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Universal Music Opens First-Ever Offices in Israel and Morocco
The new outposts, in Tel Aviv and Casablanca, continue the arms race among the labels of overseas resources sniffing for new talent. After broadening its footprint in Asia in 2019, Universal Music is continuing its global expansion with new offices in Israel and Morocco, marking the label as the first major music company to open standalone operations in either country. The new outposts in the Middle East and North Africa will add to UMG’s existing network of A&R and marketing in more than 60 countries. UMG Morocco will be based in Casablanca, while the Israel office will operate out of Tel Aviv. The moves come one month after Universal officially opened a new hub for hip-hop label Def Jam Africa based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lagos, Nigeria. And the push into North Africa and...
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ill.GATES on Racial Injustice, SummerEyes Festival, and New Single “Trapezoid” [Q&A + Premiere]
Veteran producer ill.GATES has established himself as a vital figure in the bass community, consistently using his music and platform to help artists learn and do more. However, while working in the studio last week, ill.GATES, A.K.A. Dylan Gates, found himself in a position where he was admittedly afraid to speak up. “I’d been taking a break from the news when everything popped off,” Gates told EDM.com amid current nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer. “The day [of Floyd’s death,] I wasn’t really online much [because] I was focusing on my work,” said Gates. “[My friend Joy] called me up and basically said, ‘Dylan, you have all these political samples in your music, but you’re not usin...
Listen to a Preview of Calvin Harris and Steve Lacy’s Forthcoming Single “Live Without Your Love”
On May 28th, 2020, Calvin Harris took to Instagram to share a handwritten letter from Defected Records founder Simon Dunmore, who respectfully declined to sign Harris’ demo. Dunmore, however, was impressed by the young Harris, whose “production and ideas” were lauded as “excellent” considering he was a teenager at the time. Fast-forward almost 21 years later, when Calvin Harris was finally able to etch his name into the fabled Defected Records annals. Harris’ forthcoming single “Live Without Your Love,” a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer and guitarist Steve Lacy, is due out on June 26th, and it is sounding like an instant classic. In a preview that was recently uploaded to Beatport, you can hear a snippet o...
Black Caviar Drop Intoxicating House Anthem “Stacks On My Feet”
Red-hot production duo Black Caviar are back with their latest anthem, the intoxicating house jam “Stacks On My Feet.” The bouncy single, which arrived on Tchami‘s Confession banner on June 14th, 2020, only reinforces the New York-based tandem as one of the fastest rising acts in house music. “Stacks On My Feet” is a masterfully produced house song that features an earworm of a vocal refrain, which is clearly influenced by Black Caviar’s penchant for hip-hop. If the nation’s clubs and pools weren’t shut down due to the impact of COVID-19, the single would be an absolute weapon, and one of those “run to the DJ” tracks that must be ID’ed among the music-induced madness it created. You can listen to “Stacks On M...
Oscars 2021 Moved to April, Eligibility Window Extended
Due to the continued uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 Oscars have been postponed two months. Originally set to take place on February 28th, Hollywood’s Biggest Night will now occur on April 25th, 2021. Additionally, the Academy has extended the eligibility period for nominated films by two months. The window for qualifying films now spans from January 1st 2020 to February 28th, 2021, with a general submission deadline set for January 15th 2021, according to Variety. The Academy plans to return to a standard January to December eligibility period next year. Previously, the Academy made substantial, unprecedented adjustments to the eligibility rules this past April in response to the outbreak. One of those allows for digital screenings, altering the long-standi...
System of a Down’s John Dolmayan Calls Democrats the “True Bigots” While Wishing Trump a Happy Birthday
Despite being antithetical to the sociopolitical ideals that have long been presented in his band’s music, System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan keeps doubling and tripling down on some far-right viewpoints. Now, he has gone so far as to call Democrats the “true bigots” in his latest Instagram rant. At this point, it may seem like Dolmayan is just trying to get a rise out of the band’s fans, but he has made it clear that he stands on the opposite end of the political spectrum than his bandmates, especially singer Serj Tankian. Already the two have expressed very different views about the ongoing protests, with Dolmayan hailing President Trump as the “greatest friend to minorities” and Tankian calling for the Trump regime to resign. Last week, Dolmayan followed up his initial comments by d...
