Kendrick Lamar still has a couple axes to grind.

The Compton rapper surprised everyone by dropping his sixth studio album, GNX, and he addressed a bunch of things. A couple of the most notable topics he broached were that of Lil Wayne and his friends being upset that Lamar was chosen by Jay-Z and the NFL to headline the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show, and Snoop Dogg reposting Drake’s diss song “Taylor Made Freestyle” even thought he was confused by the Toronto rapper using an A.I. version of his voice.

On “wacced out murals’” second verse, he raps, “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” referring to the New Orleans rapper posting a video about how hurt he was about not being chosen to headline the Super Bowl in his hometown.

He then addressed his OG, rapping, “Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/ I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go.” And he also mentioned another legend, revealing that he was the only one to show him love after he announced that he was headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show, saying, “Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me.”

For what it’s worth, Snoop recently credited Kendrick while on Drink Champs for unifying West and he tweeted out today that it was indeed the edibles that made him post “Taylor Made” and referred to Kenny as “West West King.”

Go stream GNX now if you haven’t and check out the best lines for a crash course.

Linkin Park have made a triumphant return to the top of the ARIA Albums Chart with From Zero (via Warner Records and Machine Shop), their eighth studio album and the first release since 2017’s One More Light.

Their latest milestone Down Under is especially poignant as it marks the debut of their new lineup, featuring Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Dave Farrell, Emily Armstrong, and Colin Brittain, following the heartbreaking loss of former frontman Chester Bennington in 2017.

From Zero adds to Linkin Park’s storied ARIA legacy, with every studio album they’ve released landing in the top three. This new chart-topper joins the ranks of Hybrid Theory (2000), Minutes to Midnight (2007), and A Thousand Suns (2010), cementing their place as one of the most successful rock acts in ARIA history.

Australian rapper Illy also delivered a standout performance on the charts, landing at No. 4 with Good Life. As his seventh studio album, Good Life marks his fourth trip to the Top 10, following the successes of Cinematic (No. 4 in 2013), Two Degrees (No. 1 in 2016), and The Space Between (No. 1 in 2021).

On the international front, Shawn Mendes debuted at No. 24 with his fifth studio album, Shawn. The Canadian hitmaker, who previously claimed the No. 1 spot in 2018 with Shawn Mendes and reached No. 2 with 2020’s Wonder, remains a force to be reckoned with on the ARIA charts.

In a posthumous triumph, U.K. hip-hop icon MF Doom makes his first-ever ARIA Albums Chart appearance. The 20th-anniversary edition of his classic MM.. Food enters at No. 29, proving the late legend’s music continues to resonate with fans old and new.

On the ARIA Singles Chart, Gracie Abrams is ruling the airwaves, holding steady at No. 1 for a second week with her track That’s So True. She joins the ranks of powerhouse female artists like Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish who have dominated the top spot this year. Female artists have claimed the No. 1 position for 25 weeks in 2024, including an unbroken streak of 16 weeks.

Gretta Ray made an unforgettable return to the stage during Missy Higgins’ ARIA Hall of Fame induction at the 2024 ARIA Awards.

The Melbourne-based singer-songwriter joined a powerhouse lineup including Amy Shark, Angie McMahon, G Flip, and Higgins herself for a moving performance of “Scar” amid Higgins’ induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame. The show marked Ray’s first performance in six months after recovering from a severe heart infection.

“This was my first moment back on stage in 6 months, and I cannot express how good it felt and how thankful I am,” the “Upgraded” singer wrote on Instagram. Reflecting on the experience, she called it a “dream come true” to share the stage with Higgins, one of her biggest musical inspirations. “Missy is such a giant part of what inspired me to pursue a career in music, and I am so lucky to have her to look up to and learn from.”

The ARIA Awards marked the culmination of months of recovery, and Ray’s return to the spotlight was as much a personal triumph as a musical one. She went on to share a poignant memory of walking through Sydney city, listening to Higgins’ ARIA chart-topping album The Second Act.

“Yesterday morning I walked around Hyde Park listening to the title track of her latest album on repeat, thinking about her lyrics but it’s intermission, life’s calling me back… How lucky am I to still feel so tightly held by her songs all these years later, and to sing them alongside her wtf !” she said, adding, “A dream come true.”

Earlier this year, Ray revealed her battle with infective endocarditis, a rare and severe heart infection that left her hospitalized in London for five weeks.

“I wanted to let you know that the sickness I am recovering from is a rare disease called infective endocarditis – a severe infection in the heart that for me, caused a multitude of distressing repercussions,” she explained in an Instagram post on July 30.

“It happened very suddenly and frighteningly, and as a result, took a moment to be diagnosed. Nonetheless I am so, so lucky that I caught it early, and landed in such a great hospital here in London that took amazing care of me. I was then transferred to a second hospital – one that is famous for dealing with this particular disease.”

The illness led to the cancellation of her remaining 2024 shows, including a showcase at BIGSOUND, as she focused on her recovery.

