Pop Shots – Pick Your Battles

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Dave Grohl angering the most unhinged fan base in the world, to Bon Jovi potentially keeping someone out of his bar, to Joe Budden claiming he’s the man who started it all when it comes to beefing with Drake, and since this is Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* Dave Grohl angered Swifties during a recent Foo Fighters show when he said, “We like to call our tour the ‘Errors Tour.’ We’ve had more than a few eras, and more than a few f*cking errors, as well … That’s because we actually play live.” Swift’s fans reacted with the same metered decorum they exercised earlier this year when Grohl’s daughter, Violet, who was 17 at the time, posted negative comments about Swift’s use of private jets, and was met with death threats from Swifties. Honestly, Taylor should be scared of her fan base. They go from zero to Woodstock ’99 in the span of a nanosecond, and if she ever says something at a concert that’s taken the wrong way they’re gonna make Altamont look like a Disney theme park attraction.

* Having just collaborated with Morgan Wallen, former hip-hop artist Post Malone will be releasing his first country album, titled F-1 Trillion, on August 16th, and he’ll be promoting it with a fall tour. So basically, Post Malone went from having fans who could say the n-word, to having fans that shouldn’t, but will anyway.

* Eminem, and Sting were announced as the headliners for the two-night concert event preceding the 2024 Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas this October. Eminem, and Sting? What are they racing, Father Time?

* Jon Bon Jovi has a permanent hologram of himself at his new Nashville bar, JBJ’s. This was the only way he could guarantee Richie Sambora would never set foot in the place.

* Zach Bryan provided nearly two dozen bars across North America songs from his upcoming album, The Great American Bar Scene, a full ten days before the album’s release, which will be on July 4th. Forget bars, if you really want people to hear it, release it to grocery stores ten days in advance. That’s where we get down!

* Keefe D, the prime suspect in the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur, told the court he’s now able to post his $750,000 bail. I guess Diddy’s check cleared.

* Joe Budden hopped onto social media to give his two cents on the Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef, and he somehow views himself as the catalyst to Drake’s demise, saying, “It may sound narcissistic, but I don’t think any one man takes down Drake. I think I passed the baton to Push (Pusha T), I think Push passed the baton to Kendrick, and the job is done now. That’s how I feel in my head, and my heart.” It’s cute he thinks he ever held the baton, but at some point someone’s gotta tell him what he really held was just a troll doll nailed to a piece of wood.

* Will Smith performed at the 2024 BET Awards last night, where he debuted a new song. Man, that must feel like a real slap in the face to the Oscars.

* Finally, in sad news, Shifty Shellshock of Crazy Town passed away at the age of 49. He will forever be remembered for giving us one of the great earworms of the nu metal era.

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.