POPSTAR AI and the "Lil Ney" edit: what it is and how to make it
Where the POPSTAR AI trend comes from, what Neymar's "Lil Ney" post started, which part of the DJ Khaled and Drake video it uses, and how to make yours from one photo.
After Burning Bridges, POPSTAR is the second Drake music video that people are putting themselves into with AI. This one comes from a 2020 video, and it took off again in October 2026 thanks to a footballer. Here is where it comes from, what "Lil" means in the captions, and how to make your own version.
POPSTAR is a DJ Khaled song featuring Drake
POPSTAR is DJ Khaled's single featuring Drake. The official video came out on September 4, 2020 on DJ Khaled's YouTube channel. It runs just over eight minutes and was directed by Director X. Its joke is in the setup: Drake doesn't want to shoot the video, so Justin Bieber takes his place and lip-syncs Drake's verse while strutting around a mansion with security in tow.
That's why the trend counts as a Drake AI video even though Drake isn't the one walking the hallway. You're stepping into the part Drake handed off.
What the "Lil Ney" edit is
On October 2, 2026, Neymar posted his own version of the POPSTAR walk on Instagram, playing Bieber's part in a Brazil training top, and captioned it "Lil Ney". Brazilian outlets including CNN Brasil picked it up, and the format spread from there.
The caption is now part of the trend. People post their version as "Lil" plus their own name, like Lil Sam or Lil Maya. If you see "Lil" and a name over a mansion hallway with two security guards behind, it's this.
The POPSTAR scene the AI trend uses
The part everyone recreates is one continuous shot, about 2:54 to 3:18 in the video. Bieber walks down a wooden hallway with his arms spread wide, two guards in black SECURITY tees behind him. He picks up a bottle of champagne and heads down a glass staircase, filmed from below through the glass. He passes a wall of four pop-art portraits and arrives downstairs, where a crowd is dancing.
Our POPSTAR template uses the first 15 seconds of that shot:
| In the 15-second clip | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0–8 s | The arms-wide walk in from the doorway, the guards falling in behind |
| About 8 s | The champagne bottle comes up |
| About 12–15 s | The glass staircase and the first steps down |
Why our POPSTAR AI video skips the portrait wall
Some tools promise that the four portraits on the wall will show your face. We tested that stretch too, and it didn't hold up. The video model repainted the portraits as the same unfamiliar man every time, whoever was in the photo. With a woman's photo, the wall still showed a man. Leaving it in would also have risked the original performer's face showing up on the wall.
So the template stays on the hallway walk, the part people recognize from the "Lil Ney" post. The guards and the bottle are there, the lead is you, and nobody else's face sneaks in.
How to make your own POPSTAR AI video
- Pick one photo. Use a clear, front-facing shot of yourself, or of someone who agreed. Waist-up works best, because your outfit carries over into the hallway. The photo guide explains what to look for.
- Upload it on the POPSTAR AI page and press Make my video.
- Wait about 7 minutes. You can close the tab; the video lands in My videos.
- Post it as "Lil" plus your name.
You get a 15-second, 16:9 MP4 at 480P with the song and no watermark. It costs 150 credits; the smallest pack is $9.90 for one video. If generation fails, the credits go back automatically.
POPSTAR AI vs Burning Bridges AI
Both are one-photo Drake AI video templates on this site, and they cost the same. The difference is the scene:
- POPSTAR AI: a confident walk with security behind you. It suits a "main character" post.
- Burning Bridges AI: the chandelier party, with a point into the crowd, a raised cup and a wave. It suits a night-out post. The Burning Bridges meaning post breaks that scene down.
Photos of public figures, including footballers and musicians, aren't allowed on this site. The trend started with Neymar, but your version has to star you.
This site is independent and isn't affiliated with DJ Khaled, Drake, Justin Bieber, Neymar or their labels.
Make the POPSTAR video