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A complete timeline of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship

9 February 2025 at 19:46
travis kelce taylor swift
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate the Chiefs' AFC Championship win.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

  • Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been dating since the summer of 2023.
  • The pop star and athlete, both 35, have gushed about each other in interviews.
  • Swift recently cheered for Kelce and the Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

We'll take a wild guess and say that Travis Kelce's favorite track from Taylor Swift's "Midnights" might be "Mastermind."

Shortly after he turned up to the Eras Tour with a friendship bracelet and a dream, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end began dating the multi-Grammy-winning superstar.

Kelce, 35, laid the groundwork last July. He made his feelings known for Swift, 35, after he failed to get some one-on-one time when she performed on his home turf in Missouri. Soon, all the dominoes cascaded in a line: Swift began attending NFL games, openly cheering for the Chiefs, and stepping out with Kelce for date nights in New York City. 

Here's a complete timeline of their relationship so far.

July 8, 2023: Kelce attends Swift's Eras Tour show stop in Kansas City.
Travis Kelce points (left); Taylor Swift smiles.
Travis Kelce is a football player and Taylor Swift is a world-renowned pop star.

Ed Zurga, George Walker/AP

Kelce officially entered his Swiftie era when he attended the second of the "Anti-Hero" singer's two performances on his home turf.

Before the concert, held at Arrowhead Stadium, Kelce was seen chatting with other Swifties and even trading friendship bracelets, according to a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).

July 26, 2023: A few weeks later, Kelce says on his podcast that he wanted to give Swift his number at the show.
Travis Kelce discussed his failed attempt at wooing Taylor Swift on his podcast, "New Heights."
Travis Kelce discussed his failed attempt at wooing Taylor Swift on his podcast, "New Heights."

YouTube/New Heights Show

Speaking on his podcast, "New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce," the athlete said he was "butt hurt" he couldn't give Swift a friendship bracelet (a tradition among Swifts' concertgoers) that included his phone number.

"I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings," Kelce told his brother and cohost, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.

Jason then asked which number he put on the bracelet — the number on his Kansas City Chiefs jersey (87) or his phone number. 

"You know which one," Travis responded. He also quipped that while Swift "doesn't meet anybody" before her shows, he "took it personal."

According to Swift, she and Kelce began dating "right after" the podcast episode aired.
travis kelce taylor swift
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift photographed in July 2023.

JC Olivera/Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

In an interview with Time magazine, Swift confirmed her relationship with Kelce and offered details about the beginning of their romance. 

"This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell," she said. "We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I'm grateful for, because we got to get to know each other."

September 21, 2023: Kelce says he's "thrown the ball in her court" and invites Swift to one of his football games.
Travis Kelce rests his hands on his collar while looking off to the side during a Chiefs game.
Travis Kelce plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Lachlan Cunningham/AP Images

Two months after his podcast episode, Kelce told ESPN's Pat McAfee that after trying to woo the Grammy winner with a friendship bracelet, he extended an invite to one of his upcoming games.

"I told her, 'I've seen you rock the stage at Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit,'" Kelce said in the interview.

 "So we'll see what happens in the near future," he added.

September 24, 2023: Swift attends the Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears three days later.
Taylor Swift cheers from a suite with Donna Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Donna Kelce and Taylor Swift on September 24, 2023.

Cooper Neill via Getty Images

Swift sent the internet into meltdown when she accepted to Kelce's invitation. However, according to Swift, the lovebirds were already official by the time she attended her first game on September 24.

"By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple," she told Time. "I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date."

On that fated day, Swift was photographed wearing Kansas City colors as she watched the game from Kelce's private suite, alongside his mom, Donna Kelce.

When Kelce — already considered one of the best tight ends in NFL history — hauled in a touchdown pass from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the third quarter, Swift rose to her feet and cheered.

After chest-bumping with another spectator in the box, the singer appeared to shout, "Let's fucking go!" as Mama Kelce smiled and applauded.

After the game, images of Kelce and Swift walking out of the stadium together and driving off in his old school convertible were shared on X.

The pair ended their night at Prime Social Rooftop, which Kelce rented out for Swift, his family, and his teammates, per Entertainment Tonight. In photos obtained by TMZ, the couple weren't shy about showing their affection for each other as Swift was seen wrapping her arm around Kelce's neck as they chatted to other partygoers.

In the days following, an anonymous source told People that Kelce and Swift had been "hanging out" and were still in the "super, super early days" of getting to know each other. 

"They're having fun," the source told the outlet. "This was Taylor's first time meeting his mom and dad, and everyone was enjoying themselves."

Meanwhile, Kelce debriefed the Swift-inspired frenzy on his podcast. He thanked her for "pulling up" to his game, saying he "sure as hell enjoyed this weekend."

September 27, 2023: Kelce speaks about Swift again on his podcast.
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Travis Kelce on the field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023.

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

During an episode of "New Heights," Kelce joked that his personal life is "not so personal" anymore.

"Shout out to Taylor for pulling up," he said. "That was pretty ballsy."

Kelce went on to praise Swift for her behavior with his family at her first Chiefs game.

"I just thought it was awesome how everyone in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her. The friends and family," he said. "She looked amazing, everybody was talking about her in great light. And on top of that the day went perfect for Chiefs fans, of course."

"To see the slow motion chest bumps, to see the high fives with mom," he continued. "To see how Chiefs kingdom was all excited that she was there, that shit was absolutely hysterical and it was definitely a game I'll remember that's for damn sure. And then we just slid off in the getaway car at the end."

October 1, 2023: Swift attends a second Chiefs game a week later — and brings some of her famous friends.
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively cheer from the stands during an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs at MetLife Stadium
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively at MetLife Stadium.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

During the Chiefs game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New York, Swift supported Kelce again and brought along some A-list pals.

Swift was spotted watching the game alongside Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sabrina Carpenter, Hugh Jackman, Sophie Turner, and Antoni Porowski. 

While Swift and Kelce left the stadium separately, it seems they had spent some time together beforehand; the Super Bowl champion was spotted by Page Six leaving Swift's New York apartment that morning.

October 4, 2023: Kelce tries to get the NFL to pull back on its coverage of Swift at his games, declaring on his podcast, "They're overdoing it."
Travis Kelce, left, and Taylor Swift, right, at Arrowhead Stadium.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium.

Denny Medley/USA Today/Reuters; Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Kelce said the NFL had gone overboard in their coverage of Swift during an episode of his podcast, released on October 4. 

"I think it's fun when they show who all is at the game. I think it brings a little more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you're watching," Kelce said.

"But at the same time, I think they're overdoing it a little bit," he continued.

NBC Sports, which aired the game, made frequent cuts to shots of Swift cheering on the Chiefs. The NFL also briefly changed bios on Instagram and X to reference Swift after the Chiefs beat the Jets.

In response, the NFL defended its coverage of the pair in a statement obtained by ESPN

October 5, 2023: Kelce celebrates his 34th birthday. Swift reportedly flies to Missouri to spend the weekend with him.
A collage of two photos side by side. The image on the left is Travis Kelce, #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs, while the image on the right is of Taylor Swift.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images and Omar Vega/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

According to multiple outlets, the "Fearless" singer spent a few days with Kelce following his 34th birthday.

Us WeeklyPage Six, and the Daily Mail reported that Swift flew from her home in Nashville, Tennessee to Kansas City, Missouri the day after his birthday.

The two were not seen out together, and an anonymous source told Us Weekly that the pair chose to have a "chill night" together. It's unknown when Swift left, but she was not present at the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Minnesota Vikings the following Sunday.

October 12, 2023: Swift shows up to her third Chiefs game, one day after premiering "The Eras Tour" movie.
Taylor Swift attended her third Chiefs game on October 12.
Taylor Swift attended her third Chiefs game on October 12, 2023.

RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The "Cruel Summer" singer returned to the Arrowhead Stadium to cheer on Kelce as his team took on the Denver Broncos.

In a video shared by People, Swift was seen wearing a Chiefs-branded jacket for the game, where she caught up with Kelce's parents in the family suite. She was also seen speaking with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kelce's teammate, Patrick Mahomes.

Photos published by Mail Online showed what appeared to be Swift's security team outside Kelce's home until Friday afternoon, suggesting that the pop star had stayed the night.

Kelce's mother later discussed the "whirlwind" caused by Swift's game-day appearances.

"I thought it would be over at that point, but it seems to just continue, and every week just seems to trump the week before," Donna said during an episode of the "Got It From My Momma" podcast. "So it's really kind of wild, a wild ride." 

October 14, 2023: The couple is photographed holding hands in public for the first time.
travis kelce taylor swift snl after party new york city
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attended the "SNL" after-party.

Gotham/GC Images

Swift and Kelce were photographed holding hands after enjoying a date night in New York City.

The outing marked the first time the two have been photographed by paparazzi in public together, and many took it as confirmation of their relationship.

Their first public display of affection came after the pair dined at celebrity hot spot Nobu, per photos and video obtained by TMZ and Page Six

Swift and Kelce later went to Rockefeller Center, where they made separate surprise appearances on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." They finished the night at the show's after-party, pictures from Getty Images showed.

October 15, 2023: One day after crashing "SNL," Kelce and Swift hold hands again after dining together in New York City.
taylor swift travis kelce new york city
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on October 15, 2023.

Gotham/GC Images

Swift and Kelce were photographed by paparazzi after spending Sunday night at Waverly Inn

Swift has dined at the West Village hot spot before, most notably in 2016 with Cara Delevingne, Lorde, and Jack Antonoff.

October 22, 2023: Swift attends another of Kelce's games in Kansas City.
taylor swift kansas city chiefs game
Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium on October 22, 2023.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Just a few days before the release of "1989 (Taylor's Version)," Swift was on hand to support the Kansas City Chiefs as they took on the Los Angeles Chargers.

She was filmed cheering for Kelce, looking concerned when he fell, and performing an elaborate handshake with Brittany Mahomes.

Swift and Kelce were also photographed together at a post-game party, alongside Kelce's teammate Mecole Hardman Jr. and his girlfriend Chariah Gordon.

Gordon shared a series of photos on Instagram, including one of Swift kissing Kelce on the cheek.

October 22, 2023: Jason Kelce says that Travis is "excited" about his new relationship.
jason kelce travis kelce superbowl
Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce both play for the NFL.

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

After the Chiefs beat the Chargers, Jason opened up to NBC Sports about his brother's new relationship and the frenzy it has caused.

"It's certainly been weird, the level that it is now," he told NBC Sports on Sunday night. "On one hand, I'm happy for my brother that he seems to be in a relationship that he's excited about, that he is genuine about. But there's another end of it where it's like, 'Man, this is a lot.'"

"This is another level of stardom that typically football players don't deal with," he added.

October 24, 2023: Kelce's dad praises Swift as "smart" and "genuine."
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Travis Kelce's family sat in the audience when he hosted "Saturday Night Live."

Will Heath/NBC via Getty Image

In an interview with People, Ed Kelce described Swift as "a very, very sweet, very charming, down-to-earth young woman."

The athlete's father also praised her first impression as "very genuine," presumably referring to the Chiefs game on October 12, when Swift and Ed were seen chatting in the stands.

"I'll tell you something very special that I noticed about Taylor the first time I met her," Ed shared. "We're sitting in the suite, she gets up and in the front room, she gets up to go get a drink or something and she starts picking up empty bottles, cans, plates that are scattered around. Because in the suites everybody gets stuff and you empty it down wherever you can."

"And I'm just thinking, I don't think she got the diva memo. She didn't get the spoiled musician," he continued. "She doesn't know how to pull that off. And that really to me said a whole lot."

November 3, 2023: Kelce responds with a smile when asked if he's "in love" with Swift.
travis kelce
Travis Kelce at a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany.

Arne Dedert/picture alliance via Getty Images

At a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, where the Kansas City Chiefs would soon play the Miami Dolphins, Kelce fielded a direct question about his feelings for Swift.

According to ESPN's NFL reporter Jeff Darlington, the reporter asked, "What is the latest status and are you in love?"

"I got to see her last week. That's the latest status right there," Kelce said of their current status, though he added, "I'm going to keep my personal relationship personal."

A video of the exchange shows that Kelce was grinning as he replied.

During a recent episode of his podcast, Kelce also said it was "cool" to see people dress up as him and Swift for Halloween, though his brother thought it was "pretty creepy."

November 10, 2023: Kelce joins Swift in Buenos Aires the day after she kicks off the Latin American leg of the Eras Tour.
taylor swift new york city
Taylor Swift photographed in November 2023.

Gotham/GC Images

Swift and Kelce were spotted at a restaurant in the Argentine capital after Swift postponed her second scheduled show in Buenos Aires due to "truly chaotic" weather in the city, she wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

According to People, the couple appeared to be joined by Swift's dad, Scott Swift, as they dined in a private room at Elena restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires.

November 11, 2023: Kelce attends his second Eras Tour concert, where Swift changes the lyrics of "Karma" in his honor.
taylor swift eras tour
Taylor Swift performs in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Swift made a small but significant change to "Karma" during her second show in Buenos Aires as Kelce watched from the VIP tent, alongside the pop star's father, Scott Swift.

"Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me," Swift sang with a giggle, per multiple videos captured by fans at the Estadio River Plate concert.

TikTok user @flormosso caught Kelce's reaction to the moment, when the crowd erupted into cheers. The two-time Super Bowl champ covered a huge grin with his hands while Scott patted him on the shoulder.

Kelce later said he "had a little bit of a clue" that Swift was preparing something special for the show, but once he heard the lyric change, it "still shocked me."

"I was like, 'Oh, she really just said that,'" he said on his podcast.

November 11, 2023: Swift and Kelce share their first public kiss.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce kissing.
When the show ended, Swift ran straight into Kelce's arms and kissed him.

X/@ViralContentz

When her second concert in Buenos Aires ended, Swift left the stage and ran into Kelce's arms as he waited for her by an exit.

The couple shared their first public kiss as fans cheered.

November 20, 2023: Kelce praises Swift in an interview.
travis kelce wall street journal magazine
Travis Kelce photographed for WSJ. Magazine.

Gregory Harris for WSJ. Magazine

In a cover story for WSJ. Magazine, the NFL player said he was a Swiftie before he began dating the pop star.

He praised her songwriting, especially her song "Blank Space," and even described Swift as "a genius."

"I've never been a man of words," Kelce said. "Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been fucking mind-blowing. I'm learning every day."

He also said he's been hesitant to discuss their relationship in public because he doesn't want to spook her.

"That was the biggest thing to me: make sure I don't say anything that would push Taylor away," he said.

"Obviously I've never dated anyone with that kind of aura about them… I've never dealt with it," Kelce added. "But at the same time, I'm not running away from any of it."

December 3, 2023: Swift attends another of Kelce's games in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
taylor swift brittany mahomes nfl game
Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes cheer for the Chiefs in December.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Once again, Swift was photographed cheering for Kelce in a private suite with Brittany Mahomes. (Unfortunately, the team lost to the Green Bay Packers 27-19.)

"They're both really hard workers, and he acknowledges her art is hers, and he has what's his," an anonymous source told People. "He understands the territory their relationship comes with and like he said, isn't letting any of the hoopla impact how they're growing together."

December 6, 2023: Swift confirms her relationship status with Kelce and says they're "proud of each other."
taylor swift time magazine person of the year cover
Taylor Swift is Time's 2023 Person of the Year.

