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25 Jan 2024

Drake Slams Leak of Young Thug & Mariah the Scientist’s Jail Call: ‘This Gotta Be Some Form of … Misconduct’

A phone call from jail between Young Thug and his girlfriend, Mariah the Scientist, leaked on social media earlier this week, and Drake wants to hold whoever is responsible for the footage emerging accountable.

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The OVO boss reposted his comment on the “disgraceful” matter to his Instagram Story on Wednesday (Jan. 24) and called for Thugger’s freedom, with the YSL RICO trial getting messy.

“This gotta be some form of jail misconduct,” Drake began. “You gonna drag this talented man then not be able to control your employees using his personal business for their own gain? Somebody benefitted from this video even existing and that’s shameful whole case is a wash just 3 the guy and let him come home and continue bringing light to Atlanta!”

The 6 God continued by putting Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville, who is running point on the YSL RICO case, on blast.

“S–t is disgraceful … Is this a criminal case or Atlanta social media promo Ural Glanville?” he wrote.

Despite the call making it to the public, a spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office told Billboard the recording of the conversation between Young Thug and Mariah “was not leaked,” and pointed out that Young Thug is “being housed at the Cobb County Jail, where the call took place.”

Billboard has reached out to the Fulton County DA’s Office and Cobb County Jail for comment.

The leaked phone call appears to have taken place shortly after Christmas or earlier in January, as Mariah thanked her boo for the icy chains and bracelets he gifted her from behind bars.

“Merry Christmas, baby. I love you,” she said in the clip. “Thanks for my gifts … I miss you, baby. I like it a lot, I’m very appreciative … I wish you could be at home with me and you could put it on me.”

Young Thug replied: “I miss you too. You look beautiful. You look like a rapper now.”

Drake wasn’t the only artist to respond to the leaked call. Meek Mill chimed in essentially saying this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

“This a top tier lawsuit your personal call not suppose to be on the street,” he tweeted.

This is far from the first time Drake has shown his “Ice Melts” collaborator love. He previously called for Thugger to be released from jail on Honestly, Nevermind‘s “Sticky” in 2022, and included a “Free YSL” message in the music video for “Falling Back.”

Young Thug has been locked up in Atlanta since being arrested in the sweeping YSL indictment in May 2022. The highly publicized trial finally began in November, with Thug’s fate yet to be decided.

See Drake’s reaction to the leaked call below.

25 Jan 2024

Ayo Edebiri To Host ‘SNL’ With Jennifer Lopez As Musical Guest

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75th Primetime Emmy Awards - Governor's Gala

Source: Matt Winkelmeyer/GA / Getty

Ayo Edebiri will be hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time, and superstar Jennifer Lopez will be the episode’s musical guest.

The impressive run for comedian and actress Ayo Edebiri is continuing, as it was announced that she will be hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time. Edebiri will host the long-running NBC show on Feb. 3, and Jennifer Lopez will join in as the musical guest for that episode. This weekend’s episode will feature actress Dakota Johnson as the host, with pop star Justin Timberlake serving as the musical guest.

The news comes as Edebiri is fresh off of winning the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Comedy Actress for her role as Sydney Adamu in FX’s The Bear. She also won the Critics Choice Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series. Edebiri also starred in Theatre Camp and Bottoms last year. As a writer, she’s worked on Apple TV+’s Dickinson and Netflix’s Big Mouth as well as The Rundown with Robin Thede.

Edebiri was also a part of the writer’s room for another hit FX show, What We Do In The Shadows, which garnered her a Writers Guild Awards nomination. The Boston, Massachusetts, native’s SNL appearance won’t be without a lack of ties to the show – she’s hosted a comedy show with Ben Marshall, who heads up the show’s “Please Don’t Destroy” segment.

For Jennifer Lopez, the visit will be her fourth time appearing on Saturday Night Live. Her first time was as a musical guest in 2000. She doubled as a host and musical performer in 2001 and 2010. Lopez last appeared on the show alongside DaBaby in 2019. This latest appearance comes as Lopez is about to release This Is Me…Now, her first album in 10 years with a narrative film to be released through Amazon Prime Video Feb. 16.

25 Jan 2024

1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox Employees Laid Off By Microsoft, X Reacts

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Microsoft Lays Off 1,900 Activision Blizzard & Xbox Employees

Source: Microsoft / Xbox /Activision Blizzard

New year, more layoffs in the video game industry, sadly.