Jon Stewart Discusses Police Brutality and FOX News in New Interview
With all that’s going on in the world, there’s no better time for the return of Jon Stewart. The former Daily Show host is back making the media rounds for his new movie, Irresistible, coming to PVOD on June 26th. Given the political nature of the film and the socio-political landscape it’s being released into, it’s no surprise Stewart has a lot to say about the current state of things. In a new interview with The New York Times, he touched on everything from Trump to police brutality to FOX News, all with his usual intelligence and nuance. Some might wish Stewart would return to the televised political comedy and commentary scene, but even if he were to return (he’s certainly not eager to) it wouldn’t be like The Daily Show. He praised the show’s current host, Trevor Noah, ...
UK “Quarantine Raves” Result in Death, Rape, Multiple Stabbings
Manchester, England was the site of two illegal “quarantine raves” on Saturday, June 13th. Attended by some 6,000 people total, the events resulted in one suspected overdose death, three stabbings, and the rape of an 18-year-old-woman. As reported by the BBC, the two separate events took place in Daisy Nook Park and Carrington, both within Greater Manchester County. 4,000 people piled into the park at Daisy Nook, including the 20-year-old man who is believed to have died of a drug overdose. An additional 2,000 people raved at Carrington, and it was this smaller event that hosted the rest of the weekend’s tragedies. Three separate stabbings took place, one of which left an 18-year-old man in critical condition. Police officers gave him first aid before paramedics arrived, and his healt...
Casanova “Run The Town,” Young M.A “Trap or Cap” & More | Daily Visuals 6.15.20
Source: NEW YORK, NY – JULY 19: Rapper Young M.A performs onstage during Pandora Sounds Like You NYC featuring Nas, Young M.A, Dave East and Biz Markie DJ Set at Brooklyn Steel on July 19, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Pandora) As the protests continue to take place across the streets of America, more and more artists are visually joining the historic movement and Casanova is the latest to show his support of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. In his visuals to “Run The Town,” the Brooklyn rapper takes to the streets with his crew to join a protest while using footage from classic films to drive his lyrical point home. Keeping the scene in Buck Town, Young M.A kicks a young women out her room for her go-getting attitude before politicking with her crew...
Jay-Z Demands That Charges Be Dropped Against Charleston Protester
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz Jay-Z continues to leverage his celebrity for the good of the fight on the front lines. He is now asking that one city use common sense regarding a demonstrator that went about things the right way. As spotted on High Snobiety on May 31, Givionne “Gee” Jordan Jr. was arrested in South Carolina city for participating in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest. In video captured at the scene he is shown kneeling and expressing his admiration and respect towards a crew of uniformed police. It was clear the scene was tense and the crowd pleaded with the badges to show reciprocal respect for their conflict-free approach. Nevertheless the lawmen proceeded to arrest Jordan for “disobeying a lawful order”. please watch. please listen closely. if anyone ha...
Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne Tease Collaboration Project, Talk Marriage & Social Media Hiatus
Source: Chris McKay / Getty Lil Wayne has returned this week with the eighth episode of Young Money Radio on Apple Music. On Sunday (Jun 14) Lil Wayne‘s Young Money Radio aired featuring Weezy speaking to special guests Nicki Minaj, T-Pain, Damian Lillard, N.O.R.E., and Lil Duval. While Weezy chopped it up with the usual questions with fellow MC, N.O.R.E., comedian Lil Duval, and frequent collaborator T-Pain, who joined the show to chat about his new song “Get Up” and donating the proceeds to Crime Survivors For Safety and Justice, it was his conversation with Damian Lillard and Nicki Minaj that left fans wondering what the Young Money cappo has in store. During the interview, Damian Lillard spoke to Wayne about taking action in support of Black Lives Matter and shared memories of Kobe Bry...
Gucci Mane Says He Is Leaving Atlantic Records, Calls Staff Racist
Source: Photo: WENN.com It seems that Gucci Mane isn’t feeling the vibes at this recording home. He has announced that he will be taking his talents elsewhere. As spotted on Complex the Trap God went back to calling out names via Twitter; specifically his record label. “Leaving #AtlanticRecords July 3rd these crackers polite racist #SolcySummer”. Guwop went on to double down on his claim saying “All artists let’s go on strike f*** these racist ass labels burn then down too #BlackLivesMatter #BlackExecMatter f*** these crackers???” But in what shouldn’t come to most folks as a surprise Gucci eventually deleted both posts. He did follow up the retracted tweets with a new one that hints his support of Black unity. “If you not with us I’m not with you” it read. If you not with us I’...
