Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Strange Relationship of Drake and Kendrick Lamar Max Ching Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching You’ve probably heard of Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who is also known as K. Dot. If you haven’t, then they are known for being some of the biggest rap artists of all time and have won multiple Grammys, Brit Awards, American Music Awards, and many more. They’ve even worked together in the past, and their piece, Poetic Justice, became the 26th highest song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012 . However, their relationship has sparked a giant feud over the past few months, becoming one of the biggest rap beefs of all time. So, how did this start? Well, let’s go to the beginning of their relationship, and see what went wrong. So, like I’ve said before, Drake and Lamar haven’t always had a bad relationship. During Drake’s early days, according to Billboard, Kendrick featured on Drake’s Take Care album. He also appeared with A$AP Rocky during Drake’s Club Paradise Tour. Later, Drake even rapped about fighting for Rocky and Lamar to appear during his tours. Also, like I’ve said before, their song, Poetic Justice, even became the 26th highest song on the Billboard Hot 100 during 2012 . However, this is the last time these artists ever friendly collaborated. During August of 2013, Lamar took shots at Drake and the rap game during his feature on Big Sean’s, Control. According to Billboard, Kendrick took shots at J. Cole, Drake, Meek Mill, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, Mac Miller, Big Sean, Wale, Big K.R.I.T., and Jay Electronica. He said that, although he loves and respects them, he is going to try and wipe away their reputation, and make sure that their core fans even forget who they are. Drake eventually responded to this diss by stating, “I didn’t really have anything to say about it. It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That’s all it was. I know good and well that Lamar’s not murdering me, at all, on any platform. So, when that day presents itself, I guess we can revisit the topic.” Over the next few years, although the two artists threw a few jabs at each other over the years, nothing groundbreaking happened until October of 2023, when Drake and J. Cole made history. According to Billboard, the two made their first ever Hot 100 No. 1 song, First Person Shooter. Drake and Cole share the spotlight as they boast about being stadium status MCs. “Love when they argue the hardest MC/is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league/ but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.”. This one quote by Cole sparked Lamar’s inspiration to start one of the biggest forms of beef in rap history. During March of 2024, Kendrick went full attack mode on Drake and Cole, during his feature on Future and Metro Boomin’s, Like That. He threw shots at Cole and Drake, denouncing their big three claim by saying, “It’s just big me.”. He also punctuated his verse by rapping about Drake’s album, For All the Dogs. “For your dog’s getting buried/ That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.” Drake later responded by releasing his diss-track on Lamar named Push Ups. He made fun of Kendrick’s foot size, along with the cover art being a small shoe size. Drake also pointed shots at Kendrick’s deal with Top Dawg Entertainment. He also dissed Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future, and many more on this piece. A little bit later, Drake even released a second diss track named, Taylor Made Freestyle. However, according to Billboard, Drake used A.I., to simulate the voices of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. Tupac’s estate threatened to sue him, if the piece wasn’t removed from all of Drake’s social media accounts. He later obliged and scrubbed away the track from his history. Six days later, Lamar released his new bloodthirsty piece, Euphoria, where he calls Drake out by admitting to being his biggest hater and hating the way he walks, talks, and dresses. Also, not even seventy-two hours later, Kendrick created a new piece, named 6:16 in LA. According to Billboard , Lamar claims that Drake’s team is even working against him and that they have a mole that’s finding dirt on him. However, the next day, Drake made his third diss track, Family Matters, public. He also accompanied this with a music video. In this track, Drake snipes at Lamar and his alleged ruined relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Alford, which Drake claimed was filled with infidelity. Drake also made fun of A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future, and Rick Ross. However, Kendrick made sure that the public wouldn’t switch over to Drake’s side, as he released two new pieces, mere minutes after Drake published Family Matters. His new pieces, Meet the Grahams, and Not Like Us, where Kendrick goes all out. According to Billboard, Kendrick accuses Drake of being a bad father, having a second hidden child, and an alcohol and gambling addiction. Although Drake tried to make a rebuttal with his latest diss track, The Heart Pt.6, it was too late, as Kendrick’s pieces have created a huge spark in the public, gaining lots of attention around the world, and even has his latest piece, Not Like Us, on the No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Even Euphoria reached the No. 3 spot during its second week. So, as you can see, this bad relationship has turned two of the biggest artists of the generation into two of the biggest celebrities of our time, creating a huge world-wide spark, and while we don’t know when this will end, we do know that this has become one of the biggest events of hatred and music of all time. SOURCES: https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-kendrick-lamar-beef-timeline/may-5-2024-drake-addresses-allegations-on-the-heart-pt-6/ BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Tales Through Time: Lewis and Clark Expedition Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by the Library of Congress Painting of the Lewis and Clark expedition in a canoe meeting some Native Americans (1905), by Charles Marion Russell Background In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States asked for $2,500 to send an officer and a dozen troops to explore the Missouri River, establish diplomatic relations with Indians, increase the American fur trade, and find the Northwest Passage. The voyage became significant when the United States consented to the Louisiana Purchase, which involved Napoleon selling 828,000 square miles of French land for $27 million. Jefferson nominated Meriwether Lewis as expedition commander, who gathered weaponry, built a keelboat, and obtained smaller boats. William Clark, his military superior, was appointed as co-commander. Congress sponsored the expedition before the discussions with France were