Like many industries during the pandemic, the music industry was a sector that was rocked to the core when live in-person events were temporarily shut down. With no way for artists to tour or throw live shows, companies like Deep Root Records had to make a smart pivot toward technology to still support artists. The independent Black-owned record label based in New York City, founded in 2014, has been known for its live music experiences — including their annual Yacht Party Series in New York and Paris. But when the pandemic hit last year, the company had to find a way to save its live shows so they could continue to thrive in a new realm. It wasn’t before long until Deep Root Records pivoted the way many other brands and labels did, and turned toward hosting virtual shows online. The live show to livestream concept was the root of Deep Root Records’ success during the pandemic, but their ability to collaborate with other labels and brands in the same predicament is what helped put...

Triller is on a mission to add more sports content to its video network platform — starting with rapper Ice Cube and his Big3 basketball league. According to CNBC, Cube inked an agreement for a joint venture with the social media company in which Triller will host his league’s first all-star game, its draft, and also feature 30 hours of live games from its 2021 season. Though specifics around the deal have not been made available, the outlet reports that both Big3 and Triller will share advertising revenue earned from the upcoming events, arena signage, and cross-promote their brands together. “There’s nothing as fun and fast in sports as Big3 basketball, and once you watch one game, you’ll be hooked,” Triller co-owner Ryan Kavanaugh shared in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Ice Cube and the Big3 organization to bring this exciting and growing sport to Triller audiences around the world.” Ice Cube basked in the announcement of his Triller deal tweeting, “Big3 signs deal...

Artists have gotten quite crafty by finding loopholes to still connect with their fans during quarantine. Erykah Badu has even gone as far as to develop her own livestream company, to perform her “Quarantine Concert Series” from her Dallas home. Variety reports that Badu launched the company last month charging viewers $1-$3 fees for the audio content. Just ten days after her in-person tour was postponed, Badu hired a “back-end” livestream company and paywall service to essentially broadcast from the comfort of her bedroom. “I had to quickly think of something, and like every other artist in the industry, we thought of livestreaming,” Badu told Variety. “I had to figure out a way to keep morale up for all [my] musicians and techs and engineers and keep all of us employed.” To successfully launch her series, Badu first had to scout for a proper platform. “I [spoke with] a lot of streaming companies, including the main ones, and they didn’t have what I thought was adequate for what I...