Just when you thought that everyone would be talking about Beyoncé’s latest album Lemonade for weeks to come, rapper Drake managed to steal the spotlight by dropping his album Views on Thursday.
After releasing his album, Drake did an interview spot with Beats 1’s Zane Lowe. Here, the “Hotline Bling” rapper addressed his relationship with some of his fellow rappers, including Nicki Minaj, Kanye West and Jay Z.
As you may recall, Nicki was put in a tough position when her beau Meek Mill ignited a feud between him and Drake. Nicki, who had been close with Drake in the past and is even on the same record label (Young Money), claimed she was trying to stay out of it. However, Drake admitted to Zane that his relationship with Nicki has changed since things between him and Meek Mill erupted. Drake explained, “I don’t really talk to Nicki. Another person I have a lot of love for.” Going on to add, “She dealt with me how I would expect her to – with class. I always have respect and love for her. Unfortunately, we haven’t spoke.”
After Drake went on to admit that there is sometimes tension between him and Jay Z – however, the two still support one another. He stated, “Sometimes [Jay Z and I] just fall on opposite sides of the spectrum. It’s always mutual respect, but sometimes it has to be from afar.” Regarding Kanye, Drake claimed, “’Ye is one of my favorite people in the world…I hope we get some more music out. We were supposed to do a mix tape, album together.” Both Jay Z and Kanye were initially featured on Drake’s song “Pop Style,” however the Toronto rapper ultimately decided to cut their parts. Kanye did serve as a producer and writer on the track “U with Me?”
While 21st birthdays usually warrant a pretty big celebration, model Gigi Hadid took it to a whole other level. On Thursday, Gigi hosted a huge birthday bash at Los Angeles’ “The Nice Guy” which was attended by some of the most notable young Hollywood stars. Some of the attendees included: Taylor Swift, Hailey Baldwin, Kendall Jenner, Jaden Smith, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Lily Aldridge, Ashlee Simpson, Evan Ross and Shanina Shaik.
Once inside, the stars took full advantage of a black-and-white photo booth that was set up. Numerous guests took to their social media to share some of the playful pictures they took with one another.
Lily Aldridge, Instagram post:
Kourtney Kardashian, Instagram post:
Despite the event being held on Thursday night, Gigi’s actual birthday was nearly a week earlier (April 23). Thus, the supermodel had already been celebrating the milestone prior to the party. In fact, her, her boyfriend Zayn Malik, Taylor Swift, and Taylor’s man Calvin Harris all spent last weekend together at Coachella to kick off the celebrations.
Gigi Hadid, Instagram post:
Gigi Hadid did look totally smitten with boyfriend Zayn Malik as the couple headed home from her 21st birthday on Thursday night.
While BFFs Taylor Swift and Kendall Jenner had helped her celebrate reaching the milestone age, it was all about Zayn at the end of the night with the supermodel wrapping her arms around the hunk as they left the Nice Guy in West Hollywood.
Zayn managed to do a good job of keeping the star on her feet as they were mobbed by paparazzi outside the celeb hot spot, with a bleary-eyed Gigi cuddling up to her boyfriend as they made their way to a waiting car.
Beyonce’s Lemonade will loom large on the next Billboard 200 albums chart. Industry forecasters now suggest the set could debut at No. 1 on the May 14-dated list with more than 500,000 copies sold and more than 700,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending April 28. (On April 27, sources said Lemonade was on track to sell possibly 450,000, with its equivalent unit total at 550,000 or more.)
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the new May 14-dated Billboard 200 chart — and Lemonade’s official sales figure and unit total compiled by Nielsen Music — is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard’s websites on Sunday, May 1.
Lemonade was introduced on April 23 through its same-named film, which was soundtracked by the album’s songs and premiered on HBO. The visual album was released following the film’s debut, initially exclusively through Tidal. By Monday, April 25, the album — which is bundled with the film — went on sale through other digital retailers, but Tidal remains the only service with on-demand streaming rights to the set. A physical version of the album will be released May 6.
Beyonce previously hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with her self-titled album in 2013, 4 (2011), I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008), B’Day (2006) and Dangerously In Love(2003). Her eponymous set launched atop the chart with 617,000 copies sold in just three days and from only one retailer: iTunes, where it was initially exclusively available. It sold 991,000 copies in its first 10 days.