Remembering legendary Super Bowl halftime shows as Kendrick Lamar gears up to perform amid looming lawsuit
This past year, we saw some of the biggest rap beef in recent memory. Drake and Kendrick Lamar dueled it out, one diss track after another, ultimately leading to one of the biggest hits of the year. Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” went number 1 on the Billboard Top 100 and just won two Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Meanwhile, the song is at the center of a defamation lawsuit, filed by Drake against the label Universal Music Group, under which Drake and Lamar are both signed. All this leads to one big question: Will Kendrick perform his searing diss track, which also happens to be one of the biggest songs of his career, at the Super Bowl halftime show? Performing it would be far from the only controversy we’ve seen over the years at half time shows. We want to hear from you. What are your favorite Super Bowl halftime performances? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com. Joining us for the conversation is Bill Donahue, senior legal correspondent at Billboard, and Christina Myers, professor of journalism at Michigan State University.
What’s in a word? Breaking down the life and death of slang with an expert
Cash money? Homie? Beast mode? Cool. Some slang phrases or words just last the test of time, while others — like radical or bomb — seem to fizzle off into the realm of forgotten language history. And unless you’re privy to the ever-continuous movement of language, it can sometimes seem strange that a word or phrase that was once so omnipresent, like fire or bet, completely vanishes from cultural relevance seemingly out of nowhere. Today on AirTalk, we’re looking at how slang develops, spreads, and dies within culture, and we’re joined by Nicole Holliday, acting associate professor of Linguistics at UC Berkeley. We also want to hear from you! Is there a slang word you wish would return? Or perhaps a phrase you think should go out of style sooner than later? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us atcomments@laist.com.
Chiefs or Eagles? The biggest Super Bowl winner every year is the chicken wing.
The Super Bowl is this weekend. Time to put on your jerseys (Chiefs or Eagles?), gather 'round the flat screen, and watch some good old pig skin being thrown. And nothing pairs better with football and friends than wings and sauce. Spicy, buffalo, dry, or slathered in blue cheese. Today, we’re talking about chicken wings. Joining us is Daniel Weinstock, owner of Maple Block Meat Co. with locations in Culver City and Grand Central Market. Maple Block is best known for their BBQ and smoked meats, including some of the best chicken wings in town. To celebrate the Super Bowl they are offering special game day packages full of meat and wings, or, if you don’t want to watch in your living room on Sunday, Maple Block will also be showing the game at both their locations.
