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11 Jul 2023

Stem Raises $250 Million for Artist Advances

Distribution company and payment platform Stem said on Tuesday it raised $250 million from Victory Park Capital to expand it’s popular advance check product.

Stem first started offering the product in 2020 to artists at various career stages, including artists like Justine Skye, who used the capital as bridge financing when transitioning from a major label to independent career. Other artists to use Stem’s financing include independent artist Brent Faiyaz, who relied on eight different advance checks in the past three years as he created his album Wasteland, released July last year.

Launched in 2015, Stem was created with an aim to give artists greater transparency into music industry finances and alternative sources of funding to support artists who want to run their own businesses. Stem chief executive Milana Lewis said the funding from Victory Park Capital will help more, including those who want to use their catalogs as collateral for cash and artists leaving the major label system.

“Stem has demonstrated itself to be a premiere destination for artists, whether emerging or established, to grow their careers,” says Lewis. “This funding from VPC enables us to solve … both of these pain points in a way where the client can set their own terms.”

Mature artists who want to use leverage their catalogs as financial assets–rather than sell their catalogs for a lump sum–can get use Stem’s advances to get “market rate, near-term liquidity with flexible repayment” plans, according to a statement from Stem.

Artists who are leaving a major label who may not be able to take existing work with them, Stem can offer advanced cash backed by future projects. Stem says it does not take any ownership stake in the future works.

“Enabling access to capital is a major focal point for us, and we are excited to be partnering with Stem to help meet the financing needs of artists,” said Gordon Watson, partner at the Chicago-based financer Victory Park Capital.

11 Jul 2023

Tainy’s ‘Data’ Surges to No. 2 on Top Latin Albums Chart: ‘It’s Mind-Blowing’

After 16 years, Tainy returns to the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as his latest album, Data, rallies 35-2 on the July-15 dated ranking after its first full week of activity.

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“I really try not to expect too much even though I’m working with superstars in this album,” Tainy tells Billboard. “My first thought is doing something both me and the artist love. I rather bring something amazing and different that at first could be weird, but grows on people with time. But I’m so happy it started the way it did, it’s mind-blowing.”

Data dropped June 29, the final day of the previous chart’s tracking week (albums are typically released on a Friday) and debuted on Top Latin Albums at No. 35 (July 8 ranking) from one day of activity. After its first official tracking week, the 19-track set surges to No. 2 with 31,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending July 6, according to Luminate.

Most of Data’s first-week sum derives from streaming, which equates to 40.52 million official on-demand streams of the album’s songs. The remainder balance is a negligible amount of album sales and tracking-equivalent album units combined. An equivalent album unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album (track equivalent album units, TEA), or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album (streaming equivalent album units, SEA).

Data gives Tainy his highest charting album in more than 16 years on Top Latin Albums, since Más Flow: Los Benjamins with Luny Tunes launched at No. 1 in 2006. His maiden champ reigned for two weeks, and granted indie label Mas Flow, founded by Luney Tunes, its first and only No. 1 there. Data follows Tainy’s co-released album Dynasty with Yandel, which peaked at No. 25 in 2021.

“Figuring out dates to work on tracks with the artists was the toughest thing,” Tainy adds. “They’re superstars, so they’re touring, doing their own projects so that takes time to put it together and make it sound cohesive. But it’s a process I knew was gonna take time, so we made it work.”

As Data hits No. 2 on Top Latin Albums, Tainy brings Neon16 similar fortune: The indie label founded by the Puerto Rican producer alongside former Roc Nation executive Lex Borrero concurrently picks up its first and only top 10 on an albums chart. Previously, Neon 16 Tape: The Kids That Grew Up on Reggaetón earned the indie label a No. 45 high in March 2020.

Tainy’s catalogue of projects date back to the 2000s, since he was 16 years old; he’s produced for reggaetón heavy hitters, some of which appear on the beatmaker’s 19-song new album. They include Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, Wisin & Yandel, Arcángel, Zion, Ozuna and others, and share a space with a younger and varied range of collaborators, such as Julieta Venegas, Rauw Alejandro, Young Miko, The Marias, Kany García, Feid and more.

In the songs realm, Data was preceded by only one song, the No. 2-peaking “Lo Siente Bebe :/” with Bad Bunny and Julieta Venegas (October 2021). Data also brings in three new recruits on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs, including one top 10: “Mojabi Ghost” with Bad Bunny debuts at No. 2, “Pasiempre” with Arcángel and Jhayco featuring Myke Towers at No. 28, and “La Baby” with Daddy Yankee and Feid featuring Sech at No. 47.

