Tech
HHW Gaming: Feast Your Eyes On The ‘Halo Infinite’ Limited Edition Xbox Series X You Probably Won’t Get
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Xbox / Xbox Series X – Halo Infinite Limited Edition & Elite Series 2 Controller Gamescom 2021 is officially underway, and to kick things off, Microsoft showed off a new Xbox Series X and Elite Series 2 Controller with some Halo Infinite flavor. With the world sadly still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the even more highly contagious Delta Variant, Geoff Knightly had to host his Opening Night Live kickoff event for Gamescom from Los Angeles instead of Germany, where the conference is annually held. It was a night of many reveals during the presentation, with Knightly premiering a plethora of big titles. One big reveal, in particular, was a cinematic trailer for season one of Halo Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer and, of course, con...
OnlyFans Reverses Porn Ban After Spanking From Creators, Media
“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard,” the message began. “We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.” The site had been heavily criticized by users for the proposed change. OnlyFans, founded in 2016, is most well-known for featuring adult content and was praised as a safe space for sex workers. Late night hosts also mocked the decision. “They know that fans of OnlyFans are only fans of one thing, right?” joked Late Show‘s Stephen Colbert previously. He also mocked the decision for the company to bow to pressure from banks. “Evidently, pornography ...
HHW Gaming: Courtside Report No.3 Details What Players Can Look Forward To In ‘NBA 2K22’ Seasons
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Visual Concepts / NBA 2K22 NBA 2K22 Seasons takes center stage in the latest courtside report. It’s almost time to hit the virtual NBA hardwood again. Leading up to NBA 2K22’s September 10 release, 2K continues to methodically dish out new information about the latest installment of the popular basketball video game franchise. For Courtside Report numero tres, team 2K breaks down NBA 2K22 Seasons and what players can look forward to when they load up MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and The W Online. 2K revealed that season will now extend across those three modes and will allow players to: Access new content and earn rewards simply for playing with no additional cost, with new Seasons arriving every six weeks. Enjoy new music through “First Fridays,” in which new songs...
HHW Gaming: Bungie Details ‘Destiny 2’s Next Massive Expansion, The Witch Queen
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bungie / Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Destiny 2 is still going strong 5 years after its launch, and with its next expansion, the game is showing no signs of slowing down. Tuesday (Aug.24), Bungie unveiled Destiny 2’s biggest expansion yet, The Witch Queen that will finally see players put their guardians up against the Savathûn, the titular main villain. Source: Bungie / Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Savathûn is not new to the game at all. In fact, she has been teased for years, being that she is the sister of Oryx, the original big bad from the first game’s Taken King expansion. Destiny players have also felt her influence over several years due to her involvement in the many major events that have taken place in Destiny. This expansion marks the first t...
Spotify Expands Its Podcast Subscriptions to All U.S. Creators
Though the focus is on building exclusive content within Spotify, which has 165 million paid users and 365 million monthly users, Anchor will also provide creators with private RSS feeds that are compatible with other podcast distribution platforms. “Our model is built to maximize creator revenue and offer the widest possible reach so creators can grow their audiences and develop deep connections with listeners,” the company said. Spotify’s top competitor in the podcasting space, Apple, went global with its own podcast subscription options in June. Like Spotify/Anchor, Apple subscriptions provide support for ad-free listening for exclusive content, however, there are more fees involved. In line with other App Store purchases, Apple will keep 30% of sub fees for the first year a...
HHW Gaming: Soulja Boy Claps Back At Atari After Company Says He Is Not The CEO
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Greg Doherty / Getty No, Soulja Boy is not the first rapper to own a video game company. Iconic video company Atari hit the pause button on the boastful rapper’s claims that he was the owner of the electronic gaming company. Soulja Boy first announced to his 6.5 million followers on Instagram that he was running the show, leading to Atari hopping on Twitter to say the rapper was straight capping. “We know that CEO of Atari is a dream job, but that honor belongs to Wade Rosen,” Atari hilariously wrote on their Twitter account. The tall tales-telling rapper initially claimed that Atari was interested in his latest Soulja Boy Game console that they allegedly signed over the company to him. Big Draco even claimed that he planned on selling the company for $14...
