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Get a Look at Drake's New Tour Merch

Drake and Migos finally kicked off their long-awaited Aubrey and the Three Migos tour over the weekend, complete with a floating Ferrari. The tour, of course, also arrives with a fleet of new merch.

Drake finally got his massive tour with Migos underway this weekend after a pair of production-related delays. By the looks of fan-shot footage of the hits-stacked proceedings, the delay was well worth the headaches, as attendees will—among other things—have the chance to mosh beneath a floating Ferrari.

Of course, with a new tour comes new merch, and Drake does not disappoint this go-around. In addition to some standard tour date tees in black and purple, the Aubrey and the Three Migos tour has resulted in COLDBLOOD-emblazoned tees and hoodies, Scorpion logo tops and sweats, and a Side A/Side B long-sleeve tee. There's also a long-sleeve tee with the lyrics to "Nonstop" sprawled across the back, an astrology-themed hoodie, a "Walk It Talk It" tee featuring Migos, and—unfortunately—absolutely zero "Summer Games"-themed merch.

There are merch tables outside and inside. #AATTM pic.twitter.com/bi3OEly1yr — Word On Road (@WordOnRd) August 12, 2018

Get a look at a selection of new Drake merch below. The pieces, starting at $30 for a hat, can be purchased on the road and/or online.

Migos celebrated the tour kickoff with a trio of new solo Quavo tracks , including the excellent "Lamb Talk."

View this video on YouTube

Drake, meanwhile, had his Scorpion single "In My Feelings" remixed by the incomparable City Girls.

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Drake Announces 2023 ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour with 21 Savage

Drake has announced his 2023  It’s All A Blur Tour   presented by Cash App , Visa, and Sprite. On the run, Drake will be joined by 21 Savage.

Produced by Live Nation, the 29-date arena run will start on June 16 with stops in Chicago, Boston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Glendale, AZ, at Desert Diamond Arena on Tuesday, September 5. A Toronto tour date will soon be announced.

The tour title, It’s All A Blur, highlights Drake’s unprecedented run, including the last five years where he dropped off four albums, including Her Loss with 21 Savage. The album Hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and had all 16 songs debut on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Beginning on Wednesday, March 15, tickets will be made available through Cash App Card and Sprite presales. Prior to the general onsale beginning on Friday, March 17 at 12 p.m. local time, there will be additional presales running throughout the week on drakerelated.com . Market-specific starting times for sales can be seen in your local listings.

The full run of dates and presale information are available below.

DRAKE: ‘IT’S ALL A BLUR’ 2023 TOUR DATES:

Fri Jun 16 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

Mon Jun 19 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

Wed Jun 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Sat Jun 24 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Wed Jun 28 – Miami, FL – Miami-Dade Arena

Sat Jul 01 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Sun Jul 02 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Wed Jul 05 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Thu Jul 06 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Sat Jul 08 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Tue Jul 11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Wed Jul 12 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Fri Jul 14 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Mon Jul 17 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Tue Jul 18 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Tue Jul 25 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Wed Jul 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Fri Jul 28 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Mon Jul 31 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

Sat Aug 12 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum

Sun Aug 13 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum

Fri Aug 18 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Mon Aug 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Tue Aug 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Fri Aug 25 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Mon Aug 28 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Fri Sep 01 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Tue Sep 05 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena

CASH APP CARD PRESALE:  For all US shows, the first tickets to the It’s All A Blur Tour will be available for Cash App Card customers via an exclusive ticket presale presented by Cash App and Visa.

• Beginning Wednesday, March 15 starting at 12pm local time through Thursday, March 16 at 10pm local time, Cash App Card holders can unlock the earliest access to ‘It’s All A Blur’ tickets by using the first 9 digits of their Cash App Card to access the presale and then completing the purchase using their Cash App Card.
• Presale start times vary by market, check your local listings at  drakerelated.com  for more information. For more information on the Cash App Card presale, please visit  cash.app/drake-presale .

SPRITE PRESALE:  Sprite is the official beverage sponsor for the It’s All A Blur Tour his first in North America since 2018. This marks a natural progression of their partnership since Sprite executed his first worldwide brand deal in 2010. Fans can look for updates on Sprite.com and sign up for Sprite emails to gain access to Drake’s presale experience.

• The Sprite presale will take place on Thursday, March 16 starting at 12pm local time until 10pm local time. Presale start times vary by market, check your local listings at  drakerelated.com  for more information.
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Drake Reveals New Merch From 21 Savage Tour

Drake teased fans with a picture of some merch from his upcoming tour.

Drake and 21 Savage dropped one of the most popular albums of last year with Her Loss . Now the pair are taking the record on the road with a massive summer tour. After a few delays they are finally getting underway. The tour starts next week with back to back shows at Chicago's United Center. They'll follow it up with 55 more shows over the next four months. The tour will conclude in Columbous on October 9th.

Now, Drake has posted a tease of some of the merch fans can expect to see at tour stops. The two shirts he showed off have the same design in yellow and black. The minimalist logo features the name of the tour "It's All A Blur" in plain text backed by the OVO owl. It's unclear if this motif will carry on through all the merch or if there will be more designs on sale. When fans are let into the Chicago show next week pictures of the merch are likely to make their way online quickly.

Drake Teases It's All A Blur Merch

Earlier this year, Drake returned with his new single "Search & Rescue." The song debuted at number 2 on the Hot 100 and has racked up over 150 million streams since its release. Drake has popped up on two other new singles so far this year as well. He made an appearance on Popcaan 's "We Caa Dance" back in January and on J Hus' "Who Told You" earlier this month. He also appears on two tracks' from Young Thug 's newly released album Business Is Business . Drake was seen in Memphis the other day shooting a music video for the record.

Music isn't the only way Drake is getting his writing to fans. Last week he announced the release of a new poetry book called Titles Ruin Everything . The book received quite a bit of criticism from various fans and critics online after it was dropped. What do you think of the merch from Drake and 21 Savage's tour merch? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Drake Responds To Poetry Book Criticism While Paying Tribute To Canada’s Sex Educator Sue Johanson

Drake Announces 2023 It’s All A Blur Tour With 21 Savage

Tickets Available Starting Wednesday, March 15

General onsale begins friday, march 17 on  drakerelated.com . .

Today, four time Grammy-award winning and multi-platinum selling artist  Drake  announced his long awaited return to the stage with the 2023  ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour  presented by Cash App, Visa and Sprite. Produced by Live Nation, Drake and 21 Savage will be going on a 29-date arena run with stops including Chicago, Boston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Glendale, AZ at Desert Diamond Arena on Tuesday, September 5.