About the tracks Tainy concludes: “Each song represents me and my career in different ways, from artist and sounds that inspired me in the beginning to the new genres I’ve grown to love and artists that nowadays inspire me in a new way. Tough to choose just one.”

Beyond its No. 2 rise on Top Latin Albums, Data concurrently soars 19-1 on Latin Rhythm Albums, and debuts at No. 11 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

11 Jul 2023

‘Black Ink Crew’ Recap: Puma & Teddy Tighten The Screws & Give Two of The Newbies The Boot

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Black Ink Crew NY Season 10

Source: Courtesy VH1 / Black Ink Crew

On this week’s episode of Black Ink Crew, Puma, and Teddy get serious with the newbies after they feel things have gotten out of hand.

Ink Dreamy Finally Gets The Boot

On last week’s episode of Black Ink Crew, Ink Dreamy showed his polyamorous ass and almost came to blows with one of his cast members and even Teddy.

So it was no surprise when Teddy and Puma decided it was time for him to go so he could live his polyamorous life outside of the Black Ink Crew mansion.

During his confessional, Puma says Ink Dreamy got the boot because he felt he was too aggressive with the women, a major red flag, and that type of behavior is not what the Black Ink brand represents.

Ink Dreamy packs up his belongings and bounces. Puma and Teddy pull the remaining newbies left and warn them that more firings are to be expected.

Puma & Teddy Test The Newbies With Another Competition

With Ink Dreamy gone, it’s time to get back to business. Puma and Teddy announced to the newbies that they would be showing off their skills in a new competition that will, for the first time, take place in the mansion.

Teddy and Puma divided the newbies into teams led by Alex and Draya, giving them different jobs to handle while tattooing who Teddy described as “special clients.”

In an added twist, they assigned the newbies different jobs out of their comfort zone to see if they could handle it. As expected, Made Rich is unhappy to learn that he will be an AP and not do a tattoo, but he eventually gets over it.

It’s time for the competition, and the newbies struggle to perform the tattoos. Trilla has a tough time, even growing frustrated with the person he was tattooing, who was noticing some very rookie mistakes he was making.

The client is concerned when Trilla begins stenciling from the top instead of the bottom. He even shaves the client’s leg wrong, another no, no when tattooing Black skin. Trilla gets frustrated and storms off after he is swapped out for his girlfriend, Jahnova, who takes over doing the stencil.

Trilla was not the only one having issues during the competition. Liza raised the eyebrows of both the client and Made Rich and Alex when she said it’s okay to shade in from light to dark, a huge no, no in tattooing.

Puma & Teddy Warn Them Someone Will Not Be A Member of The Black Ink Crew

After the tattoos, we learn the “special clients” are tattoo artists. It was obvious because they knew a lot about techniques and what the artists should have done while working on the tattoos.

In critiquing Trilla following his poor performance, he gets some advice from the two artists, but he snaps back by telling them their advice is just their personal opinions. Alex tells him he could have handled the situation better if his customer service skills had improved.

Puma and Teddy tell the newbies that instead of judging them by teams, they will judge them on their performances, and someone will go home, instantly making them nervous because there was a lot of struggle during the competition.

Another Newbie Bites The Dust

It’s the day of reckoning for the newbies. Puma and Teddy arrive at the mansion and round up the newbies. They asked each of them to choose who they felt was the weakest link on their teams.

Santana, who had a poor showing during the competition, chooses herself, and even Trilla smartens up and picks himself cause he is acting like a fool. The final nail in his coffin came from his girlfriend, Jahnova, who tearfully says his name.

Trilla’s time is up.

After some daps, hugs, and tearful goodbye from his girlfriend, Trilla finally leaves but vows not to let the moment derail his dreams of being the best tattoo artist he can be.

Viewers had thoughts about the episode. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

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Photo: VH1 / Black Ink Crew

1. Trilla was doing a lot

2. Puma has some kind words for Trilla

11 Jul 2023

Hugh Jackman IS The Wolverine In New ‘Deadpool 3’ Set Pic

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Deadpool & Wolverine

Source: @deadpoolmovie / Marvel

Outside of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the last few films released under the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella have been struggle and fans have grown tired of what the MCU has been churning out as of late. But can Deadpool 3 revive an allegedly floundering comic book universe? Seems like it just might.

