that is currently lighting up the internet which is never a good thing. The model and TV personality recently went to Kenya with Baddies executive producer Natalie Nunn and Zeus Network CEO Lemuel Plummer to shoot Baddies Africa. As part of their visit, the cousins made an emotional visit to a children’s home they supported to give back to the less fortunate. Superficially, it was a good-hearted endeavor for celebrities using their platform for good. But those good vibes were soon replaced by angry backlash.

Celebrity gossip Instagram page The Shade Room caught a post from Amber, since deleted, in which Amber Rose uploaded a photo of her and Nunn posing for what looked like a parody Vogue South Africa photo shoot, a version of Vogue that doesn’t exist. The light-hearted, spoof quality of the image aside, it was the caption that most grabbed attention, “African Queens,” accompanied by a white queen emoji and a mixed-race queen emoji. The caption and emojis struck a nerve for many, for the complicated history of Rose and racial-identity commentary. Critics filled social media with questions about her use of language and the implied self-identification as an “African Queen,” particularly in a performance that seemed to be in odd taste for some.

Check this out: Amber Rose Reveals Why Kanye West Keeps Bianca Censori Barely Dressed

Rose and Nunn seemed to be having fun themselves, fusing fashion and culture in a playful homage that likely wasn’t meant to be a literal demand. But because of Rose’s previous comments on race and heritage, she wasn’t given the benefit of the doubt on the internet this time. The online conversation swiftly turned from fashion to identity politics, with many asking if someone of mixed heritage could adopt an already culturally fraught title and take it as their own. Amber Rose’s visit to Kenya may have begun with cameras and charitable causes, but it turns out that it has all been leading to a different sort of spotlight, less one that illuminates celebrity stardom and more the social kind.

Celebrity

Meek Mill Draws Mixed Reactions With Drill Take on Nico & Vinz’s “Am I Wrong”

Meek Mill has released a couple of songs that leaked online recently, giving fans a proper way to hear the tracks after they popped up over the weekend. “Philly Heathens” has been praised for its attention to street culture and youth affected by violence, but his other new album, “Am I Wrong,” has received a much more divided response.

“Philly Heathens” has been praised for its lyrics about street culture and the young people who get caught up in violence. “Am I Wrong,” however, takes a vastly different approach, remixing the song of the same name by Nico & Vinz as a drill centric interpolation.

“Am I Wrong” is now 12 years old, and its connection to the EDM sound of the time makes it especially recognizable to those who grew up with it. So Meek’s take is built on a familiar musical reference, but the response has been far from universally complimentary. A lot of the criticism has been directed at the hook. The production has also been called dated, but the track was leaked, which may explain its sound. But the strongest reactions have focused on Meek’s chorus vocals.

Read More: Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Some of the responses have been good, though. Some listeners felt the track was a throwback to the blog era, while others thought the criticism targeted almost entirely the hook, not the song as a whole. One Reddit commenter wrote that the track was good, but the chorus was bad, suggesting that Meek’s performance on the rest of the song was better than the reception to the hook may suggest.

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The different reactions demonstrate the contrast between Meek’s two new leaks. “Philly Heathens” has resonated with audiences for its subject matter, while “Am I Wrong” has sparked discussion due to its interpolation and vocal approach.

Both songs are now officially available on YouTube so that fans can decide for themselves. The response to “Am I Wrong” shows how difficult it is to reinterpret a well known song, especially when a recognizable hook becomes the centerpiece of the new version

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Celebrity

Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Drake made a surprise appearance in Houston this weekend, joining Karol G on stage for the first-ever live performance of their collaboration, “Ahi.”
The surprise appearance took place during Karol G’s show in Houston, where Drake jumped out from the bottom of the stage to perform the song with her. “Ahi” is the latest from Karol G’s project No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, and the Houston show marked the first time the pair had performed the collaboration together on stage.

Drake made his entrance to a loud reception from the crowd. The rapper popped out from under the stage, bowed to Karol G, hugged her, and launched into their collaboration. With “Ahi,” the performance was not over. Drake stayed on stage and carried on with the set, performing “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” and giving the Houston crowd a long set from the Canadian rapper.

The collaboration also sparked speculation about Drake’s upcoming music. A rumor started that Karol G was one of the collaborators on the project, along with Molly Santana and Future, days before ICEMAN is expected to drop. Future and Molly Santana were among the names on the rumored list, and Future ended up on “Run To Atlanta.”

Read More: Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” Takes Best HipHop at the VMAs

Drake’s Houston appearance comes as he continues to promote music outside the traditional album release cycle. He released FOMO, a visual YouTube project featuring visuals for several songs from Habibti and Maid Of Honor nearly two weeks ago. The project also featured a couple of unreleased songs, including new material with Yeat and new unreleased music with Don Toliver.

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Drake and Don Toliver have also dropped a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” The remix has recently sparked speculation about the artists after re uploaded visuals allegedly erased all footage of Langley.

But the Houston show shifted the focus back to Drake and Karol G. The surprise appearance turned the stop into the first live showcase of “Ahi” for the audience, while Drake’s renditions of “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” extended his surprise time onstage. It also gave fans their first chance to see the two artists perform their collaboration together, adding a live chapter to the release of “Ahi. “

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