Ray documented the harrowing journey on social media, explaining the toll it took on her physically and emotionally. “I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of love on my latest post, you are all so incredibly kind and it really means the world to me, thank you x,” Ray wrote in an update to fans in July.

“I wanted to clarify that luckily I’m not having to deal with this experience on my own – due to the seriousness of my condition my family are here in London taking care of me I am in good hands here in a really good hospital. Just taking it day by day. Lots of love.”

Ray’s career has been defined by her remarkable talent and early achievements. In 2016, she won Triple J Unearthed and the prestigious Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, launching her into the national spotlight.

Her debut album, Begin to Look Around, was released in 2021 and earned nominations for an ARIA Award and a J Award, while her sophomore album, Positive Spin, followed in 2023, earned critical acclaim and a shortlist nod for the Australian Music Prize. The single “Heartbreak Baby” further cemented her reputation, receiving a nomination for Song of the Year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards.

The 2024 ARIA Awards delivered a night of unforgettable performances. The Pixies surprised audiences with a world TV exclusive of “Where Is My Mind,” Kane Brown performed alongside Troy Cassar-Daley with a stirring vocal cameo from Kasey Chambers, and Jessica Mauboy collaborated with 3% and Julian Hamilton of The Presets for a high-energy set featuring “Won’t Stop” and “Our People.” A

Ava Max brought the house down with a medley of hits, and emerging talents CYRIL, Becca Hatch, and Budjerah delivered a genre-bending showcase.

Is this a desert in the middle of August? Because Lil Nas X is thirsty on his latest single.

On Friday (Nov. 22), the “Old Town Road” singer shared his latest single “Need Dat Boy,” a rapid-paced, heart-racing new single that sees him chasing down a potential lover and explaining, in no uncertain terms, all of the things he’d like to do to him. Over a skittering drum beat, Lil Nas switches effortlessly between rapping and singing as he gives the titular guy plenty of reasons to stick around.

“Need Dat Boy” is Lil Nas’ second release in two weeks, following his latest, house-inspired new song “Light Again,” which he dropped last Friday (Nov. 15). Both tracks appear on Lil Nas’ forthcoming second studio album Dreamboy, which Nas began teasing in earnest over the last week.

In an album trailer shared to his social media accounts last week, Lil Nas introduced fans to the album’s titular character, as the motorcycle-helmeted “Dreamboy” descended from the clouds and promised the singer that he would remind him of “who you are.” In a subsequent trailer released last week, the character shows Lil Nas video clips from his past. “You are everything. And now that you remember that, you’re ready,” Dreamboy says. “Your next world awaits you.”

The news also comes as Shaboozey comes within just one week of Lil Nas X’s long-standing record for the longest-running No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Old Town Road.” Should the country singer’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” last for one more week at the top of the chart, he will ties Lil Nas & Billy Ray Cyrus’ 19-week record at the summit.

But Lil Nas made sure to clarify that there is no hard feelings if Shaboozey does surpass his record. When the country star surpassed the rapper’s record for the longest running No. 1 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart, Nas congratulated him, saying “it was a good run ! the horses are officially actually in the back now!”

Check out Lil Nas X’s “Need Dat Boy” below:

Fresh off his performances at Wednesday night’s (Nov. 20) CMA Awards, Jelly Roll is releasing a new collaboration — this time, with Grammy-nominated group OneRepublic.

Jelly Roll joined the group for an alternate version of “Hurt,” OneRepublic’s lead single from their July project Artificial Paradise. The song and video for the new version of “Hurt” are out now.

OneRepublic teased the collab in a TikTok video with Jelly Roll on Nov. 21, with a caption for the video noting, “We’ve been waiting for this one.” The clip shows OneRepublic lead singer Ryan Tedder sitting in a car, singing “Hurt,” before the camera pans to Jelly Roll in the seat beside Tedder, with Jelly Roll then picking up the song’s next verse.

Artificial Paradise marks OneRepublic’s sixth studio album. They’ve previously released a handful of singles from the project, including “Sunshine,” “Runaway,” David Guetta collab “I Don’t Wanna Wait,” as well as “Nobody,” and “Fire” (featuring Meduza and Leony). To date, OneRepublic has earned four top 10 hits on the all-genre Billboard 100, including 2022’s “I Ain’t Worried,” 2014’s “Counting Stars,” 2011’s “The Good Life,” and their feature on Timbaland’s 2007 hit “Apologize.”

Jelly Roll recently earned his first Billboard 200 album debut with his project Beautifully Broken, which features the hit songs “Liar” and “I Am Not Okay.” He’s earned six No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and is currently on his headlining The Beautifully Broken Tour, which visits Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 26.

Both OneRepublic and Jelly Roll were both previously on the lineup for the 2023 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, which made stops at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Washington, D.C’s Capital One Arena and Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center, among other venues.

Stream “Hurt” below: