10.24.2020

Rolling Loud Drops 200-Piece Limited “Open The F*CKN Pit” Cut & Sew Collection of Merch, Curated by RL Co-Founder Matt Zingler

The World’s Premier Rap Festival Brand Shares a One-Of-A-Kind Capsule as It Prepares for Next Week’s “Loud Stream” Virtual Festival, Headlined by Trippie Redd & Gunna

The Announcement:

Occupying a rarified place in rap culture, Rolling Loud is equally praised for its unique merch as its all-star lineups. Coming through with their latest drop, Rolling Loud reveals the “Open The F*CKN Pit” Cut N Sew collection, a limited, 200-piece capsule of premium merch. Inspired by hunting and the outdoors, the latest Cut N Sew collection is rugged enough to survive the gnarliest of mosh pits and comfortable enough to wear while relaxing by an open fire. Curated by Rolling Loud co-Founder Matt Zingler, the new collection is hand-created with premium fabrics, and includes one-of-a-kind items like heavy cotton tees, Camo sweat sets with barb and hazard detailing, a hyper-functional travel bag, a trucker hat emblazoned with a fanged skull, and Open The Pit koozie. Designed by Ed Hume with Smith Durogene as creative director, the “Open the F*CKN Pit” Cut N Sew collection emphasizes the beauty and terror of the natural world, offering vivid renderings of tree branches, flames, lightning, and Halloween-appropriate skulls.

Distinct from their festival-related merch drops, Rolling Loud’s Cut N Sew offers themed collections with eye-popping designs and premium-quality fabrics. In September, Rolling Loud Productions shared the brightly-colored Moto 20 Cut N Sew collection, featuring gloves, goggles, and other Motocross-inspired outerwear.

Cut N Sew merch is available at https://shoprollingloud.com/collections/cut-n-sew.

The “Open The F*CKN Pit” collection arrives as Rolling Loud prepares for the second “Loud Stream” virtual festival, airing October 30th & 31st exclusively on Twitch. Dialing up some of rap’s biggest names, including headliners Trippie Redd & Gunna, the upcoming stream promises a fully live experience, complete with state-of-the-art production value, thrilling performances, entertaining between-sets interviews and commentary, and absolutely zero pre-recorded sets. The second “Loud Stream” is Rolling Loud’s first Halloween-themed event–expect extravagant visuals, eye-popping merch, a costume contest (enter on socials with the hashtag #RLHalloween for the chance to win prizes), and additional scary surprises.

In addition to the headliners, the lineup boasts a formidable undercard, including heavyweights like Young Dolph and Lil Pump, rising stars like The Kid Laroi, iann dior, and $NOT, leading ladies like Coi Leray, Rubi Rose, and Sukihana, plus many more. During the second “Loud Stream,” Rolling Loud will raise funds for the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.

Buy the “Open the F*CKN Pit” Cut N Sew Collection: https://shoprollingloud.com/collections/cut-n-sew

Buy Rolling Loud merch: shoprollingloud.com

Watch “Loud Stream” on Friday October 30th and Saturday October 31st at Twitch.tv/RollingLoud, starting each day at 6PM ET and ending at 12AM ET.

Subscribe to Rolling Loud on Twitch and visit RollingLoud.com/Twitch to read about subscriber benefits.

Critical Praise:

“In four and a half years — beginning small in Miami, and now promoting Coachella-sized events around the country — Rolling Loud has established itself as a playground for the young…This time last year, many of the rappers now drawing crowds of several thousand were barely known.” – The New York Times

“Rolling Loud is the be-all of hip-hop festivals.” – Billboard

“The Rolling Loud New York experiment was a success—one which will likely earn it a return trip to the city in future years. Far from a traditional NYC rap experience, it was a two-day event that catered to the genre’s youngest fans, with an eye squarely focused on the future.” – Complex

“Rolling Loud continues to prove its hip-hop tastemaking status is no fluke” – Pollstar

For more info, please contact:
Rolling Loud: Michelle, Kerry, or Kevin
Twitch: Samantha

The Background:

About Rolling Loud
Founded in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif as a one-day festival in Miami, Rolling Loud evolved into a global behemoth, with massive festivals on both American coasts and international events in Europe and Australia. In October 2019, Rolling Loud hosted the first annual Rolling Loud New York, which boasted one of the brand’s most impressive lineups yet, and in December, it drew 65,000 fans per day to Banc of California Stadium for Rolling Loud Los Angeles.

About Twitch
Launched in 2011, Twitch is a global community that comes together each day to create multiplayer entertainment: unique, live, unpredictable experiences created by the interactions of millions. It brings the joy of co-op to everything, from casual gaming and world-class esports to anime marathons, music, and art streams. Twitch also hosts TwitchCon, the biggest community event of the year, where tens of thousands of people come together to celebrate and connect with others who share their interests and passions. We’re always live at Twitch. Stay up to date on all things Twitch on Twitter and on our Blog.

Links:

website | facebook | twitter | Instagram

Buy Rolling Loud merch: shoprollingloud.com

Check out Rolling Loud on Twitch: Twitch.tv/RollingLoud

Check out RollingLoud.com for more information.

10.23.2020

King Von Tells His Origin Story on Welcome To O-Block, His Debut Album, Releasing October 30th via Only The Family /EMPIRE

The Rapper Shows Off His Well-Known Storytelling Skills with “Gleesh Place” (Prod. Wheezy), His Latest Video Single

Critical Praise:

“King Von’s original ‘Crazy Story’ is the kind of thing hip-hop heads should crave: an immediate and distinct piece of cinematic rap that makes time for flirting and gangbanging all in one ferocious verse. The Chicago rapper details an attack on an opp that keeps you engrossed all the way to the very end” – The 405

“King Von’s incredibly vivid story-telling rhymes have propelled him to the forefront of Chicago drill rap.” – The FADER

“King Von excels in using his storytelling as a device to portray the struggle of growing up in Chicago.” – Pitchfork

The Announcement + Video:

Commanding a rabid legion of fans who hang on his every bar, King Von is taking over the game with his tight storytelling and unmatched energy. Digging into his past and revealing his origin story, King Von announces Welcome To O-Block, his upcoming debut album. Often described as one of Chicago’s roughest areas, O-Block helped shape Von into what he is today, forcing him to quickly learn how to survive by any means necessary. Sharing the perspective formed by his youth in O-Block and young adulthood spent in and out of prison, Von’s Welcome To O-Block covers conflicts and situations familiar to anyone who grew up in a neglected urban environment.

Featuring production from Von’s frequent collaborator Chopsquad DJ alongside famous faces like Weezy, Welcome To O-Block incorporates regional sounds from around the map into Von’s dramatic post-drill sound. The new album finds the 25-year-old rapper reaching a new level of intensity of craftsmanship, packing minute details into his breathlessly intense rhymes to paint a cinematic picture of his crazy life.

The album features recent singles like “How It Go“ (7.8 million views), a mournful rap ballad that contemplates the harsh decisions made by people caught up in the justice system, and “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign (5.7 million views), which combines the sounds of Brooklyn and Chicago drill into an energetic anthem of self-assurance. Welcome To O-Block also collects noteworthy songs from Von’s eventful summer, including the betrayal tale “Why He Told“ (6.2 million YouTube views) and the furious breakout hit “All These N****s” (23 million views), featuring his mentor Lil Durk.

Along with the announcement of the project, Von shares “Gleesh Place,” a chaotic, action-packed new music video. Produced by Wheezy, a favored producer of rappers like Gunna and Young Thug, the lightning-fast “Gleesh Place” finds Von recounting a close call with police in a series of frenzied one-liners: “Came in out of breath/Shoulda seen Gleesh face/Then I showed him the sting/It was like fifty k!” Directed by Jerry Production and filmed at O-Block itself, the video dramatizes Von’s story, the camera following him as he escapes his lick and dodges the opps.

Welcome To O-Block follows Levon James, a wide-ranging and successful project. Hosting the hit single “Took Her To The O“ (26.8 million views), recently spawning a Genius Verified video, as well as highlights like the G Herbo-collaboration “On Yo A**“ (9.7 million views) and the gripping street story “3 A. M.” (12.8 million views), LeVon James is available everywhere via Only The Family/EMPIRE.

The culmination of a meteoric rise that started with 2018’s “Crazy Story,” Welcome To O-Block establishes Von as one of his city’s, and the rap game’s most vital talents. Welcome To O-Block arrives on October 30th via Only The Family/EMPIRE.

Pre-order Welcome To O-Block: https://music.empi.re/oblock

Watch “Gleesh Place”: https://youtu.be/vMxOz_6gWOE

Buy/Stream “Gleesh Place”: https://empire.ffm.to/gleeshplace

Welcome To O-Block tracklist:
1. Armed & Dangerous
2. GTA
3. Demons
4. Mine Too
5. The Code ft. Polo G
6. Why He Told
7. Back Again ft. Lil Durk & Prince Dre
8. Gleesh Place
9. All These N****s ft. Lil Durk
10. Can’t Relate
11. Mad At You ft. Dreezy
12. Ain’t See It Coming ft. Moneybagg Yo
13. Ride
14. How It Go
15. Wayne’s Story

Please contact Michelle, Andrea, or Erin for more info.

The Background:

King Von was born in the South Side of Chicago, growing up in O Block, the area that produced Chief Keef.  After rightfully beating an erroneous murder charge that could have put him away for life, King Von took inspiration from heroes like Lil Wayne and turned to rapping, linking up with Lil Durk who signed him to his OTF label. Within six months, Von had a series of viral hits, including the sinister “Problems,” which has over 3.4 million views after its debut on Lil Durk’s YouTube channel, and the defiant “War Wit Us,” which has over 3.8 million YouTube views. With “Crazy Story” currently burning up urban radio (it recently reached #76 on the nationwide chart), Von seems to be on the fast track to translate his fervent local following into national fame.

Links:

twitter | instagram | spotify

“Gleesh Place”: https://youtu.be/vMxOz_6gWOE

“I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign: https://music.empi.re/iamwhatiam / https://youtu.be/JHixsTYXfso

“How It Go”: https://music.empi.re/howitgo / https://youtu.be/WU6EHi410UQ

“All These N****s”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB2LmRyfXuk

“Why He Told”: https://empire.ffm.to/whyhetold | https://youtu.be/PLutQQzjig4

LeVon James: https://empire.lnk.to/LevonJames

“Took Her To The O”: https://youtu.be/hzt31eJTGxo

Grandson Vol. 1: https://empire.lnk.to/grandson1

“Crazy Story”: https://Empire.lnk.to/Crazystory // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8NmE3H-zs

10.22.2020

TikTok Treats, Week Of October 19th

Legacy Artists, Former Disney Stars, and More Score Trending Hits on TikTok

The News:

TikTok’s emphasis on viral trends can help a song explode in popularity, but it’s the app’s ability to redefine a song’s context that makes it succeed as a music discovery platform. Freed from the limitations of radio, a viral song on TikTok can come from any year, any genre, or any artist. Following the example of previous successes like Fleetwood Mac, labels are quickly discovering that TikTok can bolster their catalog just as much as it can help baby artists. Below, take a look at a few examples of legacy artists taking advantage of TikTok (with some newer stories mixed in):

• Never ones to look back in anger, Oasis provided a dose of ’90s nostalgia with a new trend in support of the 25th birthday of their best-selling album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory. Encouraging fans to make videos to the tune of their iconic anthem “Wonderwall,” Oasis kicked off the #ThrowItBack challenge, daring TikTok users to show off their favorite looks from the decade of AOL and “The Rachel.” With over 1 billion views on the hashtag, the #ThrowItBack challenge inspired men, women, and dachshunds to dig their favorite flannels and more out of their closets.
• Earlier this month, TikTok and the John Lennon estate teamed up to celebrate the music icon’s 80th birthday by creating an account dedicated to his memory and making some of his biggest solo hits available as TikTok Sounds. One of Lennon’s prettiest songs, the 1980 hit “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy),” has blossomed into a trending TikTok hit. Marked by a gorgeous piano melody and Lennon’s floating tenor, “Beautiful Boy” proves to be the ideal soundtrack for wholesome experiences, including welcoming new puppies, helping a squirrel escape a sneaker store, or showing off your favorite web comics about the LGBTQIA experience.
• Continuing a big month for UK music icons on the platform, George Michael’s estate established a TikTok account in memory of the late hitmaker. Launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Freedom 90,” the account includes archival footage of interviews, performances and video excerpts reimagined for TikTok’s community. Created to celebrate the pop legend’s amazing career, it’s only a matter of time before the @GeorgeMichaelOfficial TikTok account helps spur one of his hits–”Careless Whisper“? “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go?“–to a viral resurgence.
• Another week, and another excellent Miley Cyrus cover is trending on TikTok. In the past week, the “MAIN CHARACTER CHALLENGE” has taken TikTok by storm, soundtracked by Miley’s passionate cover of “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” by Arctic Monkeys. Started by @jonysios, who emulated Miley’s outfit during her viral performance of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” the #MainCharacterChallenge encourages TikTok users to transform from their ordinary selves to their “main character” at the moment that Miley’s piercing vocal hits. With over 163k video creations since the beginning of the month, Miley’s vocal has inspired users to embrace #AltRocktober and show off their inner diva.
• Miley Cyrus isn’t the only former Disney star to trend on TikTok this week: pop duo Aly & AJ are experiencing their own resurgence on the app. A new trend set to their 2007 hit “Potential Breakup Song” allows users to show off their finest outfits and their video editing skills. The trend has evolved into a group lip-syncing challenge, as head-bopping moms, Baltimore Orioles players, and even Spongebob characters get their groove on.
• As the producer of massive TikTok hit and Billboard success “Old Town Road,” YoungKio knows a thing or two about viral success. In recent days, another of his productions has started to make waves on the platform: “Papi Chulo,” a collaboration between UK stars Octavian and Skepta. With over 232k video creations, the flirty, Latin-inflected rap song has soundtracked hair videos, cooking tutorials, and a series of videos by the tag team of @oscywinter and @lilcheesey, who have racked up millions of views on clips using the song.

As TikTok hits continue to climb up charts, including this week’s new #1 “Mood” by 24kGoldn ft. iann dior, artists and their teams are taking steps to increase artists’ profiles on the platform. A well-curated account serves to show fans a different side of an artist’s personality, or can act as a tribute or memorial to legacy acts. And though it may seem that TikTok hits come out of nowhere, most are products of in-app promotion and behind-the-scenes hustle. Keep checking the “For You” page for a sneak peek at tomorrow’s next sensation.

Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
Stevie Nicks, Jason Derulo, and More Highlight a Big TikTok Week
Now Here You Go Again, You Say You Want Your TikToks
Pop Smoke, 24kGoldn, Flo Milli, and Others Have Scored Multiple TikTok Hits
TikTok Salutes Its #FamiliaLatina: Music Stories from Latinx Heritage Month
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

10.15.2020

Video: Young Dolph – “The Land”

The Paper Route EMPIRE CEO Shines a Light on Some Harsh Realities About Life as a Black Man in America in His Latest Video from Rich Slave

The Video:

“The police pulled me over for nothin’, just because she racist (Damn, man)
Two minutes later, it’s five police cars, they got me face down on the pavement (Goddamn, man)
Just ’cause I’m a black man in America (What about it?)
That’s what give them permission to treat us terrible (Hell nah)”
– Young Dolph

Always starkly honest in his rhymes, Young Dolph uses his talent for real talk to shine a light on crucial issues like racial equality and police brutality in “The Land,” his latest music video. Detailing a real encounter Dolph had with the police, “The Land” is a merciless takedown of America’s founding myths, exposing the hypocrisy of a country where your color of skin determines your quality of life: “They say this the land of the free (That’s a lie)/It seem like the land of bullsh*t to me,” intones Dolph. Directed by Paper Route Pictures, the video for “The Land” re-enacts Dolph’s fateful police encounter in vivid detail, as Dolph is pulled over for the crime of being Black and owning a camo-wrapped Lambo, before a violent officer shoves his knee into Dolph’s back. In the video’s second half, the Paper Route EMPIRE CEO vents his frustration with the nation’s racist criminal justice system, tagging a police car with righteously angry messages (“RIP Breonna Taylor,” “No Justice No Peace”) before smashing it to bits with a baseball bat.

“The Land” is the searing centerpiece of Rich Slave, Dolph’s deeply personal and highly successful new album. Emphasizing his Memphis roots with Dirty South instrumentals, the album explores Dolph’s rags to riches story, while taking time to reflect on the glass ceiling on the upward mobility of Black people; no amount of money allows you to escape racism as a Black person in this country. Featuring singles like the West Coast tribute “Death Row,“ the conversational “Blue Diamonds“ (6.9 million views), and the Megan Thee Stallion-featuring riders’ anthem “RNB,” Rich Slave peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and hit #1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, selling over 65k units and generating over 44 million on-demand streams in its first week. Home to video singles “Cray Cray“ (3.9 million views),  “What’s Da Bizness” (1.8 million views) and “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up” (5 million views) Rich Slave is available everywhere via Paper Route EMPIRE.

Watch “The Land”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6l946DZi80

Buy/Stream Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

Visit Young Dolph’s website to purchase the album and Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

Rich Slave tracklist:
1. Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up
2. Black Friday Skit
3. To Be Honest
4. I See $’s
5. Corduroy House Shoes
6. What’s Da Bizness
7. The Land
8. Death Row
9. Cray Cray
10. RNB ft. Megan Thee Stallion
11. Rich Slave
12. Until It Rot
13. Blue Diamonds
14. No Sense ft. Key Glock
15. Benz
16. 1 Scale ft. G Herbo

Please contact Michelle or Erin for more info.

Links:

twitter | facebook | soundcloud | youtube | instagram | official site | spotify

Bio, photos, music and more can be found at www.audibletreats.com/young-dolph

“The Land”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6l946DZi80

“Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-K-3arN9c

“Cray Cray”: https://youtu.be/E42t-yK78gg

Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

“Death Row”: https://empire.ffm.to/deathrow

Visit Young Dolph’s website to pre-order Rich Slave and purchase Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

View the official rules for the “Rich Slave Lamborghini Contest” here. No purchase is required to enter the contest: https://store.youngdolph.com/pages/young-dolph-contest-rules

“Blue Diamonds”: https://empire.ffm.to/bluediamonds / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBn_aZPcqJk

“RNB” ft. Megan Thee Stallion: https://empire.ffm.to/youngdolph_rnb

“Sunshine”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2lUhNmdXkE / https://empire.ffm.to/sunshine

Dum & Dummer: https://empire.lnk.to/dummer

10.15.20

TikTok Treats, Week of October 12th

This Week on TikTok Brings ‘00s Nostalgia, #1 Hits, and Sweet, Sweet “Dreams”

The News:

TikTok’s greatest strength lies in creating a community that feels close-knit despite being massive in size. A meme, trend, or song created on TikTok can quickly morph from an in-joke between close friends to a worldwide phenomenon. TikTok phenomena have had more and more of an effect on the real world, impacting the Billboard charts, or materially affecting product sales. Below, check out some of the weird ways that TikTok interacts with the real world:

• TikTok hits are having a massive week on the Billboard charts, headlined by “Savage Love” (BTS Remix) by Jason Derulo & Jawsh 685 ft. BTS. “Savage Love” came to life when Jason Derulo added heartfelt R&B vocals to “Laxed – Siren Beat,” a song by Jawsh 685 that became a massively popular TikTok sound (55 million video creations), spawning a worldwide hit that reached the #1 spot in several countries. A new remix featuring BTS helped the song climb seven spots and reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. The new number one is another milestone for TikTok, marking the latest TikTok hit to top the charts.
• Another unlikely TikTok hit skated its way into the Billboard Top 25 this week: Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” which recently returned to the Billboard Hot 100 after a 43-year absence, propelled by Nathan Apodaca, aka @420doggface208, whose cranberry juice-fueled TikTok using the song racked up nearly 50 million video views. Inspiring a legion of imitators, including FM co-founder Mick Fleetwood, and introducing the song to millions of new fans, “Dreams” climbed to #21 on the chart after Apodaca’s video boosted streams and sales of the song by more than 7000%. The song also sits at #7 on Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 chart, sandwiched between songs by 21 Savage and Pop Smoke. The “Dreams” resurgence on TikTik and beyond shows no signs of slowing down: just yesterday, rock icon and Fleetwood’s bandmate Stevie Nicks, the original writer and singer of “Dreams,” joined TikTok, commenting on the trend with her first-ever TikTok video.
• A flex-heavy song with a hypnotic piano beat and a nursery rhyme hook, L.A. rapper Kenndog has a major TikTok hit on his hands with “Drip Like ME.” With over 537k video creations after exponential growth in recent days, “Drip Like ME” currently sits as the #2 song on Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50, propelled by two distinct TikTok trends. The first trend that uses “Drip Like ME” is to show off their fashion sense (or admiring the drip of venerable British character actresses), producing results that can be equal parts fly and embarrassing. The second trend involves the “Rice Purity Test,” a survey that evaluates the taker’s experience with various illicit activities. Using the hashtag #ricepuritytest (48 million views), TikTok users try to guess the scores of their friends and family members and marvel at the results.
• Have TikTok users been experiencing some ‘00s nostalgia? Two mid-decade #1 hits have found new life on the platform. The first is Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous” (250k videos), a risqué duet with Timbaland, which is inspiring TikTok users to show off their wild sides (or just their astrology-themed iOS 14 home screens). The second ’00s video to experience an unlikely rebound in TikTok relevance is “Girlfriend,” Avril Lavigne’s defiant pop-punk jam (406k views). The song started trending as the soundtrack to a trend where TikTok users flip their hair from a side profile, the song has gone on to soundtrack controversial Harry Potter takes, dedicated workouts, and air band jam sessions.
• Appropriate for the tail end of Latinx Heritage Month, one of TikTok’s biggest recent hits comes from the legendary Gloria Estefan. The trending song in question is “Conga,” one of her earliest crossover smashes, a relentlessly upbeat and compulsively danceable track. The song started to trend in response to a dance craze created by @b1ondebimbo, but it quickly found a life of its own. Spurred on by an endless parade of emoji-filled comments, “Conga” inspired uncontrollable fits of dancing in users showing off their crazy halloween costumes, their elliptical workouts, or their pet hamsters. Most intriguingly, “Conga” has become a major meme in the world of Among Us, a PC/phone game that is massively popular on TikTok (13B views on #AmongUs).
• Flint, Michigan rapper YN Jay has found unexpected popularity on TikTok, his raunchy rhymes and self-bestowed “Coochie Man” nickname becoming an inside joke among the platform’s users. The legend of “Coochie Man” kicked off with user @Nuhchez, who asked a simple question–what if “Coochie Man” were a superhero like Batman or Spider-Man? @Nuhchez created an entire comedic universe around the character with comedy skits and TikTok filters, using edited versions of songs like Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise” and BØRNS’ “Electric Love” to soundtrack his heroic exploits. In recent days, YN Jay scored another viral sound, built around an expressive groan from the beginning of his song “Coochie Land.” YN Jay’s expressive groan soundtracks quick changes in mood, whether your kid makes a decision you don’t approve of, you accidentally upset a baby, or you get caught in the act.

Whether it is reviving old hits or creating collaborations of its own, the impact of TikTok on the culture is reaching new heights every week. When artists of all genres make TikTok integral parts of their release plans, they’re trying to harness the sense of community and buzzing zeitgeist that the platform creates. The stories of Jason Derulo, @420doggface208, and others just hammers home the increasing connection between TikTok culture and the world at large.

This week, Alt-Rocktober continues with special TikTok LIVE streams from Third Eye Blind and legendary drummer Tommy Lee. Check out Tommy Lee’s stream on his @TommyLee account on October 16th at 3pm ET/12pm PT, and check back Third Eye Blind’s live stream on @ThirdEyeBlind the same day at 4pm ET/12pm PT.

Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
Now Here You Go Again, You Say You Want Your TikToks
Pop Smoke, 24kGoldn, Flo Milli, and Others Have Scored Multiple TikTok Hits
TikTok Salutes Its #FamiliaLatina: Music Stories from Latinx Heritage Month
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

10.14.2020

Rolling Loud Announces the Lineup for Their Second “Loud Stream” Virtual Festival, Airing October 30th & 31st Exclusively on Twitch

Headlined by Trippie Redd & Gunna, the Second “Loud Stream” Promises Tricks, Treats, and 12-Hours of Live Performances

Hosted Once Again by Druski, DJ Scheme, JenesisGiselle, & DJ Five Venoms, the Second “Loud Stream” Looks to Build on the Success of Rolling Loud’s September Stream, Which Drew 4.4 Million Live Views

The Announcement:

Known for booking an unbeatable array of talent, Rolling Loud lineups are time capsules of a moment in rap history. Dialing up some of rap’s biggest names for their second virtual festival, Rolling Loud reveals the lineup for the second “Loud Stream.” Headlined by Trippie Redd and Gunna, the upcoming stream promises a fully live experience, complete with state-of-the-art production value, thrilling performances, entertaining between-sets interviews and commentary, and absolutely zero pre-recorded sets.

Airing exclusively on Twitch on October 30th and October 31st from 6pm to 12pm ET, the virtual festival is Rolling Loud’s first Halloween-themed event–expect extravagant visuals, eye-popping merch, and additional scary surprises. During the stream, Rolling Loud will launch a costume contest for fans at home. Post a picture of your costume to socials with the hashtag #RLHALLOWEEN to enter for the chance to win tickets, merch, cash, and other prizes.

In addition to the headliners, the lineup boasts a formidable undercard, including heavyweights like Young Dolph and Lil Pump, rising stars like The Kid Laroi, iann dior, and $NOT, leading ladies like Coi Leray, Rubi Rose, and Sukihana, plus many more.

The upcoming “Loud Stream” is the second of three virtual festivals Rolling Loud has planned for 2020. Headlined by Swae Lee & Ski Mask The Slump God, Rolling Loud’s first “Loud Stream” brought in over 4.4 million total live views (3 million unique viewers) to their Twitch channel, peaking at 60k concurrent viewers. Featuring performances of new material by both headliners and additional performances by Polo G, Lil Keed, NLE Choppa, and more, the broadcast topped Pollstar’s Livestream Chart, beating out the much-publicized Verzuz battle between Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle.

Rolling Loud is dedicated to enacting meaningful social change in the name of racial and social justice. During the second “Loud Stream,” Rolling Loud will raise funds for the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.

The “Loud Stream” virtual events are part of Rolling Loud’s wide-ranging partnership with Twitch, which includes daily live hip hop-driven programming, offering special guests and original live shows like The Rotation, The Leak, and Loud Gaming. Recent guests on Rolling Loud’s Twitch programming include Machine Gun Kelly, Swae Lee, Jaden Smith, Cordae, Cole Bennett, King Von, Curren$y, and many others.

Watch “Loud Stream” on Friday October 30th and Saturday October 31st at Twitch.tv/RollingLoud, starting each day at 6PM ET and ending at 12AM ET.

Buy Rolling Loud merch: shoprollingloud.com

Subscribe to Rolling Loud on Twitch and visit RollingLoud.com/Twitch to read about subscriber benefits.

Check out a recap of the first “Loud Stream,” complete with photos from Rolling Loud’s internal media team: https://mailchi.mp/audibletreats/rolling-loud-ls-recap

See below for Rolling Loud TV’s full schedule of live programming:

Mondays:
LOUD GAMING – 8PM ET / 5PM PT: The Rolling Loud team plays today’s biggest games and catching a vibe with rapper, athlete and gamer friends.

Tuesdays:
THE ROTATION – 8PM ET / 5PM PT: The Rolling Loud team tackles today’s hottest topics in music and Hip Hop culture.

Wednesdays:
GOT BARS? – 6PM ET / 3PM PT: Aspiring rappers compete for the chance to perform at Rolling Loud, the world’s largest Hip Hop festival.

Thursdays:
THE LEAK – 11PM ET / 8PM PT: Watch the Rolling Loud team leak and discuss upcoming music with rappers an hour before the music releases online.

Fridays:
LIVE FROM THE STUDIO  9PM ET / 6PM PT: Take a peek into the creative process of South Florida producer, Nuri, and friends, inside the Rolling Loud Studio in Miami, FL.

Critical Praise:

“In four and a half years — beginning small in Miami, and now promoting Coachella-sized events around the country — Rolling Loud has established itself as a playground for the young…This time last year, many of the rappers now drawing crowds of several thousand were barely known.” – The New York Times

“Rolling Loud is the be-all of hip-hop festivals.” – Billboard

“The Rolling Loud New York experiment was a success—one which will likely earn it a return trip to the city in future years. Far from a traditional NYC rap experience, it was a two-day event that catered to the genre’s youngest fans, with an eye squarely focused on the future.” – Complex

“Rolling Loud continues to prove its hip-hop tastemaking status is no fluke” – Pollstar

For more info, please contact:
Rolling Loud: Michelle, Kerry, or Kevin
Twitch: Samantha

The Background:

About Rolling Loud
Founded in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif as a one-day festival in Miami, Rolling Loud evolved into a global behemoth, with massive festivals on both American coasts and international events in Europe and Australia. In October 2019, Rolling Loud hosted the first annual Rolling Loud New York, which boasted one of the brand’s most impressive lineups yet, and in December, it drew 65,000 fans per day to Banc of California Stadium for Rolling Loud Los Angeles.

About Twitch
Launched in 2011, Twitch is a global community that comes together each day to create multiplayer entertainment: unique, live, unpredictable experiences created by the interactions of millions. It brings the joy of co-op to everything, from casual gaming and world-class esports to anime marathons, music, and art streams. Twitch also hosts TwitchCon, the biggest community event of the year, where tens of thousands of people come together to celebrate and connect with others who share their interests and passions. We’re always live at Twitch. Stay up to date on all things Twitch on Twitter and on our Blog.

Links:

website | facebook | twitter | instagram

Check out Rolling Loud on Twitch: Twitch.tv/RollingLoud

Check out RollingLoud.com for more information.

