NEWS
Dr. Dre has called out the Olympics over this year’s breakdancing competition, taking issue with the performance of one athlete in particular.
2024 was the first year that breakdancing, one of the foundational elements of Hip Hop culture, was featured in the Olympics. And the dazzling athleticism of b-boys and b-girls from around the world was on display, the contest was somewhat overshadowed by the bizarre antics of Australia’s Rachael “Raygun” Gunn.”
Reacting to the inaugural Olympics breakdancing competition in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dre said: “I did not like that. It’s so many great breakdancers that I don’t know why they had this particular person doing that.
“It was funny, I got some laughs out of it, but what the fuck? […] There are incredible breakdancers out right now; I don’t know how that happened.”
Earlier this week, Raygun spoke out after going viral for her widely ridiculed performance at the Paris Olympics, which saw her fail to perform any traditional breakdancing moves and instead flop and roll around the floor.
The Australian athlete failed to score a single point during the competition but defended her performance from online mockery.
“What I wanted to do was come out here and do something new and different and creative — that’s my strength, my creativity,” she said to ESPN.
She also seemingly acknowledged her lack of talent in the sport, saying: “I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get in a lifetime to do that on an international stage?”
There were plenty of viral videos made of Gunn’s performance, with one dubbing commentary from Peter Griffin in Family Guy over the footage.
Another viewer compared one move she did to the Grinch creeping around.
Even Pete Rock chimed in on her moves, joking on social media: “Ooohhh sh%# [shocked emoji] Wait, that bunny hop kangaroo sh%# she was doing took me way down to floor [laughing emoji] this is so messed up.”
Others echoed Dr. Dre’s disapproval, with R&B singer India.Arie writing on Instagram: “sigh … an art created by young black and brown people in the bronx is NOW an Olympic sport and this POORLY EXECUTED EXCUSE FOR THE ART ~ is being praised. this is yet another insult to artists And artists of color. this is why we’re exhausted.”
Raygun, who possesses a PhD in dance, lost all three of her one-on-one contests by a total margin of 54-0.
Japan’s Ami Yuasa took home the gold medal in women’s breakdancing, while Canadian b-boy Philip “Phil Wizard” Kim emerged victorious in the men’s.
NEWS
During a recent appearance on The Leona Graham Podcast, Embrace frontman Danny McNamara looked back on the unusual story behind the band's 2004 single "Gravity," a song that was ultimately handed over to them by Coldplay singer Chris Martin.
"The Gravity story, it all starts on Angelina Jolie's spaceship," McNamara explained. The memorable moment happened around two decades ago in the parking area of a major film studio just outside London. Coldplay had been visiting the set of the sci fi adventure film The Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow when the two musicians found themselves sitting atop a giant replica spacecraft. "Me and Chris from Coldplay, we were sat on this huge mock-up of a spaceship... about the size of about five double-decker buses. It was like gold and green and red, and we were sat on it in the car park in the midday sun playing each other songs on an acoustic guitar."
After McNamara played Martin a new Embrace song called "Ashes," the Coldplay frontman returned the favour by sharing a track that had not yet been released. "He played me 'Gravity.' And I just thought, 'Wow, that's like an amazing song.' It's up there with like 'Fix You' or 'The Scientist.' For me, it's like one of the best ballads they've ever written."
Some time later, McNamara received a surprise phone call from Martin late one evening. Gwyneth Paltrow, who was married to the singer at the time, could be heard encouraging him in the background. "Gwyneth was in the background saying, 'Go on, ask him. Ask him.' So anyway, he says, 'You know Gravity?' And I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Do you want it?'"
At first, McNamara was reluctant to accept the offer because he worried the attention surrounding Martin's involvement might take focus away from Embrace's comeback album, Out of Nothing. "My thought was like, 'I don't want this to be overshadowed by Chris offering us this song,' so initially I was sort of thinking no. But then I thought, 'Hang on a minute. He's the biggest rock star in the world. What are you doing?'" Curious about why Martin was willing to part with the song, he asked him directly and was told, "Well, I think it sounds too much like Embrace for us to use."
The experience only strengthened the admiration McNamara has held for Martin over the years. Rejecting the common perception that the Coldplay star is predictable or ordinary, he described him as one of the most captivating people he has ever encountered. "That guy is one of the most interesting, charismatic and fun to be around people I've ever met, if not the most," McNamara stated. "I've met a lot of people in my life, a lot of people even more famous than him, and he is far and away the most interesting person. Whenever he's there, I just stand back and just like let him shine. I love him to bits."