HHW Gaming: 2K Delays ‘WWE 2K22’ Till March, Promises The Game “Will Hit Different”
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: 2K / WWE 2K22 2K is known for its very solid video game franchises like NBA 2K, but since acquiring the WWE license, it hasn’t been money in the bank, but the company hopes that will change with WWE 2K22. WWE 2K22 is coming, but you’re going to have to wait longer than usual for this installment in the franchise. 2K announced WWE 2K22’s new March 2022 launch date, a departure from the game’s October release date. The announcement came during WWE’s Summerslam PPV, the unofficial farewell to the summer. 2K shared a trailer showing footage featuring WWE superstars, Roman Reigns, Goldberg, Bayley, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, The Miz, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rhea Ripley, Finn Bálor, Ricochet, and Kane. Along with the trailer, 2K dropped off two stills of...
Facebook Scrubbing Lizzo’s Posts of Hateful Messages After Being Bullied Following Song Release
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Trolling Lizzo on Facebook will no longer fly. Spotted on the Huffington Post, Facebook is actively deleting all hateful comments spotted on Lizzo’s social media accounts. The social media company’s decision to take such action comes after Lizzo tearfully shared in an emotional video she was receiving hateful comments about her weight, race, and more following the release of her new single “Rumors” featuring Cardi B. In the video, while shedding tears, Lizzo said, “People who have something mean to say about you — and for the most part, it doesn’t hurt my feelings. I don’t care. I just think when I’m working this hard, my tolerance gets lower. My patience is lower. I’m more sensitive, and it gets to me.” Lizzo, who is very active...
HHW Gaming: ‘Call of Duty’ Takes It Back To World War II In ‘Vanguard’ Reveal Trailer
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard Activision let the cat out of the bag earlier this week when it finally revealed Call of Duty: Vanguard, the next installment in the iconic first-person shooter franchise. Now we get to see even more about the upcoming title. Thursday (Aug.19), Warzone players got the first opportunity to feast their eyes on the Sledgehammer Studios produced game during the “Battle of Verdansk” event in the free-to-play online component of the game. Eventually, the trailer made its way online, showing the World War II action gamers can look forward to when the game arrives later this year. Source: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: Vanguard will feature a “historically inspired” single-player campaign that...
Can Holly+ Solve the Problem of Deepfake Vocals?
Though there is evidence to suggest “publicity” or “personality” rights may provide some pathway to legal recourse for the commercial use of a public figure’s voice (like Tom Waits v. Frito Lay, a 1992 lawsuit in which the singer sued Frito Lay for the unauthorized impersonation his voice for a commercial and won), these rights vary from state-to-state and still have yet to address a case specific to the new frontier of AI-rendered vocals. But for experimental electronic musician Holly Herndon, who has been working at the intersection of music and artificial intelligence for years, including a doctoral stint at Stanford University, she sees this space as a brave new world for musicians. Instead of fighting to destroy the inevitable behemoth of AI, Herndon is showing others how to control i...
Music Companies Delay Return to Office, Mandating Vaccines
Moore adds that the highly-global nature of the Spotify workforce — the company boasts 50 offices across 25 countries — made instituting a blanket vaccine mandate even more challenging. “In some countries, in some regions, it would actually be illegal to do so,” says Moore, “and so we’re just sort of taking the stance that people will make good decisions.” Notably, local ordinances in major urban centers could force companies’ hands. Earlier this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that a proof of vaccination will be required to enter indoor restaurants, gyms and performance venues in the city starting on Aug. 16 — though the order does not yet apply to offices. Last Tuesday, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to look...
Executive Turntable: Dick Clark Productions Taps New VP; PULSE Promotes Creative Director
Annie Aberle has been elevated to the role of senior creative director at PULSE Music Group, where she previously served as director of A&R. She’ll work with the publishing company’s A&R team and its roster of songwriters and producers. Aberle brings a packed resume to her new role, having worked with clients like Tyler Johnson, who most recently co-wrote & produced Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” and co-wrote “Adore You,” ALDAE, who co-wrote five songs on Justin Bieber’s album Justice and SG Lewis, who has collaborated with artists like Dua Lipa, Nile Rodgers, Khalid, Robyn, Clairo and Lucky Daye. “I’m eternally thankful to Ashley, Scott and Josh for the opportunity they have given me, and for everything they’ve done to help me grow and be successful since I joined PULS...
