We lost an icon this week.It’s so sad to hear about the sudden passing of Nispey Hussle, an artist, entrepreneur, and motivator in the truest sense of the word.Nispey transcended music. He transcended coasts. He was indie. He was classy. He crossed over. He was everywhere, always on point. His loss is downright maddening.When people say, “be the change you want to see in the world,” they mean be more like Nipsey Hussle. He stood for so much and was constantly doing good. His groundbreaking Vector90 project just launched. He will no doubt be a positive force of inspiration for decades to come.I feel for his family, his loved ones, and his team. Today we all must ask ourselves: What can I do to realize Nipsey Hussle’s vision?
BEATS
We Lost More Than a Rapper TodayAnd by all accounts, Nipsey Hussle was one of the best of us. Besides being an undeniably authentic rapper, he was a disruptor in the business of music, banking on himself by selling albums for $100 and for $1,000 each, respectively. (The Undefeated)
What Hip-Hop Gets Wrong About Master P and No LimitToday's artists want what Master P achieved, but they need to understand why his record label's strategy would be less effective today. (Trapital)
DJs Of The Future Don't Spin Records - They Write CodeRenick Bell is standing in front of his computer at a small table in the middle of the dance floor. The stoic, bespectacled musician types quickly and efficiently, his eyes locked to his computer screen. (Wired)
Data, Driven: Spotify Under Surveillance An academic team's look under the hood of the music-streaming giant arrives as worries over Silicon Valley snooping go mainstream. Angus Batey surveys the bookshop backlash against Big Tech. ( Theq Quietus)
Artiphon raises $2M round led by Warner MusicArtiphon, the startup behind the electronic instrument that it’s dubbed the Instrument 1, has raised $2 million in seed funding. (Tech Crunch)
The $1 Billion Waiting For Artists Who Know Where to Look SoundExchange pays out nearly $1 billion to musicians each year, but the lack of attention around it highlights the music industry’s overall disorganization. (Rolling Stone)
Travis Scott’s Astronomical Astroworld Owns Q1 “Travis is a rock star, there is no question,” says Cara Lewis, the agent extraordinaire who has helped guide Scott’s live career for the past five and a half years. She would know: Her stellar roster includes Chance the Rapper, Khalid and Eminem, another rock-star-like rapper, among others. (Pollstar)
‘Be Urself’: Meet The Teens Creating a Generation Gap in Music Instead of radio or the music press, today’s teens are discovering songs in the background of YouTube videos – creating a new breed of superstars unknown to adults. (The Guardian)
Welcome to the Age of Pop ‘Plagiarism’ Music is math. There are only so many notes in a scale, and only so many pleasing chord progressions to be created from combining them. (Vulture)
How Gen Z Artists Are Reshaping the Role of Video Games in Hip-Hop For decades, video games were treated on an uneven keel. Deemed escapism for socially impaired recluses, this stigma was reinforced by the media’s portrayal of gamers and asserted that no merit could be extracted from their titles. (High Snobiety)
Colonel Sanders at the Rave: Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Presence at Ultra Music Festival Was DisturbingAn example of commercial EDM at its flashiest, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival is a place where spectacle goes hand in hand with excess, and self-aggrandizement is a feature, not a bug. (Pitchfork)
Chaku Zulu Joins Spotify as Head of Artist & Talent RelationsWith management client Ludacris, the Atlanta music veteran co-founded Disturbing tha Peace Records in 1995. (Billboard)
BYTES
Singer and songwriter Mike Posner had the choice to devote himself to commercial success, or to go experience life on his own terms--to go inward explore the shadows of his own psyche and return to the masses with art from the depths.
With her debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? unleashed on Friday, pop sensation Billie Eilish is here with the music video to "bad guy" off of the project.
Stand out from the crowd and engage your followers with eye-catching Posts using your mobile device.
Logic has released the soundtrack to his new debut novel Supermarket. The album includes two songs produced by Mac DeMarco, “I’m Probably Gonna Rock Your World” and “Vacation From Myself.”
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!