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It’s been a rough week for venue management firm ASM Global. On Thursday, OVG signed a contract to privately manage one of ASM’s largest clients, Chicago’s McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, and then on Friday (July 28) OVG won the venue management and food service contract for Tulsa’s BOK Center and the 275,000-square-feet Cox Business Convention Center.
The BOK Center had been managed by ASM and formerly its predecessor SMG since the building opened in 2007 and was a crown jewel for the company, regularly landing a spot on Billboard’s Boxscore Chart for building capacities of 15,0001 seats or more. But during a special meeting Friday, the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority unanimously voted to begin exclusive negotiations with OVG360 and OVG Hospitality to manage venue operations, booking, partnerships and sponsorships, and food and beverage operations at the two venues.
“OVG will focus on creating momentum in three main areas: ensuring Tulsa is the top destination for major concerts in Oklahoma, continuing to grow the city’s national and regional convention business, and assisting the city and its stakeholders in the development of a full-service convention center hotel,” company officials announced in a press release.
“The BOK Center and Convention Center are key economic drivers in our community, and their success is critical to Tulsa’s future vitality,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “As a thriving world-class city with world-class entertainment venues, we must always be focused on continuous improvement – not self-satisfied with the success of today but focused on being even better tomorrow. I have complete confidence in OVG and their ability to build upon the success we’ve enjoyed at the BOK Center and Convention Center over the last fifteen years.”
In Chicago, an unanimous vote from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) Board Thursday awarded the contract for private management and food services on the McCormick Place campus to OVG360 and OVG Hospitality.
The contracts, scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, 2023 and run through September 2028, were unanimously awarded following an extensive public procurement process. The change will affect the McCormick Place Convention Center, the 10,00-seat Wintrust Arena, and Arie Crown Theater.
“We’re incredibly proud that McCormick Place has entrusted OVG360 and OVG Hospitality as the new keepers of this world-renowned complex. While McCormick Place has set the industry standard for decades, we are honored to help shape its future,” said Chris Granger, president of OVG360. “We see an incredible opportunity to elevate the guest experience, support the surrounding community, drive sustainability, and grow and inspire a diverse workforce. We look forward to bringing our depth of experience from around the globe to Chicago and to building upon McCormick Place’s incredible track record.”
Chicago-based ghetto house pioneer DJ Deeon has died. An update posted to the artist’s Facebook page on Tuesday (July 18) by an administrator states that “I am sorry to announce the legendary Artist, Producer, DJ, Label owner, and my friend Deeon ‘DJ Deeon’ Boyd gained his wings today. The family thanks you for your support […]
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Summer Smash, the annual musical festival curated by the minds behind Lyrical Lemonade, will be rocking Chicagoland this weekend with headlining acts Kid Cudi, Future, and Playboi Carti. Culture Kings, one of the leading streetwear since 2008, partnered with Summer Smash for a festival-ready merch line that can be purchased online and onsite at the jam.
Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash 2023 goes down today (June 23) through Sunday with the aforementioned headliners and other rising stars such as Juicy J, Vince Staples, GloRilla, Trippie Redd, Rico Nasty, Lil B, and many more.
Culture Kings is the official brand sponsor of the 2023 Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash’s second stage, which will host the likes of Ski Mask the Slump God among other notables. The fashion brand will also host a half-sized basketball court where fans can put up shots for chances to win NFS Hydrations bags along with other prizes.
“We’re excited to work together with Culture Kings for the 2023 Summer Smash. Their desire to ensure attendees have the best possible time at the festival has blown us away and we can’t wait for the masses to see what we’ve been working on together,” shared Toni Sudimac, Head of Partnerships at Lyrical Lemonade in a statement.
“We’re excited to team up with Summer Smash 2023 and bring the Culture Kings ‘retailtainment’ narrative to life on stage, through this exclusive merch line, and our activation on the ground. As huge fans of the festival and Lyrical Lemonade, the synergies were clear between both brands, so we hope to continue recreating this experience for hip-hop fans in the future, added Jonathan Yuska, US Brand President of Culture Kings.
To learn more about Summer Smash 2023, click here.
To shop the new Culture Kings merch drop, click here.
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Photo: Culture Kings
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Jamie Foxx suffered a medical emergency last month with details still largely unknown by the wider public, but it appears that Foxx is on the mend. The celebrated actor and entertainer is currently in recovery and rehabbing in Chicago with his family in tow, according to a new report.
TMZ reports that Jamie Foxx, 55, has been housed inside the facility in Chicago late last month after suffering a medical emergency while filming on set in Atlanta. According to the outlet, the facility Foxx is receiving treatment is one of the best of its kind in the country.
Foxx’s family, most specifically his daughters and the mother of one of his children were in Chicago over the weekend and visited the facility. While the details of Foxx’s condition and what sent him into recovery have been kept mum, he is said to be inside a facility known for stroke recovery and spinal cord injury rehab among other focuses.
