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The music catalog company holding the hits of artists like 50 Cent, Eric Bellinger, John Coltrane, and a host of others has officially been sold. Hipgnosis, which is described as having “a collection of proven hit Songs of cultural importance by some of the most talented and important Songwriters globally,” per its website, has sold its assets to Blackstone for $1.6 billion. Additionally, its leader, Merck Mercuriadis, who was once responsible for managing Beyoncé, has also stepped down from the company, The New York Times reports. The Hipgnosis Songs Fund is an “investment trust” currently listed on the London Stock Exchange in the U.K. and owns the rights of “tens of thousands of songs,” per the outlet. During a meeting on Monday, July 8, 2024, a board for the company voted to accept an offer from Blackstone, worth $1.6 billion, to purchase its assets. Already, Blackstone had taken majority control of the company’s “investment adviser” side of the business through a $1 billion...
The battle between artificial intelligence (AI) software and the music industry continues in a new lawsuit against two AI music startups. Top record labels Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records are accusing AI music creation programs Suno Inc. and Udio AI of “massive and ongoing infringement.” The lawsuit claims that the entities “copied sound recordings from the labels ‘en masse and ingested them into its AI model,’” a practice that the plaintiffs say violates copyright laws, Forbes reports. Moreover, Suno and Udio AI are accused of using artists’ songs to “train their AI services.” In the suit against Suno, the filings allege that if the company hadn’t “violated copyrights on such a large scale, Suno’s service would not be able to reproduce the convincing imitations of such a vast range of human musical expression at the quality that Suno touts.” Similarly, the accusations against Udio AI hold some of the same weight, noting that “since the day...
TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) have agreed on new licensing conditions to bring the group’s tunes back to the social media platform. According to the TikTok newsroom, the joint agreement between the two entities “marks a new era of strategic collaboration.” “By harnessing TikTok’s best-in-class technology, marketing, and promotional capabilities, UMG and TikTok will deliver improved remuneration for UMG’s songwriters and artists, new promotional and engagement opportunities for their recordings and songs, and industry-leading protections with respect to generative AI,” read the report. What’s more, fans will see a return of UMG’s recorded music and publishing catalogs on TikTok, thus allowing users to go back to creating content with sounds from some of the culture’s biggest musicians. “Music is an integral part of the TikTok ecosystem and we are pleased to have found a path forward with Universal Music Group,” TikTok CEO Shou Chew said. “We are committed to working together...
The production tagline on Metro Boomin’s beats, “If Young Metro don’t trust you, I’m gone shoot you,” is more than a cultural statement — it’s rooted in the long-time friendship and business partnership he has with Atlanta, GA, rapper Future. Emerging from St. Louis, MO, Metro Boomin, born Leland Tyler Wayne, has carved his name in the annals of Hip-Hop history. His talent and ingenuity have propelled him to the forefront of the industry, with his production credits and collaborative acclaim spanning chart-topping songs with Drake, Travis Scott, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, and The Weeknd, among others. It’s About More Than Rap For Metro Boomin While Metro Boomin’s catalog is predominantly rooted in Rap and Hip-Hop, his music is a testament to his diverse range of influences. From the Pop icons that shaped his early musical journey to the eerie soundscapes of horror movies, his unique blend of inspirations is a fascinating insight into his creative process. “Michael Jackson. He was always...
Gunna recently went on the nationally syndicated The Breakfast Club to talk about his investiture in a Bored Ape NFT. And during the conversation, he teased that he may be creating his own non-fungible token (NFT) line in the near future. As AfroTech previously reported, Gunna is the latest rapper getting into the business of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). In December 2021, after reuniting with Crowe to do a $100,000 giveaway, it was revealed that the rapper purchased a Bored Ape NFT. The NFT, which is named “Butta,” is worth about $300,000. The Atlanta rapper also celebrated his newest collectible by getting a tattoo of the NFT and hosting a performance. And according to his statements to The Breakfast Club, he knew he had to do it in order to make a wise investment into his future. “Something just telling me like, man, just dip into this world,” he told the hosts of the New York-based radio show. “Just get into this metaverse world. You know, the future is coming. I’ve been kind of...
Drake and the Weeknd are Canadian powerhouses that have made their presence globally known. The music icons will be sharing a new stage together at X University — set to be renamed Ryerson University by Jan. 31, 2022 — for a class titled “Deconstructing Drake and the Weeknd” in their hometown of Toronto. The course will be taught by Hip-Hop expert, podcaster and writer Dalton Higgins who serves as a music professor in residence at the school, NOW Toronto reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dalton Higgins (@daltonhiggins5) “I was pushing Hip Hop Pedagogy in high schools, writing chapters and lesson plans for various hip hop textbooks,” Higgins said in an Instagram post. “But the real fun & deep learning has only really just begun as I’ll be teaching a course about two Toronto-born music titans; Drake & The Weeknd in early 2022.” He continued: “It’s time to get our Canadian rap & R&B icons recognized & canonized academically or otherwise. And it is CRITICAL for...