Inez and Vinoodh for Time

Swift opened up about Kelce in a cover story for Time magazine, which named her Person of the Year for 2023.

She said she enjoys attending NFL games "to support Travis" and praised him for openly courting her on his podcast.

Although Swift has a complicated history with dating in the public eye — and has kept previous relationships extremely private — she said there's nothing to hide when it comes to Kelce.

"When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," Swift told Time. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other."

January 26, 2024: Kelce says he and Swift are happy to ignore the "outside noise."
taylor swift travis kelce
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed leaving Arrowhead Stadium.

Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

During a Chiefs press conference, Kelce fielded questions about navigating his relationship amid his growing fame.

"As long as we're happy, we can't listen to anything that's outside noise," Kelce said. "That's all that matters."

Kelce added that he'd be "silly" to deny Swift's role in his growing fan base, but his priority is still his job.

"I brought this upon myself, and I do enjoy having fun with it all, and the biggest thing is making sure my focus is right here in this building," Kelce told reporters.

January 28, 2024: Swift celebrates with Kelce when the Chiefs secure their spot in the Super Bowl.
travis kelce taylor swift
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate the Chiefs' AFC Championship win.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

For her 12th NFL appearance, Swift watched the Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens to secure their spot in Super Bowl LVIII.

After the game, she joined Kelce and his family on the field to celebrate. The couple shared several hugs and kisses in front of the crowd.

February 11, 2024: Swift joins Kelce on the field after he wins the Super Bowl.
taylor swift travis kelce super bowl
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift share a kiss at the Super Bowl.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

At the 2024 Super Bowl, Kelce and the Chiefs became NFL champions for the second year in a row. Swift had flown from Tokyo to watch the game and could be seen celebrating the historic win in a VIP box, flanked by friends and members of Kelce's family.

Later, she joined Kelce on the field, where the couple shared several intimate hugs and kisses.

April 13, 2024: Swift and Kelce attend Coachella together.
taylor swift travis kelce coachella
Ice Spice, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce at Coachella.

Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images

Swift and Kelce were spotted in the crowd at Coachella watching pals Ice Spice and Bleachers perform. 

Several videos showing the couple dancing and kissing at the music festival circulated on social media. Swift also wore a "New Heights" hat to support Kelce's podcast.

Kelce later said that he prefers to watch concerts "from the fans' perspective."

"I'm a fan of the music. I'm a fan of live shows," Kelce said on his podcast. "I want to see it from the front of the stage. Yeah, we probably could've finessed it that way [watching backstage], but I think it's just that much more of an experience if you're in the pit, man. If you're in the madness with all the fans. It was awesome though."

April 19, 2024: Swift releases her new album "The Tortured Poets Department," which may include a nod to Kelce.
taylor swift the tortured poets department deluxe album cover
"The Tortured Poets Department" is Taylor Swift's 11th studio album.

Beth Garrabrant

Swift's 31-track double album "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" contains two songs that may nod to Kelce.

The first is "The Alchemy," which doubles as a love song and an ode to Swift's enduring career. The lyrics feature several sport-related metaphors like "Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team" and "Where's the trophy? He just comes running over to me."

According to the liner notes, "The Alchemy" was copyrighted in 2023, so it's unclear how deeply tied to Kelce it can be. (Swift's albums are typically finished several months ahead of their release date, ensuring vinyl factories have enough time to fulfill preorders.)

However, "So High School," which also seemingly references Kelce, was released in the album's deluxe half, meaning it wasn't included with physical copies of the album. A song can be made available to stream almost immediately after completion, so it's possible the song was written more recently.

"So High School" is perhaps the only straightforward love song on "Poets," depicting a relationship that transports Swift back to her "You Belong With Me" days — the giddy rush of young love and lust.

The track appears to include direct references to Kelce, including, "You know how to ball, I know Aristotle," "You knew what you wanted and, boy, you got her," and, "Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me?"

Back in 2016, Kelce played a game of "Kiss, Marry, Kill" with AfterBuzz TV, in which he chose to kiss Swift.

April 27, 2024: Kelce calls Swift his "significant other" at a charity gala.
travis kelce taylor swift flag
A Kansas City Chiefs fan supports Kelce and Swift at the Super Bowl victory parade.

David Eulitt/Getty Images

Kelce brought Swift as his date to the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation Golf Classic gala in Las Vegas.

In a highlights reel shared by Kelce's teammate, the couple can be seen walking into the event holding hands.

Other clips shared by fans at the event show Kelce and Swift cuddling and kissing at their table. At one point, Kelce made a speech and referred to Swift as his "significant other." For a surprise auction item, they sold four tickets to The Eras Tour for $80,000.

May 12, 2024: Kelce watches Swift perform her 87th show on The Eras Tour.
taylor swift eras tour
Taylor Swift performs in France.

Kevin Mazur/TAS24/Getty Images

When Swift returned to the stage for the European leg of The Eras Tour, she had adjusted the set list to perform songs from "The Tortured Poets Department." The new segment includes "So High School," possibly as a nod to her current relationship.

Swift's fourth and final performance in France also happened to be the tour's 87th show. Kelce, who wears No. 87 for the Chiefs, was in the audience. He was spotted dancing with Swift's close friend, Gigi Hadid, and filming Swift on his iPhone.

"Can you believe it's our 87th show tonight?" Swift asked the audience during her acoustic set, just before playing "The Alchemy" and "Begin Again" as the evening's surprise songs.

During the concert's "1989" segment, Swift also debuted a new outfit: a glittering yellow top with a red ombré skirt. Fans interpreted this as a nod to Kelce and the Chiefs, whose colors are yellow and red. (Kelce previously said his favorite song of Swift's is "Blank Space" from "1989").

Finally, to close the evening, Swift tweaked the lyrics of "Karma" to salute "the guy on the Chiefs" for the second time.

June 23, 2024: Kelce makes his debut appearance on The Eras Tour stage.
Taylor Swift is joined onstage by Travis Kelce (R), during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Wembley Stadium on June 23, 2024 in London, England.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce perform during The Eras Tour in London.

Gareth Cattermole/TAS24 via Getty Images

During Swift's third and final performance in London, Kelce made a surprise appearance during her onstage costume change for "The Tortured Poets Department."

This scene depicts Swift getting shot and killed at the end of "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." Then, she's picked up and revived by a set of dancers dressed as ringmasters. These characters force Swift to strip down, put on heels, and keep performing through the pain — a segue into her meta bop "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart."

Kelce joined the skit as another ringmaster. He picked up Swift's body from the stage, carried her to the fainting couch, and mimed applying powder to her face with a makeup brush. 

Kelce is now cemented in Swiftian history as the first boyfriend to join Swift onstage during one of her concerts.

September 7, 2024: Swift brings Kelce as her date to a friend's wedding.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leave a friend's wedding in New York City.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leave a friend's wedding in New York City.

MEGA/Getty Images

Swift and Kelce were spotted out together in New York City, where they attended the wedding of Karen Elson and Lee Foster, per Vogue.

Elson is a model, while Foster is the owner of Electric Lady Studios, where Swift has recorded many songs over the years — from "Lover" to "The Tortured Poets Department."

Swift wore a cream-colored floral dress for the occasion, paired with a Vivienne Westwood purse, Louboutin sandals, and $64,000 worth of jewelry.

September 8, 2024: The couple attends the US Open together.
Travis Kelce hugging Taylor Swift from behind at the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships.

Gotham/GC Images

During an extended break from the Eras Tour, Swift and Kelce attended the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships, where they were photographed cuddling, kissing, and singing along to "I Believe In a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness. They even wore color-coordinating outfits.

The couple was joined by friends like Brittany Mahomes and the Haim sisters.