‘It’s All A Blur’ marks Drake’s return to touring since headlining Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour in 2018. The title, a celebration of the last decade,  sums up Drake’s sentiment of the unprecedented run as he gets ready to hit the road. In the last five years, Drake has released four albums, including his most recent studio album Her Loss in collaboration with 21 Savage, which reached number one on the Billboard’s 200 chart and had all 16 songs debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.

TICKETS:   Tickets will be available starting with Cash App Card and Sprite presales (details below) beginning Wednesday, March 15. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, March 17 starting at 12pm local time on  drakerelated.com . Onsale start times vary by market, check your local listings for more information.

CASH APP CARD PRESALE:  For all US shows, the first tickets to the ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour will be available for Cash App Card customers via an exclusive ticket presale presented by Cash App and Visa. 

• Beginning Wednesday, March 15 starting at 12pm local time through Thursday, March 16 at 10pm local time, Cash App Card holders can unlock the earliest access to ‘It’s All A Blur’ tickets by using the first 9 digits of their Cash App Card to access the presale and then completing the purchase using their Cash App Card.
• Presale start times vary by market, check your local listings at  drakerelated.com  for more information. For more information on the Cash App Card presale, please visit  cash.app/drake-presale . 

SPRITE PRESALE:  Sprite is the official beverage sponsor for the ‘It’s All A Blur Tour,’ his first in North America since 2018. This marks a natural progression of their partnership since Sprite executed his first worldwide brand deal in 2010. Fans can look for updates on Sprite.com and sign up for Sprite emails to gain access to Drake’s presale experience.

• The Sprite presale will take place on Thursday, March 16 starting at 12pm local time until 10pm local time. Presale start times vary by market, check your local listings at  drakerelated.com  for more information.

DRAKE: ‘IT’S ALL A BLUR’ 2023 TOUR DATES: 

Fri Jun 16 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

Mon Jun 19 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

Wed Jun 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Sat Jun 24 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Wed Jun 28 – Miami, FL – Miami-Dade Arena

Sat Jul 01 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Sun Jul 02 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Wed Jul 05 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Thu Jul 06 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Sat Jul 08 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Tue Jul 11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Wed Jul 12 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Fri Jul 14 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Mon Jul 17 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Tue Jul 18 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Tue Jul 25 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Wed Jul 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Fri Jul 28 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Mon Jul 31 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

Sat Aug 12 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum

Sun Aug 13 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum

Fri Aug 18 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Mon Aug 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Tue Aug 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Fri Aug 25 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Mon Aug 28 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Fri Sep 01 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Tue Sep 05 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena

*Additional shows including Toronto to be announced at a later date. 

ABOUT DRAKE:

Drake is one of the most successful hip hop artists in the world. The Canadian rapper first gained serious attention in 2009 when he debuted his EP  So Far Gone , named the hottest mixtape of the year by MTV. Fast forward to 2018, Drake dropped the platinum double LP,  Scorpion  which included a staggering 25 tracks. Succeeding the album’s release, Drake hit the road headlining  Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour  across the US with surprise guests, Meek Mill, French Montana, Travis Scott and many others. While taking a break from touring in the last five years Drake has developed some of his best work. Topping the U.S. charts in August of 2019, Drake released  Care Package,  his first compilation album that consists of songs from 2010 to 2016 that weren’t initially available for commercial streaming. In September of 2021, Drake released his most highly anticipated album yet.  Certified Lover Boy  became his sixth studio album and broke Apple Music’s one-day streaming record in under 12 hours. Leading into Summer of 2022, Drake surprised fans with his seventh studio album,  Honestly Nevermind  which includes a notable feature from 21 Savage. Most recently in November of 2022 Drake and 21 Savage came out with a collaborative studio album titled  Her Loss . The album reached number one on the Billboard’s 200 chart and all 16 songs debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.

Follow Drake:

Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Instagram   |   YouTube

ABOUT 21 SAVAGE

Grammy Award Winning multi platinum artist 21 Savage, one of the most sought after rappers of this generation, landed his 2nd #1 album in 2020 with the release of Savage Mode 2, the follow up to 2016’s platinum certified record Savage Mode. His 2019 album  i am > i was, which received platinum certification and was nominated for Best Album of the Year in 2020, earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Song for “A Lot.” In 2022 the collaborative album with Drake, Her Loss also went on to debut on Billboard 200 Album Charts at No.1 making this his 3rd album to top the charts. Through his award winning foundation Leading by Example founded in 2018, Savage provides financial literacy education to underserved youth nationwide providing thousands of scholarships, access to bank accounts and job placement for teens and students alike. In December 2022 the state of Georgia recognized December 21st as 21 Savage Day in recognition of his extraordinary philanthropic efforts.

Follow 21 Savage:

Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Instagram   |   YouTube 

About Cash App 

Cash App is the money app. It’s the easy way to spend, send, store, and invest money. Sending and receiving money is free and fast, and most payments can be deposited directly to a bank account in just a few seconds. With Cash App, customers can also invest in their favorite companies with as little as $1, buy and sell Bitcoin instantly, get a paycheck deposited right to the app, create a unique $cashtag to share with anyone to get paid fast, and use the Cash App Card to spend the money everywhere Visa Debit is accepted. Cash App Card is issued by Sutton Bank. Download Cash App for free at  cash.app/download

The Cash App Card is free to order when you download Cash App via   cash.app/download . Everyone under 18 will need a parent or guardian to sponsor their account. Cash App Card holders will receive their digital card number instantly and can use it to spend money everywhere Visa Debit is accepted. It’s recommended to add enough cash to your Cash App account to cover the cost of your ticket purchase prior to the start of the presale. For help adding cash or linking a bank account to your Cash App account, please read  here .   

About Visa Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at  Visa.com .

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at  www.coca-colacompany.com  and follow us on  Twitter ,  Instagram ,  Facebook  and  LinkedIn . 

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit   www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Melissa Nathan |  [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts

Monique Sowinski |  [email protected]

Maya Sarin |  [email protected]

Valeska Thomas |  [email protected]

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Drake J. Cole It’s All A Blur Tour 2024 Big As The What Shirt

$ 20.95

CENTIMETERS

• 5.3-ounce, 100% cotton (99/1 cotton/poly (Ash) & 90/10 cotton/poly (Sport Grey)
• Heavyweight classic unisex tee
• Taped neck and shoulders; Tearaway label
• Decoration type: Digital Print

Products are fulfilled and shipping from the

May 20 - May 22

May 24 - May 31

• Description
• Shipping & Manufacturing Info

Step into the rhythm and soul with the exclusive Drake J. Cole It’s All A Blur Tour 2024 Big As The What Shirt ! Immerse yourself in a world where music and fashion collide, offering you a piece of the iconic tour.