10.14.2020

@420Doggface208 Helps Propel Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” to Resurgent Chart Success

Mick Fleetwood & Stevie Nicks Join TikTok to Comment on the App’s Latest Viral Trend

The News:

A vibe might be hard to define, but the TikTok community knows one when they see one. On TikTok, one creator’s vibe can inspire a resonant moment across pop culture, spreading from the TikTok community to the rest of the Internet and IRL world. Enter Nathan Apodaca, a long time TikTok creator using the handle @420doggface208. Combining the unlikely ingredients of skateboarding, cranberry juice, and the classic jam “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, Nathan’s “morning vibe” took the internet by storm, growing into a heart-warming moment and changing his life forever.

On September 25th, Nathan’s car broke down on the way to work, so he hopped on his board to keep from being late. Unfazed by his predicament, the Idaho native made a fateful decision, making a now-famous TikTok to commemorate his supernatural zen. Without stopping his skateboard commute, Nathan took swigs of cran-raspberry juice straight from the bottle (Ocean Spray, if you’re wondering), while singing the lyrics to “Dreams.” The video immediately grabbed the attention of the TikTok community, earning millions of views before jumping to other social platforms through multiple viral posts.

As people watched Nathan coast down the road on his skateboard, they were inspired to grab their own bottle of Ocean Spray and pay tribute to the original with a video of their own. From there, the trend Nathan started continued to rise in popularity with creators and celebrities continuing to recreate the vibey video, spreading positivity with each new rendition. With average daily uses of “Dreams” in TikTok videos up 1,380% since the trend began on September 25th and videos made by all types of creators from Jimmy Fallon to the Ocean Spray CEO, it’s clear that this trend resonated with the creator community.

Nathan’s mesmerizing video eventually grew big enough to reach Fleetwood Mac themselves, who responded from their Twitter account. The moment reached even greater heights when Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood joined TikTok and posted his own rendition of the popular video on October 1st, which gained a quarter of the views Nathan’s original video received in just a single day. Mick’s video led to a heartfelt interaction with Nathan in the comments, where the pair agreed to meet up in person once it was safe to do so.

In response to the uplifting moment and trend, Mick Fleetwood said, “It’s been such a wonderful surprise to see that TikTok has been able to bring some joy in challenging times as well as encourage creativity among so many young people. To see our fans or even people just learning about the band embrace Fleetwood Mac has been so inspirational and meaningful to us.”

Nathan’s unique vibe quickly translated into a resurgence in popularity for Fleetwood Mac began, with “Dreams” receiving a 374% jump in sales and a 89% jump in streams, putting the classic hit back on Billboard’s top charts. After Mick Fleetwood made his video, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 #21 after a 43-year absence, and climbed to the Top Ten of Spotify’s Global and U.S. charts and hit #1 on Apple Music.  It reached #1 on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales and #3 on Billboard’s Rock Streaming Songs charts, showing the power of a trend to give classic songs new life and helping artists reach a new generation of fans.

Nathan’s viral success has had an amazing effect on his own life as well. Ocean Spray, the company behind the cran-raspberry concoction in the video, found customers cleared their products off of store shelves. They reached out and generously provided Nathan a new truck to replace the car that had broken down moments before the now famous video was filmed. In addition to the gift from Ocean Spray, Nathan has received donations from fans which he plans to put towards a down payment on a house (he currently lives in an RV near his brother’s home in Idaho Falls). Nathan has used this moment to release a new line of merchandise commemorating the event and even wound up as the face of a national TikTok TV commercial, which aired during the NBA Finals.

Nathan’s story is a perfect example of how TikTok can be a catalyst for life changing moments. A TikTok can bring a smile to the faces of millions, connect artists with fans, help others through a hard time, and completely reshape the lives of creators and fans. Nathan’s original video has sparked remakes and tributes from fans and shown how TikTok is starting point for trends that take over the entire internet. The way in which this trend accelerated and reached popular culture as a whole is due in large part to social platforms sharing Nathan’s content, spreading what is trending within our community, to other entertainment outlets.

As Nathan continues his journey, we’re excited to see how his positive vibes continue to impact his life and the TikTok community as a whole. And as always, we’ll continue to watch and encourage the TikTok community to create the next life changing trend.

Meanwhile, the “Dreams” resurgence on TikTik and beyond shows no signs of slowing down. Just yesterday, iconic Fleetwood Mac singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks joined TikTok! The song’s original writer, and the woman whose voice has inspired thousands of lip syncs, Stevie’s first TikTok showed off her “afternoon vibe,” displaying her genuine appreciation for Nathan and the community, as she laced up her roller skates with a half-full jug of cranberry in the background.

Read more on TIkTok’s newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/doggface-gives-the-world-a-smile-with-juice-a-skateboard-and-all-the-vibes

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, or Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

Read more at TikTok’s Newsroom: newsroom.tiktok.com

10.9.2020

Video: Diablo – “Otra Vez” ft. KHEA

The Genre-Bending Producer Shows His Range With a New Spanish Language Single From His Upcoming Do Not Disturb EP

Critical Praise for Artist Name:

“‘Diablo on the beat, b*tch.’ Listeners have been hearing that four-word producer tag on some of the hottest songs of the past several years, by artists like Wifisfuneral, Craig Xen, Smokepurpp, and, of course, Lil Pump. Los Angeles-by-way-of-Florida producer Diablo, 23, has worked with all of these artists and more.” – Complex

The Video:

NOTE: The official video for “Otra Vez” is out now. Released earlier this afternoon, the video already has over 300k views on YouTube. Watch the video HERE.

Expertly tailoring his productions to fit each artist, there’s nothing that Diablo can’t do. Transporting his heavy-hitting drums into the world of Latin trap, Diablo teams up with Argentinian rapper KHEA for “Otra Vez.” Blending bright and sunny keys with thumping 808s and distorted bass, “Otra Vez” finds the son of Ecuardorian immigrants delivering his first-ever Spanish language production. Aided by Khea’s booming voice and charismatic mic presence, “Otra Vez” begs to be blasted out of car speakers in South Beach and beyond. The new single is the latest preview of Diablo’s debut EP Do Not Disturb, coming later in 2020.

Signed to Interscope Records, Buenos Aires native KHEA is a major rising star in Latin Music. With over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a collaboration with Bad Bunny under his belt, KHEA is a worthy addition to Diablo’s impressive list of collaborators, which includes Kodak Black, Ski Mask The Slump God and Lil Pump.

Earlier this year, Diablo dropped “Self Destruction,“ a poignant collaboration with Killstation and Borgore that comments on struggles with depression, and “Killing,” an ominous banger with appearances from ELIOZIE, Shakewell, and Terror Reid that earned praise from Stereogum, who said “I would very much like to get dangerously impaired and mosh to this song in a dilapidated warehouse at 3AM.” Earlier this week, Diablo connected with Lil Xan and Lil Wop for the thumping, SoundCloud-only single “Before The War” racking up over 150k plays in 3 days.

Born in Ecuador, Diablo immigrated to South Florida with his parents at a very young age. He started making beats as a teenager in West Palm Beach, quickly gaining notoriety in his region’s burgeoning SoundCloud rap scene. He connected with local rappers like wifisfuneral and Lil Pump, eventually producing Pump’s Platinum-selling single “Boss.” Widely respected in rap circles, his raucous DJ sets have earned him in an audience in the electronic music world, with a co-sign from Diplo and a recent tour supporting Dillon Francis and Alison Wonderland.

Look out for much more from Diablo in the coming weeks and months.

Buy/Stream “Otra Vez” ft. Khea: https://music.empi.re/otravez

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

Links:

instagram | twitter | soundcloud | spotify

“Otra Vez” ft. Khea: https://music.empi.re/otravez | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9T9IRyidCY

“Before The War” ft. Lil Xan & Lil Wop: https://soundcloud.com/diablo/btw

“Self Destruction” ft. Killstation & Borgore: https://empire.ffm.to/selfdestruction

“Killing” ft. ELIOZIE, Shakewell, and Terror Reid: https://empire.ffm.to/diablo_killing

10.9.2020

Video: King Von – “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign (Prod. by Chopsquad DJ)

Chicago’s Best Storyteller Recruits a Brooklyn Bruiser to Find the Middle Ground Between Their Cities’ Drill Sounds

Critical Praise:

“King Von’s original ‘Crazy Story’ is the kind of thing hip-hop heads should crave: an immediate and distinct piece of cinematic rap that makes time for flirting and gangbanging all in one ferocious verse. The Chicago rapper details an attack on an opp that keeps you engrossed all the way to the very end” – The 405

“King Von’s incredibly vivid story-telling rhymes have propelled him to the forefront of Chicago drill rap.” – The FADER

“King Von excels in using his storytelling as a device to portray the struggle of growing up in Chicago.” – Pitchfork

The Video:

Throwing his weight behind his forceful delivery as he delivers gleeful put-downs and taunts, King Von knows exactly who he is. Raising his energy level in a new single with Fivio Foreign, Von shares “I Am What I Am.” Produced by Von’s regular collaborator Chopsquad DJ, who borrows BK’s signature sliding 808s and apocalyptic synths, “I Am What I Am” combines the styles of original recipe Chicago drill and it’s UK-informed Brooklyn offshoot. Confident in themselves and what they represent for their cities, the emcees trade bars as they promise a bad time for anyone who looks at them the wrong way. The song is almost maniacally propulsive, driven by Fivio’s wild ad-libs and Von’s ice cold hook, which has the internal logic of a street nursery rhyme: “I am what I am/What I’m not, I’ll never be…And if I should die, I’m pushing the murder rate/My n****s gon’ slide everyday/You been talkin’ that sh*t, I can’t wait.”

Directed by Jerry Production, the video finds Von and Fivio bringing dozens of supporters to Von’s native O Block, as they sip Henny, count cash, and whip around in a Rolls Royce Wraith. The two emcees light up the block with their electric chemistry, evoking the chaotic DIY energy of the earliest Chicago and Brooklyn drill music videos.

“I Am What I Am” is the latest fiery video in a busy year for King Von. In August, the rapper shared the poignant video for “How It Go” (6.8 million views), a reflective anthem that contemplated the inequities of the criminal justice system. Earlier Von told a tale of betrayal with the emotional “Why He Told“ (6.2 million YouTube views) and connected with his mentor Lil Durk for the furious  “All These N****s“ (21 million views).