On Monday (July 10), Deadpool star, Ryan Reynolds took to Twitter to share a shot from the set of the highly-anticipated Deadpool 3 and in the process blew away fans with a sight we’d never thought we’d see. In the post, we find Reynolds in full Deadpool attire and next to him we see Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine draped in the classic yellow and blue costume from the comic books that fans have known and loved for decades.

This was especially surprising given the fact that throughout the numerous X-Men and Wolverine films that Hugh Jackman has starred in, he’s never worn any of the classic Wolverine costumes from the comic books. Now we finally get to see the OG Wolverine costume in all its glory on the silver screen. We. Can’t Wait.

While plot details about the film are being kept under wraps, rumors have been circulating that the film will find Deadpool crossing over into the MCU via the TVA (Time Variance Authority) who punish Deadpool for messing with various timelines at the end of Deadpool 2. Aside from Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Jennifer Garner’s Elektra being confirmed for the film, rumors also have Elizabeth Olsen reprising her role as The Scarlet Witch and Ian McKellen as Magneto in a House of M situation that’s supposed to play out during the film.

Needless to say, Deadpool 3 is about to get alllll the comic book fanboy money.

What do y’all think? Are y’all as excited about Deadpool 3 as we are? Will you be rushing to theaters when it premiers on May 3, 2024? Let us know in the comments section below.

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11 Jul 2023

G Herbo Arrested For Illegal Gun Possession Of A Glock Handgun

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Chicago rapper G Herbo, born Herbert Wright III, was arrested for illegal gun possession. The PTSD rapper got pinched on Sunday (July 9) in his hometown.

TMZ Hip Hop reports that Herbo was arrested near North Wabash Avenue and East Ontario Street in the evening, around 5:45pm. According to the police, a gun was found in the rapper’s possession and he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon in a public place because he didn’t have a license to own or carry the gun.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the firearm was found after a traffic stop. Reportedly, 300 grams of cannabis was also found but he was not charged. Herbo was in the backseat of a white Escalade that caught the cops’ attention when it made a turn without signaling, allegedly. Reportedly, the cops saw Herbo, who was sitting in the back seat, make “movements with his hands towards the front center console,” and that’s where they discovered a Glock handgun.

Herbo was released on bond and given a future court date. The driver caught misdemeanor gun charges while another passenger was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and manufacture or delivery of cannabis for the reportedly $1,500 worth of weed that was found in the SUV.

Recently, Herbo started a new non-profit organization to deal with mental health called Swervin’ Through Stress. However, legally he is also dealing with a fraud case that dates back to 2020 and includes federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

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11 Jul 2023

Ticketmaster France Pauses Taylor Swift Presale After Site Issues

Sacré bleu! Ticketmaster France pressed pause on the presales for four Paris dates and both shows in Lyon for Taylor Swift‘s 2024 European Eras Tour.

“Some of you may be having issues with the site this morning,” the company tweeted on Tuesday morning. “We are working on it and will let you know.”

The four Paris dates at La Défense Arena on May 9, 10, 11 and 12, 2024 were set to go on sale today in two stages, with one sale for May 9 and 10 opening at 9 a.m. local time and another, for May 11 and May 12, due to start at 11 a.m. Sales for the two dates at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium, set for June 2 and 3, were due to begin at 1 p.m.

“We will keep you informed of the new on-sale time as soon as possible,” the company said. “All codes will remain valid.”

As in past presales, fans had to sign up in order to be put into a lottery for code to redeem for a shot at tickets. But shortly after the Paris sale had begun, “winning” fans began having problems and Ticketmaster suspended the presale, citing issues with the site.

Leading up to the sale, the company gave fans an idea of what to expect:

Tickets will be available for purchase via the website for access code holders on July 11, 2023. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis while currently available inventory lasts. It’s a simple, standard purchase process and the steps below will help you navigate your search and purchase.

If you are selected to receive an access code, you will receive an email and two SMS messages the afternoon before ticket sales begins on July 11 2023

The messages will include timing details and a link to where the on-sale will occur, and your unique access code.

Prepare for the sale by creating your customer account in advance if you don’t already have one. Sign-in to your Ticketmaster Account in advance. Know your Ticketmaster password, or reset your password in advance. For a faster checkout, make sure you have a valid credit card with updating billing information in your account.

The company did not respond to a request for details on the nature of the site outage.

Though “July 11” won’t carry the same stain as “Nov. 15” — the date Ticketmaster’s site buckled under the weight of millions of Swift fans trying to purchase initial U.S. Eras Tour dates — it remains another botched sale for a Swift sale for the ticketing giant.