finalized. Lewis and Clark shared equal responsibilities and were given the opportunity in 1796 to embark on a historic journey that would help shape the country. The Expedition The expedition, including four dozen men, traveled 10 to 20 miles every day. Lewis discovered 178 new plants and 122 animals, naming them Philadelphus lewisii , Lewisia rediviva , and Clarkia pulchella . The expedition met enormous herds of animals and ate well, despite the Lakota tribe's unwillingness to compete with Americans. Despite suffering from diarrhea, venereal disease, boils, tick bites, and bruises, only one person died. The expedition conducted conferences with Native Americans, offering commerce and food. The Lakota tribe tried to stop the expedition from moving upstream, but Chief Black Buffalo's diplomacy calmed the situation. The expedition landed in Mandan and Hidatsa settlements near Bismarck, North Dakota, and prepared supplies for Jefferson. In June 1805, the expedition group arrived at a river fork and elected to take the south branch, which was thought to be the main route. They named the north fork Maria's River and arrived at the Great Falls. The portage was difficult given the rough terrain, prickly pear cactus, hailstorms, and grizzly bears. The crew landed in Knife River Village in what is now North Dakota. They encountered Sacagawea, a Shoshone Native American woman, and her fur trader husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, who accompanied the expedition as interpreters. Sacagawea assisted the crew in obtaining necessary supplies, identifying edible plants, and avoiding conflict with neighboring tribes. The group moved west at 15 to 20 miles per day and landed near the Pacific Ocean in November 1805. The Return In 1806, the Corps of Discovery departed Fort Clatsop, traversed the Missouri River Basin, and broke up at Lolo Pass. Lewis and Clark's crews investigated the Maria’s River and the Yellowstone River, with Lewis's group building Pompey's Pillar, which was named after Sacagawea's son. The corps landed in St. Louis in September 1806 and departed for the Pacific Ocean in November. Due to heavy storms, they were forced to build Fort Clatsop near Astoria, Oregon. They intended to return via the Columbia and Missouri rivers but encountered neither. They broke into parties to investigate the region and two important Missouri River tributaries. In March, Sacagawea and her husband were brought home to North Dakota before continuing their journey. Later the groups rejoined and traveled downstream to complete their quest. The Legacy Despite various obstacles, Lewis and Clark completed their goal to explore the Louisiana Territory from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean in 1806. They traveled over 8,000 miles, created informative maps, and established friendly connections with Native American groups. Both earned double salaries and 1,600 acres of land in exchange for their services. Lewis was appointed Governor of the Louisiana Territory, while Clark was named Brigadier General of Militia and federal Indian Agent. Despite Lewis's terrible death in 1809, Lewis's expedition is still one of America's most renowned. The Corps of Discovery Expedition carved out a primitive route to the Pacific and laid the groundwork for the nascent nation's westward expansion. The mission gave major geographic and scientific information about the West, helped to expand the fur trade, and enhanced the United States's claims to the Pacific. Sources: Lewis and Clark: Expedition, Purpose & Facts | HISTORY Lewis and Clark Expedition | Summary, History, Members, Facts, & Map | Britannica Lewis & Clark Expedition | National Archives Lewis and Clark's Expedition ( nationalgeographic.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Matteo Somma - Pop Art By Matteo Somma January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Sophia Song - Nostalgic Musings - 1 By Sophia Song February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections COVID-19 Vaccine: Ever-Changing By Matteo Somma Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by NY.GOV As many know, the COVID-19 vaccine has been available to the public for quite some time. Starting in late November/early December, two companies rolled out their vaccine: Pfizer and Moderna. To this day they are the leading vaccine manufacturers and distributors. Both brands of vaccine require two doses, with Pfizer’s being 21 days apart and Moderna’s 28 days apart. Both vaccines also hover around a 95% effectivity rate so far, and no major immediate reactions to the vaccine have been reported. Currently, front-line workers, residents over the age of 65, and essential workers, like teachers, have been prioritized in the distribution of the vaccine. At this time, there have been no trials on minors under 18 years old. Many people believe if you receive the COVID-19 vaccine, you will be immune to the virus. That is not entirely accurate; the vaccine only reduces the effects of the virus. You will also still have to wear a mask and socially distance in public after receiving the vaccine. However, the CDC recently released guidelines indicating that people who are vaccinated can remain indoors without social distancing under specific limitations. Despite popular belief, the COVID-19 vaccine is not a dead or weakened strain like other vaccines in the past, instead, mRNA can be found inside the vaccine. mRNA is a messenger RNA, and RNA is smaller strands of polymers. What the mRNA does is it leaves a set of instructions for the immune cells to make the antigens that are needed to fight the virus. The COVID-19 vaccine is still ever-changing with new technologies being discovered every day. Some companies are working on a one-time dose of the vaccine that mutates with the COVID-19 virus, while other companies are injecting tiny lipid nanoparticles into the bloodstream to act as artificial antigens for the virus. Ground-breaking scientific discoveries are being made every day. Now, while we don’t know if any of these will work, what is for certain is that we will get through this together if we continue to stay safe. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Spotlight Back to Sections XSCAPISM II By Osaiyekemwen Ogbemudia March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Equality By Anonymous Contributor Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Grand Rapids Pride Center They tried to take it Equality and love Of those who want the same as you, Of those who were created the same as you, Of those who are the same as you, Of those who love same The same as you do BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Back to Sections Isabella Mascetti By Isabella Mascetti Volume 3 Issue 1

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Back to Artwork Spotlight Back to Sections Reflecting on the Past By Kimberly Shresta March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6