Mainstage

Kai Cenat Retaliates Against Joe Budden After Being Named in Drake Diss

Renowned streamer and influencer, Kai Cenat, has found himself embroiled in a feud between hip-hop heavyweights, Joe Budden and Drake. Cenat, who boasts millions of followers across his platforms, has become an unexpected participant in the ongoing dispute following Budden’s critique of Drake’s latest album, For All The Dogs.

Budden, known for his outspoken nature, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the album, criticizing Drake for what he perceived as immature rapping and singing. He also took aim at Drake’s association with younger influencers like Cenat, suggesting that the Canadian rapper should not be “associating with kids.”

Budden did not explicitly critique Cenat, but his comments piqued interest as to whether the well-known streamer would react. As expected, Cenat did respond. He confronted Budden’s statements directly on Monday night.

In a candid response, Cenat expressed his frustration at being dragged into the feud. “I be minding my motherf*cking business my n****,” he said. “And somehow, I always catch a f*cking stray.” Cenat went on to reference previous instances where he felt unfairly targeted, including a situation involving NBA player Zion Williamson.

Cenat’s response highlights the challenges faced by influencers who find themselves caught in the crossfire of celebrity feuds. Despite his frustration, Cenat remains focused on his own career and continues to be a voice for the youth.

With Joe Budden set to release new podcast episodes this week, it remains to be seen whether he will respond to Cenat’s comments. Stay tuned to Honk for the latest updates from the music world and let us know your thoughts on Cenat’s response in the comments section below.

Artist Spotlight

“Empatia” by Aurien & Jab Vix set the tone for an atmospheric new era

“Empatia,“ the stunning electronic debut of Aurien, in collaboration with Jab Vix, is the start of a new creative universe under Aurien’s newly launched imprint Château Bonheur Musique. The track feels like a doorway into a curated emotional space, built from atmosphere, storytelling, and immersive sound design.

“Empatia” is founded upon a contemporary electronic aesthetics that favors texture. The production is sleek and considered, offering up soft rhythmic pulses within roomy layers that breathe. Working with Jab Vix gives texture and dynamics to Aurien’s perspective and sets the sound for the song. It’s more about feeling the music than looking for peaks of high energy. It builds slowly and invites you to sit in the mood.

A highlight is the “Elegant Mix,” which takes the original and gives it a more subdued, slicker makeover. It allows the heart of the composition to come through more intimately, and this duality reinforces the idea behind Château Bonheur Musique as environment, experience, and feeling. “Empatia” is a debut statement and manifesto for the immersive, emotionally intelligent electronic music that works as effortlessly as it does in shared spaces. It’s a thoughtful direction for Aurien, where sound is not just heard, but lived in.

Connect with Aurien on | FB | Spotify | IG |

Artist Spotlight

Hollow Shift explores emotional conflict and survival in new EP “War”

Hollow Shift’s “War” EP is a heavy electronic statement, born out of tension, memory, and emotional endurance. The project is the fulfillment of a long-standing creative chemistry between Athens-based duo Alex Zamparas and Jessica Bell, who have since moved on from earlier dream-pop explorations to a darker, more cinematic synthwave identity.

The opening track, “Hephaestus,” is a throbbing mechanical beat overlaid with synths. The production leans into metallic textures and slow-burning speed, as if something powerful is born out of chaos. “Nothing Dies Quietly” raises the emotional stakes with a melodic figure and understated electronic percussion. It is a sad, reflective piece, looking at the lingering echoes of conflict, internal and external. The vocals float above the waves of ambient sound that pulse like a fading memory.

The most experimental track to end the EP is “Frequencies Will Stumble.” The rhythms break and come apart, implying instability, like emotional disorientation. “War” is a meditation on fracture, resistance, and the fragile hope that follows disruption. Hollow Shift delivers a synth-driven tale of finely sharpened production and emotional depth that feels both intimate and expansive. This EP is a big step forward in their sound, and it is cinematic, introspective, and unapologetically human underneath the electronic surface.

Connect with Hollow Shift on | Website | X | Spotify | IG | TikTok |