Last week, Swift announced an additional 14 dates for her European trip next year, with Paramore opening all dates. Swift’s Eras Tour launched in Glendale, Arizona on March 17. She plays two nights at Denver’s Empower Field this weekend before heading to Seattle and the San Jose area later in July.

11 Jul 2023

Loverboy, April Wine, Glass Tiger & More Set for Canada’s Walk of Fame

Loverboy, April Wine, Glass Tiger, Chilliwack and PRISM are among 13 rock acts from the 1970s and ’80s that will be added to Canada’s Walk of Fame. They will be celebrated in an event at Massey Hall in Toronto on Sept. 28.

The eight other acts that will be inducted are Lee Aaron, Lighthouse, Max Webster, Michel Pagliaro, Platinum Blonde, Rough Trade, The Parachute Club and Trooper.

“These trailblazing musicians have had an extraordinary impact on our Canadian rock landscape,” Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame, said in a statement. “Their longevity, many of whom still tour and sell out venues, is inspiring, and we are proud to welcome them each to Canada’s Walk of Fame.”

All 13 acts will be in attendance for the event, which will feature live performances, special guests and a reunion of Canadian DJs. Lou Pomanti is musical director.

Canada’s Walk of Fame’s partners in producing the event are Anthem Entertainment and Live Nation. Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster.com on Friday, July 14, at 10 a.m. ET. A limited number of tickets will be sold during a general on-sale on Thursday, July 13, between 10 a.m.-10 p.m. ET. AMEX cardholders qualify for Front of the Line ticket access from Wednesday, July 12 at 10 a.m. ET to Thursday, July 13 at 10 p.m. ET.

Loverboy, April Wine and Chilliwack have been voted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Loverboy, Parachute Club and Glass Tiger have won Juno Awards for single of the year. Glass Tiger won back-to-back awards in that category in 1986 for “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” and in 1987 for “Someday.” Loverboy won in 1982 for “Turn Me Loose,” Parachute Club in 1984 for “Rise Up.”

All three of those groups have also won Juno Awards in other categories, as have Lighthouse, PRISM and Trooper.

Six of these 13 acts have cracked the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Loverboy amassed nine top 40 hits, followed by Glass Tiger (four), April Wine (three), Chilliwack and Lighthouse (two each) and PRISM (one).

The Sept. 28 event is a one-time music induction celebration for the 25th anniversary events. This event is separate from the annual Canada’s Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Saturday, Dec. 2, where all of the 2023 inductees will be honored. The annual induction ceremony will feature performances and tributes from today’s top stars and alumni from the past 25 years. A special broadcast will air at a later date on CTV.

Canada’s Walk of Fame was established in 1998 by founders Bill Ballard, Dusty Cohl and Peter Soumalias, with Dianne Schwalm and in partnership with Gary Slaight.

Canada’s Walk of Fame is a national, not-for-profit organization that celebrates achievement in the fields of arts & entertainment, sports & athletics, entrepreneurship & philanthropy, humanitarianism, and science, technology & innovation. Canada’s Walk of Fame has more than 200 inductions to date, with stars having a permanent place of tribute on the streets of Toronto’s Entertainment District. For a complete list of inductees, visit: www.canadaswalkoffame.com

11 Jul 2023

Lil Nas X Stopped by Oslo Police After Riding Through Tunnel on E-Scooter

Lil Nas X was reportedly among four Americans stopped by Norwegian police after they rode through an Oslo tunnel on electric scooters. Authorities briefly closed the Festning (Fortress) Tunnel but none of the scooter riders were detained or charged.

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The tourists had followed a GPS route into the 1.1 mile tunnel late on Monday evening (July 11), police said. The four “used large parts of the roadway” so a road traffic centre had to shut down some lanes, police added.

“They apologized. We have escorted them out,” the police department said on Twitter of the incident in which the four appeared to get lost in the tunnel. At press time a spokesperson for Lil Nas could not be reached for comment on the alleged incident.

Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reported that Lil Nas X, 24, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, was one of the four tourists. The paper posted what it said was an image from Lil Nas’ Instagram Story in which the MC posed with two Norwegian cops in front of their car, with the rapper kneeling on the ground between the smiling officers.

Lil Nas’ story also reportedly featured a snap of the “Industry Baby” star standing inside the tunnel with the caption, “on the way to being imprisoned in Norway.” Police did not confirm that Lil Nas was among those stopped — they only reported that they stopped four Americans for getting lost in the tunnel — but the posts from Nas appeared to confirm the report.

