A long time ago, I made a commitment to myself that, when it comes to sports, I would not be a jack of all trades. My plan was to focus my athletic energy on the one sport I’d have the best shot at playing well for a long period of time.I know sports and I have my teams. I like going to games. But I love tennis. I love to play, to compete, to study, and to watch. And I love the lifestyle.Tennis bonds my family together. My parents, in their mid-seventies, play three times a week. I want to be like them.Tennis’ popularity is at an all-time high in America and has become increasingly stylish. There is a magic connection between the flamboyance of streetwear and tennis’ country club flair. Maybe it’s Tyler, The Creator; or Virgil x Serena; or Naomi Osaka; or Anna Wintour’s obsession with Roger Federer. Or maybe it’s the athleisure craze. Who knows? Whatever it is, it’s wicked hot on the court right now.This is not to suggest that tennis was ever truly niche. The U.S. Open draws the largest attendance of any sporting event in the country. It’s always fun and it’s always chic. But when it comes to new brands in the space, there aren’t many. I can’t tell you how hard it is to find a dope pair of summer tennis sneakers. The traditional equipment has been dominated by old school entities for a long, long time.It’s time for that to change. Brooklyn-based Furi is an American company with international appeal. Their racquets are the best I’ve ever swung and their vision is starting to take shape with the launch of their website this week.Furi is coming into the game at just the right time. They’ve got my attention and support, and this week we’re excited to offer a 20% discount for folks interested in checking out their wares. Use code BEATSANDBYTES at check out and make sure to let me know what you cop. Hit me up if you have questions or want to connect with the founders.
BEATS
Jay Z’s Roc Nation Makes Vr Move With Purchase Of Senso Tokens From $100M-backed Sensorium CorporationBLUSENSO tokens are the in-platform, Ethereum-based currency of Sensorium Galaxy, the still-unreleased social VR platform owned by $100m-backed Sensorium Corporation, which was founded in 2018 by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. The value of the purchase has not been disclosed. (MBW)
Emerging Markets May Be About To Change The Superstar Business Streaming (particularly via ad-supported and bundles) can monetise large-scale audiences in lower per-capita GDP markets. Suddenly population size matters, and emerging markets become the world’s largest addressable music audience. The emerging markets opportunity has the western music and investment sectors salivating, but there is another layer many have missed.
Hasbro Closes eOne Music Business Sale for $385MThe division was sold to entities controlled by Blackstone, which also own SESAC, a leading music rights organization purchased for a reported $1 billion in 2017. As part of the transaction, Entertainment One Canada has sold off the local music division of eOne. (Hollywood Reporter)
Heir to the Throne:An NFT in Celebration of JAY-Z's Reasonable Doubt 25th Anniversary by Derrick AdamsOn June 25, 1996, JAY-Z unleashed his platinum-plus debut album Reasonable Doubt, the searing autobiographical opus of a young kingpin from Brooklyn’s Marcy Houses as he stands on the precipice of surviving and – then - rewriting the game; upping lyrical antes across generations and genres; applying hustle to building empires; and unveiling an explosive new blueprint for greatness for the hip-hop world and beyond. (Sothebys)
Jay-Z and Jack Dorsey-Owned Music Streaming Service Could Feature NFTs and Smart ContractsSpeaking during a conference on Monday hosted on Twitter Spaces, the duo emphasized the importance of introducing features that empower the artists using the platform, citing smart contracts, NFTs and analytics tools as examples. (Coin Telegraph)
'This is my Full-time Job': How Twitch Became the Go-To Platform for Creators to Make MoneyAs Twitch celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, the streaming site has evolved from a platform primarily for gamers to one where creators, including musicians, can try to make a living and find success. (USA Today)
Twitter Debuts Two New Revenue Streams For ArtistsArtists will soon have two new ways to earn revenue from Twitter, with platform’s introduction of both Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces, each of which provides a way for artists (and Twitter) to profit off their biggest fans. (Hypebot)
Hit the Deck: The Cassette Tape Revival Is in Full SwingAs the decade-plus resurgence in vinyl sales continues, one thing that has become all too noticeable for buyers is the often steep price of being a vinyl snob. (Flood Magazine)
JAY-Z's Roc Nation School Announces New Media Courses, Including "Hood Marketing 101: How Blackness Is Bought"JAY-Z‘s Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment has officially launched a partnership with the globally known advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy to develop new courses for Fall 2021. (Hypebeast)
BYTES
Companies like Audio Up, which wrote a fictional origin story for Lava Records’ Hero the Band, want to take music podcasts and turn them into intellectual-property empires
Furi sport is a sports equipment and lifestyle products brand which was launched on June 23. Currently, their only focus is on Tennis, but they plan to expand to other sport formats. Their recent “WE DON'T PLAY” video is a celebration of the passionate NYC players they’ve come across along the way and celebrates New York City opening up.
To help promote more physical activity, A new app from a public agency in Barcelona, called Cool Walks, is different, letting users choose the shadiest route between two points on a hot summer day.
The Kick Back is a living breathing body of work that changes, adjusts & evolves as the summer progresses. The playlist features an eclectic mix of multi genre artists of 2021 with a “kick back” mood setting. The tracks range from classic Rock bands to Hip Hop & Dance and includes something for everyone. Enjoy the Kick Back vibrations. Listen to Nue Agency’s playlist on Spotify:
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!