Can we hit the reset button?

The video game industry continues to be hit with layoffs despite companies seeing massive amounts of profit and games selling like hotcakes.

Microsoft is the latest company to take an axe to its workforce, laying off 1,900 employees from Activision Blizzard and Xbox. The Verge reports that most of the layoffs will affect roles at Activision Blizzard, and these cuts will also impact some employees at Xbox and ZeniMax.

The 1,900 layoffs will account for 8% of Microsoft’s gaming division’s 22,000 employees.

The website obtained an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirming the horrible news.

Per The Verge:

It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth.

As part of this process, we have made the painful decision to reduce the size of our gaming workforce by approximately 1900 roles out of the 22,000 people on our team. The Gaming Leadership Team and I are committed to navigating this process as thoughtfully as possible.

The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here. We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players and our colleagues. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted during the transition, including severance benefits informed by local employment laws. Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with the respect and compassion that is consistent with our values.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in areas that will grow our business and support our strategy of bringing more games to more players around the world. Although this is a difficult moment for our team, I’m as confident as ever in your ability to create and nurture the games, stories and worlds that bring players together.

Phil

Blizzard president Mike Ybarra Is Also Bouncing

Among the 1,900 will also be Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, who did his best impression of the Spongebob “might imma head out” meme.

“As many of you know, Mike previously spent more than 20 years at Microsoft. Now that he has seen the acquisition through as Blizzard’s president, he has decided to leave the company,” Microsoft’s game content and studios president, Matt Booty, said in an internal memo.

Also leaving is Allen Adham, Blizzard’s chief design officer.

Booty adds, “As one of Blizzard’s cofounders, Allen has had a broad impact on all of Blizzard’s games. His influence will be felt for years to come, both directly and indirectly, as Allen plans to continue mentoring young designers across the industry.”

The Verge has also reported that a game Blizzard has been working on for over six years has also been canceled. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier says the name of the game was Odyssey.

Schreier notes that Activision Blizzard employees are reaching out to him to learn their fate and waiting to see if they are among the 1,900.

Social Media Reactions To The Layoffs

As expected, the news of the layoffs is not landing well on X, formerly Twitter, with reactions pouring in from those involved in the gaming industry.

Kinda Funny’s Andy Cortez perfectly summed up in one post on X how these layoffs can affect the future of the video game industry.

“You’re a student in game dev school. You’re reading about Microsoft laying off 1,900 people after buying Activision Blizzard. You just read about more Embracer layoffs from yesterday. Nearly 6,000 games industry workers are jobless so far this year. It is still January,” Cortez said.

The frightening trend, which saw an estimated 10,500 game industry workers in 2023, is currently on pace to match or smash that number. Video Games Chronicle reports over 5,000 workers will lose their jobs in 2024.

Damn.

You can see more reactions to Microsoft layoffs in the gallery below.

1. Unbelievable

2. Great point

7. Well damn

25 Jan 2024

21 Savage Admits His ‘American Dream’ Trailer Was A Parody

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Latto Hosts Hoes Down, Pimps Up Birthday Affair

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A few weeks ago the internet was buzzing with talk about a new biopic film based on 21 Savage dubbed American Dream, which weirdly starred Donald Glover as the “Runnin” rapper. But even though the trailer garnered hella interest in the movie, it seems like it was just a marketing ploy.

In a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, 21 Savage was asked about the Donald Glover-led trailer to American Dream. Sharpe thought it was an actual movie (as we all did) and 21 Savage admitted that it was actually “a parody.” Kinda surprised (and somewhat let down) that the trailer was actually for kicks-and-giggles, Sharpe asked Savage if he thought his life story was good enough to be made into a feature film. Looking at Shannon, 21 asked “Do you think so?” to which Shannon replied “I do.”

After Sharpe explained why he felt 21 Savage’s story would be worthy of the big screen, the ATLien agreed saying “I feel like it could be one day,” but also added “They would hate on it now, though. Because they gon’ be like, ‘What the f**k 21 Savage deserve a story for, a movie about him for? What he did?’ You know how they do.”

Well, he’s not wrong. Heads were already saying that when the trailer with Donald Glover dropped. Whether it was hate or genuine confusion as to why 21 Savage’s story deserved to be told, the trailer really had people scratching their heads for a few reasons, but mostly due to the casting decision of Donald Glover. We still don’t get that.

