Hats off to Lil Nas X. Cowboy hats, that is.With his debut EP, the Atlanta native let the world know that “Old Town Road” was not a one-hit wonder. Yes, the smash of all smashes remains #1 for its 12th week straight, but there is some solid stuff on this release!“Old Town Road” is undoubtedly the song of the summer. It’s a lot of fun. It’s different and it blurs lines. Lil Nas X had a vision for this track and defied the odds, breaking through despite buying the beat for $30 off of a website called BeatStars. The EP, 7, is stronger than you might think. It manages to reflect the cultural moment that initially launched him while still taking risks. He blends alt-rock, pop, rap, country, and trap. He leveraged his momentum to collab with heavy hitters like Cardi B, Ryan Tedder, and Travis Barker, but had the wherewithal to get beats from buzzy young producers Take A Daytrip, who produced the platinum breakouts for Sheck Wes and JUICE Wrld.I loved the “Old Town Road” performance at the BET Awards with Billy Ray Cyrus. The set was a saloon, they rode in on horses, and they mixed in a country jig. After the awards, "Old Town Road" became the longest-running Hot 100 #1 hip-hop single of all time, tying "Boom Boom Pow". Beyond this, it is easy to see the song's impact culturally, as there were a bunch of wannabe Lil Nas Xs walking around the crowd.It’s amazing to see a new artist defy genres and culture. The newest crop of artists seems hellbent on this approach and I am so, so here for it. Plus, who are we kidding? It’s flat out fun to wear cowboy boots and square dance in a night club. I don’t know about you, but whether he's here for a good time or a long time, I’m down to ride until I can’t no more.
BEATS
NYT Adidas Report Reveals the Insane Bank Kanye West Makes from YEEZYWhen the New York Times published its damning profile yesterday, much of the attention centered on Adidas’ lack of diversity among its employees. However, the report also included small details pertaining to Kanye West’s relationship with the brand, which seemed to slip under the radar. (Highsnobiety)
The Rolling Stones on How They Craft the Perfect Set ListWhat’s Keith’s favorite show-opener? Why doesn’t Mick like playing “Beast of Burden?” The band shares how they plan a gig ahead of their U.S. tour launch. (Rolling Stone)
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Says Artists May Get Paid Better Using Facebook’s Cryptocurrency, the LibraSeveral days ago, confirming a previously leaked report, Facebook unveiled its new cryptocurrency project, the Libra, which Spotify readily supported. The subsidiary will provide financial services, allowing Facebook’s 2.4 billion users and others to access and participate in the Libra network. (Digital Music News)
Best Music Streaming Service of 2019: Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon and Google Play ComparedMusic streaming is cheap -- or in the case of Pandora or Spotify even free -- and is more convenient than any physical format. Most services advertise catalogs of over 40 million songs, but each has unique pros and cons besides how many songs you won't be listening to. This guide details the top, on-demand music streaming options. (CNet)
Fortnite Superstar Ninja and DJ Marshmello are Headlining a Gaming and Music Festival in Las VegasThe next big act for Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, the Fortnite star and Twitch streamer, is headlining a music festival. Well, to be clear, it’s both a music and a gaming festival, a unique hybrid experience in Las Vegas dubbed Metarama. (The Verge)
That Glitchy Music Video on YouTube? It’s Getting an UpgradeThe streaming service and Universal Music Group have teamed up to revamp more than 1,000 videos from artists including Lady Gaga, Tom Petty, Billy Idol and the Spice Girls. (The New York Times)
Sprite Spotlights Rising Hip-Hop Artists In Its New ‘Thirst for Yours’ CampaignSprite is launching a new advertising campaign to highlight rising stars in the hip-hop community — and further tap into an extremely lucrative demographic. The new ‘Thirst For Yours’ campaign is a multi-year platform designed to highlight musicians, designers, artists, photographers, and more. (Digital Music News)
Revolution Rave: How Dance Music Changed South Africa Kwaito is the crown jewel of South African creativity and ingenuity. While the country was ravaged by sanctions, the cultural isolation felt by the youth gave way to a revolution unlike previously seen in music. (Afropunk)
The Hologram Concert Revolution is Here, Whether You Like it or NotMeet the company touring Whitney Houston and Buddy Holly. Base Hologram has made its mission clear: create premium holographic shows. But will the ethical questions surrounding holograms keep it from success? (Fast Company)
The Jonas Brothers Unveil a Vinyl Subscription Club — Starting at $399 The Jonas Brothers go vinyl. Instead of unveiling a box set a la Brooks, the Jonas Brothers have introduced a new – albeit incredibly costly – vinyl subscription club. (Digital Music News)
BYTES
On the latest People's Party, Kweli sits down with sports journalist and former ESPN host Jemele Hill to discuss her role with LeBron James’ “Shut Up And Dribble” documentary, Shaq and Kobe’s rap careers, and unapologetically calling Donald Trump a white supremacist.
Question “what’s the cypher no one would see coming?” Answer: one with Rafael, UTK & Daveed Diggs, but then with Keanu-Reeves-punching Randall Park and the anyway’ stylings of Wayne Brady.
AmpMe™ is the record breaking #1 iPhone music syncing app that boosts the sound of your music by syncing it with all of your friends’ phones, bluetooth speakers, desktops and laptops for free.
CityFM is a new show about music in NYC w/hosts D-Stroy Melendez & Navani Otero. Episode 3 is here! Do It Yourself! This CityFM is all #DIY. Guests include Jim Dier , LION BABE and J. G. Thirlwell.
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!