Justin Bieber Stars As The ‘Popstar’ in Drake & DJ Khaled’s Video

by Rohit Barve - 07.09.2020 First Published 7,September 2020, 3:21 PM

On September 4, 2020, Drake and DJ Khaled finally dropped the official music video for their track ‘POPSTAR’. The long eight minutes and five-second video features the one and only Justin Bieber. Unexpected right? However, we can’t really think anyone else could have done justice to the video, as he did.

The action-packed music video of ‘Popstar’ has already racked up over 25 million views, and at this rate, there’s no telling what records it’ll be breaking. The video opens with collaborators Drake and DJ Khaled who are separated by the pandemic, talking about the logistics of shooting the video.

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Drake suddenly seems to have a solution to this problem, and as we all know, the quick fix to all problems is Justin Bieber. Before we knew it, the ‘Baby‘ singer was on our screens and he took over the entire video of ‘Popstar’.

The song ‘POPSTAR’ then begins playing, and the camera follows Justin Bieber all around. Through the video, the star raps and sings the lyrics of the entire track. Even the part about Selena Gomez, and as expected, the internet did come to a hold.

Additionally, Biebs’ interacts with a number of recognisable and also goes through a series of extravagant outfits. Ranging from his wife Hailey Bieber to a number of influencers and YouTubers, like King Bach, the video has it all. JB’s manager, Scooter Braun, also makes a special appearance as his name is mentioned in the lyrics of the track.

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Through the ‘Popstar’ video that is directed by ‘Director X’, we are taken on a fun-filled adventure that certainly lives up to the hype-level that the track itself has. However, this wasn’t the end. The video comes together with a sketch between the Biebers which gives us the impression that the party may have just been a dream. And as the couple begins to walk away, JB receives a call from Drake, and with that, the video comes to an end.

The track is slated to be on DJ Khaled’s upcoming studio album “Khaled Khaled”. The album does not have a release date yet however we have no doubts that it’s going to be the most happening “another one”.

By: Aatira Kakroo

‘Mickey 17’ Delivers Sharp Political Satire

by Farheen Ali - 14.03.2025 First Published 14,March 2025, 7:03 PM

In ‘Mickey 17’, Bong Joon Ho continues his trademark examination of issues like as authoritarianism, economic injustice, environmental degradation, and the abuse of capitalism. Although the film is comparable to ‘Snowpiercer’, ‘Okja’, and ‘Parasite’, it is more satirical in nature and has more overt political content than his other films.

Despite this, ‘Mickey 17’ is nonetheless a compelling and skillfully made movie, primarily because of Robert Pattinson’s outstanding performance. The protagonist of the story is Mickey, a 2054 space mission “Expendable” who keeps dying and being reprinted with his memories unharmed. The movie delves deeper into the themes of acceptance and self-worth when he meets Mickey 18, a new version of himself. They represent personal development and learning to accept all aspects of oneself through their dynamic—one shy and people-pleasing, the other aggressive and confident.

Image Courtesy: People

Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal as Kenneth Marshall, a conceited, power-hungry leader, feels excessive and occasionally detracts from the primary plot, despite the film’s strong political satire in certain scenes. Toni Collette’s outrageous portrayal of his wife and his character both make overt allusions to contemporary American politics, which can seem superfluous in a story that is already full of ideas.

In the end, ‘Mickey 17’ works best when it concentrates on its central emotional theme, which is the quest for self-acceptance and the recovery of individual agency. The film succeeds in telling a profoundly human tale through Pattinson’s captivating dual performance, despite its sporadic humorous undertones.

–Farheen Ali