September 11, 2024: Swift gives a shout-out to "my boyfriend Travis" at the VMAs.
Taylor Swift accepts the award for video of the year at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
Taylor Swift accepts the award for video of the year at the 2024 VMAs.

Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

Swift won video of the year for "Fortnight" at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. During her acceptance speech, she described her joyful experience filming (and directing) the video.

"Something that I'll always remember is when I finished a take and I'd say 'cut,' and we'd be done with that take, I would always hear someone cheering from across the studio where we were shooting it," she said. "That one person was my boyfriend Travis."

After an eruption of applause, Swift continued to thank Kelce for his positive attitude.

"Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic," she said. "So I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot because I'll always remember that."

October 7, 2024: After skipping a few games, Swift makes a stylish return to Arrowhead Stadium.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the Chiefs game in Kansas City on October 7, 2024.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the Chiefs game in Kansas City on October 7, 2024.

David Eulitt/Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Despite recent tabloid speculation about their relationship status, Swift showed up to cheer for Kelce when the Chiefs took on the New Orleans Saints.

Swift wore a Vivienne Westwood set and glitter freckles for the occasion in Kansas City, where the Chiefs won their fifth consecutive game and extended their undefeated season.

January 26, 2025: Once again, Swift celebrates on the field when the Chiefs win the AFC championship.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate the Chiefs becoming 2025 AFC champions.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate the Chiefs becoming 2025 AFC champions.

Perry Knotts/Getty Images

For the second year in a row, Swift watched the Chiefs become AFC champions at Arrowhead Stadium — her ninth attendance of the season and 22nd total. She joined Kelce and his team for the on-field celebrations.

February 9, 2025: Swift supports Kelce at Super Bowl LIX.
Taylor Swift at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025.
Taylor Swift at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Swift traveled to New Orleans to cheer for Kelce at their second Super Bowl as a couple.

Earlier that week, Swift and Kelce were spotted dining with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes at Lilette, a popular French restaurant in the city. Swift also had dinner with friends at Gianna, an Italian restaurant near the French Quarter, the night before the big game.

Some of those friends accompanied Swift to Caesars Superdome, including the Haim sisters, Ice Spice, and stylist Ashley Avignone, who was previously mentioned in the liner notes of Swift's 2012 album "Red."

Unlike the previous year, the Chiefs lost at the Super Bowl, falling to the Eagles 40-22.

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Beyoncé finally announced the 'Cowboy Carter' tour for 2025. Here's everything we know.

3 February 2025 at 07:55
Beyoncé is taking "Cowboy Carter" on the road. The singer announced an accompanying tour to her 2024 country album on February 1.
Beyoncé debuted live performances of "Cowboy Carter" songs on December 25, 2024.

Netflix

  • Beyoncé confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is happening.
  • The singer is hitting the road in 2025, making stops across the US, plus London and Paris.
  • Her previous tour for "Renaissance" wrapped in late 2023.

The wait is over, Beyhive: Beyoncé has finally confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is set to go ahead.

The star made the announcement in a pair of social media posts early Sunday morning, nearly a year after the country-inspired album was released.

The first post featured a video of a light-up sign flashing the words: "COWBOY CARTER TOUR."

The second post showed an image of Beyoncé alongside a brief caption, confirming the tour would take place in 2025.

Later that night, Beyoncé won three Grammy Awards, including best country album and album of the year. After the ceremony, she shared tour dates on her official website.

The Cowboy Carter Tour will make stops across the US, including four dates at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, four dates at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and two stops at NRG Stadium in Beyoncé's hometown of Houston. The tour will also travel across the pond for four shows in London, followed by two in Paris.

The full list of 22 confirmed tour dates can be found below:

  • April 28, 2025: Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
  • May 1, 2025: Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
  • May 4, 2025: Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
  • May 7, 2025: Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
  • May 15, 2025: Chicago — Soldier Field
  • May 17, 2025: Chicago — Soldier Field
  • May 22, 2025: East Rutherford, New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
  • May 24, 2025: East Rutherford, New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
  • May 25, 2025: East Rutherford, New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
  • May 28, 2025: East Rutherford, New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
  • June 5, 2025: London — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • June 7, 2025: London — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • June 10, 2025: London — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • June 12, 2025: London — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • June 19, 2025: Paris — Stade de France
  • June 21, 2025: Paris — Stade de France
  • June 28, 2025: Houston — NRG Stadium
  • June 29, 2025: Houston — NRG Stadium
  • July 4, 2025: Washington, D.C. — Northwest Stadium
  • July 7, 2025: Washington, D.C. — Northwest Stadium
  • July 10, 2025: Atlanta, GA — Mercedes Benz Stadium
  • July 11, 2025: Atlanta, GA — Mercedes Benz Stadium

The general on-sale will begin Friday, February 14, at 12 p.m. local time, according to a press release from Live Nation.

Fans who already signed up for updates on Beyoncé's website will have BeyHive presale access starting February 11. Fans can also sign up for Ticketmaster's Artist Presale now through February 6 at 8 a.m. ET for presale access on February 13.

Additionally, Citi cardholders and Verizon customers will have presale access on February 12. For those hoping to attend a show in London or Paris, Mastercard cardholders will have special access to presale tickets starting February 12.

Beyoncé had been dropping hints about exciting news on the horizon

The singer debuted live performances of songs from "Cowboy Carter" during an NFL halftime show on Christmas Day, which was streamed live on Netflix under the title "Beyoncé Bowl."

The announcement of the tour comes after Beyoncé's  Christmas Day Halftime performance during the NFL game streamed on Netflix.
Beyoncé teased her "Cowboy Carter" tour with the "Beyoncé Bowl."

Netflix

Following the performance, the singer dropped a now-deleted video that teased an announcement on the date January 14, 2025, with the caption, "Look at that horse," referring to a lyric from her song "Sweet Honey Buckiin.'"

Fans theorized that either a tour announcement or a new album was on its way. But Beyoncé chose to postpone the announcement due to the wildfires that were devastating the Los Angeles area at the time.

Then, on Sunday, Netflix shared a post directing viewers to revisit the "Beyoncé Bowl." An audio-less clip from the performance was captioned: "Tonight seems like the perfect night to rewatch Beyoncé Bowl on Netflix."

Beyoncé originally teased "Cowboy Carter" in a Verizon commercial during last year's Super Bowl. She quickly followed up with a pair of lead singles: "Texas Hold 'Em," which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "16 Carriages."

The album was released on March 29, 2024, to widespread critical acclaim. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and scored a second week atop the chart.

Many fans had hoped that Beyoncé would announce the "Cowboy Carter" tour in 2024.

However, as fans will know from the documentary concert film "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," which chronicled the creative process behind bringing her previous world tour to life, a Beyoncé concert does not come together overnight.

As the singer revealed in the documentary, the tour was the culmination of four years of planning and dedication.

The "Renaissance" world tour saw Beyoncé perform 56 shows across Europe and North America. It wrapped up in Kansas City on October 1, 2023.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Blake Lively's biggest controversies and rumored feuds, from her plantation wedding to the 'It Ends With Us' drama

23 December 2024 at 09:53
Blake Lively at the Copenhagen premiere of "It Ends With Us."
Blake Lively at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards.

NILS MEILVANG/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

  • Blake Lively's past controversies resurfaced during a recent public backlash.
  • The actor has been in the spotlight following the release of her movie "It Ends With Us."
  • Lively has accused her costar and director, Justin Baldoni, of sexual harassment and damaging her reputation.

Blake Lively is no stranger to scandal.

The 37-year-old actor has attracted feud rumors since the start of her career, when she landed her breakout role in 2005's "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."