In March, the 25-year-old rapper shared Levon James, a wide-ranging and successful project. Hosting the hit single “Took Her To The O“ (25 million views), recently spawning a Genius Verified video, as well as highlights like the G Herbo-collaboration “On Yo A**“ (9.4 million views) and the gripping street story “3 A. M.” (12 million views), LeVon James is available everywhere via Only The Family/EMPIRE.

Von is currently preparing to release his official debut album this Fall. Stay tuned for much more information about the upcoming album in the coming weeks.

Watch “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign: https://youtu.be/JHixsTYXfso

Buy/Stream “I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign: https://music.empi.re/iamwhatiam

Please contact Michelle, Andrea, or Erin for more info.

The Background:

King Von was born in the South Side of Chicago, growing up in O Block, the area that produced Chief Keef.  After rightfully beating an erroneous murder charge that could have put him away for life, King Von took inspiration from heroes like Lil Wayne and turned to rapping, linking up with Lil Durk who signed him to his OTF label. Within six months, Von had a series of viral hits, including the sinister “Problems,” which has over 3.4 million views after its debut on Lil Durk’s YouTube channel, and the defiant “War Wit Us,” which has over 3.8 million YouTube views. With “Crazy Story” currently burning up urban radio (it recently reached #76 on the nationwide chart), Von seems to be on the fast track to translate his fervent local following into national fame.

Links:

twitter | instagram | spotify

“I Am What I Am” ft. Fivio Foreign: https://music.empi.re/iamwhatiam / https://youtu.be/JHixsTYXfso

“How It Go”: https://music.empi.re/howitgo / https://youtu.be/WU6EHi410UQ

“All These N****s”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB2LmRyfXuk

“Why He Told”: https://empire.ffm.to/whyhetold | https://youtu.be/PLutQQzjig4

LeVon James: https://empire.lnk.to/LevonJames

“Took Her To The O”: https://youtu.be/hzt31eJTGxo

Grandson Vol. 1: https://empire.lnk.to/grandson1

“Crazy Story”: https://Empire.lnk.to/Crazystory // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC8NmE3H-zs

10.9.2020

TikTok Adds Songs From John Lennon’s Solo Catalog in Celebration of What Would Have Been His 80th Birthday

‘We want to be where the action is, because it’s inspiring artistically – where it’s happening, whatever it is, it’s happening!’.  John Lennon

The News:

TikTok today announced that the music of John Lennon is coming to its community, on what would have been his 80th birthday.  An account in his memory has launched in partnership with The Lennon Estate and its label partner Universal Music Group.

In total, 11 of his most legendary musical works are now available to users worldwide for their video creations. Brought together in a dedicated playlist, “Instant Karma!,” “Imagine,” “Mind Games,” “Beautiful Boy,” “Woman,” “Happy Xmas,” “Give Peace a Chance,” “Stand by Me,” “Nobody Told Me,” “Remember,” and “Gimme Some Truth” are all now accessible for the TikTok community.

Celebrating the legendary songwriter and performer’s music arriving on TikTok, a hashtag challenge has launched globally, encouraging fans to #GimmeSomeTruth in recognition of the 1971 protest song co-produced with Phil Spector and also featuring former Beatles bandmate George Harrison on guitar.

Announcing his father’s arrival on TikTok, Sean Ono Lennon said: “We’re super excited to launch my dad’s official TikTok account and cannot wait to see what his fans all over the world create using his music and his message of peace and love.”

Check out John Lennon on TikTok here.

Whether you’re covering a song, or teaching us about his legacy, join the community and honor one of the greatest songwriters of his generation join the #GimmeSomeTruth challenge here.

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, or Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

About TikTok:
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

Read more at TikTok’s Newsroom: newsroom.tiktok.com

10.9.2020

TikTok Partners With Diplo & Leading Mental Health Organizations to Promote Mental Health Awareness

“Diplo and Secular Sabbath – Looking for Me(ntal Health Awareness)” LIVE Stream to Empower Conversations and Raise Funds for The JED Foundation on Saturday, October 10 at 5pm PST on TikTok

TikTok Seeks to Start Crucial Conversations Around Mental Health, as a Nielsen Study Shows Users Flock to TikTok to “Lift Their Spirits”

The News:

TikTok has a community that cares for each other, sharing their creativity and offering their support for those going through mental health struggles. On Mental Health Awareness Day, TikTok strives to remove the stigma around mental health, enlisting the help of Diplo to start vital conversations about how the concurrent crises of 2020 have affected us all.

On October 10th @ 5pm PT, Diplo will go LIVE on TikTok, hosting “Diplo and Secular Sabbath – Looking for Me(ntal Health Awareness),” a special live stream, as part of TikTok’s #MentalHealthMatters initiative. A 1-hour meditative music experience that takes cues from Diplo’s Secular Sabbath events at Coachella and pandemic live streams, Diplo’s TikTok LIVE stream promises an appearance from Rhye, plus many other surprises in store.

This exclusive experience will raise funds for The JED Foundation – an organization that empowers teens and young adults with the skills and support to grow into healthy, thriving adults. During the LIVE stream, viewers can show their support by tapping on the LIVE room banner to submit a donation without having to leave the app. Donations are powered by Tiltify, a charitable fundraising platform, which processes donation transactions through their platform.

“Mental health is something we don’t speak enough about, but it’s something we all need to get better at,” said Diplo. “This year is hard. We’re more isolated than ever, due to social distancing. If you are struggling or have a friend or family member who is, you may not know how to begin a conversation – but there are great resources to help you make a difference.”

As part of its continuing efforts to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health, TikTok partnered with several mental health advocacy organizations to help bring their message to the platform, helping lead conversations around emotional well-being. Those partners include: The JED Foundation, The Trevor Project, Providence Health and Seize the Awkward.

Diplo’s performance and TikTok’s new mental health partnerships arrive after a new Nielsen study showed that users come to TikTok to “lift their spirits,” feel a sense of community, and openly and authentically express their true selves. The study showed that TikTok users feel “energized, motivated, confident, and entertained” when spending time on the app, and three out of four participants felt that TikTok was a place where they could openly express themselves.

The growth in popularity TikTok experienced during the height of the COVID shutdowns emphasizes the value of TikTok in providing community and meaningful interaction. In a time of social distancing, TikTok enabled people to rely on each other to lift their spirits during an unprecedented crisis, easing the feeling of isolation and providing escape from the bleaker aspects of life in 2020.

Check below to learn more about TikTok’s mental health awareness partners and read more about wellbeing and suicide prevention resources at TikTok’s Safety Center.

Tune in to Diplo’s special “Secular Sabbath” fundraising TikTok LIVE stream on October 10th @ 5pm PT: @diplo

Read more at TikTok’s newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/tiktok-partners-with-diplo-and-leading-wellness-organizations-because-mentalhealthmatters

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, or Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

About TikTok:
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

About The JED Foundation:
The Jed Foundation (JED) protects the emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults. Their JED Voices and Storytellers series showcase how anyone can be affected by mental health issues — including some of your favorite Olympians, actors and musicians. “We know one of the best ways to help people is through their friends and family, and this is why we provide resources to teach young people to help themselves and their loved ones. We are excited to launch our TikTok account and will continue to share tips to the community,” said Erica Riba, Director, Higher Education & Student Engagement at JED.

About Seize The Awkward:
The Seize the Awkward movement provides conversation starters and tips to help you help those who may be struggling with their mental health. “In times of uncertainty, like during this extended Covid-19 period, connecting with friends and family can really help in managing feelings of fear and anxiety, and be good for your health. You don’t need to be there, to be there for a friend,” said Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign Development Officer at the Ad Council.

About Providence Health’s Work2BeWell Program:
Providence Health’s Work2BeWell program provides free curriculum, resources, and implementation tools to make an impact as a student mental health advocate, educator, or parent. “One of our greatest assets as a community is each other — that’s why we’re so excited to work with TikTok’s amazing creators including Hana Giraldo, Notorious Cree, Kyle Massey, Adam Waheed and many others to share wellbeing tips,’ said Mary Renouf, Associate Vice President Social and Influencer Strategy. Learning about the tactics to reset and hearing from each other can help break the stigma and begin the dialog.”

About The Trevor Project:
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. Their research shows that acceptance can save lives, and that supportive environments — including some found on online platforms like TikTok — can be valuable to LGBTQ youth. The organization educates people on how to prevent suicide in their lives by using C.A.R.E., a simple tool to respond to the possible warning signs for suicide that you might notice in someone else.  “Affirming LGBTQ young people and their identities can positively impact their mental health and help prevent suicide. You can use C.A.R.E. in your daily lives to help prevent suicide, and remember that The Trevor Project will always be here to support LGBTQ youth in crisis, 24/7,” said Shane Michael Singh, Corporate Development Manager at The Trevor Project.

