World renowned rappers Drake and 21 Savage have been sued $4 million by Vogue after using a fake magazine cover to promote their new album.

Approaching the release of their joint album Her Loss, images of the pair were posted on social media portraying themselves on a fake cover of the popular magazine with Drake writing in his Instagram caption, “Me and my brother on newsstands tomorrow!”

The doctored Vogue cover was not the only promotional stunt using Vogue’s name. The rapping duo used Vogue illicitly across “North America’s largest metropolitan areas” in the form of posters and leaflets.

An infringement lawsuit filed by Conde Nast, Vogue Publisher / Advance Magazine Publishers described the promotion as ‘deceptive’ and that Her Loss promotion was based ‘entirely’ on illegitimate Vogue branding. The fashion magazine is also alleging brand dilution and false advertising among other claims.

Despite the controversy of the promotion, it has still worked in Drake and 21’s favour with the album expected to battle Taylor Swift for the number 1 album spot. All could become worth the fiasco!

Vogue’s lawyers wrote, “all of this is false”, and ordered Drake and 21 Savage to stop all “counterfeit” cover usage as “none of it has been authorised by Conde Nast”. Drake and 21 contest that the use of Vogue branding was intended as a parody of fashion publications such as Vogue. In a court of law, this claim could save them and has been known to work in the past.

Is there any real damage to the superstar rappers? Her Loss was welcomed with critical and public acclaim showering the duo with immediate success upon its release. It is possible the lawsuit will soon be forgotten while the album shapes up to be a timeless classic.

To Drake and Savage, this lawsuit is only a minor blip in what has been a glittering career for the two rappers. Drake has sold 170 million records worldwide, Savage hailed as one of the best rappers in the world right now – a $4 million lawsuit is loose change and is unlikely to affect their reputation.

The lawsuit, while far from ideal for the Her Loss creators has only created more press attention and headlines for the pair’s new album. Could it turn out a blessing in disguise?

Whether Drake and 21 Savage did have a “flippant disregard”, in the words of Conde Nast, for the rights of Vogue or it was a genuine parody remains a question.

Words by Max Steventon

_{Header Image: Her Loss Album Cover}

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There is no denying that hot girl summer is well underway, with the return of Queen B and Drake dropping a surprise dance album. Whether you’re on the hunt for your next big hype tune or need some sonic relatability this summer, we’ve got you covered! Here are all of June’s top releases that we currently have on repeat;

Beyoncé – Break My Soul

There’s no better time to channel Beyoncé than summer, as everything from her confidence to her attitude is an inspiration. So, we were thrilled to see Bey is back! ‘Break My Soul’ is filled with affirmations, dance rhythms, and a classic 90s dance sample of ‘Show me Love’ by Robyn S. If you need a pick me up or are dealing with heartbreak this summer, this is the song for you! 

Princess Nokia – Diva

You can’t truly thrive in hot girl summer unless you uplift and empower the women around you. And, it is just as important to appreciate all the incredible women who paved the way for us. With this track, Princess Nokia celebrates all the divas who came before her, from Shakira and Beyoncé to Whitney and Aaliyah. Pair this uplifting message with the triumphant soundscape of ‘Diva,’ and you have one of the most empowering tracks of summer 2022. 

Drake – Honestly, Nevermind 

We were taken by surprise on June 17th, as Drake dropped an album with no announcement. But, to surprise us even more, this is no usual Drake album. Instead, Drake has embodied the dance genre and incorporated it within his usual flow, creating a perfect summer style. He took the world by storm in the summer of 2016; can he do it again? 

Flo Milli – Conceited

Delivering bags of personality, sass, and confidence this summer is the fabulous Flo Milli. From just one play of this track, we were already feeling ourselves! Flo has delivered a stellar flow, beat, and meaning with ‘Conceited.’ We will be sure to keep this on our radar for any moments of self-doubt. 

Lil Nas X, YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Late To Da Party

Bringing us all the good vibes this month are Lil Nas X and NBA Youngboy, as they dropped a slick-produced Hip hop track that encapsulates the modern rap style. Many say this is a collaboration no one would have seen coming, but we love it! 

DellaXOZ – i want, doesn’t get

If you’re in need of some relatability that still delivers positive, uplifting summer vibes, DellaXOZ has just given you the perfect track. Complete with lyrics honing on moving on from a relationship, this song is great for anyone focussing on having a healing girl summer! 

Jada Kingdom – Fling It Back

You can’t go wrong with a good summer dancehall beat, and Jada Kingdom certainly understood the assignment. This is one for the girls ready to dance the hot nights away without a care in the world. 

Chlöe – Surprise

Chlöe gave us our supply of divine feminine energy on June 17th with her latest single, ‘Surprise.’ Showing us her cheeky side with suggestive lyrics, it’s safe to say Chlöe’s solo endeavours are set to be memorable and definitive. 