When it comes to sports and technology, StatusPRO not only gets it right but encourages others to see just how significant technology is to the sports industry and vice versa. As athletes, founders Andrew “Hawk” Hawkins and Troy Jones know the importance of using technology to make training more efficient for sports professionals across the nation. The company marries technology and sports by combining player data, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to design a suite of training and gaming products. Now, they can continue to execute the vision for their company thanks to a $5.2 million seed round, according to a press release provided to AfroTech. Led by venture capital firms KB Partners and TitletownTech, the round also received additional backing from 49ers Enterprises, Greycoft, Haslam Sports Group, SC Holdings, Verizon Ventures, and a host of other celebrity investors. This is a huge milestone for both Hawkins and Jones. “The XR [AR and VR] market has seen...
When it comes to the intersection of sports and technology, these founders are truly taking things beyond the status pro! As a technology company, Status Pro combines data with augmented and virtual reality giving its users an out-of-this-world experience. Created by dynamic duo, Andrew “Hawk” Hawkins and Troy Jones, the two took their love for the game of football and combined it with their desire to build a suite of training and gaming products. Now, it is changing the way coaches, players and fans experience their favorite sport. “Status Pro was birthed out of me and Hawks’ experiences as athletes,” shared Jones in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “Originally we started off as a company focused on helping athletes get better through augmented virtual reality.” From there, the company built a desktop application that would track data from players. “Each player in NFL games wears two tracking chips, one that tracks their movement and one that creates XY grid coordinates that...
The Weekend is adding to his investment portfolio. A Chicago-based platform by the name of Songfinch has announced that its recent $2 million funding round was led by heavy hitters like The Weeknd, Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman, Reverb founder David Kalt, and co-manager of The Weeknd and co-founder of XO Records, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby. According to Digital Music News, the platform — which was co-founded by Josh Kaplan, co-manager and legal counsel for Doja Cat, John Williamson, Rob Lindquist, and Scott Kitun — allows fans to order personalized songs create d by professional musicians. Users can not only specify whether they’d like the song to mention the recipient’s name or the occasion at hand, but they can also select the preferred genre and mood of the song. From there, purchasers will provide personal information and details to allow the creator to craft the personalized track. Services typically cost $249 per work, but, per the company’s website , it is...
It’s no secret that Black people run the culture, and the latest report on music streams is proof. Over 30% of all on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. last year were tracks recorded by R&B and hip-hop artists, Music Business Worldwide reports. The new stats were from industry monitor MRC Data — compiled with Billboard. “In the case of on-demand video streams, the ‘R&B/hip-hop’ category actually claimed over a third of all plays, at 33.9%,” according to Music Business Worldwide. This breakdown finds that the “R&B/hip-hop” category increased its market share of total “album-equivalent sales” here in the U.S. during 2020. One of the most popular tracks for both on-demand audio and video streaming platforms in the U.S. last year was Roddy Ricch’s “The Box.” The song garnered 920.4 million on-demand audio plays and 399.2 million on-demand video plays during 2020. In second place was The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” at 691.5 million followed by DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy...
Just this week, the news arrived: Grammy award-winning artist The Weeknd is the performer for The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show in 2021. To bring the big performance to life on the big day, executive producer Jesse Collins is now calling the shots. According to the LA Times , Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Pepsi tapped Collins to produce the forthcoming show, and with this appointment, the EMMY-nominated creator becomes the first Black producer of the Super Bowl Halftime Show. “It is an honor to be a part of such an iconic show at such an important time in our history,” Collins said. “I am grateful to Jay-Z, Desiree Perez, the entire Roc Nation family, and the NFL for granting me this opportunity.” Collins is the CEO of his own entertainment company and has produced plenty of high-profile, star-studded events, including the Grammy Awards, the BET Awards, and CBS’ ”John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero” special. Collins’ new role is due in part to Roc Nation’s deal with the NFL, which was...
From viral meme videos to political influence , TikTok has been a trending topic for months. And now, fans of The Weeknd will open the popular social app for a history-making performance. In partnership with virtual entertainment company Wave , TikTok will host the Canadian crooner for its first-ever virtual reality concert, “The Weeknd Experience.” Set to perform songs from his latest album, “After Hours,” the Weeknd will be displayed as a digital avatar, with whom fans will be able to interact with him live during the show, says The Verge . “#TheWeekndEXP will gather everyone from all walks of life to create legendary memories through a combination of featured hashtag challenges, creative effects, and a must-see experience,” the release said. In addition, TikTok will raise money for The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a non-profit organization committed to “ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States.” NME reports that fans can purchase exclusive...