Unleash the Vibe: Drake J. Cole It’s All A Blur Tour 2024 Big As The What Shirt!

Quality & comfort:.

Wrap yourself in superior comfort with this meticulously crafted shirt made from premium quality fabric that ensures breathability and a soft touch against your skin. Every stitch, every line, resonates with the energy of the unforgettable It’s All A Blur Tour.

Exclusive Design:

This limited-edition shirt boasts an intricate design featuring Drake and J. Cole immersed in their element. The vivid graphics echo the electrifying performances that left millions in awe, making it not just apparel but a piece of history.

Collectible Value:

Each shirt is adorned with signature imprints by Drake and J.Cole, amplifying its value as a collectible. Owning this masterpiece is akin to holding a fragment of music history, echoing tales of rhythms, lyrics, lights, and ecstatic crowds.

Versatility & Style:

Tailored to perfection for fans who value style and comfort; this shirt transcends occasions. Whether it’s a casual outing or fan gatherings, stepping out in this iconic piece ensures you’re not just seen but remembered.

SHIPPING POLICY

Shipping cost.

The shipping cost within the U.S. is: 5.99 USD + 2 USD per additional item

For international shipping: from 11 USD + 6 USD per additional item

WHERE DO WE DELIVER?

We provide worldwide shipping.

Shipping time

US Regions :

Other Countries:

Handling time (Mon-Fri) : 2-9 days

Shipping time ( Mon-Fri ) : 15-30 days.

Note : The public holidays, destination countries and couriers will be affected the shipping time too.

Total delivery time= Handling time + Shipping time

HAPPY CUSTOMERS, HAPPY US

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Drake Tour Merch: It's All in One Place

Mar 30, 2024 by Radhika Takei

Ever since Travis Scott made history by selling over $1 million in tour merch in a single night , the era of music icons' merch has attracted loyal fans eager to snag limited-edition merch of their favorite artists.

Drake It's All a Blur Tour Merch i s now hot and selling as fans scatter and scan all over the country to get their hands on those swagger hoodies, graphic tees, and just about everything.

🧢 Drake & 21 Savage Detroit Merch 👕

If you're heading to one of his shows, be prepared to splurge on Drake's tour merch and the cheapest Tour tickets, now available on TicketX .

🔥 Drake Tickets ✨

Here's the deal: We help you elevate your experience at the tour and have pieced together top merch-selling places that'll make you the envy of every Drake fan, letting you flaunt your fandom with flair.

In general, there's a wide selection of graphic tees. Additionally, Drake's poetry book is up for grabs. You'll also find Nike hats featuring Drizzy's branding , along with bucket hats and socks.

Team DREAMVILLE dropped a sneak peek on X, and let's say it's got us all hyped up.

🧢 Drake & J. Cole Nashville Merch 👕

We've got the head-turner: a slick black hoodie shouting aloud, "DRAKE AND 21 Savage ON TOUR BIG AS THE WHAT? IT'S ALL A BLUR." Trust us, you'll want to snag this one for the ultimate flex at $85 .

Don't forget the graphic tees , going for $45 a pop. Whether you're feeling the cream-colored tee with the OVO owl or the sleek black tee showcasing For All The Dogs artwork, you're bound to turn heads.

There's more! Cop one of those fresh white-and-black Nike hats for $40, straight from Drake's original It's All A Blur Tour lineup. These bad boys are still up for grabs and guaranteed to elevate any fit.

🧢 Drake & 21 Savage Chicago Merch 👕

Then, there's the reversible basketball jerseys for $85 . Picture this: a No. 11 black jersey for Drake, repping the iconic OVO owl on the front and "THE BOY" on the back. And for all Dreamville fans, there's a No. 15 jersey for J. Cole, featuring the Dreamville logo up front and " COLE " on the flip side.

A Reddit user showcased a $220 blue hoodie featuring the For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition artwork. Meanwhile, chatter on X revolves around a J. Cole graphic tee , possibly hinting at his next releases.

J. Cole teases 'It's A Boy' on the merch from his joint tour with Drake pic.twitter.com/bWgMfW2PBm — Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) February 3, 2024

Check out this newly released - DRAKE x GRUPPO VAVA Tour Merch First Look 👀

As you weigh your options to buy cool merch, check with yourself if you do Know your Drake and Read on TicketX Magazine our top How-To-Buy guides to book the tickets of the hottest artists on tour this year, be it Nicky Minaj , J Cole and, many others.

While on it, don't forget to Score Major Savings: TicketX Promo Codes to get the most bang for your buck!

About TicketX

TicketX is America's newest secondary ticket market, which debuted in July 2023. TicketX's mission is to provide the best ticket-selling and ticket-buying experience for American users. Thanks to our solid foundation built by TicketJam , the largest secondary ticket marketplace in Asia , TicketX promises to bring long-term support as well as world-class customer experience to the American audience. By leveraging the expertise and success of TicketJam as well as its Magazine , TicketX is poised to set new standards and redefine expectations in the dynamic world of resale ticket markets within America.

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Hype Alone Won’t Sell Musicians’ Merch—They Need Fashion Cred Too

By Steff Yotka

Musical merch mania has hit an all-time high. Every mononym star— Kanye , Justin , Future , Rihanna —has a line of clothing and accessories touting an album or tour, and most have also hosted pop-up shops to build buzz around their collections. Today, Drake’s Summer Sixteen tour opened the doors to its pop-up shop at 208 Bowery in New York. But unlike the vibe at West’s or Bieber’s stores, the mood chez Drizzy was more subdued, with a shorter line and less of a police presence to keep the crowd in order. That might be because the majority of shoppers were in their late teens, not 20-somethings looking to strike gold on the secondary market.

“I literally just want to buy a hat,” said one 21-year-old girl in a Metallica T-shirt. “Drake’s all right. I’m just chilling. I had nothing else to do today. I’ll wait another 30 minutes and I’m out.” She stood in a line that was being hyped by a series of teens that were given the merch in advance and were trying to build crowd excitement as they zipped by on skateboards. Another girl in line, who bought tickets to tonight’s Drake concert at Madison Square Garden and Saturday’s after-party at Space Ibiza, was trying to cut a deal with a 17-year-old hype man to buy the shirt off his back. “I just want to buy one shirt. I’m going to keep it for myself,” said one of her friends, aged 16.

