You ready? Let’s aggregate!
The Hotline Bling video itself, weirdly existing completely outside of YouTube. How will we ever know how many views it’s had, or what the scum of the internet think of it? Seriously, the best thing Google ever did for me was take away the ability to comment on videos without having a G+ account. Even though you don’t have to anymore, you still have to agree to some bullshit about making a channel, which I don’t care enough to do. I spend less time reading comments than ever before.
Is It Fine Art, or Is It Drake’s “Hotline Bling”? We learn that Drake’s video draws inspiration from James Turrell, and that 72-year-old white person James Turrell has a pretty good publicist/intern.
The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah is upset at Drake for not dancing black enough. This is dumb. Trevor Noah is dumb.
Seven hundred useless words about whether his dancing is “good enough” by choreographers’ standards. The answer is yes.
More deep analysis featuring a lengthy interview with Tanisha Scott, who choreographed the video.
“Following a scene featuring a bunch of women working in a call center, Drake dances (by himself and with a partner) and chills on a staircase.” Thanks, Pitchfork.
The internet is convinced that “Hotline Bling” is an infringement on “Cha Cha” by D.R.A.M. Y’all are so stupid. It’s not.
Jezebel’s convinced that Drake is a malicious thief and…guilty of gaslighting? For real? Listen: copyright infringement is not “those two songs sound alike” or even “those two songs use the same beat/samples”. All kinds of musical elements have to line up. Believe me, if this was copyright infringement, the lawsuit would have already been filed.
Here’s more clarification in the form of a quote from Drake himself:
You know, like in Jamaica, you’ll have a riddim [the same sample] and it’s like, everyone has to do a song on that,” Drake said.
Yes, Drake. I know. Jamaican music is the perfect example of why “Hotline Bling” is, in no way, shape, or form, copyright infringement.
Stashed seems to think that this is an admission of guilt. Or, more accurately, their headline thinks so, because the entirely of their take on this is:
The quotes play into a larger discussion about Drake’s musical output. Both sides of the fence are adamant with their beliefs, and Drizzy’s once again landed in the hot seat.
Hollywood Life is convinced it has an exclusive story on Drake’s reaction to the video’s popularity, by which they mean their staff writer made up a quote and attributed it to “a source”.
NOW IT’S TIME FOR VINE MEME CENTRAL (OR: WHO AGGREGATES THE AGGREGATORS?)
And here’s your playlist, with the only song that matters this week.