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Chance The Rapper Offers $2 Million In Chicago ‘Go Innovate Challenge’

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Chance The Rapper has become part of another philanthropic cause toward his home city of Chicago. The new initiative encourages Chicago teens to get involved and offers $2 million dollars to those with innovative ideas.

Funded and coordinated by Chicago Beyond, the Go Innovate Challenge is a “think tank of ideas,” as Chance called it. Teens as young as 13 years old are able to submit videos no longer than 90 seconds to describe their project and how it would “positively affect the city of Chicago.”

Chance announced the initiative with Liz Dozier, Chicago Beyond’s managing director, in a Facebook live video on June 14. The organization will be taking submissions until July 7.

Check out the Facebook live announcement below, or head to ChicagoBeyond.com for more information.

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BusinessEDM

Rolling Stone Will Pay $1.65M Settlement In Fraternity Defamation Lawsuit

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Rolling Stone magazine settled a defamation lawsuit filed by a University of Virginia fraternity for $1.65 million, the fraternity said Tuesday (June 13).

A 2014 story “A Rape on Campus,” published by the magazine, sparked the entire controversy. The story was later retracted after a police investigation found no evidence to back up the story, provided by a woman only identified as “Jackie.”

The Virginia Alpha Chapter of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity originally asked for $25 million, but said in a statement that they are “pleased” to finished with this “ordeal.”

“It has been nearly three years since we, and the entire University of Virginia community, were shocked by the now infamous article, and we are pleased to be able to close the book on that trying ordeal and its aftermath,” the fraternity said.

The story, written by Sabrina Rubin Erdely of Philadelphia, prompted a police investigation after it alleged that the anonymous “Jackie” was raped by members of the fraternity. After other news outlets began to probe and the police found no evidence the story was officially retracted.

“Rolling Stone and Erdely had an agenda, and they were recklessly oblivious to the harm they would cause innocent victims in their ruthless pursuit of that agenda,” the fraternity’s lawsuit said.

The case was scheduled to go to trial in October.

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BusinessLatest Newsslider

Eat. Sleep. Record. Repeat. W Hotels Worldwide Unveils Latest W Sound Suite at W Hollywood

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Brand’s Third Recording Studio and Writers Room Launches at W Hollywood, Following Previous Launches at W Bali and W Seattle

W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR), in partnership with Coca-Cola, has unveiled the latest W Sound Suite at W Hollywood. The private music studio and writers room offers hotel guests and musicians alike the opportunity to experience recording like a pro in the heart of global music capital, Los Angeles.

“Los Angeles, like W Hotels, is known for fostering both emerging and iconic talent, which made it the ideal location for our third W Sound Suite” said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “W Sound Suites provide a perfect environment for professional musicians to record while on the road, while also being available for hotel guests that want a taste of the limelight.”

The W Sound Suite at W Hollywood follows the opening of the world’s first W Sound Suite last year located at W Bali. In April, the first W Sound Suite in North America opened at W Seattle, and later this month the fourth W Sound Suite will be unveiled at W Barcelona. W Sound Suites are in part the brainchild of the brand’s North American Music Director, DJ White Shadow – the Chicago-based producer best known for his work with Lady Gaga. Under DJ White Shadow’s guidance, each suite has been custom-fitted with professional grade sound equipment from top tech companies in sound production.

“W Sound Suites provide a creative escape for artists on the road,” said DJ White Shadow, North American Music Director, W Hotels Worldwide. “Recording while traveling is an essential part of being a working musician, and having access to a professional music studio while staying at W Hollywood is an incredible asset. So many talented artists come to Los Angeles and now we can be a part of their expressive experience.”

Under his direction, the W Sound Suite has been outfitted to professional specifications in a stylish, comfortable and soundproof space that includes the latest equipment from prominent industry leaders on sound technology. W Hotels and Coca-Cola partnered with Native Instruments and Shure to outfit the W Sound Suite with state-of-the-art equipment including control keyboard, all-in-one DJ system, and professional grade headphones, and microphones. The W Sound Suite will also provide a Yamaha acoustic guitar and Fender jaguar bass for guests and artists to use during their sessions.

The W Sound Suite also features murals from visual artist Bisco Smith, highlighting Coca-Cola’s iconic lyric, “I’d like to teach the world to sing.” For over a century, Coca-Cola has used music to tell the brand’s story, establishing campaigns as part of the pop culture lexicon. The partnership is a perfect match for both brands, both dedicated to fueling music for guests and artists across the world.

