Weekend Entertainment Recap: August 26th
Famed entertainer and producer, DJ Khaled released his 13th studio album, God Did, on August 26. The album includes a variety of features from new artists such as Latto and Nardo Wick as well as more seasoned talents such as Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. Since its release, the album has generated much buzz about who had the best feature. Jay-Z’s verse had Twitter in an uproar of appreciation while Lil Wayne appeared to be a fan favorite as well.
DJ Khaled released his studio album on the same day fans were able to get a behind-the-scenes look into the life of rap star, Lil Baby. The 93-minute documentary, Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby, premiered on Prime Video and included commentary from fellow artists like Young Thug and Drake. Untrapped was directed by Karam Gill and incorporates unseen footage of the rapper as a child while also offering viewers more insight into his life off-stage.
Fellow award-winning musician and actress, Jennifer Hudson, also got a chance to take note of her successes in life after officially joining the elite EGOT club. Hudson is now a part of an exclusive group of people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. Currently, there are only 16 others to reach this status and the list includes names such as Whoopi Goldberg and John Legend. Hudson received a Tony in June for her role in producing A Strange Loop; an Oscar for best-supporting actress in Dreamgirls; two Grammy Awards, and a Daytime Emmy Award for Baba Yaga.
While Jennifer Hudson celebrated her new status, creator Lamont Tory Stapleton was busy trying to determine how his shirt design became a new product at Balenciaga. Stapleton created a black crew neck with the word “FREE” embroidered on it in 2019 as part of his clothing line Struggle is Common. He began attending private parties in Los Angeles with “some of the biggest names in fashion and some of the most influential people in the world, according to a video he shared on Instagram. Stapleton continued on to show photos of him in the shirt with celebrities including Kanye West and Paris Hilton. Soon, he saw the shirt making its rounds across social media and learned that the designer brand made replica designs of his item. Although many supporters were outraged over the replica, Stapleton closed out his video by saying, “we just need to have a conversation.”
Fans were also in an uproar over unflattering comments comedian Aries Spears made about pop star Lizzo. The comedian did an interview with “The Art of Dialogue,” and the topic of Lizzo’s music (and appearance) came up. Spears remarked that the singer “looks like the s*** emoji,” which sparked outrage from fans and other celebrities including Mike Epps. After attacking the singer’s weight, he attempted to add that she has a “pretty face.” Lizzo has previously addressed critics with negative things to say about her, however, she has yet to address this particular incident.