Do y’all think 21 Savage deserves his own biopic at this stage of his career? Should his story be told one day on the silver screen? Let us know in the comments section, and check out the interview in it’s entirety below.



25 Jan 2024

X Games Aspen 2024: How to Watch the Sporting Events Live Without Cable

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s time to return to the slopes as the X Games Aspen are finally back for the 2024 season. From Friday (Jan. 26) to Sunday (Jan. 28), professional winter athletes will be gearing up for a chance to take home the gold, and there are a couple streaming options for you to watch the games live without cable.

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ESPN and ABC will be airing 13 hours of the X Games Aspen 2024, which means you won’t have to hunt for travel deals in order to watch the sporting events live. Joining this year’s lineup of impressive athletes are two-time defending SuperPipe Snowboard champion and five-time X Games gold medalist Scotty James, as well as 22-time X Games medalist Mark McMorris, who will be looking to defend his gold medal.

Samsung Men’s Ski Slopestyle will see Colby Stevenson attempt to repeat his gold medal performance from last year, and historymaker Reira Iwabuchi is also set to come back after snagging gold last year during Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air while also becoming the first female snowboarder to successfully land a frontside triple under flip in competition. X Games and Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu will also make her return to the Samsung Women’s Ski Slopestyle event after having to miss the 2023 X Games Aspen due to an injury.

This year, the sporting event is also encouraging you to upgrade your winter skincare routine by making Thayers the first official beauty and skincare partner of the X Games. The budget-friendly line is available at Walmart and includes the popular Hydrating Milky Toner, Soak It Up 80 Hr Liquid Moisturizer and the Hydrating Milky Cleanser. Each one is formulated to withstand the challenges of extreme sports and weather conditions, while providing a simple three-step routine to help keep your skin hydrated and healthy all year round.

Keep reading to learn when and how to watch the games online.

When & How to Watch X Games Aspen 2024

ABC and ESPN will be livestreaming certain events throughout the weekend, which is broken down below.

  • ESPN
    • Friday (Jan. 26), 9:30 p.m. ET to 12:30 a.m. ET: Thayers Men’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck
      Pacifico, Men’s Ski Big Air and Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe
    • Saturday (Jan. 27), 10 p.m. ET to 12:30 a.m. ET: Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air and Thayers Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck
    • Sunday (Jan. 28), 7 p.m. ET to 9:30 p.m. ET: Men’s Ski SuperPipe and Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air
  • ABC
    • Saturday (Jan. 27), 12:30 p.m. ET to 2:30 p.m. ET: Samsung Men’s Ski Slopestyle
    • Sunday (Jan. 28), 1 p.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET: Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Samsung Women’s Ski Slopestyle

If you have cable, you can watch all the events aired live for no additional cost (refer to your cable provider’s channel guide for exact channels). Cord-cutters may be able to watch the X Games Aspen 2024 through a HD antenna like the one here from Amazon.

For the ESPN events, you can also catch the games live through the channel’s official streaming platform ESPN+. Current subscribers can watch the 2024 X Games Aspen for free when you log into your account. From there, you’ll want to head over to the live coverage and you’ll be able to instantly access it.

Don’t have a subscription? ESPN+ doesn’t offer a free trial, but sports fans can take advantage of its affordable plan, which is only $10.99/month or you can save over 15% off with an annual plan for $109.99/year. Click here or the button below to start your subscription.

Along with the X Games Aspen 2024, ESPN+ members can watch live games for other sports, UFC fights, NFL drafts, NFL playoffs, NHL games and exclusive on-demand videos, as well as access content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider. In addition to games, ESPN+ has original shows to stream on demand, including game recaps, NBA finals and analyses hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime, as well as full replays of historic NFL games.

ESPN+ also offers bundling with Hulu and Disney+, which can save you more money while expanding your content offerings. For live channel options (including ABC) you can bundle with Hulu + Live TV.

Looking for more money-saving options? There are some live TV streamers that offer free trials and promos that can save you some cash while you stream the X Games Aspen 2024 and up to hundreds of more channels from your couch. FuboTV, Vidgo, DirecTV Stream and Sling TV start at around $20-$70 and provide live and on-demand streaming, including ESPN, ABC and other sports channels as well as DVR recording.

25 Jan 2024

Billboard Explains: Alicia Keys’ Fire on the Charts

She may have a hit song titled “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” but the Billboard charts have been enjoying visits from Alicia Keys for 23 years and counting.