The musician is in Oslo to perform at the outdoor Slottsffell festival on Wednesday (July 11).

It is not the first time that a foreign tourist rode through part of a vast and busy tunnel system in the centre of the Norwegian capital on an electric scooter. In 2019, a man who said he followed a route given by Google Maps entered the nearly 10-mile long Opera Tunnel complex. He was not charged or detained.

11 Jul 2023

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megan Thee Stallion, Ms. Lauryn Hill to Headline 2023 Global Citizen Festival

The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ms. Lauryn Hill will headline the 2023 Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central park on Sept. 23. The lineup of this year’s event on the Great Lawn will also feature Megan Thee Stallion, Conan Gray and Stray Kids.

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The free, ticketed event will focus on the organization’s drive to end extreme poverty now, with interested fans encouraged to earn passes by joining the movement and taking action on the Global Citizen app (or here) to help the organization’s work to level the playing field for women and adolescent girls around the world, combat climate change and continue the fight against the global food and malnutrition crisis.

According to a statement announcing this year’s lineup, for the first time in a generation, the number of people living in extreme poverty is on the rise. “The 2023 Global Citizen Festival campaign takes aim at the major issues perpetuating extreme poverty, including the impacts of climate change on the Global South, the inequities affecting women and girls around the world, and the global hunger crisis, and will call on governments to protect and defend advocates everywhere,” read the statement. “The campaign will unite millions of voices, amplified by the world’s biggest artists, to demand urgent action from world leaders gathering in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly in September.”

After this year’s COP27, G7, World Bank spring meetings and Paris climate finance summit failed to deliver any tangible results or disrupt the world’s “unjust systems,” Global Citizen CEO/co-founder Hugh Evans said in the statement that, “complacency can’t win. If we want to see breakthroughs on development and climate change, we need the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and all G7 nations to meet the urgency of the hour. Every single citizen has a vital role to play, and together, we must be laser-focused on driving results and impact in September.”  

Global Citizen began holding concerts around the globe beginning in 2012 with a goal of ending global poverty. It has long attracted a variety of A-list acts, including last year’s lineup featuring Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Måneksin, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalía performing in Central Park and Usher, SZA, Stormzy and Tems are among the headliners for a sister event in Ghana’s capital, Accra.

See the lineup announcement below.

11 Jul 2023

Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp to Headline 2023 Farm Aid in Indianapolis

The co-founders of Farm Aid are bringing the annual benefit for the country’s family farms back to the midwest this fall. Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson announced on Monday that the 2023 Farm Aid will return to the Indianapolis, IN area on Sept. 23 for the third time in the event’s 38-year history.

The show at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville will mark Young’s first in-person attendance since 2019 after the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer took several years off from appearing live due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the principles, other performers this year include: Farm Aid board member Margo Price, fellow board member Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, the Grateful Dead’s Bobby Weir & the Wolf Bros. featuring the Wolfpack, Lukas Nelson, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Allison Russell, The String Cheese Incident, Particle Kid and more acts to be announced later.

Young did not attend in in 2021 or 2022 due to the pandemic; the 2020 event was presented online.

“We are honored and excited to bring the Farm Aid experience back to Indiana,” said Seymour, IN native Mellencamp in a statement about the first Farm Aid in the state in more than 20 years. “My home state holds deep meaning for me and for the generations of family farmers who have dedicated their lives to caring for the Earth and bringing us good food.”

Since launching in 1985, Farm Aid has raised more than $64 million to support programs that help family farmers.

Farm Aid first IV took place in 1990 at Indianapolis’ Hoosier Dome, with Elton John, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt and Guns N’ Roses joining the three principles and returned in 2001 — shortly after the Sept. 11 terror attacks — with a lineup featuring then-new board member Matthews, as well as Martina McBride, the Doobie Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, Arlo Guthrie and more. Last years’ event in Raleigh, N.C. featured Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, Rateliff, Russell, Charley Crockett, Brittney Spencer and others.

A limited number of pre-sale 2023 tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday (July 12); the pre-sale ends at 5 p.m. on Thursday (July 13), or when pre-sale tickets are sold out. General admission tickets will go on sale on Saturday (July 15) at 10 a.m. ET. here.

“Family farmers have the solutions to some of our toughest challenges,” Nelson added in a statement. “As we face a changing climate, farmers in Indiana, across the Midwest and all over the country are farming in ways that create more resilient farms to build healthy soils and protect our water.”

According to a release, this year’s event will honor Indiana family farmers and others who are taking on climate change using regenerative, organic and sustainable farming practices.