How can you not be inspired by Kanye’s album roll out this week?!? Inspired and…confused? Aggravated? Disappointed?As spectators, we’ve been in a tough spot with Ye, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2017. As a culture, we are still not having an honest discussion about mental health or the severity and nuance of the disorders millions of people and artists face. As for the art, Kanye has been in a very creative zone and the Donda 2 promo has been well orchestrated. The album dropped on “Twosesday” (2/22/22), but only on the Kano Stem Player. It was accompanied by The Donda 2 Listening Experience at Miami’s LoanDepot Park on Tuesday night.The live event was chaotic but epic. It was well attended and star-studded. In the suites were superstars like Diddy, 2 Chainz, French Montana, Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Cordae, and a who’s who of Miami scenesters, cyrptoratti, and mega moguls including Elon Musk.The all-star performance ensemble featured Migos, Jack Harlow, Pusha T, Playboi Carti, Alicia Keys, and Fivio Foreign (who played my favorite song right now, the NYC anthem, “City of Gods”). The visually stunning show was executive produced by Future and choreographed by niche Manchester (UK) performance artist, Blackhaine. Kanye’s childhood home again took center stage, this time surrounded by water. I finally get what Kanye’s been doing in those Red Bird boots…At the merch booth, Kanye premiered the first collaboration between his GAP line and Balenciaga. This morning it became available online. All black everything (especially hoodies and fancy sweat pants) is about to be the look of the season for those hoping to replicate Ye’s energy.Despite my Miami address, I opted to sit out the show. I’m focused on livestream right now. And while the in-person event certainly seemed to live up to the moment, there’s no question that the livestream provided a clearer, better picture of what was going on. There are so many nuances and details in an event like this, it’s difficult to convey them all without a multi-screen social media and livestream account. This was truly a “full circle” hybrid event that delivered a top-rate stream for millions of viewers. It livestreamed on Amazon, YouTube, Instagram, and even in IMAX Theatres across the country, a dream of Kanye’s that he finally realized. You can still watch the stream online in its entirety.Now for the technological elephant in the room: the Stem Player. This innovative component to the album release made a massively bold statement to the major labels and DSPs. Donda 2 is not available on streaming platforms, full stop; it’s only available using Kanye’s very cool, new device that breaks songs down into different components (“stems”) so you can adjust the volume of the drums, vocals, and so on. Not only is the user experience very special, the business model cuts out the middle man and allows Kanye to sell directly to his fans. He claims to have made millions of dollars in a matter of hours.I don’t think the Stem Player provides a replicable model for other artists at this point, but that doesn’t mean it won’t spark change. Most fans lose on this as so few can afford it, but I doubt it will hurt Kanye in the long run. He has a knack for remaining hyper relevant, especially around releases.While Kanye’s Instagram theatrics have painted the picture of a man in need of support, his artistic output has continued to amaze. From clothing to technology to musical collaboration, Kanye is showing us again why he is the leading visionary of his generation.As if another album wasn’t enough, Ye’s visionary roots are on full display in the amazing Netflix documentary of his early years, Jeen-Yuhs. Produced by the mega-talented Coodie & Chike, the film provides deep context for Kanye’s creative identity. Surprisingly, so much of his vision from back then is still playing out now. His dreams ascend as he reaches new heights and I’m getting mighty comfortable with the idea of calling him the Michael Jackson or even better Steve Jobs or Walt Disney of his era. Few, if any, have as frequently forced us to ask the question, “What will he do next?”
BEATS
Making Stems StickKanye West’s new album has audio stems in the news. He’s part of a rising tide lifting boats like AudioShake, a startup founded by alums of Google and Plaid. (GQ)
The Co-Creator of Ye's Stem Player Explains Why It's a "Revolutionary Device" Donda 2 will be the first album of Ye’s to be released independently, and not under the umbrella of Def Jam/Universal Music Group. But the endgame here isn’t West’s own version of a digital streaming service; nothing Ye does is ever quite that obvious. (GQ)
How NFTs Could Redefine The Future Of The Music IndustryNFTs bring scarcity into music and gives musicians complete control over the subsequent ways in which their work is distributed, and the rights associated with it. (Venture Beat)
Headspace's Post-Valentine's Day Self-Care CampaignValentine's Day is over and John Legend can relax and focus on his own self-care. He's also helping Headspace subscribers get a good night's sleep by using his soothing voice to promote better sleep habits and self-love. (Muse by Clio)
Who Will Sponsor the Super Bowl Halftime Show Next Year? Pepsi’s Deal Ends 2022Pepsi has sponsored the Super Bowl Halftime Show for ten years now. But according to sources, Pepsi may not renew that sponsorship. The two sides are currently negotiating, but sources say they’re very far apart on price. Senior NFL officials are also engaging in talks for a sponsor replacement. (Digital Music News)
New Balance Signs Jack Harlow; Rapper To Debut New Performance Shoe At Celebrity All-Star GameAhead of dropping his new single, “Nail Tech,” Jack Harlow has signed with New Balance as the North American brand’s latest ambassador. (Sneaker News)
Ben Lovett’s Tvg Hospitality Raises $50M From Investors Including Irving Azoff, Coran Capshaw And Ryan TedderUK-born music venue developer and operator tvg hospitality has raised $50 million in new funding, to expand its team and venue portfolio in the UK and across the United States.Tvg was founded by Ben Lovett of Grammy-winning British band Mumford & Sons, along with his brother Greg Lovett, former Finance Director at Soho House. (Music Business Worldwide)
Justin Bieber Almost Single-Handedly Turned Around Tim HortonsCNN Digital Expansion 2016A limited-time donut hole line, called "Timbiebs Timbits" collection consisted of three donut flavors that was created by Bieber, including chocolate white fudge, sour cream chocolate chip, and birthday cake waffle, as well as branded merch. (CNN)
The Weeknd Set to Deliver Immersive Music Special ‘The Dawn FM Experience’ on Prime VideoAccording to Prime Video, The Dawn FM Experience will create a theatrical performance event that takes audiences to an “unnerving and moody world.” Even though this doesn’t provide much detail as to what we can expect from the special, it’s an interesting event for both fans and non-fans of The Weeknd to keep an eye on.