Public discourse about Lively's conduct reached a fever pitch during the promotional cycle for her latest box office hit, "It Ends With Us." Now, Lively has filed a lawsuit accusing her costar and director, Justin Baldoni, of sexual harassment and manufacturing outrage on social media to damage her reputation.

Here's a look at some of Lively's biggest controversies over the years.

Lively and her "Gossip Girl" costar Leighton Meester reportedly "avoided each other like the plague" while filming.
Blake Lively and Leighton Meester as Serena and Blair in "Gossip Girl" season one.
Blake Lively and Leighton Meester as Serena and Blair in "Gossip Girl" season one.

The CW/Max

While their "Gossip Girl" characters swung wildly from the ultimate BFF duo to toxic frenemies almost every other episode, off-screen, Lively and Meester were said to have had a frosty relationship.

The CW teen drama ran for six seasons between 2007 and 2012. Lively played the effortlessly cool, free-spirited Serena Van der Woodson, the foil to Meester's controlling queen bee Blair Waldorf.

New York Magazine reported in 2008 that the two stars were said to "avoid each other like the plague" while on set shooting the show's early seasons, with tensions running so high that their castmates were forced to "choose sides."

"Blake and Leighton have never been best friends, and never professed to be. Blake goes to work, does her job, and goes home," a publicist for Lively said at the time, per Harper's Bazaar.

However, speaking to Vanity Fair for a retrospective on the series published in 2017, showrunner Joshua Safran said the pair got on fine on set.

"Blake and Leighton were not friends. They were friendly, but they were not friends like Serena and Blair," he said. "Yet the second they'd be on set together, it's as if they were."

In the same article, recurring cast member Michelle Trachtenberg denied rumors of a full-blown feud between the two.

"It's funny," she said. "Because when we were filming, there was, 'Leighton hates Blake, Blake hates Leighton, everyone hates Blake, everyone hates Leighton, everyone hates Chace,' and blah, blah, blah. It really wasn't. We were all chill. It was cool."

Incidentally, as of 2024, Lively and Meester do not follow each other on Instagram. Meester does, however, follow two of her other costars, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley.

Rumors swirled that Lively was somehow involved in Armie Hammer's exit from "Gossip Girl."
Armie Hammer on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in 2017.
Armie Hammer on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in 2017.

Chris Haston/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Appearing on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen," Armie Hammer was asked by an audience member to name the "biggest diva" on the set of "Gossip Girl."

Hammer had a four-episode arc on the series during its second season. He played Gabriel Edwards, a conman who briefly dated Lively's character.

In response to the question, Hammer diplomatically said: "Let me just say that was a tough show to film, and I didn't end up actually filming all of the episodes I was supposed to because it was such a tough film."

"Really? Literally, you said, 'Get me out of this'?" Cohen asked.

"It was also like, 'Get him out of here,'" the actor said.

Cohen followed that up by asking whose love interest he played in the series, prompting Hammer to drop Lively's name.

Chelsea Handler, who also appeared on the talk show, joked, "Sounds like she was the problem."

Cohen added: "It sure does, Chelsea. That's exactly what I was thinking."

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying," Hammer replied, laughing awkwardly.

In 2012, Lively and Ryan Reynolds married at a slave plantation in South Carolina. Reynolds said the couple didn't know about the venue's history until after their ceremony.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively in 2022 in New York City.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively in New York City.

Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images

In 2012, Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, tied the knot at Boone Hall plantation in South Carolina. The plantation features nine slave cabins built between 1790 and 1810, which are referred to as "Slave Street."

Reynolds apologized for the decision in a 2020 interview with Fast Company after the couple was called out for the hypocrisy of a joint statement — accompanied by a $200,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense — they shared on Lively's Instagram following the murder of George Floyd by police.

Reynolds said they chose Boone Hall based on Pinterest photos and only realized it was a "place built upon devastating tragedy" after the event.

Reynolds added that after learning of Boone Hall's history, the actors had another wedding at home years later.

Lively has not addressed the backlash over her wedding venue.

Lively's now-defunct lifestyle website ran a fashion editorial that romanticized the Antebellum South in 2014.
Blake Lively walks the red carpet at the 2014 Annual Cannes Film Festival.
Blake Lively walks the red carpet at the 2014 Annual Cannes Film Festival.

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Two years after her wedding at Boone Hall, Lively launched a lifestyle website called Preserve.

In just a matter of months, it attracted controversy when its fall issue featured a photo shoot and article that appeared to romanticize the monied world of the Confederate South.

Titled "Allure of Antebellum," the photo shoot featured a white, blonde-haired model in a floppy hat, high-heeled pumps, and a leopard-print mini-skirt.

In the accompanying article, the unnamed author wrote about the "innate sense of social poise" and "unparalleled warmth and authenticity" of the pre-Civil War era women.

"The term Southern Belle came to fruition during the Antebellum period (before the Civil War), acknowledging women with an inherent social distinction who set the standards for style and appearance," the Preserve article read.

"These women epitomized Southern hospitality with a cultivation of beauty and grace, but even more with a captivating and magnetic sensibility."

The publication of the editorial immediately attracted criticism, with Refinery29 arguing: "The authors use the word antebellum in a misty-eyed, nostalgia-tinged way that completely ignores the brutality endured by Southern women not lucky enough to be born into privilege."

A year later, in October 2015, Lively shuttered the site, explaining to Vogue in an interview that it was because she and her team had "launched the site before it was ready."

Lively is rumored to have had a falling out with her "A Simple Favor" costar, Anna Kendrick, although their costar denied any friction.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively attend the New York premiere of "A Simple Favor" in 2018.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively at the New York premiere of "A Simple Favor."

Jimi Celeste/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Lively and Anna Kendrick starred alongside each other in the 2018 movie "A Simple Favor."

According to reports, the two had a falling out on the set of the film.

Claire Parker, cohost of the popular podcast Celebrity Memoir Book Club, previously said in a TikTok video that by the end of the movie, Lively and Kendrick "were not speaking," citing an unnamed studio source.

While neither Lively nor Kendrick has addressed the rumors, their costar Henry Golding has denied the claims of a feud, saying he thought the two stars got on "reasonably well."

"Definitely no friction that I noticed," he said when asked about the rumors on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen."

Despite this, fans have continued to speculate about sensing tension between the two stars — who are set to reunite for a sequel next year— in joint interviews.

After a clip from a resurfaced 2016 interview went viral, Lively was criticized for being rude to a journalist.
Blake Lively attends the New York premiere of "Café Society" in 2016.
Blake Lively attends the New York premiere of "Café Society" in 2016.

Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Reporter Kjersti Flaa interviewed Lively and her costar, Parker Posey, about the film "Café Society" in 2016.

Flaa reshared the interview eight years later — at the height of Lively's "It Ends With Us" backlash — when she uploaded it to YouTube with the title "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."

In the video, Lively offered a snarky response to Flaa after she congratulated the actor on her pregnancy.

"First of all, congrats on your little bump," Flaa said, kicking off the interview.

"Congrats on your little bump," Lively responded, although Flaa was not pregnant.

Later in the interview, Lively challenged Flaa for asking a question about clothes. The actor also seemed to ignore Flaa in parts of the interview and angled her body toward Posey.

"It actually took me a while to get over the experience," Flaa previously told Business Insider, adding, "I have met moody celebrities, but nothing like this interview."

Flaa told MailOnline that Lively's comment was particularly hurtful because she wasn't able to conceive.

"It's true that the comment hurt me because I was never able to have kids myself, but of course Blake did not know that so I can't blame her for the pain that I felt," she later told BI.

Lively sparked outrage among sexual assault survivors for defending Woody Allen.
The cast of "Café Society" poses with Woody Allen at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
The cast of "Café Society" poses with Woody Allen at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

George Pimentel/WireImage

Lively's 2016 film "Café Society" was directed by Woody Allen.