The 15-time Grammy-winner made her Billboard chart debut in 2001 with “Fallin’,” a jazz-inflected R&B classic that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Fallin’” would soon give way to three more Hot 100 chart-toppers for Keys, including 2004’s “My Boo” (with Usher), 2007’s “No One” and 2009’s “Empire State of Mind” (with Jay-Z). In addition to those No. 1 hits, Keys has earned five other top 10 hits, including 2004’s “If I Ain’t Got You” (No. 4) and 2002’s “Gangsta Lovin’” (with Eve).

On the Billboard 200, Keys has racked up five No. 1 titles: 2001’s Songs in A Minor (three weeks), 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys (two weeks), 2005’s Unplugged (one week), 2007’s As I Am (four weeks) and 2012’s Girl on Fire (one week). She also reached the chart’s top 10 with 2010’s The Element of Freedom (No. 2), 2016’s HERE (No. 2) and 2020’s Alicia (No. 4).

Named Billboard‘s No. 1 R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the 2000s, Keys has also scored a slew of records on those genre charts. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, she boasts 15 top 10 hits, eight of which have reached the chart’s summit. Those eight chart-toppers have spent 54 cumulative weeks atop the ranking, placing Keys as the woman with the third-most time spent atop the chart behind Aretha Franklin (65 weeks) and Rihanna (56 weeks). The “Un-Thinkable” singer also has the most No. 1 hits in Adult R&B Airplay history, with 14 chart-toppers, including 12-week No. 1 hit “Diary” (with Tony! Toni! Tone!).

Check out the full Billboard Explains video on Alicia Keys’ Billboard chart success.

After that video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.

25 Jan 2024

Billboard Explains: Alicia Keys’ Fire on the Charts

Narrator:
Throughout her decades-long career, Alicia Keys has set the Billboard charts on fire, topping the Hot 100, the Billboard 200 and many more. Let’s take a look back at some of her most memorable chart moments.

This is Billboard Explains: Alicia Keys’ Fire on the Charts.

Alicia made her debut in 2001 thanks to her single “Fallen,” which reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. Other Hot 100 No. 1s include her duet with Usher “My Boo in 2004, 2007’s “No One” and her iconic Jay-Z collab “Empire State of Mind.”

Alicia has nine top 10 Hot 100 hits, five of her albums reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, including her debut Songs in A Minor, 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys, 2005’s Unplugged, 2007’s As I Am and 2012’s Girl on Fire.

Alicia was ranked as Billboard‘s No. 1 R&B/hip-hop artist for the 2000s decade, and the charts prove she definitely deserves that title.

She has eight No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and 15 top 10s. She has the most No. 1 hits on the Adult R&B Airplay chart with 14, and her 54 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart puts her third among all female artists, right behind Aretha Franklin’s 65 and Rihanna’s 56.

We can’t wait to see where Alicia’s career takes her next!

Watch the full video above!

25 Jan 2024

The Deals: Drake’s OVO Sound Heads to Santa Anna for Distribution; WMG Strikes A&R Deal in Pakistan

Todd Moscowitz‘s Santa Anna Label Group has invested in and partnered with OVO Sound, the Canadian record label founded in 2012 by Drake, Noah “40” Shehib and Oliver El-Khatib. Under the deal, Santa Anna will distribute and market OVO Sound releases while providing additional A&R support, production, finance and accounting, artist and label services, and more. OVO Sound’s current roster includes PARTYNEXTDOOR (slated to release his new album, P4, in the first quarter of 2024), Majid Jordan, Naomi Sharon, Roy Woody, Smiley, Popcaan and Drake collaborations with artists including Bad Bunny, Central Cee, Blocboy JB and Dave. OVO will remain a standalone record label as part of the agreement.

Warner Music Group (WMG) has partnered with Pakistani music and audio production company Giraffe, which was co-founded by artist Xulfi (rela name Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan) and CEO Muhammad Ibrahim. The deal, which allows WMG to establish a new A&R source in Pakistan, will kick off with Coke Studio Season 15. In addition to Coke Studio, Giraffe has produced some of the most popular music shows in South Asia, including Drummers of Pakistan, Nescafé Basement and Red Bull Music Sound Clash. “Pakistan has a rich music scene that offers huge opportunities for a global music company,” said Alfonso Perez Soto, president of emerging markets at WMG, in a statement. “Through the powerhouse that is Coke Studio, Xulfi and Ibrahim have proven to be phenomenal A&Rs that will be invaluable in Warner Music’s growth in the region. Together, we will discover and develop artists that have the potential to connect with fans all around the world.”

