Happy almost Memorial Day Weekend. May 31st is sure to kick off a Summer like no other.With markets roaring, prices rising, and so much up in the air, it’s going to be interesting to watch the most fortunate, vaccinated countries get back together post-Covid. Quarantine culture is nearly dead in New York and the pent up demand for travel, experiences, live music, and real-world connection is building. I can’t wait for my calendar to start percolating so I can see so many of you IRL again!But this weekend also marks the centennial of the “Black Wall Street” massacre of 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when more than 70 business in a prosperous Black neighborhood were destroyed in a 24-hour period. Hundreds of residents were killed and more than 1,250 homes were burned to the ground by a heavily armed white mob. It’s one of the worst stories in American history but it was nearly erased from the history books. Thankfully, the story of this tragic but pivotal event re-emerged over the last decade.Right before Covid hit, I visited Tulsa to meet a bunch of local creatives and witness the making of The Fire In Little Africa. The multimedia project and album is being released this week alongside a series of events in Tulsa.It’s hard to digest all of the hate that remains in the world. From police brutality and Asian hate to the oppression in the Middle East and the resulting rise in Anti-Semitism, it’s all incredibly sad.I’m hopeful that there is a path forward. There is so much evolution and growth happening but much of it is limited in reach. It’s scary how things can spiral out of control so fast just about anywhere on Earth.Music is a powerful medium carrying a message of peace, which is why projects like The Fire in Little Africa are so important.Music will help define The Summer of 2021; it will help us tell our story; and, hopefully, it will help us heal.
BEATS
OneOf Raises $63M in Seed Funding to Build Music NFT Platform on TezosMusic-focused non-fungible token (NFT) platform OneOf has raised $63 million to support what it calls its mission to become a more environmentally sustainable marketplace for artists and fans. Participating investors in the impressive seed funding round included environmental activist Bill Tai, Nima Capital’s Suna Said, Sangha Capital, tech investor Jack Herrick and the Tezos Foundation. (Coin Desk)
Jay-Z's Marijuana Business to Produce 900,000 Lbs of Cannabis in New DealJay-Z is gearing up to become an owner of California's largest cannabis producer after a series of multi-million-dollar transactions. Hov's The Parent Company -- which owns his Monogram cannabis brand -- made $67 million worth of transactions, including $50 million to acquire Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp., which is about to merge with Glass House Group in a deal worth $567 million. (VLAD TV)
Big Music Needs to Be Broken Up to Save the IndustryTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has shattered the music industry. By taking away live music for what will likely be 18 months or more, Covid has ended the revenue stream that animated an entire music ecosystem. This is particularly true for independent artists with few other means of making a living in today’s industry. Musicians lost two-thirds of their typical income in 2020. Live music revenue fell 85 percent. (Wired)
It’s #AmapianoSeason: Why South Africa’s House Spin-Off Will Be the Sound of SummerAs the UK starts to open up again and the faint calls of bars, clubs and rooftop parties get closer and closer, it’s time to wonder aloud what the sound of our summer will be. Could it be time for another season of jazz? With festivals primed for a comeback, perhaps big, raucous indie rock will dominate. (Independent)
The Ultimate Guide To The Creator EconomyThe COVID pandemic has propelled the Creator Economy into a new era, fuelled by the upward trend of people monetizing their passions to make a living. Last year, few European venture capitalists were focused on the Creator Economy space. Now, the majority of VCs we work with are pursuing deal flow in this booming sector. (Antler)
Rockstar Games Launches Record Label with Club Brand CircoLocoRockstar Games has launched a record label with club culture brand CircoLoco. Debuting with a series of EPs featuring tracks from the label’s forthcoming compilation album, CircoLoco Records will showcase contributions by artists who have played CircoLoco’s club nights over the past two decades, including parties at Ibiza’s DC10. (Music Week)