Drake’s Views pop-up in April of this year may have killed some buzz—fans waited in line for hours to meet the artist, but instead of finding him inside were gifted with free tees. But I’d venture the real difference between Drake’s merch and that of West and Bieber is that Drake’s lacks much of a fashion or art world tie-in. For his The Life of Pablo album drop, West collaborated with California artist Cali Thornhill DeWitt on a range of items that featured DeWitt’s signature gothic font in highly designed patterns. Prior to the Kanye collab, DeWitt was already well known inside the fashion and streetwear worlds through his collaboration with Berlin-based culture magazine 032C . Bieber collaborated with Fear of God designer Jerry Lorenzo on his merch, which bears a striking resemblance to the ready-to-wear of Paris label Vetements with its Security tees and penchant for bold lettering running down the arms of long-sleeved shirts.

While West sells his items exclusively through his e-shop and pop-ups around the world, Bieber’s first pop-up was at VFiles and his pieces today are carried in Urban Outfitters. Bieber also collaborated with Barneys New York on an exclusive capsule collection of Purpose tour items. Rihanna recently opened a pop-up at the concept shop Colette in Paris to sell her Anti tour march, as well as items from her collaborations with Dior , Puma , Stance , and Manolo Blahnik . Not only did the regular Colette crowd turn out, but so did the Rihanna stans, hoping to get a glimpse of the lady herself inside.

I didn’t travel to Paris to shop with Rih, but speaking with shoppers in line at both ’Ye’s and Biebs’s shops, I got the sense that they had lined up for hours for the chance to buy into something bigger, something that one shopper at West’s store called “art.” The buildup around Drake’s shop lacked the cultish spirit that fashion cred can cultivate.

drake tour merchandise

It’s worth noting two things about Drake’s relationship to the fashion world. One is that he runs his own fashion brand with Oliver El-Khatib, October’s Very Own (aka OVO), which moves a lot of its owl-print products online. (At least three Vogue staffers requested OVO items from the pop-up, only to be disheartened when they learned they weren’t stocked there.) The other point is that unlike West and Bieber, Drake is not associated with Bravado, a merchandise company and subsidiary of Universal Music Group that has gained its long roster of artists entrée to fashion’s inner sanctums. Case in point: Guns N’ Roses, a Bravado client, recently hosted a pop-up at John Varvatos ’s store.

By Hannah Jackson

By Philipp Wehsack

What Drake should do, rather than following in West, Bieber, and Rihanna’s pseudo-skater-cum-metal wake, is translate his own brand of offbeat athleisure into his merch. Think about it: Drake’s personal style can veer into areas untested by other contemporary pop stars—show me another globally renowned rapper who could pull off a pink Juventus jersey and matching sunglasses, or a single soul who would’ve rocked a gray turtleneck sweater and red Moncler puffa jacket before he did in his “ Hotline Bling ” video. That Moncler jacket sold out instantly online after the video was released. If Drake cashed in on his own tastes and interests instead of adhering to the West-made hype model and filled his pop-up with red puffas, gray turtlenecks, and rose gold iPhones, I imagine the turnout today would’ve been quite different. I, for one, would certainly buy a Drake dancing sweater—and I can , just not from the artist himself.

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Drake Released a New Album—and, Obviously, New Merch

By Tyler Watamanuk

Drake knows exactly what his fans want: catchy hip-hop songs, lyrics that double as clever Instagram captions, and exclusive-as-hell merchandise. With the release of his latest double album, Scorpion , the 6 God delivered as much. The record itself is jam-packed with the quintessential Drake you know and love— moody, petty, braggadocious —and, of course, there's corresponding merch. Specifically: a jacket that can be personalized with your own name. Which is about as exclusive as it gets.

While Drizzy might have just released a double-sided album with 25 (!!) new songs, he opted for a more pared-down route when it came to the album merch. Which is to say there is only a single piece of new Drake merch offered in his official online shop: a shiny coach's jacket adorned with a “Scorpion” design like the one seen on the album cover. However, you can get said jacket personalized with your own name (under “Executive Produced By”), which certainly drives up the desire to grab one. This is the same jacket that Drizzy himself and his longtime actual producer, Noah “40” Shebib, have both worn during the lead-up to the album. And not for nothing, it’s been spotted on the backs of recent NBA draftee Trae Young, Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, and also DJ Khaled. Join the band!

Here's hoping this is just a small sampling of the Scorpion-themed merch that we'll see when Drizzy embarks on his upcoming tour later this summer. It’s a bold move to release only a single piece of merch for the rollout of an album as hyped as Scorpion , but Drake knows what he likes. ( Windbreakers , anyone?) Best of all: The timelessness of a coach's jacket means this thing is going to look just as cool when it’s considered new-vintage three Drake records from now.

$150, buy now via the official Drake online shop .

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Here Is The J. Cole Merch Available At The ‘It’s All A Blur Tour –- Big As The What?’

Drake’s Big As The What tour with J. Cole is underway, and fans looking forward to future dates might be wondering about the tour’s specifics, like the respective artists’ setlists ( here’s Drake’s ) and whether the tour is sold out ( it’s not ).

They also might be wondering what the merch on offer looks like (again, here’s Drake’s ) so they can plan whether to bring that extra cash to the venue. Fortunately, accounts like Word On Road and attendees on Reddit have revealed the collections.