A Vibe Shift Is Coming Will Any of Us Survive It?A vibe shift is the catchy but sort of too-cool term Monahan uses for a relatively simple idea: In the culture, sometimes things change, and a once-dominant social wavelength starts to feel dated. (The Cut)
Deadmau5 Manager Dean Wilson Talks DAOs, NFTs, Crypto and How to Protect Your IP in Web3Dean Wilson and Joel Zimmerman (better known as the artist deadmau5) are established innovators on the fringe of music and technology. Wilson is Zimmerman’s longtime manager and the pair have been pushing, in lock step, the envelope of music production, performance and the relationship between artist and fan. (Variety)
Peloton Debuts ‘First Gaming-Inspired Experience,’ Lanebreak, With ‘Launch Partner’ Warner Music GroupPeloton unveiled the gaming-focused exercise program today. “Designed specifically” for the Peloton Bike+ and the Peloton Bike itself, Lanebreak prompts players to guide “a wheel-like avatar along a six-lane track,” the publicly traded company explained. (Digital Music News)
Universal Music Aims to Make Money in the Metaverse with NFTs of It’s ArtistsUniversal Music Group has struck a partnership with NFT platform Curio to develop non-fungible token (NFT) collections for its record labels and artists, the companies said on Thursday. (NY Post)
Snapchat Gets Into Concert Discovery With Ticketmaster DealSnapchat’s parent company Snap now has licensing deals with rightsholders to power a growing collection of music features in its app. Now it’s taking another step towards the music industry through a partnership with Ticketmaster. (Musically)
A Look at 2022: Community, Collaboration, and CommerceYouTube's Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan offers an inside look at this year's new products, tools, and features for our creators, viewers, and partners. (YouTube)
Music Industry Moves: Former Splice, SB Projects Execs Launch Crypto and Web3 Investment VentureThe booming sector of web3 technologies surpassed $25 billion in 2021, the same year Wave7 began its operations when it committed a seven-figure sum to provide seed capital to more than 30 early stage companies. (Variety)
Making TikTok Videos Leaves Musicians Feeling BurnoutUp-and-coming artist Chelsea Cutler sparked a debate about burnout in the music industry recently when she complained online about all the TikTok and Instagram posts she needed to do to promote her music. (WSJ)
Not Her ResponsibilityIn a world of Instagram-driven visual delights, namely the use of the female body to gain engagement and followers, Billie chose a completely contrary path. While indeed her underage-ness is a given factor, but she ultimately proved that her (and Finneas’!) artist talent and skill is so undeniable, so profound, she didn’t need to shed her baggy layers to grow the 100M+ followers she has on Instagram alone. (Justin Bolognino)
IMAX Looks Beyond Movies to Live EventsAs Kanye West thundered through “Black Skinhead” at the Los Angeles Coliseum in December as part of a benefit concert, young fans in the front row threw their bodies around in wild abandon. Others pumped their fists in the air and shouted along to the lyrics: “Pardon, I’m getting my scream on!” (NY Times)
BYTES
In this week's show, we have a hip hop legend, Bun B. Best known as one-half of the Southern rap duo UGK, Bun along with Pimp C formed UGK in the late '80s when their former crew, Four Black Ministers, fell apart. Based in Port Arthur, Texas, UGK signed with Jive, and with 1992's Too Hard to Swallow began a series of Southern gangsta rap albums that were successful sellers.
Kanye West’s “Donda Experience Performance” event, marking the premiere of his new album and Donda sequel Donda 2, took place on February 22 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. Billed as a “DONDA 2 listening and DONDA 1 performance” by West on Instagram, the event’s livestream happened at Imax theaters, on West’s Stem Player website, and on YouTube. (Pitchfork)
Check out this dope vinyl set up from Alex Bauer. Can't wait to see this technology hit the market.
The video for Jack Harlow’s new single ‘Nail Tech’ just dropped, and it features a few homages to Louisville. Read about all the Easter eggs here.
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!