PPL, which licenses the use of recorded music for public performance and broadcast in the United Kingdom and collects neighboring rights royalties for performers and recording rightsholders globally, has signed a deal with the Indian Singers’ and Musicians’ Rights Association (ISAMRA). Under the deal, PPL will now collect royalties on behalf of mandated performers in India, while Indian performers will also receive payment for the use of their recorded music in the United Kingdom.

Kids’ music brand KIDZ BOP and Live Nation extended their partnership via a new three-year North American tour deal. KIDZ BOP is currently ramping up for its KIDZ BOP LIVE 2024 tour, which is slated to kick off June 27 in Stamford, Connecticut.

France-based streaming service Deezer has renewed its longstanding partnership with TIM, the largest mobile carrier in Brazil. Under the agreement, TIM customers will continue to receive access to Deezer.

Uber has taken naming rights for two AEG venues in Berlin: Uber Arena (formerly Mercedes-Benz Arena) and Uber Eats Music Hall (formerly Verti Music Hall). It also has naming rights to an adjacent complex encompassing a movie theater, restaurants and bowling alley that will now be known as Uber Platz (formerly Mercedes Platz). AEG’s partnership with Mercedes-Benz will continue, with the brand remaining a partner of the Uber Arena in a more general role.

Lyric licensing and data solutions company LyricFind and business-to-business music and streaming technology platform Tuned Global have signed a partnership that will allow Tuned Global clients to enroll with LyricFind to unlock lyric-based tools through APIs or turnkey apps. These tools include the ability to display lyrics in multiple languages; use lyrics to search catalogs to create thematic playlists or other content; and utilize LyricIQ, a content analysis engine that allows curators to filter lyrics and tracks by mood, subject matter and age appropriateness.

AI-powered marketing operating system SymphonyOS has partnered with CD Baby in a deal that will enable CD Baby artists to access SymphonyOS tools. Those tools include Forever Saves, which allows fans to subscribe to a creator’s releases, meaning all new music from the creator is automatically added to fans’ music libraries on release; and discounted access to SymphonyOS Pro via CD Baby’s tools & promotions page.

Music venue and hospitality company Notes Live has selected Live Nation as the operator of its Sunset Amphitheater, a new 12,500-capacity venue set to open in Broken Arrow, Okla., through a public-private partnership. The amphitheater is slated to open in summer 2025.

Latin American media solutions company US Media has signed an advertising sales partnership with Vevo. Under the deal, US Media will become the Latin American sales representative for Vevo’s ad inventory in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru. US Media will sell on Vevo’s behalf pan-regionally from Miami.

Barbadian copyright collective membership organization COSCAP (Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) has signed a partnership deal with CMRRA (The Canadian Musical Reproductin Rights Agency) and SX Works Global Publisher Services, which are both SoundExchange companies. Under the agreement, CMRRA will oversee the mechanical reproduction rights of COSCAP members across the Canadian marketplace, while SX Works Global Publisher Services will help manage the end-to-end administration on behalf of COSCAP members with the Mechanical Licensing Collective (the MLC) in the United States.

London-based Web3 music startup TRAX, described as a content aggregator and social marketplace helping artists build a digital space for superfans, raised a $2.9 million decentralized funding round on the Internet Computer ($ICP) blockchain. Following the investment, TRAX will operate as a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) democratically controlled by holders of TRAX’s new governance token, $TRAX. The funds will be held in TRAX DAO’s treasury, which will allow $TRAX holders to decide how best to use them.

25 Jan 2024

Rostrum Records Acquires Distribution Company Fat Beats

Rostrum Records has acquired distribution company and retail brand, Fat Beats.

The acquisition, announced today (Jan. 25), will give Rostrum artists direct backing from Fat Beats’ wholesale distribution, e-commerce support, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment with an open line to brick-and-mortar stores. In return, Fat Beats will join the Rostrum Pacific umbrella — Rostrum’s entertainment company — and continue to operate as their own entity with access to Rostrum’s various vehicles, including sister companies Spaceheater, Rostrum Pacific’s catalog marketing arm, and Rostrum Records. 