Links:

Read more at TikTok’s Newsroom: newsroom.tiktok.com

10.7.2020

TikTok Treats, Week of October 5th

The “Dreams” Challenge Highlights a Big Week for Rock Music on TikTok

The News:

From virtuosic musicians covering their favorite songs, to users choosing their favorite classic rock anthem to soundtrack their lives, rock music thrives on TikTok. Rock music benefits from the TikTok community’s knack for isolating and highlighting a memorable moment in a song, creating an entire universe around a few seconds of sound. Whether it’s a tempo change, piercing riff, or heroic vocal performance, TikTok has a knack for zeroing in on what makes a rock song special and presenting the art and artist in a whole new life. Below, check out some of the most notable recent rock music stories currently unfolding on the app:

• The week’s biggest story comes courtesy of @420doggface208, whose laid-back TikTok set to Fleetwood Mac’s enchanting and poignant classic “Dreams”  has taken the internet by storm. Skating down a lonely road as he sips cranberry juice straight from the bottle, @420doggface208’s “morning vibe” racked up over 26 million video views, inspiring imitators that range from political candidates, French bulldogs, and Ghost Face from the Scream film franchise. Most notably, his infectious enthusiasm reached the eyes and ears of Mick Fleetwood, the song’s drummer, who joined TikTok to offer his own version of the challenge (7.3 million video views). The TikTok success of “Dreams” led to a renewed fascination with the song, which generated over 8 million on-demand streams in the past week, dwarfing the song’s previous record of 3.83 million streams, and propelling the former #1 hit back onto the charts (#27 on the UK Chart, #39 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs Chart).
• An active TikTok user who danced to Fleetwood Mac before it was cool, Rivers Cuomo helped kick off TikTok’s #AltRocktober with a live stream last Friday, performing covers of songs like “Fade To Black” by Metallica and “Today” by Smashing Pumpkins. The Weezer frontman was the ideal choice t okick off TikTok’s month-long celebration of the alt rock community, considering his propensity for engaging with TikTok trends, weaving in Weezer hits to the “men only have four moods” trend, playing along with La Roux’s resurgent TikTok hit “Bulletproof,” and soundtracking a montage of his most emotional moments to “Sometimes” by Britney Spears.
• A musical chameleon who constantly toys with her image, Miley Cyrus has recently used TikTok to chart her transformation into glam rock goddess. In late-September, Miley unleashed a scorching cover of Blondie’s “Heart Of Glass” at the iHeart Music Festival, replacing Debbie Harry’s soft and seductive vocal with a guttural and passionate howl. The performance struck a chord with TikTok users, who obsessed over Miley’s performance, creating over 30k videos in less than one week. The song’s TikTok success prompted Miley to release the cover on streaming services like Spotify, where it racked up over 6 million streams in its first seven days.
• There’s nothing TikTok users like more than a beat switch, and lately, they’ve seized upon the abrupt mood shift in “When The Sun Goes Down,” a 2006 hit for British band Arctic Monkeys. Starting as a gentle ballad, “When The Sun Goes Down” turns on a dime after the lyric “said he’s a scumbag don’t you know,” transforming into a ferocious punk rocker. Uploaded as a user-generated sound, “When The Sun Goes Down” inspired over 45k creations in the past week, chronicling girl’s nights out, highlighting unexpected twists in stories, soundtracking transformation transitions, and offering alternatives to manspreading.
• “All I Wanted,” the butt-kicking belter by mall-punk giants Paramore, has joined “When The Sun Goes Down” as an on-fire 00s alt rock song invading users’ For You pages. The song reaches a climax when the band stops playing and lead singer Hayley Williams unleashes a life-affirming wail that touches the upper edges of her range. This moment inspired the #AllIWantedChallenge (5.1 million video views), or the #ParamoreChallenge (10.3 million video views), in which TikTok users, ranging from spirited amateurs to pop-punk savants, attempt to hit Hayley’s high notes. TikTok’s Paramore appreciation reached its zenith with a comedy sketch created by @TheTinzman, who imagined a scenario where Williams’ soaring vocals woke him from a coma, inspiring Williams herself to Duet her reaction from her @GoodDyeYoung account.

Taking the time to salute the rock and alternative artists that create such a vibrant community, TikTok celebrates #AltRocktober, featuring special in-app events and content throughout the month of October. Offering an official #AltRocktober playlist and partnering with artists for LIVE streams, #AltRocktober salutes rock artists that’ve had success on the app, such as Wallows and Kid Sistr, and welcomes veterans, like Mick Fleetwood, who are looking to see what TikTok is all about. Keep your eyes peeled throughout the month for special #AltRocktober events, and be on the lookout for new trends, as the platform salutes the musical community that makes TikTok rock.

This week, Alt-Rocktober continues with Jasiah, an artist who blurs the distinctions between punk, rap, and metal, who will go live on his @Jasiah account on 1pm PT on Friday October 9th.
Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com

Check out TikTok’s recent blog post about the results of Dua Lipa’s #Levitating Challenge: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/dua-lipa-land-levitating-video-with-help-from-tiktok

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Ryan, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
Pop Smoke, 24kGoldn, Flo Milli, and Others Have Scored Multiple TikTok Hits
TikTok Salutes Its #FamiliaLatina: Music Stories from Latinx Heritage Month
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

10.2.2020

Audio: K$upreme – “It’s Whatever” ft. Future

The Atlantic Records Signee and the ATL Trap Legend Don’t Keep Score in Their New Trap Banger

The Song:

A versatile rapper who can adapt to any style, K$upreme has the respect of many of the rap game’s titanic figures. Joining forces with Future for a melodic anthem, K$upreme shares “It’s Whatever.” Riding a luxurious trap instrumental, complete with space-age synths and ringing piano chords, K$upreme and Future sneer at suckers who can’t afford to buy their baes the latest designer threads: “I put the Chanel sh*ts on your face/Look at the stairs while you riding in the Wraith/Put them diamonds on your neck, now you know you bae,” sings K$upreme in a lilting melody. The song is powered by Future‘s hook, which rumbles like a thunderstorm above the syncopated kick drums as Pluto brags about his bands.

“It was fun to go outside of the box of my usual sound with this song, as well as tap into some new subject matter,” says K$upreme. “It was dope being able to get in the studio with Future. Originally when I knew we were having a session together, I was hoping to record a more up-tempo, club record. But when my producer sent through this beat, he really liked and just started singing and then recorded to it. After we finished the song and I sent it to Future, he was laughing and telling me ‘I know you like the song now, right? You know it this is a hit now, right?’ It was real special, man.”

“It’s Whatever” is K$upreme’s first new single since the release of Caught Fire, the Atlantic Records signee’s latest project. Created in collaboration with producer ChaseTheMoney, the project paired K$upreme’s flex-heavy bars with Chase’s thudding low-end, and featured appearances from Chief Keef and K$upreme’s good friend Lil Yachty. The project concluded with the standout single “Gucci Cologne,” which generated over 25 million streams across platforms.

Caught Fire was the most significant landmark yet in K$upreme’s slow-and-steady build towards stardom. The 24-year-old rapper started his career as a member of Lil Yachty’s Sailing Team, but quickly made a name for himself with projects like Flex Muzik 2. “It’s Whatever” is the latest in a long line of K$upreme’s high-quality collaborations–he’s connected in the past with the likes of Playboi Carti, Ski Mask The Slump God, Rich The Kid, Jim Jones, Hoodrich Pablo Juan, and many more. Stay tuned for more music and updates from K$upreme in the coming weeks.

Buy/Stream “It’s Whatever”: https://ksupreme.lnk.to/itswhatever

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

K$upreme Background:

Hailing from Pasadena, Calif., rapper K$upreme first began exploring a creative path after a  chance meeting with Lil Yachty in 2013. The pair gravitated towards one another due to their like-minded interests in fashion, music and youth culture. Soon thereafter, K$upreme became an integral part of the Atlanta rapper’s Sailing Team collective. After being briefly incarcerated in 2016, a trying situation that led Lil Yachty to drop the track “Free K$upreme” in solidarity, the aspiring rapper swiftly bounced back with the release of his prison-inspired single, “First Day Out.” Keeping that same momentum, K$upreme released his debut mixtape, Flex Muzik, in 2017. The project boasted a bucket list contribution from his longtime influence Chief Keef, as well as featured Rich the Kid, Kodie Shane, Duwap Kaine and Lil Yachty. That same year, K$upreme was recruited to help promote Lil Yachty’s collaboration with Urban Outfitters and Nautica, a campaign that further exemplified how the Sailing Team is tactfully representing multifaceted youth-driven culture at the mainstream level.

In 2018, K$upreme released his anticipated follow-up, Flex Muzik 2, a 17-track offering that featured guest appearances from the likes of Jim Jones, Ski Mask the Slump God, Hoodrich Pablo Juan, Playboi Carti, Young Scooter, Goonew and Slime Sito. In March 2019, the Atlantic Records signee dropped “Gucci Cologne,” setting the tone for what is destined to be a standout year. With his sights set on the definitive desire to continue elevating and evolving, K$upreme’s recent project Caught Fire, features executive production by ChaseTheMoney.

Links:

linktree | instagram | twitter | spotify | youtube

“It’s Whatever” ft. Future: https://ksupreme.lnk.to/itswhatever

“Gucci Cologne”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGwOdxeVEQ

Caught Fire (w/ ChaseTheMoney): https://open.spotify.com/album/6ijzLeD8Lwz14YFVYjJQk0?si=qE8y3MwpTFOOItJHevGD-Q

10.6.2020

Rolling Loud Announces Second “Loud Stream,” Airing October 30th & 31st Exclusively on Twitch

Headlined by Swae Lee & Ski Mask The Slump God in September, the First “Loud Stream” Drew 4.4 Million Live Views 

The Announcement:

One of the most recognizable and respected brands in live music, Rolling Loud is synonymous with hip-hop. Today, Rolling Loud announces the dates for their second “Loud Stream,” a virtual festival airing on October 30th-31st exclusively on Twitch. The second of three live virtual festivals Rolling Loud has planned for 2020, “Loud Stream” promises several hours worth of live performances (no pre-recorded sets), entertaining interviews and commentary between sets, and interactive elements that allow fans to play a role in the action.

“The first Loud Stream broke all of our expectations,” says Rolling Loud co-founder Tariq Cherif. “I would’ve been happy with a million views, but we had 4.4 million views and 3 million unique viewers tuned in. Our whole team learned new skills in order to produce this new experience for the fans. I’m super proud of the whole team. I’m proud of the fans for showing up, and proud of the artists for delivering fire performances and I can’t wait to get better at it here for this second stream.”

Airing on Halloween weekend, the second “Loud Stream” will be packed with rap-related frights, and fans watching from home will be encouraged to wear costumes for a chance to be shared on the stream. Complete with state-of-the-art production value, plus some tricks and treats to be revealed soon, the second “Loud Stream” promises to be as successful and memorable as the first edition, which aired in September.

“The next stream will always be better than the first,” says Rolling Loud co-founder Matt Zingler. “Fans can expect to see a themed live stream! I’m super excited to show you guys all the live visuals and set designs we have planned. I love Halloween, and with COVID, I felt like we needed to provide our fans the opportunity to dress up and get to feel like it’s Halloween, while staying at home. The visual theme is gonna make the second Loud Stream very unique, and unlike any live stream that you’ve ever seen.”