“W Hollywood has been a home away from home for musicians since it opened,” said Leon Young, General Manager, W Hollywood. “The hotel is surrounded by the hottest venues, theatres and record labels and hosts weekly music happenings that draw both superstars and stars on-the-rise. The launch of the W Sound Suite at W Hollywood is the next step in making us a true mecca for creativity in Los Angeles.”

Alongside the professional equipment and inspiring décor, the W Sound Suite at W Hollywood is available 24 hours a day and offers the brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever service. To celebrate the opening, the hotel will also offer an exclusive “Rider Menu” of indulgences inspired by riders provided by musicians before a performance. The menu includes:

  • Southern Man // Garlic shrimp and sausage with toast points, whiskey sours
  • Ring of Fire // Spiced and salted cashews, sweet and spicy pretzels, heated sweet potato chips, 2 Angel City IPA & 2 St. Archer Pale Ales
  • Material Girl // Petit fours, acai sparkling cocktails
  • Drunk in Love // Selection of cheeses, bottle of Davis Bynum, Jane’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
  • Big Pimpin’ //12 West Coast oysters & halibut ceviche served on ice, 750ml bottle of Canard-Duchene Brut
  • Party in the USA // Sliders of Coca Cola braised short ribs served with truffle French fries, 750ml bottle of Jack Daniels, 6-pack of Coca Cola cans

For the latest sounds to come out of W Sound Suite or to book a session, visit www.whollywoodhotel.com/wsoundsuite. Join the conversation with @WHollywoodHotel and #WMUSIC.

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BusinessCountry

Florida Georgia Line Set Grand Opening Of FGL HOUSE For June 5

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

First Restaurant and Entertainment Venue Brings Four Stories of Good Vibes to Downtown Nashville

THE SMOOTH TOUR 2017 Kicks Off JUNE 2 in Austin, Texas

Just in time for the 2017 CMA Music Festival, multi-PLATINUM superstar duo FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE and LRC Group have announced JUNE 5 as the grand opening of their first restaurant and entertainment destination, FGL HOUSE.

Doors open to the public at 7 p.m. CT, setting the stage for a party that never ends in the heart of downtown Nashville’s neon-lit Country music paradise. Standing on 120 3rd Avenue South, FGL HOUSE will be an entertainment playground unlike any other, providing visitors with four stories of vibey music, inspired food, and unforgettable good times.

Inside the massive venue, guests will be welcomed into the duo’s anything-goes world. Edgy live music focusing on today’s country trends will get fans dancing every day, while bars on all four levels will keep the craft beer and custom cocktails flowing – featuring the duo’s own Old Camp Whiskey.

A world-class kitchen will serve up Southern-style fare with a California twist, and patrons are invited to enjoy the huge “Cruise” rooftop bar – the largest in Nashville – complete with stunning views of the Music City skyline.

For a completely different feel, visitors can also head down to the chillin’ “Little Red Corvette” basement martini bar, and a gigantic video wall will make FGL HOUSE’s main floor the perfect place to hang with friends and watch your favorite sporting events. Meanwhile, can’t-miss events like Country Club Tuesdays will feature the internationally renowned Dee Jay Silver spinning custom country remixes.

VIP membership packages are available at fglhouse.com/vip or at the FGL HOUSE front desk, allowing you and a guest to skip the lines outside and cruise right up to the bar with no waiting and no cover charge (exclusions apply). Members will also receive a special edition T-shirt, and at $100 annually or $250 for a lifetime pass, only a limited amount of VIP memberships are available. FGL Lifers – the duo’s new fan club – will receive a 20% discount on FGL HOUSE membership. Act fast in order to secure yours.

Additionally, FGL is set to launch its groundbreaking THE SMOOTH TOUR 2017 on JUNE 2, a crossover experience featuring Hip-Hop icon NELLY and breakout Country star CHRIS LANE. Kicking off in Austin, Texas, the tour will hit cities all across the U.S., including the duo’s first-ever stadium concerts in Boston (July 7), Minneapolis (July 29), and Chicago (August 12). Those historic dates will include Pop idols BACKSTREET BOYS, who are also featured on FGL’s latest PLATINUM-certified, Top 10 single, “God, Your Mama, And Me.”

For more information on Florida Georgia Line and THE SMOOTH TOUR 2017, visit floridageorgialine.com.

