The Leader — February 27, 2024 Issue

BY LILY MORGAN

Sigma Lambda Gamma shows ‘love for Palestine’ this Valentine’s Day

The Leader excels at ICPA

Lead found in beloved social media Stanley Cups

Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj engage in heated feud

SIGMA LAMBDA GAMMA SHOWS ‘LOVE FOR PALESTINE’ THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

Lily Morgan (she/her) News Editor

This Valentine’s Day, Sigma Lambda Gamma had one goal; to make a difference.

The Elmhurst University sorority hosted a ‘Love For Palestine’ fundraiser, selling roses and chocolates for which all proceeds would be donated to the American Friends Service Committee, which pledged to send the funds directly to Gaza.

The event, which was hosted in the Founders Lounge, saw a healthy turnout. The fundraiser garnered $245, an amount that everyone involved in the event was grateful for.

Even more impactful than the money was the sorority’s commitment to global education. They included print-outs explaining how the current conflict between Israel and Gaza has been impacting the people in Gaza, and how the population would greatly benefit from donations.

Sigma Lambda Gamma’s president, Ysabel Avalos, said the sorority felt the need to start the fundraiser after seeing everything that’s going on in Gaza.

“Our goal was to show solidarity with Gaza, as well as with all Palestinian students at Elmhurst and/or students affected by the crisis, especially being

that we are a multicultural organization,” said Avalos. “Fundraising for Gaza is backed by our principles of community service, cultural awareness, and moral and ethics.”

Indeed, the sorority’s mission statement highlights its commitment to “the progression of a positive global community,” and stresses “the importance of morals, ethics, and education in our daily lives so that we serve the needs of our neighbors through a mutual respect and understanding of our varying cultures.” Avalos said she is proud of her sorority, but that she has one regret.

“We were silent for far too long,” Avalos begins, citing some backlash from alumni regarding their silence on the conflict. “We stand with our sisters and the people of Palestine, and we call for an immediate ceasefire and delivery of humanitarian aid.”

While the sorority’s response may have been belated, there’s no question they’ve made a difference in their own way, and they don’t plan on stopping there.

“We will continue to ask our community to educate, advocate, post, donate, boycott, and contact their representatives,” stated Avalos.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Editor-in-Chief

Eve Hvarre (she/her) Chief Copy Editor

Rachel Fratt (she/her)

Head Graphics Editor

Jennie Bosas (she/her) Graphics Editor

Lily Morgan (she/her) News Editor

Ian Murphy (he/him) Opinions Editor

Sarah Glees (she/her) Multimedia Editor

Sabrina Scola (she/her) Social Media Manager, Sports Editor

Marty Munguia (he/him) Photo Editor

STAFF

Rianna Capizzano (she/her) Staff Writer

Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer, Spanish Translator

Darion Jeffries (he/him) Staff Writer

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer

Tyler Ptazkowski (he/him) Staff Writer

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

ADVISER

Eric Lutz (he/him)

ABOUT US

The Leader is the student-run newspaper to the students, faculty, and administrators of Elmhurst University. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff and are not intended to represent those of the EU at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.

Elmhurst University

190 Prospect Avenue

Elmhurst, IL 60126

General Inquires & Letters to Editor: theleadernewsec@gmail.com

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

THE LEADER EXCELS AT ICPA WITH 16 AWARDS

Lily Morgan (she/her) News Editor

The Leader attended the Illinois College Press Association conference hosted in Chicago last weekend and took home 16 awards for their work in the 2023 school year.

In addition to the awards ceremony that served as the culmination of the event, The Leader had the opportunity to attend panels, receive critiques, and compete in the Ron Wiginton Chicago Photo Contest, renamed in honor of their previous staff adviser, who leaves behind a lasting legacy in Illinois collegiate journalism.

The Leader competed against 26 college publications across the state in the conference’s ‘open’ categories, and 14 other publications in the small schools division of the awards, some of which included Augustana, North Central College, and the School of The Art

Institute of Chicago.

Most notably, The Leader placed second in Sweepstakes, which is the sum of all the awards won in the other categories.

“I feel super proud of the entire staff because I felt like we had a strong showing in multiple categories,” said The Leader’s Editor in Chief, Adriana Briscoe.