Lila Iké – Wanted

Reggae is a genre that can impact your mood in such a dynamic way, and it is even more prevalent when it’s summer. Lila Iké delivered a reggae dream earlier this month, complete with heavenly vocals, infectious rhythms, and meandering melodies. 

FKA twigs – Killer

If hard-hitting beats aren’t your vibe, FKA twigs’ latest single is calm whilst still encapsulating the summer sound. This is a much more pop-sounding track for twigs, and we are excited to see if she will dabble further within the genre. 

Saucy Santana, Latto – Booty

Summer is for fun, and this track delivers just that, courtesy of Saucy Santana and Latto. From an iconic sampling of Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy In Love’ to tongue n cheek lyrics surrounding self-love, this song is inevitably fun and infectious. 

Aitch, Bakar – In Disguise

Giving us 2010’s British rap realness this month is Aitch and Bakar, with cheeky lyrics and guitar motifs that inject unmistakable energy into this track. One thing is for sure; we will be pressing our replay button on this one!

Words By Nadia Clasper

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The post Amp Up Your Hot Girl Summer Playlist With The Biggest Music Releases Of June appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Now a quarter of the way into 2021, it’s safe to say that not even a global pandemic could stop the music industry from flourishing and thriving. Musicians across the world continue to surprise and impress, bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air to what has felt like an eternity indoors.

With new releases from the likes of Jorja Smith, Bebe Rexha, and Justin Bieber getting us back into the groove of normalcy, we thought we’d run through some of the music we can’t switch off this month.

So, grab your nearest pair of headphones, get your Spotify ready, and crank up the volume. We’ve got some music you’re going to want to hear.

Drake

Following the delay of his sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy, Drake dropped the EP Scary Hours 2 on March 5^th. Set as a sequel to 2018’s Scary Hours, the EP highlights Drake’s ability to deliver punchy verses while riding a catchy a beat. Meant to give fans a taste of what Drake will deliver with his upcoming album, the three tracks that make up Scary Hours 2 are successful in hyping up those hungry for new music. The music video for the EP’s opening track, ‘What’s Next’, sees Drake dancing in an empty Toronto, reaffirming the musician’s affinity for the urban aesthetics of his hometown. Matching heavy trap beats and clever wordplay with Drake’s signature swagger, ‘What’s Next’ delivers a masterclass in commercial hip-hop that will have many fans eagerly awaiting the release of Certified Lover Boy.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber started 2021 on a high with the release of ‘Anyone’, which later peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With his newest album, Justice, just around the corner (mark March 19^th on your calendars), fans were more than excited when Bieber dropped ‘Hold On’ just weeks in advance. ‘Hold On’ plays to Bieber’s trademark hero image, as he croons to his fans “You know you can call me if you need someone” and reflects on the feeling of losing your sense of self. The music video, which sees Bieber on the run from police after getting into some shady business in order to pay for his partner’s hospital treatment, provides the perfect narrative for the dramaticism of ‘Hold On’.

Silk Sonic

The Bruno Mars x Anderson Paak collaboration we never knew we needed has finally dropped, taking on the title of R&B supergroup, Silk Sonic. Knowing that Mars and Paak have worked together on various projects in the past, including Chic’s 2018 album It’s About Time, many fans were excited to see their friendship and working relationship evolve further. They didn’t disappoint either. Following the announcement of their collaboration in late February, the duo dropped the single ‘Leave The Door Open’ just a week later on March 5^th. The R&B soul song builds on the pair’s affinity for jazz-inspired party music, creating a syrupy sound that emphasises the sultriness of the lyrics. Silk Sonic’s debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, is expected to be released later this year.

Madison Beer

Marking 2021 with the release of her debut studio album, Life Support, Madison Beer has entered our radar as a powerhouse to keep an eye on. Following the release of multiple hit singles last year, the singer announced she would release her first full-length album in February 2021 alongside the single ‘Boyshit’. The single itself is a guitar and bass driven track which pushes back on the manipulations of a male partner, with the focal line “I don’t speak boyshit” highlighting Beer’s determination to take back power in a relationship that has become undermined by the effects of toxic masculinity. The music video is a mishmash of romantic visuals inspired by cult films like Blue Velvet and The Heathers, that sits alongside scenes of a girls’ military-style bootcamp. Promoting a message of self-worth and female empowerment, ‘Boyshit’ is clear in its insinuation that no man is worth the emotional exertion.