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BusinessLatest NewssliderVideo

G.O.O.D. Music Signee Kacy Hill To Release Debut Album Executive Produced By Kanye West

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Kacy Hill, one of G.O.O.D. Music’s most recent signees, is preparing to release her debut album Like a Woman. Two singles have been released so far: “Like A Woman” and “Hard to Love”.

Like A Woman will be released June 30 via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam and is executive produced by Kanye West. The title track was produced by DJ Mustard, Terrace Martin, and DJDS.

“Like A Woman is an exploration of my own femininity and sexuality,” Hill said of the theme of her debut album. “I want my audience to have a similar experience of their own while listening. My goal is not to make a statement, but make space for exploration without shame or guilt. I don’t speak for all women. I speak for Kacy Hill.”

Watch the video for “Like A Woman” and listen to “Hard to Love” below.

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BusinessLatest Newsslider

Lexus and Mark Ronson Invite Fans to Produce Their Own Track to the Ultimate LC Driving Experience

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver
Lexus joins forces with the award-winning music producer to challenge fans to ‘Make Your Mark’ to celebrate the launch of the luxury LC

Today, Lexus and Mark Ronson unveil a short film collaboration through which music and car fans alike get the chance to take the LC driving experience to the next level by scoring their own track to the drive, using exclusive musical stems produced by Ronson in the studio.

Inspired by the ground-breaking LC luxury coupe and sights & sounds of globally-renowned musical hotspot Ibiza, viewers have the opportunity to become the DJ themselves by accessing a bespoke platform to create their track, based on the industry-leading Novation Launchpad music sequencer.

An avid driving and (of course) music fan, Mark has himself created a track to his own version of the drive, as inspiration for those taking on the challenge, available to view here: www.lexus.eu/makeyourmark.

Celebrated for its musical heritage, having played host to some of the world’s most innovative music artists, Ibiza was the perfect location to showcase the Lexus ambition to create amazing experiences in the realms of music, art, and technology. Renowned for its iconic coastal roads and crystal blue waters, the stunning Ibizan vistas provide the backdrop to highlight the uncompromising design and performance of the LC.

The LC immersive driving experience marks the next phase in the Make Your Mark campaign, which over the next five months will give consumers and fans the chance to get hands on with some exciting content and amazing experiences.

The design of the LC coupe remains remarkably true to that of the LF-LC concept car, making both winners of the EyesOn Design Award. The LC is the figurehead of an evolving vehicle development culture at Lexus, which embraces an unprecedentedly close collaboration between design and engineering teams to create new models.

To score your track to the ultimate LC driving experience, go to http://www.lexus.eu/makeyourmark.

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BusinessLatest Newsslider

Chris Brown Awarded YouTube’s Diamond Play Button

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Chris Brown has been awarded YouTube’s Diamond Play Button, an honor given to the creators of YouTube channels with 10 million subscribers.

Brown announced the news by posting to Instagram a letter from YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. Wojcicki used the letter to praise Brown’s channel for becoming a “movement” and expressed her hope that the Button could express the company’s “appreciation” and “respect” for his accomplishments.

Not many other musicians have been awarded the Diamond Play Button: Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa, and Eminem are the only other rappers, as well as a few other artists like Taylor Swift, Skrillex, Ariana Grande, and Rihanna.

Brown is expected to release his 40-track double album Heartbreak on a Full Moon later this year. He posted a “sneak peek” of the album’s tracklist on May 1.

Sneak Peek: Double album #heartbreakonafullmoon

A post shared by 🤖👽🌕 (@chrisbrownofficial) on

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BusinessLatest News

Sprint Acquires 33 Percent of TIDAL and Creates Game-Changing Partnership

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Sprint will make TIDAL available to its 45 million post and prepaid customers

Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure to join TIDAL Board of Directors

Global music and entertainment platform TIDAL and Sprint have created an unprecedented partnership that will soon give Sprint’s 45 million retail customers unlimited access to exclusive artist content not available anywhere else.

TIDAL and its artists will make exclusive content that will only be available to current and new Sprint customers.

As part of the partnership, Sprint will acquire 33 percent of TIDAL. JAY Z and the artist-owners will continue to run TIDAL’s artist-centric service as it pioneers and grows the direct relationship between artists and fans. The formidable pairing of Sprint and TIDAL will grow customers on both platforms by offering exclusive access for customers who subscribe to TIDAL. Sprint’s chief executive officer, Marcelo Claure, will also join TIDAL’s Board of Directors.