Indeed, the publication was recognized across a variety of categories, with first-place accolades going to a few of The Leader staffers. Graphics editor Jennie Bosas took home the gold for her editorial cartoon, Ruffled Feathers, and former staff writers Sante Dybowski and Ericka Creek for their sports game and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) coverage respectively.

Bosas attended the conference and was thrilled to be part of The Leader’s successes this year: “I’m proud to have had the opportunity to be part of The Leader’s legacy of talented

student creators, especially considering how late into my University career I was able to get involved.”

The Leader was also recognized for their multimedia skills, an area the publication has worked hard to establish and sustain this past year. Sarah Glees and Ilana Garcia took 2nd place for their multimedia reporting on last year’s Ron Desantis story. Rachel Fratt, Ilana Garcia, and Abbey Mark were also awarded 2nd place for their front page layout on the same issue.

The Leader’s staff advisor, Eric Lutz, is proud of this year’s successes, but notes that there are no plans to slow down any time soon: “The Leader’s had a lot of challenges, it’s been a uniquely hard year, so this is well deserved,” he reflected. “We’re going to continue to build on our successes. This shows how good The Leader is, but I think we still haven’t hit where we can.”

BELOW IS THE FULL LIST OF ICPA AWARDS THE LEADER WON:

Open category (all schools across the state compete):

1st place, Jennia Bosas - Editorial Cartoon

3rd place, Abbey Mark - Digital Ad

Honorable Mention, Rachel Fratt - Print Ad

Divisional category (schools under 3,000 undergrad enrollment):

1st place, Ericka Creek - DEI coverage

1st place, Sante Dybowski - Sports Game Story

2nd place, Rachel Fratt, Abbey Mark, Ilana Garnica - Front Page Layout

2nd place, Rachel Fratt - Feature Page Design

2nd place, Sarah Glees, Ilana Garnica - Multimedia Reporting

3rd place, Staff - Editorial

3rd place, Sam Shulman - Feature Writing

3rd place, Jennie Bosas - Headline Writing

3rd place, Alyssa Kuehne - Sports Feature

Honorable Mention, Ryan Windle, Ian Murphy, Rachel Fratt, Jennie Bosas, Abbey Mark, Sam Shulman - Opinion Pages

Honorable Mention, Staff - General Excellence - Web

PHOTOS BY Sarah Glees The Leader staff holding their awards in Chicago for ICPA

FEBRUARY MARRED BY DEATHS OF ACTOR CARL WEATHERS AND COUNTRY SINGER TOBY KEITH

Tyler Ptaszkowski (he/him) Staff Writer

February, the month most commonly associated with Valentine’s Day, was off to a somber start this year, as it saw the deaths of two high-profile American figures: actor and professional football player Carl Weathers and country music star Toby Keith.

Carl Weathers, an actor, director, and gridiron football linebacker, passed away at the age of 76 at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2024. Weathers’s death certificate subsequently revealed his cause of death to be atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

According to a statement from his family, Weathers passed away peacefully in his sleep. In that same statement, Weathers’s family described him as “an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life.”

Although Weathers’s career began as a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, he left the football field to pursue various roles in the field of acting, after he was cut from the roster for being “too sensitive.”

These roles ranged drastically, with Weathers likely being best known for his portrayals of

antagonist-turned-protagonist Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films, as well as comedic relief character Derick “Chubbs” Peterson in Happy Gilmore.

Calvin Greene, a senior at Elmhurst University and fan of the Rocky franchise, was particularly “surprised and saddened” to hear of Weath ers’s death, especially because he believed Weathers appeared healthy despite his age.

Although Greene stated that Weathers’s performance as Apollo Creed “certainly put him on the map to Hollywood,” he particularly praised the actor for his most recent role of Greef Karga in The Mandalorian, believing that Weathers did a “phenomenal job” remaining “comfortable and in command of his character” while also inhabiting Karga’s leadership traits.

Similarly, though Greene believes that Weathers will be primarily remembered for his work as an actor, he feels that Weathers should also be remembered for his “overall impressive athleticism,” noting that his phy sique likely greatly helped him portray serious and physically intimidating characters like Apollo Creed.

“Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Red Solo Cup,” one of his most well-known songs is “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”

Notably, a Super Bowl ad, which was produced by the online gambling company FanDuel and featured fellow former football player Rob Gronkowski, also paid homage to Weathers.