Doja Cat

The queen of TikTok soundtracks is back with ‘Streets’, a revival of a track from Doja Cat’s 2019 album Hot Pink. The song gained attention earlier this year on TikTok through the Silhouette Challenge, which uses a red-light filter to block out silhouettes as the user poses naked. Paired with Paul Anka’s ‘Put Your Head On My Shoulder’, ‘Streets’ became synonymous with the viral trend of thirst trapping. With the #SilhouetteChallenge now at an impressive 17.8 million views, Doja Cat has launched herself back into the charts – and how better to celebrate than with a brand-new music video? Released on March 9^th, the music video depicts the singer in a game of cat and mouse with a New York cab driver (Kofi Siriboe). The video also pays homage to the song’s success on TikTok, as Doja Cat uses the opening of the song to perform the Silhouette Challenge from a shop window.

Bebe Rexha

Another release we’re loving this March is Bebe Rexha’s ‘Sacrifice’, a pop-infused house track intended to “give the gays everything they want” – and boy, did Rexha deliver. Dubbed an official ‘gay bop’ by fans, ‘Sacrifice’ references elements of queer music that have raised the likes of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Madonna to icon status. However, it’s Rexha’s brand of pulsing club music and unabashed sexual intrigue that sets her apart as one to watch. ‘Sacrifice’ sees Rexha step into the role of badass vampire queen, putting on a show of leading unsavoury men to their inevitable doom. Whether rampaging through hospitals to steal her next meal or dancing in the bloody rain of a nightclub, Rexha proves she can play the rule-breaking femme fatale as well as any actress. The energetic rhythm of ‘Sacrifice’ is bound to be a clubbing staple when lockdown measures lift later this year, so we suggest you get to hit the dancefloor.

Jorja Smith

Rounding off our list is Jorja Smith, whose new single ‘Addicted’ dropped earlier today. The song marks Smith’s first release since October 2020, and fans were more than ready to welcome her back onto the music scene. ‘Addicted’ carries a slow and easy vibe that contrasts with the lyrical discussion of being unable to move on from a lover that has no interest in maintaining a relationship. But this contrast is what emphasises the cleverness of Smith’s lyricism, as the catchy beat makes ‘Addicted’ a song you will continue to sing long after it has ended – reinforcing the demand that “You should be addicted”. The accompanying music video is just as intriguing. Packed with stunning visuals that play on the luminosity of different textures, the music video sees Smith wandering around a lavish home she can’t seem to leave. While possibly a metaphor for the lyrics, the setting also echoes the current lockdown situation. In this respect, ‘Addicted’ extends Smith’s empathy for shared plight of the current times, allowing her to connect more directly with her fans. With so much to unpack in one song, we couldn’t agree more with Smith: we should be addicted.

Words by Charlie Colville

The post The Music We Can’t Switch Off This Month: Jorja Smith and More appeared first on Voir Fashion.

If you haven’t been the most social, social media butterfly before now is the time to burst out of your cocoon and be an active member of your social media society. In the past few weeks, Instagram has been overrun with viral challenges and If you can’t beat them join them. Here is a list of the top 6 fun internet challenges to try to get you to at least do something today

Flip The Switch Challenge

The flip the switch challenge is based on the Quavo ft Drake song, the main point of the challenge is to record yourself with a partner and once you flip the switch you have to switch clothes and pretend to be each other in the video. This challenge has gone viral leaving us laughing with the switches some with even their pets.

The Savage Challenge

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Z1NmbJ8xz/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wljSgTUexg

I’m a savage classy bouge…. You probably know how it goes by now. From the girl who gave us the hot girl summer comes another viral sensation Savage. This TikTok video challenge based on Meg Thee Stallion Song. Famous for the choreography this challenge has taken TikTok and the Instagram search page by storm.

The Naked Challenge

This challenge is especially for couples or anyone you feel comfortable flashing. How it works is that you surprise your significant other by walking completely naked in front of them and film their reaction. The reactions are pretty hilarious this challenge is definitely one to try to spice up the quarantine experience

The Tootsie Slide Challenge

Probably the newest of the challenges on this list. Drake is proving to be the quarantine king as 2 of his songs have made it onto viral video challenges. This challenge is a choreographed dance challenge based on Drakes recent song ‘Tootsie slide’, which he just released a snippet of but is already beginning to go viral on.

Don’t Rush Challenge

The ‘don’t rush challenge is a transformation/makeover challenge set to the Young T and Bugsey song ‘Don’t rush.’ The challenge is basically a ‘get ready with me’ video with a group of friends as they toss a brush to each other showing before and after shots of their looks this challenge is best for a group of friends and also if you need a reason to get glam.

The Until Tomorrow Challenge

If you have been scrolling through your Instagram and have seen all your posts having the same until tomorrow caption, here’s why. This challenge consists of users posting weird, funny usually old pictures of themselves the rule is to keep the embarrassing post on your timeline for 24hours and then going on to message everyone who likes the post to continue the challenge.

