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.
Jade Thirlwall has been learning to lean into a softer approach with her voice as she steps into life as a solo performer.
The former Little Mix member shared that she’s been carving out her own sound since the British girl group decided to go on an indefinite break in 2022.
Speaking with ELLE, Jade opened up about discovering that not every track on her debut solo album, That's Showbiz Baby, needed a full vocal showcase.
“That’s what I’ve discovered with this project, especially after Little Mix, is that I don’t always need to give a big vocal moment,” she said. “It’s actually been really nice to understand that part of my voice.”
She pointed to the group’s 2016 single Power, which has at times faced online comments about being a little too intense vocally.
“I’ll scroll through TikTok and see people talk about Power like, ‘These girlies are out here like, AHHH,’” she told the outlet. “Everyone trying to top each other with the loudest note for three minutes straight.”
Although Jade still loves that kind of performance, she said she’s learned the value of holding back.
“I still adore that energy, but it’s been kind of freeing to realise, babe, it doesn’t always need to end with this massive ad-lib run,” she shared.
She also mentioned that her song Angel of My Dreams was first recorded with a much bigger vocal take before she decided to go back and do it in a more relaxed, softer tone.
Jade officially dropped That's Showbiz Baby on 12 September. The record includes 14 tracks, among them IT Girl, Plastic Box, and the lead single Angel of My Dreams.