American country music singer and songwriter Toby Keith Covel, known professionally as Toby Keith, also passed away toward the start of February. Keith passed away at the age of 65 in Oklahoma on Feb. 5, 2024, following a years-long battle with stomach cancer that began in late 2021. Keith’s death was announced via his website the following day.

Although Keith had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2021, he did not publicly disclose his condition until June 2022. Keith performed his last three sold-out shows in Las Vegas two months before his death.

Though Keith was known for such singles as

Written in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, as well as the death of Keith’s father, the song contains many patriotic lyrics, with the official music video also featuring several images of Americana, such as fireworks surrounding the Statue of Liberty.

Keith’s death was mourned and his legacy was celebrated by numerous fellow country singers, including Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, who referred to Keith as “one of the greats.”

Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, John Rich, and Kid Rock similarly expressed sorrow upon learning of Keith’s death, describing the country music star as “a huge presence,” “a maverick,” a “legend,” and an “AMERICAN BADASS,” respectively.

Although Carl Weathers and Toby Keith had many differences, both celebrities impacted society in remarkable ways, and will undoubtedly be remembered for generations to come.

INTERNET PHOTOS

CARCINOMA REX: BRITISH MONARCH DIAGNOSED

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

Cancer. Not a word most people want to hear. It is also not a word anyone would wish upon another, even if they are the figurehead of a more increasingly controversial Head of State.

At the age of 73, the longtime Prince of Wales finally became King Charles III following his mother, Queen Elizabeth II’s historical 70year reign.

As an older man, the health of the King was put under much speculation, and after a visit to the hospital, the eyes of the world zeroed in on the British Royal Family.

At first, it was stated that the King had an enlarged prostate, which is not uncommon for a man in his 70s. However, on Feb. 5, King Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, purposely concealed from the public. This only added fervor to the curiosity surrounding his health issues.

The most shocking turn in the story, however, was not the diagnosis itself, but the treatment King Charles is choosing to take. It was reported by a royal family expert that King Charles would most likely refuse chemotherapy as

“he’s always been against it.”

Instead of traditional medicine, the current monarch favors homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy is the belief that the use of natural remedies can help the body cure itself. This revelation has shocked many, not only in Great Britain but around the world.

Many online have reacted in different ways to the cancer diagnosis and preferred treatment that King Charles is seeking. Some have expressed their sadness and well wishes to the King, while others have made jokes, such as this diagnosis being the late Princess Di ana’s “revenge.”

Whether or not the late Princess has anything to do with the cur rent health of King Charles, many have also begun to

speculate if his reign will be cut short and that within our lifetime we may see the ascension of another British monarch.

FADS OF CONTAMINATION: LEAD FOUND IN SOCIAL MEDIA’S BELOVED STANLEY CUPS

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

Stanley Cups, the colorful, practical, and almost designer cups, have appeared in everyone’s daily arsenal as of late, but in January consumers turned to TikTok to report finding traces of lead in their ever-popular cups. Stanley Cups started becoming popular around 2019 but went viral thanks to social media platforms like TikTok in 2022.

Now they’re going viral for very different reasons, with users reporting they were able to detect trace amounts of lead using at-home testing kits. After these complaints went vi -

ral, many began to stop using their beloved Stanleys with some even throwing them out altogether.

PMI Worldwide, the producer and manufacturer of Stanley products, stated that all their products are made “with suppliers who meet [their] high quality and ethical standards,” and that “all Stanley products are designed and tested in [their] Seattle, Washington headquarters to make sure they meet Stanley’s Built for LifeTM expectations.”

However, despite this, many people are still concerned about what is inside the products they consume. PMI Worldwide did state that “some lead” is used in the vacuum sealing process that makes Stanley products “spill-

free.” They also stated that the at-home lead testing kits may not always be accurate.

Lead paint has been used in the United States since the Colonial Era and reached its peak use in 1925. Most homes built between the 1920s and 1970s featured this toxic home feature, leading to many health issues, especially amongst young children who were unknowingly exposed to it.

In 1978, there was a nationwide ban on the use of lead inside paints due to health concerns. Somehow, it has made its way back into our homes, but this time it is carried with us everywhere.

This begs the question: do we really know what we are putting into our bodies?

