Spring hasn’t quite sprung in NYC, but we don’t have that problem in my new hometown of Miami :)The Miami scene is going crazy right now. Miami Music Week, Miami Tech Month, and The Miami Tennis Open are all going down in the span of a couple weeks.But I’m really excited about the Miami NFT Conference on April 1st. NFTs continue to be one of the most exciting areas of growth in media, entertainment, and culture, and Miami is at the forefront. Let me know if you’re in town, as I’ll be at the conference most of the weekend – except when I head to FTX Arena for Bad Bunny on Saturday night. His Brooklyn show looked like the party of the year so far, so you can imagine what it’s going to feel like down here.Alas, I'm getting ahead of myself. Next week I’ll again brave the highs-in-the-40s for our next edition of NFTalks in NYC. This month we’re focused on the Water & Music team. I’ll be sitting down with music industry analyst, Cherie Hu, and the research team at her music/tech research DAO, Water & Music, as they discuss the state of DAO’s and Web 3.I’ve been a proud member of the Water & Music community since it was a Patreon newsletter. Naturally, Cherie and company have evolved with the times, forming a DAO not unlike the ones they tirelessly research. What they’re building and how they’re going about it is revolutionary for the music industry. Her databases, articles, and community-based research projects are the most robust, informative troves the business has seen in some time. Cherie is a seasoned writer who is clearly a music lover with tremendous business savvy. I’m looking forward to diving in with her, W&M head of events, Diana Gremore, and contributors Brett Kaminsky and Mary Maguire.This is a closed-door conversation that you don’t want to miss next Tuesday, March 29 @ 630PM in the LES. RSVP to [email protected] to confirm your slot.
BEATS
Kevin Gates’ 2013 Song “Thinking With My Dick” Reaches Billboard Hot 100 for 1st Time Ever After Viral TikTok BoostNearly ten years after its release, Kevin Gates’ 2013 track “Thinking With My Dick” featuring Juicy J hit No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. And yep, you guessed it, it’s all thanks to TikTok. (Complex)
Pharrell Williams Relaunches His Incubator For Black EntrepreneursFrom March 22 until May 8, Black Ambition, the 2021 World Changing Ideas winner for Impact Investing, will again accept applications for pitches from early-stage businesses in consumer products and services, healthcare, and technology, with new categories in media and entertainment and Web3. (Fast Company)
Michael Jordan And His Son Jeffrey Jordan's HEIR Platform Launches Debut NFT CollectionThe platform has dropped a debut collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) titled “6 Rings” reflecting Michael’s historic career in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, HYPEBEAST reports. (AfroTech)
How MGMT’s ‘Little Dark Age’ Became An Unstoppable TikTok MemeIn this case, “big” doesn’t really do justice to what’s been going on with “Little Dark Age” on TikTok, where users have made more than 5.5 million videos that weave the song into anime, superhero movies, video game clips and post-George Floyd social justice-themed content. (Spin)
Chloe x Halle Partner With Neutrogena, Ghetto Film School to Mentor Young FilmmakersChloe x Halle are championing emerging filmmakers through Neutrogena Studios’ First Frame Program, which released two short films — “En Avant” and “If My Voice Rang Louder Than My Skin” — on Thursday. (Variety)
ASAP Rocky Unveils His Blended Canadian Whiskey Brand Mercer + PrinceIn a statement shared Thursday, the Testing artist explained that the new blended Canadian whiskey—which marks a partnership with Global Brand Equities and E. & J. Gallo—brings together what he’s learned about the liquor during his global travels over the past decade. (Complex)
New Selena Album Uses Software To Artificially Age Singer's Childhood VoiceSelena Quintanilla, the Tejano pop star who died 27 years ago this month, is getting ready to release a new album. Or, well, a computerized version of her is, at least. (Input Mag)
Music Supervisors to Watch in 2022: From ‘Ted Lasso’ Team to ‘Sex Education’ SoundtrackerWhat qualities made the ideal synch last year? A gamut of tunes bounced around genres and included many classics of decades past, updated covers and offerings by new artists, as nominees for the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards. Keep your eyes and ears out for these names. (Variety)
SXSW 2022: The Coolest Things We SawIt's hard to be everywhere at South by Southwest, but that didn't stop us from trying. Rolling Stone's photographers spread out across Austin to document all the raw emotion left onstage. Our constantly updating gallery puts you in the club at SXSW. (Rolling Stone)
Universal’s Web3 Label 10:22pm Just Bought A Bored Ape NFT For Over $350,000… And Says It Will Serve As The Manager For Virtual Band, KingshipIn a press release announcing the purchase, UMG says that the female digital character, “named Manager Noët All”, will serve as the manager for 10:22PM’s virtual NFT band, KINGSHIP. (Music Business Worldwide)
Podcasts Have a Brand Problem, Not a Hit ProblemBrands are not just intellectual property. Brands are an irrational function of experience, community and communication that create a lasting impact on people. Brands hold slots in our lives — they are more than a product or an activity, they become a part of our lifestyle. (Nick Panama)
Verizon and Live Nation CEOs Announce New 5G PartnershipHans Vestberg, Verizon CEO, and Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment CEO, join ‘TechCheck’ to discuss the two company’s 5G partnership, the financial value of the partnership and more.
Bored Ape NFT DJ Duo Goes Hollywood With WME Talent AgencyThe talent agency WME—often considered one of the “big four” agencies in Hollywood along with CAA and others—has just signed the Bored Ape Yacht Club DJ duo ESCAPΞPLAN for all future bookings. The pseudonymous duo’s identities are represented by their Bored Ape NFTs. (Decrypt)
Pusha T’s New Diss Track Is an Arby’s Ad. Here’s Why He’s Laughing All the Way to the BankNearly 20 years ago, the rapper wrote the McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle. Now, he’s striking back with a wacky new commercial for a fast-food competitor. (Rolling Stone)
BYTES
During Lewis Howes and Scooter Braun’s conversation – in addition to business and investing tips – they cover how Scooter has overcome childhood trauma in recent years, what he’s had to heal from in order to love himself unconditionally, and why he never felt like he was “enough” before the last couple years.
Tyler, The Creator just dropped a new track from the I Know NIGO compilation album that will be released tomorrow.
An introduction and an attempt to provide a mass form of mentorship to give information and access to black POC and to all those that are interested. Giving all the ability to consider a step-by-step guide to building their brand based on my past experience.
Shenseea’s debut album Alpha will land at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart tomorrow. Though it could be considered a disappointing debut, the album picked up the best first-week numbers among Reggae/Dancehall albums since Popcaan’s FIXTAPE in 2020.
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!