5 Reasons Your Brand Needs Its Own Spotify PlaylistWith so many businesses competing against each other in one market, it can be hard to make your brand stand out. Likewise, trying to make a statement on social media is becoming all too common. So what can you do to get attention? Music streaming services have been popular for years, but many seem to believe only major music and tech players can benefit from them — until now. (Entrepreneur)
Sync and the Uberization for the Music IndustryComposing and publishing music for film has long been a behind-the-scenes cash cow, helping to support composers, producers, and engineers in the music business. With the continued ‘uberization’ of the music business, however, this source of livelihood could be under threat. (Philippe-Aubert Messier)
Q+A: Are NFTs Changing The Business Of Art, Or Making A Parody Of It?While this has resulted in some wild speculation on some unusual — but entirely, verifiably original — digital creations, artists, designers and other sorts of creators are looking at NFTs as a viable way to retain some of the value of their creations once they have been released into the online wilderness. (Drexel News Blog)
.MUSIC Domain Moves Closer to Launch with ICANN AgreementThe .MUSIC Registry originally beat out other applicants including Amazon, Google, Donuts, Radix, MMX, GRS and Far Further to manage the .MUSIC domain. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the international organization responsible for managing and coordinating the Domain Name System (DNS). (Hypebot)
Fans Make It Possible, And We Have The Data To Prove ItWelcome to the first Fan Study from Spotify for Artists. We’ve analyzed millions of data points to uncover 15 new insights, each designed to help your team develop the fanbase you need to reach your goals. We’re finding that music is traveling farther and wider than ever before, and with it are a whole host of new opportunities for you to reach new fans. (Spotify)
Nas, Sacha Jenkins, Mass Appeal Team for ‘Hip Hop 50’ on Showtime Ahead of ‘the Biggest Birthday in the World’Hip-hop has grown from a party in a South Bronx basement to a global soundtrack over its 47-year run. And as it approaches the 50-year mark, some of the genre’s originators have made it their mission to ensure that the milestone is celebrated in a way befitting of its influence. (Variety)
We Have A Vision For A Billion-Dollar Balance Sheet Of Music Rights.Jason Peterson is talking, with tangible wonder, about Wim Hof, aka The Iceman. Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete, is famous for withstanding ridiculous, below-freezing temperatures – a feat he puts down to his own breathing technique, which enables him to hack his own nervous system, essentially telling it not to feel pain. (Music Business Worldwide)
How China's Club Scenes Adapted To Return Post LockdownAfter intensive, early lockdowns, China's events industry is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, with safety measures in place. Bruce Tantum speaks to a selection of DJs and clubs to hear how the scene has returned, with homegrown talent in the spotlight. (DJ Mag)
Snap Announces Story Studio, A New Standalone App To Edit StoriesStory editing tools are still in Snapchat — nothing is changing on this front. But if you’ve been creating content for Spotlight, a TikTok-like feed, or if you’re a Snap star, you may need more powerful editing tools. Many creators choose to edit their stories on a computer. (Tech Crunch)
BYTES
Bengreen Field touches on this topic with none other than Mike D, American rapper and one of the founding members of the Hip Hop group Beastie Boys. Mike talks about his physically demanding tour life and how meditation contributed to his newfound consciousness of health, his morning routine and how family time eradicates all the clutter.
Casper Caan just dropped his debut single “Last Chance”. The official music video is directed by Kosuke Sugimoto featuring an Anime inspired theme powered by Casper Caan’s silky vocals. “Last Chance” is written, produced and performed by Casper Caan. Watch the full video here.
Popparazzi has just one rule, “You can’t take selfies of yourself”. The app is aimed to include only photos of our friends, families and what they’re up to. As Josh mentions it, selfies are persona non grata. It differs from Instagram in ways such as Happy Haptic Onboarding Flow, no follower counts & limited photo editing features.
This hip hop project exists to educate and promote thriving local artists operating in the hip hop space as well as for representation for people who actually live, work and have experienced Tulsa. “Shining” is a great example of history influenced with Jazz, Horns, Bass and Beats reflected beautifully in the official video, which was shot in a Jazz club. Watch 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!