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

U.S. MUSEUMS COVER NATIVE AMERICAN DISPLAYS AND ARTIFACTS: SACRED HERITAGE FINALLY BEING RETURNED

Rianna Capizzano (she/her) Staff Writer

Museums across America are covering their Native displays and artifacts as a new rule has been set in place. This new rule has been implicated to strengthen the law already set in place: The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which was enacted in 1990.

The artifacts and displays impacted range from Native American to Native Hawaiian groups.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act addresses the repatriation

and disposition of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to lineal descendants, Native American Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement that this act requires museums along with federal agencies to identify and send back stolen sacred items to their respective cultural groups.

However, due to many museums not following this act, including the Field Museum in Chicago, the Interior Department decided recently to add in new rules.

This new rule was to set a deadline of five years,

giving more than enough time for federally funded organizations to set in stone their collections. The Field Museum of Chicago also partook in the covering of Native artifacts and displays, taking place Jan. 10, 2024.

This entire process will allow these museums to obtain consent from these Native groups as well as returning any and all human remains that are displayed. Luckily, there are no human remains in the Field Museum.

As for the future, The Field Museum is currently having their Museum staff review information on these artifacts and contacting Tribes as well as NHO’s for their input. The display cases will remain covered during this time.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

“TROLLS BAND TOGETHER”: A ROCKING MUST-WATCH THIRD INSTALLMENT FOR FANS OF THE SERIES

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer

“Trolls Band Together” was a rocking great time in the theater. I enjoyed this installment more than the second film, which I also enjoyed very much.

The movie was fun, and there were many unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. Minor Spoilers Ahead

The film is about Branch, one of the series’ protagonists, and the boy band he was once in before they split due to their personality differences. The other former members of the boy band are revealed to be his four biological brothers.

In the present, Bridget and Gristle’s wedding is interrupted by one of the former band members, John Dory, who reveals his closest brother, Floyd, has been captured by our two

main villains, Velvet and Veneer. The two have imprisoned Floyd in a bottle to harvest his essence so their singing can be better, even at the possible expense of his life.

This teen couple wishes to be pop stars but have fooled everyone into thinking they are more talented than they actually are using this method.

Princess Poppy, Branch, and everyone go on a daring quest to reunite the former boy band to free Floyd, but, of course, their clashing egos that made the band break up in the first place are all still intact.

This film feels like it’s trying to be bigger and more action packed, like other animated threequels such as “Toy Story 3” and “Madagascar 3,” and in my opinion, it succeeds.

There are quite a few legitimate twists that I like, and I think they serve the story well. We get a whole lot of likable new characters, as well as some great music.

The villains are also a lot of fun, even if they are admittedly a bit generic (it’s safe to say Dreamworks isn’t the place for a Frollo).

There are clever homages too that I really enjoyed, such as hand-drawn scenes that give nods to The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” 1968 movie and a place where all the inhabitants look like a mix between Dr. Seuss characters and the Whatnots/Anything Muppets of “Sesame Street” and “The Muppet Show.”

Speaking of that, I like how the film incorporates puppetry into the animation with these characters. They are also some of the film’s highlights comedically.

As a Dreamworks fan since childhood, and a big fan of this series since the first film, this film delivered and is easily one of my favorite animated films of 2023. This was a ton of fun, and I definitely recommend it for kids and adults alike.

“MEAN GIRLS”: A MODERN TWIST ON A MILLENIAL CLASSIC

Darion Jeffries (he/him) Staff Writer

In the hallowed halls of high school drama and teenage tribulations, there exists a timeless tale that has made many generations burst out with laughter. The new musical rendition of the iconic “Mean Girls” has graced the silver screen, courtesy of directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. I went into this blind, having no preconceptions. Having missed the original Broadway run and not being typically drawn to musicals, I was pleasantly surprised by the sharp wit and comedic timing in the songs. The choreography and musical arrangements had me and the audience dancing in our seats.

This has a Zoomer-infused

spin on the beloved story. It’s a reimagination where the high school cafeteria isn’t just a backdrop for social warfare, but a platform for the latest trends and pop culture references.

At the heart of this revamped saga is the endearing junior, Cady Heron, portrayed by the talented Angourie Rice. But what’s a high school drama without its reigning queen bee? Renee Rapp commands the screen as Regina George, with an intoxicating combination of power and allure.