Two years before "Café Society" premiered, The New York Times published an open letter by Dylan Farrow, Allen's adopted daughter, reiterating the accusation that he groomed and sexually assaulted her as a child.

Farrow originally accused her famous father when she was 7 years old. At the time, a state's attorney in Connecticut said he had "probable cause" to prosecute but declined to file charges.

In the 2014 essay, Farrow called out Hollywood stars like Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, and Scarlett Johansson for working with Allen in recent years and ignoring the allegation against him.

"Woody Allen is a living testament to the way our society fails the survivors of sexual assault and abuse," she wrote.

During the press tour for "Café Society," French comedian Laurent Lafitte cracked a joke about Allen dodging accountability during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

Later at the festival, Lively made it clear she disapproved of Lafitte's material.

"I think any jokes about rape, homophobia, or Hitler is not a joke," Lively told Variety. "It was more disappointing for the artists in the room that someone was going up there making jokes about something that wasn't funny."

At the same event, Lively also said she hadn't read Ronan Farrow's new op-ed in the Hollywood Reporter, in which the investigative reporter defended his sister and criticized powerful people for "sweeping aside her allegations."

"I don't want to speak on something I haven't read," Lively told Vulture. "I think that's dangerous. It's definitely something that being at the festival, the media these days, you come to a film festival about film and people talk about all different types of things. You know? That can be definitely tricky to navigate."

Lively continued to praise Allen throughout the press tour, describing his director style as "very empowering."

"It's amazing what Woody has written for women," she told the Los Angeles Times, adding that she did not consider Allen's personal life while shooting the film.

"It's very dangerous to factor in things you don't know anything about," Lively said. "I could [only] know my experience. And my experience with Woody is he's empowering to women."

In 2017, Farrow published another op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that questioned Allen's role in the #MeToo movement, casting Lively as a hypocrite for condemning Harvey Weinstein but continuing to support Allen.

In 2018, Lively posted in support of Hollywood's anti-sexual harassment initiative Time's Up, writing, "I'm honored to be a part of this movement. The time is NOW!"

Farrow replied, "You worked with my abuser, @blakelively. Am I a woman who matters too?"

Farrow's account of her assault has remained consistent over the years, most recently in the 2021 HBO docuseries "Allen v. Farrow," while Allen has repeatedly denied the allegation.

Lively apologized for poking fun at Kate Middleton's "photoshop fails" after the princess went public with her cancer diagnosis.
Blake Lively Kate Middleton split image
Blake Lively and Kate Middleton both photographed in 2024.

Eric Charbonneau/Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty Images

Amid the social media storm that erupted after the release of a digitally manipulated portrait of the princess and her children following Middleton's mysterious retreat from the public eye, Lively jumped on the trend of mocking her "photoshop fails."

She shared an edited photo on Instagram to promote her beverage line. The photo showed Lively sitting in a chair by a warped pool with a comically enlarged thumb and a lemon floating above her head.

According to People, she captioned the photo: "I'm so excited to share this new photo I just took today to announce our 4 new @bettybuzz & @bettybooze products! Now you know why I've been MIA."

Middleton later announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.

Lively later deleted her post and shared a note on her Instagram Story apologizing to the British royal and her own followers.

"I'm sure no one cares today, but I feel like I have to acknowledge this. I made a silly post around the 'photoshop fails' frenzy, and oh man, that post has me mortified today. I'm sorry. Sending love and well wishes to all, always," she wrote.

Lively faced backlash for the way she promoted "It Ends With Us," a film about a woman experiencing domestic violence.
Three photos fo Blake Lively in floral dresses.
The "It Ends With Us" cast has been surrounded by drama since the film's release in August.

Robert Kamau/GC Images/Gotham/Getty Images

"It Ends With Us," a film in which Lively plays Lily Bloom, a woman experiencing domestic abuse, opened in theaters on August 9, 2024.

It's based on a book of the same name by BookTok favorite Colleen Hoover; fans who already knew the story immediately began to question Lively's promotional approach.

In a promo video shared on the film's official Instagram account, Lively encouraged people to watch the film by saying: "Grab your girls, wear your florals!"

Lively also leaned into method dressing, opting for florals in almost every outfit she wore during the press tour, which some fans criticized as tone-deaf.

In a TikTok video that's been viewed more than 4 million times, a woman who identified herself as a domestic violence survivor accused Lively of promoting the movie like it's "the sequel to Barbie."

Elsewhere, the actor could be seen using interviews and events for the film to cross-promote her brands, including her hair care line, Blake Brown.

A promotional email for Lively's beverage line, Betty Buzz, also shared a recipe for making a cocktail using her husband's gin brand, The New York Times reported.

As fans noted, Lively's approach contrasted starkly with that of her costar and director, Justin Baldoni, who was praised for highlighting the movie's weighty themes during his interviews.

It didn't help that the two were also pitted against each other following rumors of a feud between them.

The charity Women's Aid also criticized the marketing around the movie, sharing a statement with the BBC that read: "Despite domestic abuse being a key theme of the film, much of the marketing has ignored this and viewers have not been warned about the potentially distressing content."

Lively has since accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and orchestrating a smear campaign to "bury her."
Blake Lively Justin Baldoni split image
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni costarred in "It Ends With Us."

Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures; Gotham/WireImage

On December 21, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing her director and costar of sexual harassment, retaliation, and coordinating attempts to damage her reputation.

According to the filing, obtained by Business Insider, Lively's strategy for promoting "It Ends With Us" — which drew backlash for making light of the film's themes — was "in accordance with the marketing plan created and delivered by the film's distributor Sony."

The marketing plan directed the cast to avoid discussing sad or heavy themes, in order to frame the film as "a story of hope."

At the same time, Lively alleged that Baldoni "abruptly pivoted" his talking points in an attempt to explain why he'd been unfollowed by much of the film's cast and crew on social media — apparently prompted by Baldoni's inappropriate behavior on set.

"To that end, he and his team used domestic violence 'survivor content' to protect his public image," the legal filing reads.

As Business Insider previously reported, Baldoni hired a public-relations crisis team, including veteran PR manager Melissa Nathan, as rumors swirled that he was on the outs with Lively and other castmates. According to Lively's lawsuit, Nathan's team helped Baldoni orchestrate an online smear campaign against Lively, partially to distract fans from speculating about his conduct on set.

"He wants to feel like she can be buried," a publicist working with Mr. Baldoni wrote in a message to Nathan, per the legal complaint.

"You know we can bury anyone," Nathan replied.

A rep for Baldoni called the allegations "shameful" and "categorically false" in a statement to Business Insider.

A rep for Lively told The New York Times, "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar: A complete timeline of the rappers' beef

drake kendrick lamar split image thumb
Drake in 2015 and Kendrick Lamar in 2022.

Tibrina Hobson/Jason Koerner/Getty Images

  • Drake and Kendrick Lamar, once collaborators early in their careers, are now actively beefing.
  • Their feud reached a fever pitch in May 2024, when Lamar dropped the diss track "Not Like Us."
  • Now, Drake is suing Universal Music Group for allowing the song's release.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar's explosive feud has captivated the hip-hop world — but as Drake notes in his diss track "Push Ups," the two have an even more tangled, contentious history than meets the eye.

"That fucking song y'all got did not start the beef with us," Drake raps. "This shit been brewing in a pot, now I'm heating up."

The song in question is Future and Metro Boomin's hit single "Like That," released on March 22, 2024. It features Lamar issuing a challenge to both Drake and J. Cole, considered by many to be the three biggest rappers working today.

Lamar's taunt ignited a diss-track war in April and May, with Drake and Lamar hurling eight more diss tracks back and forth.

At first, fans delighted in a whiff of fresh beef. Diss battles are common in hip-hop, as rappers use them to showcase their reflexes, tenacity, and songwriting skills.

