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The Creative Class Honoree: Carl Chery
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Carl Chery The Grind: Creative Director, Head of Urban Music Find Him: @carlchery Carl Cherry knows music. He knows who is talented, what a hit sounds like and who’s up next before most people even know an artist exists. It’s why Apple Music hired him as Head of Curation, and why Spotify snatched him up and hired him as Head of Urban. Carl’s ear for Hip Hop and R&B in particular, is enviable. At Spotify, part of his job is curating Rap Caviar, a highly coveted playlist for artists and music fans alike. Thanks to Chery, who has described the playlist as “aspirational”, RC isn’t just a party, it’s a career changer. While most people in the industry rely on titles and places of employment to get them ahead, Chery is different. If you take a look at hi...
Hip Hop Wired: iOne Digital’s Creative Class 2020
Source: iOne Digital / other Creativity must be encouraged, harnessed and celebrated—always. This year, each of Hip-Hop Wired’s picks for iOne Digital’s Creative Class all have one thing in common: They’ve actively pushed culture forward. These leaders have each carved out careers dedicated to impacting lives by innovating and charging ahead in their respective fields. The 2020 honorees include Dr. Sunyatta Amen, founder of wellness brand Calabash Tea & Tonic; rappers Flo Milli, Substantial, and Guapdad 4000 and Spotify executive Carl Chery. Despite a tumultuous year, each has managed to continue being a light for many during dark times. Find out more about Hip Hop Wired’s honorees here. Source: iOne Digital / other Source: iOne Digital / other Source: iOne Digital / other Source...
The Creative Class Honoree: Substantial
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Substantial The Grind: Rapper, educator and entrepreneur Find Him: @substantialmusic Substantial is both thoughtful and intentional with his words, two hallmarks of a champion rapper and wordsmith, and a credit to his name. What he says carries weight, and aligns with him being tapped as an instructor at Omega School, and business mentor in the company he owns with his wife, Substantial Art and Music. His journey in the music industry has largely been shaped from learning the inner workings of the business, valuing checks over clout and legacy building over instant gratification—evidenced by the fact that he owns over 90% of his catalog. His latest release, Dirty Sneakers, has made inroads on the charts and adds to his impressive body of work, which bo...
Joe Exotic Asks Kim Kardashian to Help Him Get a Presidential Pardon
Imprisoned Tiger King star Joe Exotic is looking to fellow reality TV star Kim Kardashian for assistance in obtaining a presidential pardon. In case you didn’t get a chance to watch the viral Netflix series, Exotic, aka Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, has been locked up since April 2019 after being convicted of trying to hire a hitman to kill his nemesis, Carole Baskin, as well as 17 counts of animal abuse. The Tiger King series ends with Exotic insisting his innocence over jail phone calls, and shortly after the show aired, Exotic stated his intention to issue a formal pardon request to Donald Trump, who Exotic donated to during his 2016 campaign in hopes of meeting the then-candidate. Trump promised to “take a look” at a pardon request, so back in September, Exot...
Australia’s Skegss Dissect the Origins of New Song “Wake Up”: Stream
In our new music feature Origins, artists dissect the influences that led to their latest single. Today, Skegss gently ask us to “Wake Up”. We all have that little voice in our head giving us advice or warnings, but it’s not always easy to listen to it. That’s because it’s usually not alone; the opinion of the world around us is always cross-talking, trying to drown out our own thoughts. On their new single “Wake Up”, Australian trio Skegss gently remind us that it’s okay to block out the chatter and heed your own conscience. Sounding like War Elephant-era Deer Tick with a surfy, garage rock edge, “Wake Up” rests on heavy piano notes and a strumming guitar. It comes together as a gentle reassurance, over which vocalist Ben Reed sings, “Been sifting out the dirt in the ground/ I’ve be...
PJ Harvey Announces Is This Desire? Vinyl Reissue, Shares Unearthed Video for “Angelene”: Watch
PJ Harvey has announced a vinyl reissue for her 1998 album Is This Desire?, the latest release as part of her year-long archival campaign. To accompany today’s news, she’s unearthed a previously unreleased music video for the album’s opening track, “Angelene”, as well as a demo version of the same song. So far this year, Harvey has reissued 1992 Dry, 1993’s Rid of Me, 1995’s To Bring You My Love, and 1996’s Dance Hall at Louise Point. As with these other release, Is This Desire? will come paired with a companion demo album. In a statement, director Maria Mochnacz said the video for “Angelene” was originally made 21 years ago, but was ultimately shelved. “We used a combination of video/16ml film and medium format Polaroids, curtains as backdrops to look like a ...
