The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff. It was intended to help revitalize lower Manhattan after the September 11th attacks. The original plan was for a one-time event, but it became an annual tradition.Every year, it features important cultural moments, screenings, and discussions. It’s a tentpole in my calendar.After Covid, my mindset about going out changed. My motto is go big or stay home, and I really love being a homebody. I prioritize sleep. I want to feel good when I wake up, because mornings are my most productive hours. I like to write. I like to read. I like to think.These days, we can watch anything from our finger tips on demand. But I’m a firm believer that being in the right room or at the right event not only breeds camaraderie, builds community, and limits isolation, but can also lead to life-changing encounters and connections. Certain events, parties, and conferences can be portals to new worlds. Tribeca always has that gravitas.I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been, how many awesome premieres I’ve seen, and how many amazing rooms I’ve been in. Tribeca has never reached top tier international film festival status, but it always does a good job of curating relevant pieces and figuring out how to cut through the noise with big moments. It does this especially well when tapping into music.Opening night is always a spectacle: from Nas’ Documentary “Time Is Illmatic” in 2011, to Clive Davis’ "The Soundtrack to our Lives” in 2017. I love opening night. The afterparty is always one of the most memorable nights of the year.This year opened at The Beacon with the new Billy Joel film, And So It Goes, which will be released in two parts on HBO in July. On Saturday, I spent a few hours at the hub at Spring Studios where I saw Mark Ronson and Wyclef Jean trade exciting stories that I’ve never heard. It was a fun format: the two of them storytelling with instruments in hand, sharing very inside, behind-the-music anecdotes like this, but backing it with real music demos and samples.After that, I got to enjoy a series of music videos from the likes of Talking Heads, Freddie Gibbs, LL Cool J, and Kid Cudi. Afterwards, Cudi did a Q&A that left me feeling inspired.This Friday, Slick Rick and Idris Elba are premiering their new project, VICTORY, at SVA Theatre at 6pm. This will coincide with Rick’s highly anticipated first album in 26 years that also comes out that day. The album is executive produced by Idris and is being distributed by Nas’ label, Mass Appeal. I’ve been close with Rick and his wife/manager, Mandy, for years and had a hand in setting this up with them and Tribeca. I’m excited for the world to get their first taste of this body of work ahead of the rolling releases and content we’ll deliver over the course of this year and beyond.This Friday is the only place you’ll be able to see the full visual in its entirety until it’s released down the line. I used to love the days when I’d go to a Tribeca film premiere and that night at the afterparty, the producers were hard negotiating distribution rights in between kissing family members’ cheeks to celebrate the premiere. The business has changed drastically with streaming and unlimited access points, but you never know what can happen on any given night in a room like this.Tickets are still available as of today but this will sell out.
BEATS
Jack in the Box partners with recording artist T-Pain for late-night Gaming Munchie Meal"Late nights are when I'm at my most creative — whether I'm in the studio or gaming with my crew," T-Pain said in the press release. "Jack has always been the spot for those sessions. This Munchie Meal hits every craving when I'm up all night chasing wins," (QSR).
Britney Spears announces surprise collab with Balenciaga — including four-figure merchThe 12-piece ready-to-wear and accessories collection — which was unveiled as part of the fashion house’s “Exactitudes” spring 2026 lookbook — runs the gamut from a cropped graphic tee ($795) with an throwback photo of Spears baring her abs and thong to a studded black baseball cap ($1,250) that reads “Britney” in blue (Page Six).
Michael Sugar on the next frontier of brands and contentThe Oscar-winning producer, talent manager, and cofounder of Sugar23 talks about a new model for brands to become full-fledged creators of long-form film and TV programming (Mckinsey).
Run-D.M.C.’s ‘It’s Like That’ Reimagined By LEGO & Global Girls Crew as Women Empowerment AnthemRun-D.M.C.’s “It’s Like That” has been reimagined into a girl power anthem thanks to LEGO Group and Global Girls Crew. With shows like Bob the Builder and gender norms typically aligning males with construction, “She Built That” looks to challenge the status quo and show that girls can do it too (Billboard).
Latin beats, rap vibes and club pride to set the stage at Opening CeremonyWith just over a week to go, the countdown is officially on. Before the ball gets rolling in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ curtain-raiser between Al Ahly FC and Inter Miami CF, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will erupt with colour, rhythm and pure football passion (FIFA).
ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus Is Working on Musical Using AI: ‘Such a Great Tool’ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus is working on a new musical using artificial intelligence. According to Variety, during a talk at SXSW London on Wednesday (June 4), the 80-year old Swedish pop legend said he’s tapping into AI because he believes it is an excellent creative tool (Billboard).
Timbaland’s New Artist Is Young, Photogenic — and Not HumanLegendary producer Timbaland has taken his fervent embrace of AI music production to a new level, launching a new AI entertainment company, Stage Zero — and an AI-generated “artist,” TaTa, who will be dropping a debut single soon (Rolling Stone).
Emerging markets, superfans, and price rises: 7 takeaways from Goldman Sachs’ new ‘Music in the Air’ reportThe 91-page research paper, released today (June 3), provides insights into streaming growth, price strategies, emerging markets, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the music business (Music Business Worldwide).
NBA Taps Unreleased Lil Wayne Track Featuring Bono to Kick Off Pacers vs. Thunder FinalsLil Wayne is preparing to drop his hotly anticipated new album, Tha Carter VI, due for release tomorrow (June 6). Fans have waited eagerly for the album, and now they’ve been treated to a taste, just ahead of release (Digital Music News).
Benson Boone Tried to Start a TikTok Trend, Ended With People Screaming ‘I Hate Benson Boone’When it comes to social media, you can never control the story. Benson Boone learned that lesson the hard way. During his Wednesday night appearance on “The Tonight Show,” the singer told Jimmy Fallon about how his plan to get some social buzz for one of his songs backfired in a major way (The Wrap).
With Help From Post Malone, Stanley 1913 Wants to Show It Sells More Than Cups When its 40-Quencher tumblers became the reusable water bottle of choice among influencers, Stanley 1913 devised a product and marketing strategy to help transcend its blue-collar and outdoor roots and target women and Gen Zers (Adweek).
BYTES
"The Jaded Avengers" featuring Wale — the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast just dropped exclusively on Patreon. This one's packed with raw takes, real talk, and Wale bringing the heat.
The Hamilton original cast reunion at the Tony Awards lit up the stage with nostalgia and star power, reminding everyone why the groundbreaking musical became a cultural phenomenon.
In a bold blend of culture and cash, Cash App and multi-hyphenated artist, entrepreneur, actor and fashion icon A$AP Rocky are teaming up to give back to fans. On Friday June 6, select Cash App Afterpay customers will be randomly chosen to have up to $200 of their Afterpay balance paid off — a total of $1 million in surprise offers.
Lil Wayne is back — Tha Carter VI has officially arrived, marking the next chapter in the legendary series that helped shape the sound of a generation.
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!