Feuds can also be a savvy marketing tactic to help artists boost streams and sales. "Like That," for instance, reigned atop the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, and "We Don't Trust You" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Later, both Drake and Lamar climbed Hot 100 with various jabs, including "Push Ups," "Euphoria," and "Family Matters."

However, as Drake and Lamar continued to clash, Drake escalated his attacks to the courts, launching a legal complaint against Spotify and suing Universal Music Group (his own label's umbrella company), accusing both of artificially inflating streams of Lamar's fan-favorite diss track "Not Like Us."

How did we get here? Here's everything to know about Drake and Lamar's relationship, both past and present.

Hannah Getahun contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Drake and Lamar have been taking shots at each other since 2013

Drake and Kendrick Lamar in 2013.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar in 2013.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for MTV; Joseph Okpako/Getty Images

Drake and Lamar may have started out as friends, or at least trusted colleagues. They released two collaborations in 2011 ("Buried Alive Interlude" on Drake's album and "Poetic Justice" on Lamar's album) and teamed up with A$AP Rocky for the 2012 hit "F**kin' Problems." Lamar also opened for Drake's Club Paradise Tour in 2012.

Their bad blood likely began when Lamar declared he was better than all the rising rap stars, including Drake and J. Cole, during a guest verse on Big Sean's 2013 song "Control."

"And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller / I got love for you all, but I'm tryna murder you n*****," he rapped.

Drake apparently responded on his own song, "The Language," from the 2013 album "Nothing Was the Same" — though he didn't call out Lamar by name.

"I don't know why they been lying but your shit is not that inspiring," Drake raps. "Bank account statement just look like I'm ready for early retirement / Fuck any n**** that's talking that shit just to get a reaction."

Since then, Drake and Lamar have seemed to make small digs at each other in both music and interviews.

In 2015, Lamar released "King Kunta" as a single from his acclaimed album, "To Pimp a Butterfly." In the song, he mocks an unnamed "rapper with a ghostwriter."

Although Lamar hasn't confirmed who the "King Kunta" lyric is about, Drake has been repeatedly accused of using ghostwriters by rappers like Meek Mill and Pusha T.

J. Cole entered the feud after appearing on Drake's 'First Person Shooter' in October 2023

Drake released his collaboration with J. Cole, "First Person Shooter," as a single from his latest album, "For All the Dogs."

In the braggadocious song, J. Cole references Lamar as "K-Dot" (his former stage name) and Drake as "Aubrey" (as in Aubrey Graham, his legal name) when listing the biggest names in hip-hop: "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."

Drake ends the song by comparing his success to that of the late Michael Jackson, one of the best-selling artists in history. "First Person Shooter" debuted atop the Hot 100 in October 2023, earning Drake his 13th No. 1 song on the chart, the same total as Jackson.

Five months later, Lamar's verse in "Like That" directly references those lyrics, as well as the song's title.

"Fuck sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches," Lamar raps. "Motherfuck the big three, n****, it's just big me."

One month after 'Like That' dropped, Cole fired back at Lamar, then apologized two days later

J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar performed together in 2014.
J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar performed together in 2014.

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

J. Cole didn't comment on Lamar's "Like That" verse until April 5, 2024, when he released a 12-track EP, "Might Delete Later," featuring Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, and others.

The first verse of the final track, "7 Minute Drill," appears to be a direct response to Lamar, who Cole implies is losing popularity.

"He still doing shows, but fell off like the Simpsons / Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic / Your second shit put n***** to sleep, but they gassed it / Your third shit was massive and that was your prime / I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine," Cole raps.

Fans believe Cole is referencing 2012's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" ("classic"), 2022's "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" ("tragic"), 2015's "To Pimp a Butterfly" ("gassed"), and 2017's "Damn" ("massive"), respectively.

However, two days after the song was released, Cole apologized to Lamar during his performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina.

"I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest shit," Cole said in a video shared on X. "And I pray that y'all are like, forgive a n**** for the misstep and I can get back to my true path. Because I ain't gonna lie to y'all. The past two days felt terrible."

Cole said he felt conflicted because he respects Lamar but felt pressure from his peers and fans to respond.

J.Cole speaks on his response to Kendrick and says it hasn’t felt good or right with his spirit, calling his own response “corny” and telling Kendrick to return his best shot if he feels a way pic.twitter.com/jan2jctfk9

— Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) April 8, 2024

Cole said releasing "7 Minute Drill" (and the discourse it inspired) didn't "sit right with my spirit," adding that he hoped Lamar, who he describes as "one of the greatest motherfuckers to ever touch a fuckin' microphone," wasn't hurt by his words.

Representatives for Lamar and Cole did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Future and Metro Boomin stirred more trouble with 'We Still Don't Trust You'

On April 12, 2024, Future and Metro Boomin released their second collaborative album, "We Still Don't Trust You." While neither rapper directly dissed Drake, they enlisted The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky to do their bidding.

In the eighth track, "All To Myself," The Weeknd references his decision not to sign with Drake's OVO label earlier in his career, which reportedly led to a falling out between the two Canadian stars.

"They could never diss my brothers, baby / When they got leaks in they operation / I thank God that I never signed my life away / And we never do the big talk / They shooters makin' TikToks / Got us laughin' in the Lambo," The Weeknd raps.

On the later track, "Show of Hands," Rocky references the rumor that he had sex with Sophie Brussaux, the mother of Drake's son, before Drake did.

"N***** in they feelings over women, what, you hurt or something? / I smash before you birthed, son, Flacko hit it first, son," Rocky raps.

Rocky and Drake had appeared to be friends until the "F**kin' Problems" rapper began to date Rihanna, who previously had a will-they-won't-they relationship with Drake.

However, Rocky's diss wasn't exactly unprovoked. In "Fear of Heights," the fourth track on "For All the Dogs," Drake mocks both Rocky and Rihanna, implying sex with his ex-girlfriend was "average" and saying Rocky "can't leave" because they have children together, evoking a classic sexist trope known as "baby trapping."

Drake and Kendrick's diss track battle begins in earnest

One day after the release of "We Still Don't Trust You," Drake dropped his response, setting off a back-and-forth exchange of barbs in diss tracks that would last through the spring.

April 13, 2024: "Push Ups" (Drake)

Drake spends most of the four-minute track dissing Lamar, although he reserves a few shots for Future, Metro Boomin, J. Cole, The Weeknd, and Rick Ross.

Ross quickly recorded and released a response, "Champagne Moments," in which he calls Drake a "white boy," claims the rapper got a nose job, and accuses him of stealing his flow from Lil Wayne.

April 19, 2024: "Taylor Made Freestyle" (Drake)

This track is best known for Drake's ill-advised use of AI to generate verses from the late Tupac Shakur, aka 2pac, and Snoop Dogg. Many fans criticized this move, particularly as Shakur was unable to consent.

Snoop Dogg responded to the song with a jokey Instagram video in which he reacts to messages about Drake using his voice.

On April 24, 2024, Billboard reported that Shakur's estate had sent Drake a cease-and-desist letter for abusing his likeness, calling it a "blatant abuse" of his legacy.

Two days later, Drake removed "Taylor Made Freestyle" from social media and streaming platforms.

April 30, 2024: "Euphoria" (Kendrick Lamar)

After laying low for much of April, Lamar surprise-released "Euphoria," a scorching six-minute diss track aimed explicitly at Drake.

May 3, 2024: "6:16 in LA" (Kendrick Lamar)

Days later, Lamar released another diss track on his Instagram. The title may refer to Shakur's birthday, June 16, or possibly Father's Day, which ties into Lamar's insults about Drake's parenting skills.