Merch tonight in Tampa. #IAABTour pic.twitter.com/4e41hHrY1s — Word On Road (@WordOnRd) February 3, 2024

The J. Cole-related merch inclues:

• A black hoodie reading (in white, yellow, and red lettering), “DRAKE AND J. COLE ON TOUR 2024 BIG AS THE WHAT? IT’S ALL A BLUR”
• $85 reversible basketball jerseys: a No. 11 black one for Drake, with the OVO owl on the front and “THE BOY” on the back; a No. 15 one for J. Cole, with the Dreamville logo on the front and “COLE” on the back.
• $45 graphic tees (black with a photo of J. Cole onstage on the front and his “to-do list” on the back)
• $145 Dreamville Hoodies in black
• $40 Dreamvill baseball caps in cream with black brims

What Are The Dates For The ‘It’s All A Blur — Big As The What?’ Tour

2/2 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena 2/4 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena 2/7 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena 2/8 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena 2/12 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Arena 2/13 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center 2/16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena 2/17 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena 2/20 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center 2/21 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center 2/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse 2/25 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 2/27 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center 2/28 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center 3/2 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center 3/3 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center 3/5 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum 3/6 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center 3/7 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center 3/10 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena 3/14 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center 3/15 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center 3/18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center 3/19 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center 3/23 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~ 3/24 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~ 3/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena at The BJCC ~ 4/4 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~ 4/5 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~ 4/8 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum ~ 4/15 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena + 4/16 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena +

+ Rescheduled dates ~ Without J. Cole

Taylor Swift To Spend $5 Million On Private Jet For European Eras Tour

• Taylor Swift's private jet for her Eras tour costs $5 million just for the European leg, adding to the tour's already gigantic expenses.
• Landing fees like $6,000 in Paris and $8,000 in Sweden contribute to the high cost of Taylor's jet travel during the tour.
• Despite the exorbitant costs, the billions in revenue from the tour, including a projected $500 million from merchandise, make the jet expenses seem minimal.

Taylor Swift has been called out for overusing her private jet . But new figures were released showing just how much it costs to keep the singer’s jet running during her Eras concert, showing just how wasteful – financially and environmentally – her jet is.

According to a new report by the U.S. Sun , it’s going to cost Taylor $5 million to use the jet just for the European stretch of her ongoing Eras tour.

Taylor Swift To Set New Record With $500 Million Merchandise Sales On Eras Tour

The publication interviewed a seasoned external consultant involved in the Eras tour, who has over 25 years of expertise in handling travel arrangements for some of the most iconic bands in music history, including U2 and the Rolling Stones.

Revealing the intricacies of the expenses involved, the insider highlighted the predictably high costs. According to the source, merely landing the jet in Paris incurred a staggering fee of $6,000, while parking fees amounted to approximately $5,000 per day.

With a 10-day stay planned in the French capital and four additional tour dates scheduled in Lyon, the expenses for having the plane accompany her solely during the French leg of the tour are estimated at a hefty $85,000.

But the expenses won’t stop there. The informant adds that Sweden will be one of the priciest places for Taylor’s jet. It costs $8,000 to merely land the plane, while securing a parking spot commands a substantial $10,000.

Madrid, another destination on Swift's itinerary, proves to be equally pricey, with a landing fee of $6,500 and a daily parking rate of $7,000, the report claims. The source also revealed that additional security measures have been implemented to afford Taylor some respite from the chaotic environment.

"In my estimation, between the costs of fuel, landing fees, parking fees, but also security and maintenance of the plane, which in some countries has to be done by external private companies, which involves an extra cost, the expenses linked with traveling and using the private jet is going to be massive,” the source explained.

The cost of Taylor’s jet may seem insane, but her Eras tour has already broken records by grossing billions in revenue, and the numbers keep climbing. It was recently reported that the tour will make $500 million in merchandise alone , suggesting the $5 million bill for her jet is only chump change in the grand scheme of things.

Taylor Swift debuted a whole new designer wardrobe at the first European Eras Tour show

• Taylor Swift kicked off the European leg of her Eras Tour with a new set of designer outfits.
• Those looks included Versace leotards, Louboutin boots, and a custom Vivienne Westwood dress.
• Some of the outfits are new versions of ensembles she's worn in the past.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour continues to get bigger and better.

During the first show of its European leg — hosted in Nanterre, France, on Thursday — Swift stepped onstage in a new Versace leotard and matching Louboutin boots.

The designer outfit is one of multiple high-end looks Swift has added to her updated show, which now includes songs from her latest album "The Tortured Poets Department."

And each new ensemble is arguably better than the last, with leotards covered in crystals and gowns printed with her song lyrics.

They're outfits fit for a billionaire , which Swift became largely thanks to her massive tour. Here's a look at what she wore.

Taylor Swift stepped onstage in Nanterre, France, wearing an eye-catching orange bodysuit.

Swift has been wearing custom Versace bodysuits during the "Lover" portion of her shows since the start of the Eras Tour.

But her newest version is one of her brightest, covered in orange crystals and large magenta sequins.

She wore the form-fitting piece with knee-high Christian Louboutin boots and a gold Versace necklace.

She later added a sparkling blazer in the same bright shade.

A performance of "The Man" wouldn't be complete without Swift adding a glittering blazer to her outfit.

So, for her first Eras Tour show in France, the 34-year-old debuted a new version of the Versace design: a double-breasted jacket covered in orange sparkles.

She paid homage to her original "Fearless" era in a new dress-style bodysuit.

Fringe-covered minidresses hold a special place in the hearts of longtime Swifties, who saw Swift wear them regularly during her "Fearless" tour in 2009 and 2010.

So, it's fitting that she's consistently brought them back throughout the Eras Tour.

In France, Swift stepped onstage in a black bodysuit covered in silver, gold, and white fringe that made the piece look like a dress. She wore the metallic piece with sparkling Louboutin boots and her signature red lipstick.

It's unclear who designed the newest suit, but fashion house Roberto Cavalli has created Swift's other fringe pieces for the "Fearless" set of the Eras Tour.

Swift nodded to her business dealings during the "Red" set.

Each night of the Eras Tour, Swift begins the "Red" portion of her show wearing a sparkling graphic T-shirt similar to the one she wore in the 2013 music video for "22."

One is a replica that says, "Not a lot going on at the moment," while other versions are more playful with phrases like, "Who's Taylor Swift anyway? Ew."

However, the one she wore in France featured an entirely new message: "This is not Taylor's Version."

The T-shirt references Swift's ongoing project of re-recording her past albums after the original masters were acquired by Scooter Braun and the fans who regularly urge radio stations and casual listeners to switch to "Taylor's Versions" of songs.

The new shirt and others Swift has worn on the Eras Tour were custom-made for her by Ashish Gupta.

Swift combined her "Folklore" and "Evermore" sets and wore a new dress during the merged eras.

Alberta Ferretti has designed all of Swift's "Folklore" dresses throughout the Eras Tour, including the flowing white piece she's seen wearing in her 2023 concert film.

The new version she wore in France on Thursday appears to be the same silhouette as the latter garment but in a new yellow shade.

It features a tiered skirt, flowing long sleeves, and delicate swirls of sparkles and microbeads.

The "1989" portion of her show got an upgrade in the form of a new outfit.

Beaded, two-piece sets from Roberto Cavalli have been Swift's "1989" uniform on the Eras Tour.