“Fat Beats is a legendary brand that I’ve been a fan of for decades. From Rostrum Records to our most recent expansion of Rostrum Pacific, we’ve diligently outlined the next 20 years of our company. One of our goals has been to get vertically involved with physical distribution, and Fat Beats is a key part of that strategy,” Benjy Grinberg, Rostrum Pacific’s CEO and founder, tells Billboard. “Together, we can offer a level of professionalism, strategy, and forward-thinking that most physical companies lack. The ability to acquire Fat Beats and help it grow to new heights is incredibly exciting for us.” 

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“As a pillar of the independent Hip-Hop community since 1994, it was important to me to ensure what we’ve built over the last 30 years is well cared for and respected,” adds Joe Abajian, founder of Fat Beats. “We have found the perfect custodians in Benjy and the Rostrum Pacific team, and we’re confident that Fat Beats now has the expertise and resources to continue growing well into the future.”

Along with acquiring Fat Beats, Rostrum announced that it would hire Kevin Engler as general manager of Fat Beats and Bobby Israeli as Rostrum Pacific’s head of e-commerce. For almost 20 years, Engler previously worked at UMG and was most recently vice president of Commercial Strategy at Ingrooves, a division of UMG, while Bobby Israeli will join Rostrum Pacific after leading the e-commerce teams and strategy for UMG’s East Coast labels, including Def Jam Records, Island Records, and Verve Music Group. Both will report directly to Rostrum Pacific COO Jonathan Partch. 

25 Jan 2024

The Elovaters Are Quickly Selling Out Clubs & Building a New Name for Its Reggae-Influenced Sound

The Elovaters are one of those bands who don’t neatly fit into any one genre of music, but instantly invoke comparisons to some of the most popular bands in touring right now. What genre exactly is Sublime, or Slightly Stoopid or Pepper or Stick Figure?

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For most music fans, the simple answer would be that the Elovaters are a reggae music act, and that answer would not draw any protest from Jackson Wetherbee, frontman for the six-person group that is selling out clubs across North America. The West Coast leg of the band’s Endless Summer club tour has already sold more than 34,000 tickets with 13 dates on the West Coast run already sold out, including the 1,000-cap Neptune Theater in Seattle, 1,000-cap Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Berkeley and two sold-out nights at the 500-cap Cornerstone in Berkeley. Their success is due in part to the huge positive reception for their 2023 breakout album “Endless Summer” which ended the year at No. 14 on the Billboard Reggae albums chart and was the second highest rated album on the chart to be released in 2023.

Technically, Elovaters are not actually a reggae band, Wetherbee tells Billboard, although like Sublime and its more modern contemporaries, much of the band’s music does feature dancehall reggae-inspired propulsive drumming and rock steady, up-stroke guitar work that fans of the genre have used in music such as ska and ska-punk. Honoring reggae’s own distinctive roots in Jamaica as a potent political and religious movement, a number of bands have adopted the genre name Cali Roots or Cali Riddims. While the Elovaters have a large West Coast fan base, they hail from a small town near Cape Cod, Mass., less than an hour drive from Boston, and have adopted the larger genre title American Progressive Roots.

“There’s a lot of bands out there that have their root in reggae music and everyone in the Elovaters grew up listening to more traditional reggae along with rock and hip-hop,” Wetherbee tells Billboard. “Those influences are what makes it progressive. We’re not following the traditional Jamaican style of reggae, but we are influenced by reggae. Instead of focusing on trying to fit into any one subcategory, we find our best music comes when we focus on a certain vibe or mood.”

The fact that he is even leading a rootsy beach band is a bit of a fluke, he tells Billboard. As a child, music was a means of overcoming a difficult speech impediment that came with a difficult stutter, Wetherbee’s mom Liz Elliott told Billboard in an email, noting, “I recall vividly one day asking him to sing a song about his day. He never stuttered when he sang. He started talking in a singsongy voice to get his verbal needs out,” after months of working together, the stutter was gone.

Wetherbee said years of singing in front of an audience, sometimes seven nights a week, helped solidify his confidence and ability to perform as a carefree frontman who exudes confidence and embraces the beach-side lifestyle.

“I’m always trying to piece together songs that just hit me in a certain way,” Wetherbee says. “My songs don’t always end up being the song that I first heard in my head, but as a band, we’ve found a way to hone in on who we are musically and create a sound and style that brings joy to our fans.

On Thursday (Jan. 25), the Elovaters released the video for their latest single, “M.I.A.,” from Endless Summer. Check out the video below and look for tickets to their Endless Summer West Coast tour at theelovaters.com.