The performance from these actresses gave the musical a breath of fresh life; I was captivated by their stage presence.

The Mean Girls Musical is more than just a reboot of an original story — it’s a celebration of the tumultuous journey of adolescence. With its fresh perspective and updated cultural references, I would rank the Mean Girls Musical as a must-see for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

“AMERICAN FICTION”: THE STRUGGLES OF A BLACK WRITER AND WHAT DEFINES “TRUE LITERATURE”

Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer, Spanish Translator

“American Fiction” is a 2023 Drama based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett. It follows the story of struggling novelist/ professor Thelonius “Monk” Ellison (played by Jeffrey Wright), who, after being frustrated with his publishers for his works not being “Black enough,” decides to write the most stereotypical Black fiction novel titled “My Pafology” (later renamed F**K) under the fake persona of “Stagg R. Leigh,” a former convict.

The plot of the film unfolds as he continues with this work of fiction as it gains traction and popularity across all publications and social media, getting praised as the greatest piece of literature to date, all while dealing with his own life and family at home.

Amongst the cast members include Tracee Ellis Ross as Monk’s Sister Lisa, Issa Rae as Monk’s literature rival Sintara Golden, Sterling K. Brown as Monk’s estranged brother Cliff, Erika Alexander as Coraline (Monk’s girlfriend), Leslie Uggams as Monk’s Mother, and Keith David as a character of Monk’s literature.

The tone and themes of “American Fiction” center around the concept of Black literature in United States, critiquing the stereotypical tropes of Ghetto or hoodlum backgrounds, as Monk wants his literature to do nothing with race or ethnicity and rather focus on character development, contrasted by his views of Sintara Golden’s bestselling novel, “We’s Lives in Da Ghetto.”

Monk holds an elitist literature outlook on what he considers stereotypical Black stories.

This later comes into conflict when he meets Sintara and critiques her work as “Trauma Porn,” where she reveals that she does research for the content she writes, and that those “stereotypical” Black stories are more than just hood and ghetto slang.

When Monk’s satirical novel gets nominated for the best literature award, Sintara slams it as “pandering” because Monk meant for it to be that way, a contrast between his work and Sintara’s writings.

The movie heavily criticizes and satires the White Liberal outlook towards stories and novels about minoritized groups in America, especially Black Americans. The idea that SOB stories about ghettoes and hood life would make them consider any of those stories as worthy of awards, nominations, and heck, even movie deals.

Monk released “My Pafology” in a matter of weeks, and it got calls from all publishers and film productions, regardless of how stereotypical and low-written the story can be.

“IT’S A SATIRICAL FILM WITH DEEP THEMES, AS WELL AS COMEDIC IN TERMS OF DIALOGUE AND CHARACTERS”

On the side, the film also explores Monk’s life with his family, the perspective of the Black elite. As well as the financial struggles of his sister to keep their family homes afloat, the complicated history of Cliff’s homosexuality with his parents, and the infidelity of Monk’s deceased father and how it impacted his outlook and life in general, as well as his writings.

Overall, “American Fiction” interposes these questions and thoughts through identity, status, and race while interposing the validity of what Black narrative means today and how it is supposed to be represented. Should it be pandered to its liberal audience even if it means enforcing stereotypes? Is it justified if that’s the business that brings profit?

Or should it be challenged, critiqued to point out the flaws in how American society views its diverse audience regarding what is and what isn’t a true representation of its values? It’s a satirical film with deep themes, as well as comedic in terms of dialogue and characters.

It offers insight into what writers will deal with when they try to tell and sell their stories, their narrative, and how the market itself can push them to create stories that exist just to suffice their “shock value,” particularly White liberals looking for struggles about minoritized people in America.

It’s a film worth watching, with a great jazz soundtrack and a plot twist ending. I’d give it a 5 out of 5.

“American Fiction” is still in theaters as of now and has been released digitally on Feb. 6. It has also been nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Score for the 96th Academy Awards on March 10th, with its actors Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown nominated for Best Actor and Supporting Actor.

5/5 stars

GRAPHIC

Rachel Fratt

Join

A LACK OF FOCUS MEETS A LACK OF TIME: A REVIEW OF “STAND UP & SHOUT: SONGS FROM A PHILLY HIGH SCHOOL”

Sarah Glees (she/her) Multimedia Editor

It’s no secret musical ability is a rare gift; yet, one high school in Philadelphia seems to have a plethora of this talent. Unfortunately for this documentary, the filmmakers couldn’t figure out how to focus in on those musical students.