But in France, Swift swapped the fringed pieces for a bedazzled pink crop top, a blue ombré skirt, and ankle boots in both colors. The outfit seemingly referenced similar ones Swift wore on her "1989" tour in 2015.

The fashion house is also responsible for this look, with creative director Fausto Puglisi adding a leopard-head embellishment in the middle of its neckline.

Cavalli was widely known as the "Leopard King" before he died in April.

A new "Tortured Poets Department" set called for multiple new outfits, including a dramatic gown.

To match the moody aesthetic of her new album and reference her "Fortnight" music video, Swift donned a custom Vivienne Westwood gown.

It featured a sleeveless, structured bodice, a high-low skirt, and lyrics from "The Tortured Poets Department" printed across it.

Swift wore the dress with white ankle boots from Christian Louboutin.

She later added a military jacket.

While performing "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived," Swift and her dancers wore 18th-century-style military jackets in a stark white shade.

The outerwear featured thick sleeves, bodice buttons, and fringed epaulets.

Toward the end of the "Tortured Poets" set, Swift performed an onstage quick change.

In the style of a silent movie, Swift and her dancers acted out a scene in which a heartbroken Swift had to get dressed for a concert.

The two suit-clad performers helped Swift remove her jacket, and she slid off her dress to reveal a black bralette and high-waisted bottoms. They then handed her a gold duster that matched her new dance shoes.

She wore the showgirl-style outfit to perform "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart."

Swift surprised fans with two acoustic songs and a new dress.

Swift has worn custom pieces from Jessica Jones to perform surprise acoustic songs throughout the Eras Tour.

It's unclear if the designer created her latest look, but Swift's pink dress was all new.

It was sleeveless with a wrapped ruched bodice and a high-low skirt.

In true "Midnights" fashion, Swift was bejeweled by the show's end.

Zuhair Murad designed her latest "Midnights" bodysuit. It featured a halter neckline, a diamond chest cutout, smaller slits at the waist, fringe across its hem, and an intricate beaded pattern across the garment.

Swift wore the daring piece with knee-high boots, fishnet tights, and her now-signature garter in a matching blue fabric.

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A Plan to Remake the Middle East

While talks for a cease-fire between israel and hamas continue, another set of negotiations is happening behind the scenes..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Today, if and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a ceasefire fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East. My colleague Michael Crowley has been reporting on that plan and explains why those involved in it believe they have so little time left to get it done.

It’s Wednesday, May 8.

Michael, I want to start with what feels like a pretty dizzying set of developments in this conflict over the past few days. Just walk us through them?

Well, over the weekend, there was an intense round of negotiations in an effort, backed by the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

The latest ceasefire proposal would reportedly see as many as 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

US officials were very eager to get this deal.

Pressure for a ceasefire has been building ahead of a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah.

Because Israel has been threatening a military offensive in the Southern Palestinian city of Rafah, where a huge number of people are crowded.

Fleeing the violence to the North. And now they’re packed into Rafah. Exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected.

And the US says it would be a humanitarian catastrophe on top of the emergency that’s already underway.

Breaking news this hour — very important breaking news. An official Hamas source has told The BBC that it does accept a proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

And for a few hours on Monday, it looked like there might have been a major breakthrough when Hamas put out a statement saying that it had accepted a negotiating proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire proposal does not meet his country’s requirements. But Netanyahu says he will send a delegation of mediators to continue those talks. Now, the terms —

But those hopes were dashed pretty quickly when the Israelis took a look at what Hamas was saying and said that it was not a proposal that they had agreed to. It had been modified.

And overnight —

Israeli troops stormed into Rafah. Video showing tanks crashing over a sign at the entrance of the city.

— the Israelis launched a partial invasion of Rafah.

It says Hamas used the area to launch a deadly attack on Israeli troops over the weekend.

And they have now secured a border crossing at the Southern end of Gaza and are conducting targeted strikes. This is not yet the full scale invasion that President Biden has adamantly warned Israel against undertaking, but it is an escalation by Israel.

So while all that drama might suggest that these talks are in big trouble, these talks are very much still alive and ongoing and there is still a possibility of a ceasefire deal.

And the reason that’s so important is not just to stop the fighting in Gaza and relieve the suffering there, but a ceasefire also opens the door to a grand diplomatic bargain, one that involves Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Palestinians, and would have very far-reaching implications.

And what is that grand bargain. Describe what you’re talking about?

Well, it’s incredibly ambitious. It would reshape Israel’s relationship with its Arab neighbors, principally Saudi Arabia. But it’s important to understand that this is a vision that has actually been around since well before October 7. This was a diplomatic project that President Biden had been investing in and negotiating actually in a very real and tangible way long before the Hamas attacks and the Gaza war.

And President Biden was looking to build on something that President Trump had done, which was a series of agreements that the Trump administration struck in which Israel and some of its Arab neighbors agreed to have normal diplomatic relations for the first time.

Right, they’re called the Abraham Accords.

That’s right. And, you know, Biden doesn’t like a lot of things, most things that Trump did. But he actually likes this, because the idea is that they contribute to stability and economic integration in the Middle East, the US likes Israel having friends and likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

President Biden agrees with the Saudis and with the Israelis, that Iran is really the top threat to everybody here. So, how can you build on this? How can you expand it? Well, the next and biggest step would be normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

And the Saudis have made clear that they want to do this and that they’re ready to do this. They weren’t ready to do it in the Trump years. But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has made clear he wants to do it now.

So this kind of triangular deal began to take shape before October 7, in which the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia would enter this three way agreement in which everyone would get something that they wanted.

And just walk through what each side gets in this pre-October 7th version of these negotiations?

So for Israel, you get normalized ties with its most important Arab neighbor and really the country that sets the tone for the whole Muslim world, which is Saudi Arabia of course. It makes Israel feel safer and more secure. Again, it helps to build this alliance against Iran, which Israel considers its greatest threat, and it comes with benefits like economic ties and travel and tourism. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been very open, at least before October 7th, that this was his highest diplomatic and foreign policy priority.

For the Saudis, the rationale is similar when it comes to Israel. They think that it will bring stability. They like having a more explicitly close ally against Iran. There are economic and cultural benefits. Saudi Arabia is opening itself up in general, encouraging more tourism.

But I think that what’s most important to the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is what he can get from the United States. And what he has been asking for are a couple of essential things. One is a security agreement whose details have always been a little bit vague, but I think essentially come down to reliable arms supplies from the United States that are not going to be cut off or paused on a whim, as he felt happened when President Biden stopped arms deliveries in 2021 because of how Saudi was conducting its war in Yemen. The Saudis were furious about that.