SEETHER’s SHAUN MORGAN Says He Is Facing An ‘Existential Crisis’ As A Touring Musician Amid Pandemic
During an appearance on the “Hardcore Humanism With Dr. Mike” podcast, SEETHER frontman Shaun Morgan spoke about how he has been dealing with his band’s inability to tour amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said (hear audio below): “It’s just been a very trying time to feel like my entire livelihood has been taken away from me. And that’s obviously due to the reasons we all know, but it’s been such an interesting thing to understand. For example, there’s no guarantee, as of right now, that we’re gonna go back to work next year. They’re saying [tentatively] that there will be chances of touring, but there’s a very good chance there’s another year that’s gonna go by where we’re not gonna be able to tour. So tha...
NITA STRAUSS Partners With LEVY’S For Signature Guitar Strap
Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, has teamed up with Levy’s to launch her signature guitar strap. Handcrafted in Nova Scotia, Canada, the two-inch-wide, one-ply woven polyester strap is adjustable from 35 inches to 60 inches, featuring a black-and-gold Baroque design with a swirl icon and Strauss‘s signature embossed on the front leather end. “I’m so excited to officially launch my signature strap during the holiday season,” Strauss said. “Levy’s has been crafting straps for over 40 years and I’m proud to be a part of the Levy’s family.” The Nita Strauss signature strap is available now for $37.49 from LevysLeathers.com. Strauss has been playing with Alice Cooper since 2014 when she rep...
AWAY Says Next VOIVOD Album ‘Might Not’ Follow Same Musical Direction As ‘The Wake’
In a new interview with the “Aftershocks” podcast, VOIVOD drummer Michel “Away” Langevin was asked if he and his bandmates were surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to their last studio album, 2018’s “The Wake”. He responded (see video below): “We learned not to expect anything. But we worked a lot on it, so we knew that it was very good vintage VOIVOD with a new twist, in a way. “When it came out, we started a tour in Europe, so we were in Romania when it came out, and as soon as the album came out, the clubs got really packed everywhere,” he continued. “It was very instantaneous. All of a sudden, we had a very great buzz, and we just surfed on it for almost two years. And we ended up winning a Juno [award, the...
TESLA Has ‘Tons’ Of Unreleased Material For Potential Box Set: ‘I Want It To Come Out One Day,’ Says BRIAN WHEAT
Brian Wheat says that there is “tons” of unreleased material from TESLA that he would like to make available to the fans. The bassist, who is promoting his upcoming autobiography, “Son Of A Milkman: My Crazy Life With Tesla”, told LiveSigning earlier today (Wednesday, December 9): “We’ve been trying to put out a box set for several years. But there’s a question as to who has the ownership of it, whether is us or Universal. So we came close to trying to put something out for the 25th anniversary, which was gonna be a box set, and it kind of stalled. Now, when this COVID thing goes over, or whatever, we’ll maybe go back to them and try to come up with a deal that’s good for both parties — the band and [the label]. But yeah, there’s ...
Here Are the Lyrics to Justin Bieber’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’
Check out the lyrics below. Rockin’ around the Christmas treeAt the Christmas party hopMistletoe hung where you can seeEvery couple tries to stop Rockin’ around the Christmas treeLet the Christmas spirit ringLater we’ll have some pumpkin pieAnd we’ll do some caroling You will get a sentimental feeling when you hearVoices singing, “Let’s be jollyDeck the halls with boughs of holly” Rockin’ around the Christmas treeHave a happy holidayEveryone dancing merrilyIn the new old fashioned way You will get a sentimental feeling when you hearVoices singing, “Let’s be jollyDeck the halls with boughs of holly” Rockin’ around the Christmas treeLet the Christmas spirit ringLater we’ll have some pumpkin pieAnd we’ll do so...
Here Are the Lyrics to Carrie Underwood’s ‘Favorite Time of Year’
Check out the lyrics below. yeah Break out the tinselUnpack the lightsWe’re about to bring on the merry and brightI hear those jingleBells in the airRinging out the sound of joy everywhere ‘Tis the season we’ve been waiting for(Waiting, don’t keep me waiting)Can’t you feel it knocking at your door?(Knock knock, it’s knocking at your door) Love pouring out like the snow from the skySnuggled up together sitting by the fireOh, it’s magical, it’s my favorite timePretty little wishes tied up in a bowAnd every little kiss is like we’re underneath the mistletoeIt’s music to my earsChristmas is my favorite time of year Stockings on chimneysAngels on the treesSugar and cinnamonIt’s the little thingsBlankets and moviesIn black and whi...