Words by Precious Njoki

Graphics by Katie Janes

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Collaborations with Drake, recipient of Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards and current holder of one of the most-streamed R&B albums by a woman (beating Queen B’s Lemonade) – all at the age of 23.

Summer Walker is undeniably R&B’s new ‘It’ girl. Her record-breaking debut album Over It was streamed 154.7 million times and featured collaborations with 90s and noughties icon, Usher on ‘Come Thru’, Bryson Tiller on ‘Playing Games’ and PARTYNEXTDOOR on ‘Just Might’. Her contemporary and atmospheric tracks capture the listener from the second the album starts – heavy bass and old-school samples like 702’s ‘Get It Together’ truly add to the 90s renewal characteristics of Summer’s sound and aesthetic.

Walker’s collaborations might surprise you, considering the singers’ first commercial mixtape Last Day of Summer only dropped in October 2018 and her first recorded debut ‘Session 32’ – a dreamy and airy acoustic track featuring only a guitar and Summer’s voice – was released April of that year. Raw and warm, her initial drops led her to be noticed by record company LVRN/Interscope Records and this, in turn, brought her to release debut studio album Over It.

The album highlighted her emotional complexity as an artist – in ‘I’ll Kill You’ ft. Jhene Aiko. The lyrics include “You make a bitch have to go in her purse / Or go in her trunk and pull out the strap / I would never shoot you, baby / Maybe just wave it around’ yet in ‘Playing Games’ another sideshow with lyrics stating ‘All I ever asked was you to / Pick up the phone when you alone / All I ever asked was you to / Show me some love, kisses and hugs’.

Summer’s unabashed tone of voice in ‘I’ll Kill You’ showed her alter-ego. In her interviews, live performances and Summer’s deeply personal Instagram, it is clear that she faces almost crippling of social anxiety. Though many stars face stage fright and nerves, Summer’s introversion largely affects her ability to perform.

In fact, she recently had to cancel 20 gigs in the US and stated on Instagram “As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety. I want to continue to be healthy and to make music for y’all, so I have decided to cut down some of the dates on the tour. I hope you all can understand. I’m grateful for every single one of you, and I hope that you understand that wellness/mental health is important”.

The Atlanta-based singer isn’t shy on her rocky relationship with the music industry and has at many times suggested she is over it, stating in an interview: “I miss being at home, minding my business. No one bothering me when I leave the house”. Though some fans are supportive, others label it as an attention-seeking ‘act’ – highlighting just how misunderstood social anxiety is as a mental health issue.

Walker’s transparency of mental health and her commitment to putting herself first before performances is commendable. It definitely establishes her as a refreshing voice in the music industry (especially for men and women of colour) for those who may find it difficult to be open about certain anxieties and mental health difficulties they face due to cultural and social constraints.

We truly hope Walker isn’t completely done with creating music and performing – she holds a special place in the music world with both her sound and what she represents. Check out her latest track here, her raw and unfiltered conversation with fellow singer Ari Lennox here and her NPR Tiny Desk Performance below.

Summer Walker’s Tiny Desk Performance

Words by Hena Sharma

Graphics by Katie Janes

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The creative industries are as vast as they are exclusive. But sometimes, these industries find clever ways of crossing over into one another and gain a wider audience by doing this. In the examples you will see, we have picked out our most unexpected yet revolutionary partnerships that set the bar for future collaborations.

– Nadia Rose “Skwod” for Rimmel Mascara Volume Shake featuring Cara Delevigne

Nadia Roses’ bold song goes perfectly hand in hand with Rimmel’s bold new mascara that is powerfully worn by Cara Delevigne and the rest of the Rimmel girl Skwod.

– Rihanna’s third and final collaboration with Manolo Blahnik – “So Stoned”

A collection created in PVC and bejewelled with Swarovski crystals that take centre stage in a range of styles.

Credit: Manolo Blahnik

– All New Toyota C-HR – Reflections ft Glass Animals “Toes”

Toyota’s stylish advert featured city folk being enspelled by the motor crawling through the streets as we see flashes in the models mirrored sunglasses. Assisted by the equally slick song by Glass Animals that emphasises the sophisticated yet dark atmosphere of the advert.

– Skepta designs a clothing line with Selfridges – “Mains”

A collection of sportswear pieces that breaks away from the norm of tracksuit wear that has drifted away from bold logos and stuck to a solid colour theme that is accessible for both men and women.

– Drakes new song “Signs” is premiered at Louis Vuitton S/S18 Paris Mens Fashion Week

The audience at the Louis Vuitton S/S18 show in Paris were treated to an exclusive listen to Drakes new song “Signs” as the models walked down the catwalk.

The post 5 Unexpectedly Sassy Collaborations appeared first on Voir Fashion.