Saudi Arabia also wants to start a domestic nuclear power program. They are planning for a very long-term future, possibly a post-oil future. And they need help getting a nuclear program off the ground.

And they want that from the US?

And they want that from the US.

Now, those are big asks from the us. But from the perspective of President Biden, there are some really enticing things about this possible agreement. One is that it will hopefully produce more stability in the region. Again, the US likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

The US also wants to have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. You know, despite the anger at Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the Biden administration recognizes that given the Saudis control over global oil production and their strategic importance in the Middle East, they need to have a good relationship with them. And the administration has been worried about the influence of China in the region and with the Saudis in particular.

So this is an opportunity for the US to draw the Saudis closer. Whatever our moral qualms might be about bin Salman and the Saudi government, this is an opportunity to bring the Saudis closer, which is something the Biden administration sees as a strategic benefit.

All three of these countries — big, disparate countries that normally don’t see eye-to-eye, this was a win-win-win on a military, economic, and strategic front.

That’s right. But there was one important actor in the region that did not see itself as winning, and that was the Palestinians.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

First, it’s important to understand that the Palestinians have always expected that the Arab countries in the Middle East would insist that Israel recognize a Palestinian state before those countries were willing to essentially make total peace and have normal relations with Israel.

So when the Abraham Accords happened in the Trump administration, the Palestinians felt like they’d been thrown under the bus because the Abraham Accords gave them virtually nothing. But the Palestinians did still hold out hope that Saudi Arabia would be their savior. And for years, Saudi Arabia has said that Israel must give the Palestinians a state if there’s going to be a normal relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Palestinians see the Saudis in discussions with the US and Israel about a normalization agreement, and there appears to be very little on offer for the Palestinians. And they are feeling like they’re going to be left out in the cold here.

Right. And in the minds of the Palestinians, having already been essentially sold out by all their other Arab neighbors, the prospect that Saudi Arabia, of all countries, the most important Muslim Arab country in the region, would sell them out, had to be extremely painful.

It was a nightmare scenario for them. And in the minds of many analysts and US officials, this was a factor, one of many, in Hamas’s decision to stage the October 7th attacks.

Hamas, like other Palestinian leaders, was seeing the prospect that the Middle East was moving on and essentially, in their view, giving up on the Palestinian cause, and that Israel would be able to have friendly, normal relations with Arab countries around the region, and that it could continue with hardline policies toward the Palestinians and a refusal, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said publicly, to accept a Palestinian state.

Right. So Michael, once Hamas carries out the October 7th attacks in an effort to destroy a status quo that it thinks is leaving them less and less relevant, more and more hopeless, including potentially this prospect that Saudi Arabia is going to normalize relations with Israel, what happens to these pre-October 7th negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel?

Well, I think there was a snap assumption that these talks were dead and buried. That they couldn’t possibly survive a cataclysm like this.

But then something surprising happened. It became clear that all the parties were still determined to pull-off the normalization.

And most surprisingly of all, perhaps, was the continued eagerness of Saudi Arabia, which publicly was professing outrage over the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks, but privately was still very much engaged in these conversations and trying to move them forward.

And in fact, what has happened is that the scope of this effort has grown substantially. October 7th didn’t kill these talks. It actually made them bigger, more complicated, and some people would argue, more important than ever.

We’ll be right back.

Michael, walk us through what exactly happens to these three-way negotiations after October 7th that ends up making them, as you just said, more complicated and more important than ever?

Well, it’s more important than ever because of the incredible need in Gaza. And it’s going to take a deal like this and the approval of Saudi Arabia to unlock the kind of massive reconstruction project required to essentially rebuild Gaza from the rubble. Saudi Arabia and its Arab friends are also going to be instrumental in figuring out how Gaza is governed, and they might even provide troops to help secure it. None of those things are going to happen without a deal like this.

Fascinating.

But this is all much more complicated now because the price for a deal like this has gone up.

And by price, you mean?

What Israel would have to give up. [MUSIC PLAYING]

From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, you have an Arab population that is furious at Israel. It now feels like a really hard time to do a normalization deal with the Israelis. It was never going to be easy, but this is about as bad a time to do it as there has been in a generation at least. And I think that President Biden and the people around him understand that the status quo between Israel and the Palestinians is intolerable and it is going to lead to chaos and violence indefinitely.

So now you have two of the three parties to this agreement, the Saudis and the Americans, basically asking a new price after October 7th, and saying to the Israelis, if we’re going to do this deal, it has to not only do something for the Palestinians, it has to do something really big. You have to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, I’ll be specific and say that what you hear the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, say is that the agreement has to include an irreversible time-bound path to a Palestinian state.

We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it’s some kind of a firm commitment, the likes of which the world and certainly the Israelis have not made before.

Something that was very much not present in the pre-October 7th vision of this negotiation. So much so that, as we just talked about, the Palestinians were left feeling completely out in the cold and furious at it.

That’s right. There was no sign that people were thinking that ambitiously about the Palestinians in this deal before October 7th. And the Palestinians certainly felt like they weren’t going to get much out of it. And that has completely changed now.

So, Michael, once this big new dimension after October 7th, which is the insistence by Saudi Arabia and the US that there be a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state, what is the reaction specifically from Israel, which is, of course, the third major party to this entire conversation?

Well, Israel, or at least its political leadership, hates it. You know, this is just an extremely tough sell in Israel. It would have been a tough sell before October 7th. It’s even harder now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is completely unrepentantly open in saying that there’s not going to be a Palestinian state on his watch. He won’t accept it. He says that it’s a strategic risk to his country. He says that it would, in effect, reward Hamas.

His argument is that terrorism has forced a conversation about statehood onto the table that wasn’t there before October 7th. Sure, it’s always in the background. It’s a perennial issue in global affairs, but it was not something certainly that the US and Israel’s Arab neighbors were actively pushing. Netanyahu also has — you know, he governs with the support of very right-wing members of a political coalition that he has cobbled together. And that coalition is quite likely to fall apart if he does embrace a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state.

Now, he might be able to cobble together some sort of alternative, but it creates a political crisis for him.

And finally, you know, I think in any conversation about Israel, it’s worth bearing in mind something you hear from senior US officials these days, which is that although there is often finger pointing at Netanyahu and a desire to blame Netanyahu as this obstructionist who won’t agree to deals, what they say is Netanyahu is largely reflecting his population and the political establishment of his country, not just the right-wingers in his coalition who are clearly extremist.