May 3, 2024: "Family Matters" (Drake)

The same day, Drake released this seven-and-a-half-minute response to Lamar's back-to-back diss tracks, along with a music video that depicts a red minivan similar to the one on the cover of Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.d City," being driven across the border to Canada and destroyed.

Later in the video, Drake is shown having dinner at the same Chinese restaurant Lamar raps about in "Euphoria."

May 3, 2024: "Meet the Grahams" (Kendrick Lamar)

Lamar dropped "Meet the Grahams" less than an hour after Drake released "Family Matters." The song is framed as an open letter to Drake's family, with Lamar directly addressing his then-6-year-old son, Adonis, his mother, Sandra, and his father, Dennis.

May 4, 2024: "Not Like Us" (Kendrick Lamar)

The next morning, Lamar unleashed another diss track: his crown jewel, "Not Like Us."

Throughout the four-and-a-half-minute diss track, Lamar accuses Drake of pedophilic behavior and associating with questionable people, including Baka Not Nice, a rapper signed to OVO who pleaded guilty to assault in 2015. (As Business Insider previously reported, Drake's entourage has a history of violence, but he has never been publicly accused of sexual misconduct.)

The cover art for "Not Like Us" is an aerial shot of Drake's home in Toronto, covered in pins that resemble those used by sex offender registries.

May 5, 2024: "The Heart Part 6" (Drake)

Drake's response to "Meet the Grahams" and "Not Like Us" denies many of Lamar's claims in the track and says he's "disgusted" by the suggestion that he's "fucking young girls." He also says Lamar's team is filled with "clowns" who are feeding him false information. The song's title is a reference to Lamar's "The Heart" series.

Drake also seemed to suggest he's bowing out of the feud with Lamar.

After the release of Not Like Us,' a security guard outside Drake's Toronto mansion was shot

drake raptors game
Drake at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2022 in Toronto, Canada.

Cole Burston/Getty Images

On May 7, 2024, a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service confirmed to BI that Drake's security guard suffered a gunshot wound while standing outside his front gates.

There were also reports of several people trying to break into the property.

Amid the incidents, Drake complained on Instagram about the media helicopters surrounding his home.

Lamar performed 'Not Like Us' five times at his Juneteenth concert

Kendrick Lamar performed in Inglewood, California for "The Pop Out."
Kendrick Lamar performed in Inglewood, California for "The Pop Out."

Timothy Norris/Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon Music, & Free Lunch

On June 19, 2024, Lamar hosted a one-off concert to celebrate Juneteenth called "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends," which was live-streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.

The event featured up-and-coming West Coast rappers and major Californian stars, including Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, and Tyler the Creator. Lamar closed the night with his own set, kicking it off with "Euphoria."

During the performance, Lamar added a new line, "Give me Tupac's ring back and I might give you a little respect," referring to reports that Drake had bought a ring that belonged to Shakur.

Later in the set, Lamar performed "6:16 in LA" and "Like That." Lamar ended the night by performing "Not Like Us" five times in a row (six including an instrumental version). He was joined onstage by a crowd of West Coast performers, athletes, and gang members.

The concert was widely hailed as Lamar's victory lap.

On July 4, 2024, Lamar released the long-awaited music video for 'Not Like Us'

Exactly two months after releasing "Not Like Us," which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Lamar released a music video packed with references to Drake.

During one scene, Lamar is joined by his fianceé, Whitney Alford, and their two young children.

The video ends with Lamar putting an owl in a cage; the logo for Drake's label, OVO, is an owl.

Lamar surprised fans by dropping his new album 'GNX' before the end of the year

After months of silence, Lamar surprise-released the 12-track album on November 22, 2024.

While "GNX" doesn't include any explicitly anti-Drake tracks like "Euphoria" or "Not Like Us," it includes several apparent references to their feud and its ripple effects.

"Snoop posted 'Taylor Made,' I prayed it was the edibles / I couldn't believe it, it was only right for me to let it go," Lamar raps in the album's opening track, "Wacced Out Murals."

The album's 10th track is called "Heart Pt. 6," allowing Lamar to reclaim the title from Drake.

"GNX" garnered positive initial reviews from critics, rounding off a transformative and triumphant year for Lamar.

Drake's company launched two legal actions against Universal Music Group and Spotify

On November 25, 2024, Drake took his feud with Lamar into legal territory.

Drake's company, Frozen Moments, filed a pre-action petition in a New York court against Universal Music Group (UMG) — the record company that owns Lamar's label Interscope and Drake's label Republic Records — as well as the streaming giant Spotify.

The petition accuses both UMG and Spotify of using illicit methods, such as bots and payola (otherwise known as "pay-for-play"), to inflate streams of "Not Like Us."

The filing also claims that "Not Like Us" caused Drake to suffer "economic harm."

Hours after the filing made headlines, Billboard unearthed another action by Drake's company, filed the same day in Texas court. The second petition claims that UMG "funneled payments" to the radio conglomerate iHeartRadio in order to boost spins of "Not Like Us."

Drake performed at the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
Drake performed at the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.

Christopher Polk/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Drake's lawyers alleged that UMG could have blocked "Not Like Us" from being released because it "attacked the character of another one of UMG's most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders and committing other criminal sexual acts," per Billboard.

"The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue," a spokesperson for UMG told BI.

"No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear," the spokesperson added.

Representatives for Lamar and Drake did not immediately respond to BI's requests for comment. A representative from Spotify declined to comment.

In January, Drake sued UMG for spreading a 'false and malicious narrative'

In a defamation lawsuit filed January 15 in federal court, Drake claimed UMG "approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track" which was "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response," per The New York Times.

The suit also accuses UMG of valuing "corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists," citing the security guard who was injured outside Drake's home as an example of the song's repercussions. (The cover art for "Not Like Us" is a photo of Drake's home in Toronto, covered in red sex-offender markers.)

Drake withdrew his November legal action filed in New York against UMG and Spotify in favor of filing the new defamation suit in federal court.

Representatives for Drake and UMG didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from BI.

Lamar won five Grammys for 'Not Like Us,' including record and song of the year

Kendrick Lamar won five awards at the 2025 Grammys.
Kendrick Lamar won five awards at the 2025 Grammys.

Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Lamar was the most-awarded artist at the 67th annual Grammy Awards, where "Not Like Us" swept its nominations for best music video, best rap song, best rap performance, record of the year, and song of the year.

Lamar did not mention Drake by name in either of his televised speeches, but much of the crowd sang along to "Not Like Us" as he made his way to the stage.

Lamar did praise "all the West Coast artists," calling them "the cats that inspired me to be the emcee I am today."

"This is what it's about, man, because at the end of the day, nothing more powerful than rap music," Lamar said while accepting song of the year. "I don't care what it is. We are the culture that's gonna always stay here and live forever."

Lamar didn't mince words while performing 'Not Like Us' at the Super Bowl

Kendrick Lamar performs at the 2025 Super Bowl.
Kendrick Lamar performs at the 2025 Super Bowl.

Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

One week after the Grammys, Lamar took the field in New Orleans to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.

Lamar performed a medley of recent hits, including "Euphoria" and "Not Like Us" as the penultimate song.

Although Lamar omitted the word "pedophile" from the broadcast, he clearly rapped several lines that reference his nemesis, including "Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young" — while looking directly at the camera — and "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor," which appeared to have the whole crowd singing along.

At one point during the song, the camera cut to Serena Williams crip walking — an interesting choice for a guest given that she and Drake sparked dating rumors back in 2015. Seven years later, Drake mocked the star athlete and her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, in in the 2022 track "Middle of the Ocean."

In "Not Like Us," Lamar chastises Drake for disparaging Williams: "N**** better not speak on Serena."

At the end of Lamar's halftime performance at Caesars Superdome, lights in the crowd spelled out the words, "Game over."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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