“Sprint shares our view of revolutionizing the creative industry to allow artists to connect directly with their fans and reach their fullest, shared potential,” said JAY Z. “Marcelo understood our goal right away and together we are excited to bring Sprint’s 45 million customers an unmatched entertainment experience.”

TIDAL is a global, experiential, entertainment platform built for fans, directly from artists around the world. Members of TIDAL enjoy unmatched exclusively curated content that directly connects artists with their fans in multiple ways. TIDAL is available in more than 52 countries, with a more than 42.5 million song catalog and 140,000 high quality videos.

The innovative TIDAL platform, combined with Sprint’s award-winning reliable network and best value for unlimited data, talk and text, will deliver a first-of-its-kind experience for music fans.

“Jay saw not only a business need, but a cultural one, and put his heart and grit into building TIDAL into a world-class music streaming platform that is unrivaled in quality and content,” said Claure. “The passion and dedication that these artist-owners bring to fans will enable Sprint to offer new and existing customers access to exclusive content and entertainment experiences in a way no other service can.”

More news on exclusive offers and upcoming promotions from Sprint and TIDAL will be unveiled soon.

Sprint’s dedication to its customers and to artists is at the heart of the partnership. Part of that effort will include the establishment of a dedicated marketing fund specifically for artists. The fund will allow artists the flexibility to create and share their work with and for their fans.

The Sprint-TIDAL partnership comes on the heels of TIDAL’s recent announcement revealing the availability of “Master” quality recordings. A wide variety of content from labels and artists, including Warner Music Group’s world-renowned music catalogue, is now available in Master audio across all of TIDAL’s available markets worldwide.

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BusinessLatest NewsRockslider

Alanis Morissette’s Manager Admits To Stealing Millions From The Singer

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

Alanis Morissette’s former manager Jonathan Schwartz admitted in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday to stealing $4.8 million from the singer and $2 million more from other clients, BBC reports.

Schwartz and Morissette worked together from 2009 to 2016. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Schwartz’s relationship with Morissette included “collecting income, managing investment accounts and paying bills on her behalf.” Morissette sued Schwartz for fraud in May of 2016, requesting over $15 million in damages. The singer’s suit claimed that Schwartz and the company he worked for “concealed distributions from Morissette, convincing her that she was in tremendous financial shape when, in fact, they were draining her assets and leading her on a road that could have led to financial ruin.”

Howard Grossman, Schwartz’s replacement, found evidence of over 100 removals from the singer’s accounts to Schwartz’s. According to the suit, Schwartz used the money to invest in “one or more illegal marijuana ‘grow’ business.”

“When she asked him if she was over budget, he would insist that things were ‘fine,’ that she had ‘nothing to worry about,’ and that she and her future grandkids were ‘set for life,’” the complaint continues. “His reasoning was always that she didn’t need to work so hard because she was so financially secure.”

BBC reports that Schwartz, appearing in court February 1st, could face four to six years in prison.

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BusinessLatest NewsLatinslider

Shakira: “I’d Be An Amazing Doctor” At World Economic Forum

by Malachi Weaver
written by Malachi Weaver

If Shakira wasn’t a singer, what would she be? “Probably a doctor,” she said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday.

“I like medicine,” she said in an on-stage interview. Her “specialty,” she said, would likely be neuroscience, as the practice and similar discoveries about the brain “fascinate” her.

When the audience was asked if they would prefer to see Shakira as a doctor or musician, the crowd voiced clear favor of her current career choice. “I’d be an amazing doctor,” Shakira promised, before adding “I’d be a sexy doctor, though.”

When talking about her first interest in music, Shakira told the audience that her music teacher did not like her voice and would not let her into the school choir. The singer also recalled how many of her classmates told her: “Shakira, you sing like a goat.” It was her father though, the singer said, that was able to reassure her otherwise.

This interview came the day after Shakira won the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award for her humanitarian work. Shakira started her charity Fundacion Piez Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation) when she was 18 with the mission of making education universally accessible to children. She got the idea for the nonprofit after her parents took her to a park where orphaned children were living and sleeping. The image stayed with her, she said. “I wanted to build state-of-the-art schools.”

“It is a challenge, and it comes with many obstacles,” Shakira explained. “We work in very remote areas,” and lack of infrastructure often makes things difficult.

Shakira also spoke on social media and how it gives people the power to make big changes and to build and support good causes. “You don’t really need to be a celebrity to effect change,” she told the Forum. “Thanks to the power of social media, everybody really has a platform and a voice.”

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