But actually the prevailing views of the Israeli public. And the Israeli public and their political leaders across the spectrum right now with few exceptions, are not interested in talking about a Palestinian state when there are still dozens and dozens of Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza.

So it very much looks like this giant agreement that once seemed doable before October 7th might be more important to everyone involved than ever, given that it’s a plan for rebuilding Gaza and potentially preventing future October 7th’s from happening, but because of this higher price that Israel would have to pay, which is the acceptance of a Palestinian state, it seems from everything you’re saying, that this is more and more out of reach than ever before and hard to imagine happening in the immediate future. So if the people negotiating it are being honest, Michael, are they ready to acknowledge that it doesn’t look like this is going to happen?

Well, not quite yet. As time goes by, they certainly say it’s getting harder and harder, but they’re still trying, and they still think there’s a chance. But both the Saudis and the Biden administration understand that there’s very little time left to do this.

Well, what do you mean there’s very little time left? It would seem like time might benefit this negotiation in that it might give Israel distance from October 7th to think potentially differently about a Palestinian state?

Potentially. But Saudi Arabia wants to get this deal done in the Biden administration because Mohammed bin Salman has concluded this has to be done under a Democratic president.

Because Democrats in Congress are going to be very reluctant to approve a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

It’s important to understand that if there is a security agreement, that’s something Congress is going to have to approve. And you’re just not going to get enough Democrats in Congress to support a deal with Saudi Arabia, who a lot of Democrats don’t like to begin with, because they see them as human rights abusers.

But if a Democratic president is asking them to do it, they’re much more likely to go along.

Right. So Saudi Arabia fears that if Biden loses and Trump is president, that those same Democrats would balk at this deal in a way that they wouldn’t if it were being negotiated under President Biden?

Exactly. Now, from President Biden’s perspective, politically, think about a president who’s running for re-election, who is presiding right now over chaos in the Middle East, who doesn’t seem to have good answers for the Israeli-Palestinian question, this is an opportunity for President Biden to deliver what could be at least what he would present as a diplomatic masterstroke that does multiple things at once, including creating a new pathway for Israel and the Palestinians to coexist, to break through the logjam, even as he is also improving Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

So Biden and the Crown Prince hope that they can somehow persuade Bibi Netanyahu that in spite of all the reasons that he thinks this is a terrible idea, that this is a bet worth taking on Israel’s and the region’s long-term security and future?

That’s right. Now, no one has explained very clearly exactly how this is going to work, and it’s probably going to require artful diplomacy, possibly even a scenario where the Israelis would agree to something that maybe means one thing to them and means something else to other people. But Biden officials refuse to say that it’s hopeless and they refuse to essentially take Netanyahu’s preliminary no’s for an answer. And they still see some way that they can thread this incredibly narrow needle.

Michael, I’m curious about a constituency that we haven’t been talking about because they’re not at the table in these discussions that we are talking about here. And that would be Hamas. How does Hamas feel about the prospect of such a deal like this ever taking shape. Do they see it as any kind of a victory and vindication for what they did on October 7th?

So it’s hard to know exactly what Hamas’s leadership is thinking. I think they can feel two things. I think they can feel on the one hand, that they have established themselves as the champions of the Palestinian people who struck a blow against Israel and against a diplomatic process that was potentially going to leave the Palestinians out in the cold.

At the same time, Hamas has no interest in the kind of two-state solution that the US is trying to promote. They think Israel should be destroyed. They think the Palestinian state should cover the entire geography of what is now Israel, and they want to lead a state like that. And that’s not something that the US, Saudi Arabia, or anyone else is going to tolerate.

So what Hamas wants is to fight, to be the leader of the Palestinian people, and to destroy Israel. And they’re not interested in any sort of a peace process or statehood process.

It seems very clear from everything you’ve said here that neither Israel nor Hamas is ready to have the conversation about a grand bargain diplomatic program. And I wonder if that inevitably has any bearing on the ceasefire negotiations that are going on right now between the two of them that are supposed to bring this conflict to some sort of an end, even if it’s just temporary?

Because if, as you said, Michael, a ceasefire opens the door to this larger diplomatic solution, and these two players don’t necessarily want that larger diplomatic solution, doesn’t that inevitably impact their enthusiasm for even reaching a ceasefire?

Well, it certainly doesn’t help. You know, this is such a hellish problem. And of course, you first have the question of whether Israel and Hamas can make a deal on these immediate issues, including the hostages, Palestinian prisoners, and what the Israeli military is going to do, how long a ceasefire might last.

But on top of that, you have these much bigger diplomatic questions that are looming over them. And it’s not clear that either side is ready to turn and face those bigger questions.

So while for the Biden administration and for Saudi Arabia, this is a way out of this crisis, these larger diplomatic solutions, it’s not clear that it’s a conversation that the two parties that are actually at war here are prepared to start having.

Well, Michael, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

On Tuesday afternoon, under intense pressure from the US, delegations from Israel and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations over a potential ceasefire. But in a statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that even with the talks underway, his government would, quote, “continue to wage war against Hamas.”

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a dramatic day of testimony, Stormy Daniels offered explicit details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump that ultimately led to the hush money payment at the center of his trial. Daniels testified that Trump answered the door in pajamas, that he told her not to worry that he was married, and that he did not use a condom when they had sex.

That prompted lawyers for Trump to seek a mistrial based on what they called prejudicial testimony. But the judge in the case rejected that request. And,

We’ve seen a ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

In a speech on Tuesday honoring victims of the Holocaust, President Biden condemned what he said was the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States after the October 7th attacks on Israel. And he expressed worry that too many Americans were already forgetting the horrors of that attack.

The Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Clare Toeniskoetter, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for The Daily. I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Michael Crowley

Produced by Nina Feldman ,  Clare Toeniskoetter and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

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If and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a cease-fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East.

Michael Crowley, who covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times, explains why those involved in this plan believe they have so little time left to get it done.

On today’s episode

Michael Crowley , a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

Background reading :

Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza war are once again at an uncertain stage .

Here’s how the push for a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia looked before Oct. 7 .

From early in the war, President Biden has said that a lasting resolution requires a “real” Palestinian state .

Here’s what Israeli officials are discussing about postwar Gaza.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Michael Crowley covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times. He has reported from nearly three dozen countries and often travels with the secretary of state. More about Michael Crowley

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