Previously, one of Foxx’s daughters said that her father was moving around and actually playing pickleball with his family and friends amid reports that his condition had taken a turn for the worse. The latest news comes after that announcement made by Corrine Foxx.
Salute to Jamie Foxx and strength to him as he continues his recovery.
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Photo: Getty
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It’s officially been 10 years since Chance the Rapper burst on the scene with his record-breaking, Billboard-charting mixtape Acid Rap. Over the next few months, Chance will honor the project through a series of can’t-miss live events, pop-ups, merch drops, and special music releases.
Chance will also headline an Acid Rap Ten Year Anniversary Show on August 19, produced by Live Nation Chicago’s United Center. Rapper and record producer Saba will be the show opener.
Tickets and VIP packages will be available starting with an Artist presale beginning today, Wednesday, April 26. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 28 at 10am local time at livenation.com.
Tickets for the show are selling fast.
In the first event to mark the occasion, Chance is returning his single, “Juice” to its original glory and format, available worldwide for the first time ever across streaming services this Sunday, April 30.
The Chicago native is also releasing new merch to celebrate the occasion available on his website starting this weekend.
When it dropped on April 30, 2013, Acid Rap was heralded as “Best New Music” by Pitchfork and Rolling Stone called it one of the “Best Mixtapes of 2013.” Across fourteen dynamic tracks, Chance’s lyrical prowess shines bright as he spits heavyweight bars over psychedelic, soulful, juke-filled beats, encapsulating the sound and feel of Chicago. Top Chicago-based and national artists including Vic Mensa, Childish Gambino, Twista, Action Bronson, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ab-Soul, and Noname lend their talents to the project. In 2019, Acid Rap hit DSPs and catapulted to #5 on the Billboard Hot 200, cementing Chance the Rapper’s role as a voice of a generation.
The anniversary is just part of an exciting year for Chance as he prepares to release his next body of work, Star Line Gallery. The project sees Chance intertwine the worlds of art, music, and cinematography through a series of interdisciplinary works in collaboration with fine artists from The Continent and The Diaspora. The resulting pieces redefine the notion of ‘album art’ and are compelling conversations and meditations on Black life.
Star Line Gallery works “Child of God” (collaboration with Gabonese artist and painter Naïla Opiangah), “A Bar About A Bar” (collaboration with Chicago-based painter Nikko Washington and filmmaker Troy Gueno), “The Highs & The Lows” feat. Joey Bada$$ (collaboration with Gabonese photographer Yannis Davy Guibinga), and “YAH Know” (collaboration with Chicago-based visual artist Mía Lee) have been showcased at art institutions around the world including Expo Chicago, Art Basel, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), The Art Institute of Chicago, and Los Angeles’ Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
Fans are also loving him on Season 23 of NBC’s The Voice, where he is the first rapper to serve as a coach.
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Source: WWD / Getty
Late-night host Bill Maher is under fire for his “boneheaded and wrong” recent comments on gun violence and race in Chicago in a segment on his show.
The Real Time with Bill Maher panel segment this past Friday (April 21st) featured Maher and University of Washington professor Daniel Bessner in a discussion on race, crime, and poverty. During that discussion, Maher asked Brown University professor & economist Glenn Loury about Chicago: “Like Chicago, most of the shootings are young Black men killing other young Black men. Is that not correct?” When Loury answered in the affirmative, Maher responded: “OK, much more than what the cops do. Why doesn’t anybody talk about that? Why aren’t there a hundred giant Black celebrities, who would have the respect of those people, saying, ‘What are you doing to yourselves? Why are you killing each other?’”
Bessner responded that other factors “’ more linked to social conditions, socioeconomic conditions, the disbelief that there is anywhere to go in terms of improving your lot in society,’” had to be considered, to which Maher dismissively replied, “You sound like the Mayor-Elect,” referring to Brandon Johnson, the recently elected mayor of Chicago and Chicago Teachers Union activist considered more progressive than the previous mayor, Lori Lightfoot. Maher and Loury would then say more “moral leadership” would help the situation. Bessner disagreed, saying the change would require that Johnson “attack it at the level of socioeconomics, not culture.” Right-wing outlets including Fox News amplified Maher’s Chicago comments – ironic as his opening monologue on the show skewered the network over its $787 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
Maher’s comments were criticized heavily by Ben Burgis of The Daily Beast, who pointed out how Maher’s rise as someone who was antiwar in the 2000s has given way to him devolving into more conservative positions. “But that doesn’t mean he’s ever been a leftist in any deeper sense. If you want to hear old jokes about Sarah Palin reheated and served up as jokes about Marjorie Taylor Greene, watch Bill Maher. If you want to hear well-thought-out analysis of what’s wrong with our society, then — at least on nights when Daniel Bessner isn’t on Bill’s panel — you’re better off changing the channel,” he concluded.
Maher has been no stranger to making racist comments, which include his statement that using the N-word “isn’t racist.”
