This article was provided as an exclusive preview for Digiday+ members, who were able to access it early. Check out the other features included with Digiday+ to help you stay ahead The long-running feud between hip-hop heavyweights Kendrick Lamar and Drake took a sharp turn recently when Drake threatened legal action against his record label, accusing it of allegedly bankrolling influencers and bots to push a diss track against him. The twist — and the frenzy it sparked — captured the pulse...

Donald Trump’s return to the White House might shock some – unless you’re tuned into the likes of Adin Ross, Andrew Schulz and, of course, Joe Rogan. These voices in the so-called “manosphere” – a loosely defined group of misogynistic, male influencers – are shaping the cultural zeitgeist more than ever. Trump knew it too. In the final stretch of his campaign, he spent hours on their podcasts and streams. He reached millions of conservative and indifferent listeners, casting himself as one of...

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is in turmoil, and Elon Musk is at the center of it. The upheaval began in August when the billionaire dragged his grievances into a U.S. courtroom, alleging that WFA members were conspiring to withhold ad dollars from X. Predictably, the trade body dismissed those allegations and is preparing to contest them in court. Yet, this tug-of-war has left the WFA fractured, as three ad executives familiar with the discussions candidly revealed — on the...