Jeddah Season 2022 Kicks Off

The second edition of Jeddah Season kicked off on Monday. (SPA)
The second edition of Jeddah Season kicked off on Monday. (SPA)
TT

Jeddah Season 2022 Kicks Off

The second edition of Jeddah Season kicked off on Monday. (SPA)
The second edition of Jeddah Season kicked off on Monday. (SPA)

The second edition of the Jeddah Season kicked off on Monday at the Jeddah Art Promenade, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The 60-day event will feature 2,800 activities held at nine main venues.

The launch featured drone performances and a fireworks show that lit up the Jeddah sky as people flocked to the event on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Cirque du Soleil was the inaugural show of the season. It held a performance in the circus area of King Abdullah Sports City.

The program for Jeddah Season 2022 features international and Arab events, artistic and theatrical performances, concerts and games.

The organizers were keen on investing in all the aspects of the tourist, historical, marine, and cultural city of Jeddah to offer an array of recreational options to people of all ages.

Cirque du Soleil will perform an exclusive show for the Jeddah Season. Four international exhibits, seven Arab plays, two international plays, and a number of Arab and international concerts will be held. For the first time, the season will include 70 interactive events, more than 60 entertainment games, several marine programs and activities, and numerous surprises that will delight Jeddah's residents and visitors.

Nawaf Qumusani, Director-General of the Jeddah Season 2022, confirmed that this year's edition will provide more diverse activities.

They will be held across the nine main venues: the Jeddah Art Promenade, Cirque du Soleil, Jeddah Yacht Club, Jeddah Al Balad, Jeddah Pier, Jeddah Jungle, Jeddah Superdome, Prince Majid Park, and City Walk.



Kendrick Lamar Surprises with New Album 'GNX'

FILE - Kendrick Lamar performs at Coachella Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club, April 16, 2017, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Kendrick Lamar performs at Coachella Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club, April 16, 2017, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
TT

Kendrick Lamar Surprises with New Album 'GNX'

FILE - Kendrick Lamar performs at Coachella Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club, April 16, 2017, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Kendrick Lamar performs at Coachella Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club, April 16, 2017, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present Friday with the surprise drop of a new album.

The Grammy winner's 12-track “GNX” is his first release since 2022's “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” and his sixth studio album overall. It also comes just months after his rap battle with Drake.

Lamar first teased the album with a cover art and video snippet of “GNX,” which features multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff as a co-producer on every track except for “Peekaboo.” Other notable producers include Sounwave and DJ Mustard, who both contributed production on the hit “Not Like Us,” the ubiquitous diss track emanating from the Drake feud.

Lamar's former Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate SZA appears on a couple songs including “Gloria” and “Luther,” which also features sampled vocals from Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn through “If This World Were Mine."
On the opening track “Wacced Out Murals,” Lamar raps about cruising in his Buick GNX (Grand National Experimental) car with listening to Anita Baker. He brings up Snoop Dogg posting Drake's AI-assisted “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss track on social media and Nas congratulating Lamar for being selected to headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans.
Lamar also shows admiration for Lil Wayne, who expressed his hurt feelings after being passed over as the headliner in his hometown.
Lamar, 37, has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album “DAMN.”
The surprise release caps a big year for Lamar, who was featured on the song “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin — a track that spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year.
Lamar is up for seven Grammys, fueled by “Not Like Us,” which earned nods for record and song of the year, rap song, music video as well as best rap performance. He has two simultaneous entries in the latter category, a career first: “Like That” is up for best rap performance and best rap song, too.