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Source: Santiago Bluguermann / Getty
The long-running Lollapalooza music festival announced this year’s lineup with Kendrick Lamar as a top headliner along with Billie Eilish.
The organizers for Lollapalooza announced the lineup for their 2023 festival on Tuesday (March 21st), which will be held in the historic Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. The Grammy Award-winning artist behind the recent album Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers was named as a featured headliner. Other artists who will be headline performers are Billie Eilish (in which it is rumored this could be her only U.S. concert performance this summer), Red Hot Chili Peppers, Odesza, Lana Del Rey, Karol G, The 1975, and Tomorrow X Together. It’s another major festival for Lamar, who’s slated to be a headliner at this year’s Outside Lands Festival as well.
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Lollapalooza 2023 will have over 170 artists and bands across its nine stages. They include Pusha T, Fred again, Lil Yachty, Noah Kahan, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, J.I.D., Maggie Rogers, Carly Rae Jepsen, Diplo, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Tems, the Rose, Rina Sawayama, Lil Yachty, Rema, Morgan Wade, Lainey Wilson, L’Impératrice, Ivan Cornejo, Sudan Archives among others.
The three-day festival will take place from August 3rd to August 6th. A pre-sale of festival tickets coordinated through SMS for fans will begin on Thursday (March 23rd) at 10 A.M. CST for those who sign up at the festival’s website. They’ll have access to the Tier 1 4-day passes priced at $365 along with general admission passes, VIP and Platinum passes. The public will get a chance to purchase the remaining tickets at a later date, along with one-day passes.
Lollapalooza 2023 will also see the continuation of its community initiatives, primarily through the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund, which gives $2.2 million to bolster arts programs in the Chicago Public Schools system. “Brady”, an afternoon host and musical director with local radio station 103.5 Kiss FM, spoke about the glowing reaction the lineup has gotten. “My phone has not stopped. And let’s be honest, music fans can be a little cynical and opinionated. But the reaction I’ve seen all day has been nothing but positivity,” he said.
Sign-up for the presale and other information can be found on Lollapalooza’s website.
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Vic Mensa continues his track record of giving back to the city that made him, this time turning his attention to the unhoused individuals across the metropolis. Joining with activist Englewood Barbie, the Chicago rapper slept on his hometown streets in support of the homeless and a new fundraising effort to build a homeless shelter.
TMZ reports that Vic Mensa and Englewood Barbie gathered in a tent camp under a viaduct on Tuesday (Feb. 28) with temps going down into the 30s on the final night of February. The pair launched a new campaign that hopes to raise $1 million to go toward the building of a new homeless shelter for those currently housed in the camp.
“We outside tonight in Chicago sleeping under the viaduct, raising money to help my homegirl Englewood Barbie to build her own housing to provide shelter to the unhoused people of Chicago,” Mensa says in a clip from the fundraiser.
Check out videos of Vic Mensa and Englewood Barbie speaking at the event below.
The link to the fundraiser, which has raised over $126,000 thus far, can be found here.
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Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty
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Lori Lightfoot, the 56th mayor of Chicago, made significant history after winning the spot office in 2019 via a run-off election. On Tuesday (Feb. 28), Mayor Lightfoot failed to win the Democratic Primary vote, and now the race heads for a run-off in April.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Lori Lightfoot, 60, came in third behind challengers in former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, who won 33.77 percent of the vote, and Cook County Commissioner and Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson, who wound up with 20.29 percent. Lightfoot tallied 17.06 percent of the vote.
As noted in local outlet WBEZ’s report, Lightfoot fell out of favor with some of the voting public on issues such as crime, but her time in office did have some notable successes. However, some of Lightfoot’s maneuvers, in particular, the disturbing Anjanette Young case, further sunk her approval among activists and others in the city.
The success of Vallas seems centered on his pledge to bring crime down in Chicago, which has been ravaged by gang violence and the like during Lightfoot’s tenure as mayor. Johnson, who is Black, said in statements that his goal is to bring financial viability back to the city.
Vallas and Johnson will face off against one another on April 4.
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Photo: Getty
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R. Kelly’s legal dilemmas are getting bigger by the week. A judge has added another year to his sentence regarding his Chicago case.
As spotted on Page Six the disgraced singer got some bittersweet news this week. On Thursday (Feb. 23), U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber sentenced R. Kelly to 20 years for three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor into criminal sexual activity.
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The terms are that the sentence will run concurrently with the 30 years he is serving now for his New York state charges. In essence, he will have to serve another year after his New York bid is up.
“No matter what I do, Mr. Kelly isn’t going out the door after today,” Leinenweber said. “He’s not going out the door in the next 10 years. He’s not going out the door in the next 20 years.” The Chicago Sun-Times reports Kelly sat there “stone face” as the magistrate read the sentencing. R. Kelly’s lawyer plans to appeal the decision.
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Photo: Cook County Department of Corrections