Viewable on HBO, or Max, this 54-minute documentary follows high school students at Philadelphia’s Hill-Freedman World Academy as they work with professionals in the industry to create original songs. The documentary begins by showcasing them learning song creation basics to a live performance of what they’ve made.

Where this documentary fails is its runtime in comparison to the number of characters they’ve chosen to follow.

Despite the title and description leading viewers to believe the focus will be on the students creating the music, it instead shifts to the three artists helping the students. While the three artists are clearly talented and have a passion for giving back, it’s the students’ stories I wish they’d homed in on.

Audiences are given glimpses of the students’ lives and the communities they live in; however, these end up being glossed over moments.

Song creation is clearly a challenging and lengthy creative process that I wish we’d heard more than brief statements on.

The editing in this documentary also falls short as they rely heavily on b-roll and voiceover rather than caught-in-the-moment content. This makes it feel more constructed and manipulated rather than a naturalist view of this song creation program.

There’s also so many subjects that this documentary tries to focus on, making the cutting seem jarring and confusing at times as there’s no one person that they’re trying to follow.

One aspect I did find compelling about this documentary was the musical ability of the students. The filmmakers chose a good subject pool, and while not all of them were on the same level, there were definitely many with raw talent.

Getting to watch those students with talent overcome stage fright and their inner critics also added to this documentary’s theming. Unfortunately, the little screen time that was given to these moments caused me to leave this documentary without being impacted by its purpose.

HOOP DREAMS

Sarah Glees (she/her)

Multimedia Editor

“Hoop Dreams” is a 1994 Oscar-nominated documentary that follows two inner-city Chicago students as they work to fulfill their dreams of becoming professional basketball players. Where this documentary succeeds is in its focus on the two boys rather than a plethora of unremarkable characters. Audiences are rooting for the success of these two subjects the entire time, and this level of investment makes it a compelling watch.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

with

5/5 stars

2/5 stars

MEGAN THEE STALLION AND NICKI MINAJ ENGAGE IN HEATED FEUD OVER CONTROVERSIAL LYRICS

Rianna Capizzano (she/her) Staff Writer

The hip-hop world was rocked by an intense feud between two of its leading female artists, Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj, coming from a controversial line in Megan’s latest song, “Hiss.”

The spark that ignited the flame came from a seemingly innocuous lyric in “Hiss,” where Megan referenced “Megan’s law,” a law aimed at publicizing the whereabouts of sex offenders. However, the mention hit a nerve with Minaj, whose husband, Kenneth Petty, is an alleged sex offender.

Minaj took to social media to express her outrage, launching a barrage of tweets aimed at Megan, calling her a “serpent” and other personal attacks, including accusations that Megan was “lying on her dead mother’s name,” a reference to Megan’s mother, who passed away in 2019.

The feud skyrocketed further when Minaj released a song titled “Bigfoot,” widely seen as a diss track aimed at Megan. In the song, Minaj didn’t hold back, diving into various controversial topics including allegations of Megan’s involvement with a minor, ghostwriting, and even references to Megan being shot by Tory Lanez.

In spite of the contentious nature of the feud, it only seemed to fuel interest and curiosity among fans, mainly Minaj’s fans who are better known as the “Barbz.”

“Bigfoot” quickly made waves,

debuting as the biggest debut on the U.S. Apple Music charts for a female artist, landing at an impressive No. 5 spot.

Meanwhile, Megan’s track, even with the controversy, managed to climb to the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 chart dated Feb. 10, displaying her resilience and unwavering fan support. Megan took to social media site X, previously known as Twitter, to express her gratitude, urging her fans to “keep going hard and staying positive!”

The importance of Megan’s achievement isn’t lost, as she becomes only the second female rapper to debut two songs atop the Hot 100

chart. The other female rapper? None other than Nicki Minaj herself, emphasizing the undeniable impact and influence of both artists in the rap industry.

As the feud continues to captivate audiences and dominate headlines, fans are left eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this saga between two powerhouse women of hip-hop.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

RUFFLED FEATHERS: “BITTER REMARKS”

Jennie Bosas (she/her) Graphics Editor