Headlined by Swae Lee and Ski Mask The Slump God, the first edition of Rolling Loud’s “Loud Stream” brought in over 4.4 million total live views (3 million unique viewers) to their Twitch channel, peaking at 60k concurrent viewers. Featuring performances of new material by both headliners and additional performances by Polo G, Lil Keed, NLE Choppa, and more, the broadcast topped Pollstar’s Livestream Chart, beating out the much-publicized Verzuz battle between Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. The festival also welcomed a virtual crowd, Zooming in a wall of fans directly from their living rooms, which the artists could see and vibe with while performing their sets.

The “Loud Stream” virtual festivals are part of Rolling Loud’s new wide-ranging partnership with Twitch, which includes daily live hip hop-driven programming, offering special guests and original live shows like The Rotation and Loud Gaming. Past guests on Rolling Loud’s Twitch programming include Jaden Smith, Internet Money, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyla Yaweh, B.o.B. Rolling Loud is currently planning to launch Nicky Gordo’s Taste Palace, a new show hosted by Florida rapper and Rolling Loud regular Fat Nick.

Check out a recap of the first “Loud Stream,” complete with photos from Rolling Loud’s internal media team: https://mailchi.mp/audibletreats/rolling-loud-ls-recap

Buy Rolling Loud merch: shoprollingloud.com

Watch “Loud Stream” on Friday October 30th and Saturday October 31st at Twitch.tv/RollingLoud, starting each day at 6PM ET and ending at 12AM ET.

Subscribe to Rolling Loud on Twitch and visit RollingLoud.com/Twitch to read about subscriber benefits.

See below for Rolling Loud TV’s full schedule of live programming:

Mondays:
LOUD GAMING – 8PM ET / 5PM PT: The Rolling Loud team plays today’s biggest games and catching a vibe with rapper, athlete and gamer friends.

Tuesdays:
THE ROTATION – 8PM ET / 5PM PT: The Rolling Loud team tackles today’s hottest topics in music and Hip Hop culture.

Wednesdays:
LIVE FROM THE STUDIO  9PM ET / 6PM PT: Take a peek into the creative process of South Florida producer, Nuri, and friends, inside the Rolling Loud Studio in Miami, FL.

Thursdays:
THE LEAK – 11PM ET / 8PM PT: Watch the Rolling Loud team leak and discuss upcoming music with rappers an hour before the music releases online.

Fridays:
GOT BARS? – 6PM ET / 3PM PT: Aspiring rappers compete for the chance to perform at Rolling Loud, the world’s largest Hip Hop festival.

Critical Praise:

“In four and a half years — beginning small in Miami, and now promoting Coachella-sized events around the country — Rolling Loud has established itself as a playground for the young…This time last year, many of the rappers now drawing crowds of several thousand were barely known.” – The New York Times

“Rolling Loud is the be-all of hip-hop festivals.” – Billboard

“The Rolling Loud New York experiment was a success—one which will likely earn it a return trip to the city in future years. Far from a traditional NYC rap experience, it was a two-day event that catered to the genre’s youngest fans, with an eye squarely focused on the future.” – Complex

“Rolling Loud continues to prove its hip-hop tastemaking status is no fluke” – Pollstar

For more info, please contact:
Rolling Loud: Michelle, Kerry, or Kevin
Twitch: Samantha

The Background:

About Rolling Loud
Founded in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif as a one-day festival in Miami, Rolling Loud evolved into a global behemoth, with massive festivals on both American coasts and international events in Europe and Australia. In October 2019, Rolling Loud hosted the first annual Rolling Loud New York, which boasted one of the brand’s most impressive lineups yet, and in December, it drew 65,000 fans per day to Banc of California Stadium for Rolling Loud Los Angeles.

About Twitch
Launched in 2011, Twitch is a global community that comes together each day to create multiplayer entertainment: unique, live, unpredictable experiences created by the interactions of millions. It brings the joy of co-op to everything, from casual gaming and world-class esports to anime marathons, music, and art streams. Twitch also hosts TwitchCon, the biggest community event of the year, where tens of thousands of people come together to celebrate and connect with others who share their interests and passions. We’re always live at Twitch. Stay up to date on all things Twitch on Twitter and on our Blog.

Links:

website | facebook | twitter | instagram

Check out Rolling Loud on Twitch: Twitch.tv/RollingLoud

Check out RollingLoud.com for more information.

10.2.2020

Audio: $tupid Young – “I Can’t Change” ft. NoCap (Prod. by Steelz)

Long Beach and Mobile Connect For This Soulful and Triumphant Ode to Boss Living

Critical Praise:

“$tupid Young, a Cambodian-American rapper from Long Beach, has a street-rap perspective that I’ve never heard anyone else bring.” – Stereogum

“With every passing YouTube hit, Cambodian rapper $tupid Young expands his reach beyond Long Beach and grows as a voice for his unsung background…$tupid Young has channeled his upbringing through his music to great success. His biggest hit “Mando” with Mozzy was one of the most magnetic songs out of Long Beach last year, and “Murder Scene” with Lil Durk is still electric.” – Passion of the Weiss

The Song:

Long Beach rapper $tupid Young never fails to keep it real when reflecting on his transition from the basement to the top floor. On his new single “I Can’t Change” ft. NoCap, produced by Steelz, he lets us know he’s not changing anytime soon. Both of these rappers hailing from “the hood” without “much sh*t to do” are now living their dream come true and leaving others with envy, but they can’t blame the haters. An ultra-confident slapper that shows off the unlikely chemistry between Young and the Alabama-born NoCap, “I Can’t Change” follows “Wit A Sticc” ft. Tee Grizzley (1.7 million YouTube views) as Young’s second high profile collaboration in recent weeks.

Hailing from Eastside Long Beach, near the streets that birthed Snoop Dogg, $tupid Young built a huge following on the West Coast and beyond without any co-signs or affiliations. The Cambodian-American emcee has garnered over 132 million Youtube views, and over 80 million combined streams on Apple and Spotify. An unlikely success due to his heritage and his rough upbringing, $tupid Young embodies the underdog spirit, and his songs tell the story of a young man willing himself to succeed through hard work and dedication. The 27-year-old rapper has collaborations on the books with the likes of Lil Durk, E-40, Shoreline Mafia, Jay Park, and Mozzy, who connected with Young for the massive 2017 regional hit “Mando” (43 million YouTube views).

Finally ready to show the world what he’s fully capable of, Young is putting every thing he has into his upcoming album, his official debut after a long career of mixtapes. Stay tuned for more.

Buy/Stream “I Can’t Change” ft. NoCap: https://music.empi.re/icantchange

Please contact Michelle or Erin for more info.

The Background:

$tupid Young hails from the same Eastside of Long Beach streets that produced legends such as Snoop Dogg. However, the product of the Cambodiatown section of the city has achieved rap stardom without co-signs or crew affiliations. Instead, the independent MC has attracted more than 132 million YouTube views, 48 million Spotify streams and 32 Million Apple Music streams making music that reflects his reality and charts his maturity. “I have always felt like the outcast and the underdog,” he admits. Young overcame that sense of alienation and applied it to music. After years of DIY success, he readies his most polished project to date, tracing $tupid Young’s ascent from the cutthroat streets to a music career to entrepreneur and proud father.

Links:

instagram | twitter | soundcloud | youtube | spotify 

“I Can’t Change” ft. NoCap: https://music.empi.re/icantchange

“Wit A Sticc” ft. Tee Grizzley: https://empire.ffm.to/witasticc / https://youtu.be/UKYcXg7dcbU

B.A.R.S. Vol. 1: http://smarturl.it/B.A.R.S

Yellow Tape 2 (w/MBNel): https://empire.ffm.to/yellowtape2

“Mando” ft. Mozzy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcSIurVQcRs

9.30.2020

TikTok Treats, Week Of September 28th

How Pop Smoke, 24kGoldn, Flo Milli, and Other Artists Have Inspired Multiple Trending Sounds on TikTok

The News:

TikTok has a reputation for plucking songs from obscurity and turning them into hits, but scoring TikTok hits is more than just a matter of chance. A growing number of artists have developed a knack for scoring viral hits, inspiring multiple trends with their music. Below, take a look at some artists who the TikTok community just can’t leave alone:

• Houston legend BeatKing scored a TikTok hit earlier this year when he connected with Queendome Come for “Then Leave” (1.8 million video creations), a bass-heavy Texas club stomper. The Columbia Records signee is trending once again with “Thick,” another twerk-happy anthem produced by DJ Chose, which has over 1.3 million combined video creations in less than one month. The song inspired a viral dance challenge, created by user @janeciajanel, as TikTok users get down with the thickness.
• With her infectious attitude and ready-made catchphrases, Flo Milli is one of the most popular rappers to emerge from TikTok in recent months. Flo Milli got her start when TikTok influencer @nicemichael picked up her “Beef (FloMix),” a freestyle over a Playboi Carti beat, and created a dance to it. The combination of Flo Milli’s bad girl rhymes and the video game-esque beat proved to be a hit (609k creations). After another Flo Milli single (“In The Party,” 440K creations)  went viral in Summer 2019, helping the Alabama-born rapper to sign a deal with RCA. Now,  over a year after “Beef” and “In The Party” took the app by storm, the song “May I” is following in their viral footsteps. With over 320k video creations, “May I” gets its power from a viral dance created by @nexttojer, which incorporates the song’s prominent handclaps, and reached the ears of several prominent TikTok influencers.
• Alt-R&B riser Fousheé took a roundabout route to TikTok fame. Her haunting, smoky alto first surfaced on “Deep End Freestyle,” a TikTok hit and Billboard Hot 100-placing track by Brooklyn rapper Sleepy Hallow (over 800k combined creations). Initially uncredited on the song, Fousheé turned to TikTok to prove that the ghostly voice in the song’s repeating hook couldn’t possibly belong to anyone else. Now, months after “Deep End Freestyle” made its mark, Fousheé is trending on TikTok with her own version of “Deep End.” With over 71k video creations, the new trending “Deep End” sound emphasizes a different part of the song, as TikTok users dance, apply gel manicures, and even drum along to Fousheé’s rhythmic patter.
• Pop Smoke‘s posthumous album Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon is one of the most successful albums of the year, and at least three of its songs have inspired TikTok trends, including the romantic “Mood Swings” (2.4 million video creations). Since the peak of “Mood Swings” mania in August, TikTok users seized upon the guitar-driven rap ballad “For The Night” (1.1 million creations), and, most recently, they’ve come around to album track “What You Know Bout Love,” which started trending at the beginning of the month, fueled by a dance created by user @willdevane. Sweeping bedrooms, football fields, and dentist offices nationwide, “What You Know Bout Love” has 2.9 million video creations and recently re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time since Pop’s album dropped in July (currently sitting at #53). Meanwhile, Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon is on track to return to the top spot on the Billboard 200 for the first time in months.
• No talk about repeat TikTok hitmakers would be complete without 24kGoldn. Released during his freshman year at USC, 24kGoldn’s “Valentino” was one of the first rap hits to catch fire on TikTok, generating over 827k video creations and propelling the then-18-year-old to his first Hot 100 hit. He proved his knack for crafting TikTok hits when his song “City of Angels” (450k video creations) trended in late 2019. He’s had his biggest success yet with “Mood,” a guitar-heavy collaboration with iann dior and one of the year’s biggest TIkTok hits (1.4 million video creations). “Mood” has conquered more than just TikTok, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, topping Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart for weeks on end, and reaching #1 on Spotify’s Global Top 50. An active user of the platform, don’t be surprised if 24kGoldn keeps making TikTok hits for years to come.
• Dallas rapper 10k.Caash is a prolific TikTok hitmaker, creating several viral sounds with his beat-shifting bite-sized bangers. His tracks are purpose-built for short-form success, as most are only slightly more than one minute long, but still pack the beat-shifts, drops, and evocative lyrics that spark trends. The “Woah” originator scored millions of video creates in 2019 and 2020 on energetic anthems like “Kerwin Frost Scratch That” and “West Coast Cure,” and now he’s back with “Left Knee,” his latest trending smash. Kickstarted in August with a dance that Caash created himself, the song had a slow and steady build to trending status,  surpassing 200k creations by late September. “Left Knee” is ideal for early Halloween pranks, taking a baseball bat to surprisingly resilient fruit, or putting a scare into fantasy football managers across the nation.

Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com

This week, TikTok kicks off Alt-Rocktober, highlighting alternative and indie rock artists on the platform. Tune in at 6pm ET/3pm PT on October 1st to view a LIVE stream with Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.

Check out details about TikTok’s recent partnership with J-Lo & Maluma for their new singles “Pa Ti” and “Lonely”: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/it-starts-on-tiktok-jennifer-lopez-and-maluma

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Treat, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
TikTok Salutes Its #FamiliaLatina: Music Stories from Latinx Heritage Month
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

9.30.2020

Roddy Ricch Remixes Internet Money’s Chart Topping “Lemonade”

“Lemonade” ft. Don Toliver, NAV & Gunna Is #16 on Billboard Hot 100 With Over 220 Million Global Streams

Produced Entirely by Taz Taylor, Nick Mira, and the Rest of Internet Money, B4 The Storm Confirms Internet Money’s Status as the Game’s Top Artist/Producer Collective

Critical Praise :

“Even if you aren’t familiar with L.A. production collective Internet Money, you’ve heard their beats. The group’s sounds have powered some of hip-hop’s biggest records in the past couple years, from Rich the Kid’s “Plug Walk” and Juice WRLD’s “Lucid Dreams” to Drake’s “Blue Tint.” The group is helmed by Taz Taylor, a Florida native who — true to his collective’s name — has accumulated a fortune primarily through the internet.” – The FADER

“Taz Taylor doesn’t consider himself an overnight success, but he’s definitely having a moment.” – Variety

“Taylor’s Internet Money collective has been a rousing success so far. The group boasts some 300,000 subscribers on YouTube and millions of hits online. He’s invited prominent producers into the fold, such as KC Supreme, who has worked with Megan Thee Stallion, Nick Mira, who has worked with Post Malone and Tierra Whack, and JRHITMAKER, who has worked with and 6ix9ine.” – Complex

The Remix:

After years of crafting hits and breaking artists, Internet Money notched a top ten album with their debut B4 The Storm. Coming through with a remix to the album’s biggest hit, Internet Money shares “Lemonade” (Remix) ft. Don Toliver & Roddy Ricch. Already responsible for the world-beating hook, Don Toliver adds a verse of his own to the “Lemonade” remix, while Roddy Ricch adds his impeccable melodic instincts to the remix’s anchor verse.

The original version of “Lemonade,” featuring NAV, Gunna, and Don Toliver, was released on August 14 alongside a Cole Bennett-directed music video. The song has accumulated over 118M Spotify streams and reigns the #1 spot on their Rap Caviar, Most Necessary and Signed XOXO playlists. Produced by hitmakers Taz Taylor, Nick Mira, Pharaoh Vice and E-Trou, “Lemonade” is a laid-back summer jam, that sees the emcees delivering creative flexes with breezy melodies atop gently plucked guitars, played by Alec Wigdahl. The song is currently #16 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Put together over a two-week period during quarantine at the Internet Money headquarters in LA, B4 The Storm features contributions from Future, Kevin Gates, and Swae Lee, as well as artists that Internet Money has built with from the beginning, like Juice WRLD, Lil Tecca, Trippie Redd, and Lil Skies. B4 The Storm celebrates what Internet Money had accomplished in such a short time and showcases the tireless work ethic of a dynamic group with their eyes set on the future.

Starting as a type-beat factory and growing into a global powerhouse, Taz Taylor and Internet Money have earned 3 Grammy nominations, 58 platinum plaques, 33 gold, and 14 Billboard #1 hits since 2018. The collective is behind some of the biggest rap and R&B hits of the past few years, including Juice WRLD’s “Lucid Dreams” (1.3 billion Spotify streams), Trevor Daniel’s “Falling” (#1 Billboard Mainstream Pop, 37 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 with #17 peak), Lil Tecca’s “Ransom” (700 million Spotify streams, #4 Hot 100), and XXXTentacion’s “Fuck Love” ft. Trippie Redd (the most-played song in SoundCloud history). With B4 The Storm, Taz Taylor and Internet Money make a compelling case case for being the music industry’s most powerful hitmaking collective.

Buy/Stream “Lemonade” Remix with Roddy Ricch: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/lemonaderemix

Buy/Stream B4 The Storm: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/b4thestorm

Check out Internet Money’s recent interview Genius’s Rob Markman about B4 The Storm and more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0sWnYg5IFM

B4 The Storm tracklist:
1. Message ft. TyFontaine
2. Really Redd ft. Trippie Redd, Lil Keed, & Young Nudy
3. Lost Me ft. Lil Mosey, iann dior & Lil Skies
4. Right Now ft. Cochise & TyFontaine
5. Familiar ft. TheHxliday
6. JLO ft. Lil Tecca
7. Thrusting ft. Swae Lee & Future
8. Speak ft. The Kid Laroi
9. Blast Off ft. Juice WRLD & Trippie Redd
10. Take It Slow ft. 24kGoldn & TyFontaine
11. Somebody ft. Lil Tecca & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
12. Giddy Up ft. Wiz Khalifa & 24kGoldn
13. Block ft. Trippie Redd & StaySolidRocky
14. Devastated ft. Lil Spirit
15. Let You Down ft. TyFontaine & TheHxliday
16. No Option ft. Kevin Gates
17. Lemonade ft. Don Toliver, Gunna & NAV

All songs produced by Internet Money.

Photo Credi: Joseph Morrison

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

The Background:

Internet Money Background:

Internet Money was born out of necessity, a hybrid company that has filled in the gaps between the rap industry, the producer community, and the online marketplace. Disillusioned with the industry, and the way he saw rap producers being taken advantage of, Taz Taylor formed the collective in 2016 as a way to share the knowledge he’d gained from years spent selling his “type beats” online and navigating the internet’s ever-growing impact on the production landscape.

Four years in, Internet Money has expanded as a collective, including Grammy-nominated producers like Nick Mira and JR Hitmaker, and produced for Drake, Trippie Redd, Juice WRLD, and many more. “When you’re in Internet Money, you get the same opportunities that I do, you’re gonna be working with the same artists that I’m working with, and getting credits with them,” Taylor says. “Instead of working with a bunch of people we don’t know, we just have our own network that’s one big family.” Following their success breaking major artists like Trevor Daniel, and co-producing his multi-platinum hit “Falling,” Taylor and Internet Money partnered with Elliot Grange’s 10K Projects in 2019 to launch their own label.
Taz Taylor Background:

Taz Taylor has never cared about fame or clout. To hear the multi-platinum producer and Internet Money founder tell it, everything he’s done — from turning his online production hustle selling “type beats” into a $500,000 per year business to forming his own label — has been born out of necessity and guided by intuition. “I’ve been so tunnel vision during the last five years to make sure I got to this point,” he says. “It was just like, Let’s keep building.”

Though the 27-year-old has only been in the industry for a few years, his accomplishments in that time have come at a staggering pace, notching, by his estimation, over 500 placements and around 200 gold and platinum plaques between himself and the other producers on his Internet Money team. As their leader, Taylor has quickly become a new sort of rap mogul, one who’s built his steadily growing empire from a deep knowledge of the ways music moves online, and he’s done it all from the humblest of beginnings.

Links:

Internet Money: official site | soundcloud | twitter | instagram | facebook | youtube
Taz Taylor: twitter | instagram

“Lemonade” (Remix) w/ Roddy Ricch: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/lemonaderemix

B4 The Storm: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/b4thestorm

“Thrusting” ft. Swae Lee & Future: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/Thrusting

“Lemonade” ft. Don Toliver, NAV & Gunna: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/lemonade

“Somebody” ft. Lil Tecca & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie: https://internetmoney.lnk.to/somebody

9.25.2020

Buffalo Rap Group 14 trapdoors (Wza, Bendyface & Short Moscato) Share New Album Eileen, Available On All Platforms

The Trio Shares an Incendiary and Timely Video for “Means To The End” ft. Boldy James, Royce Da 5’9″ & Billie Essco

The Offbeat Buffalo Rap Trio Team With Producer Camoflauge Monk For a New Album, With Appearances from Benny The Butcher, Smoke DZA, Che Noir, and Many More

Critical Praise:

“Buffalo rap trio 14 trapdoors (aka Short Moscato, Bendyface and Wza) have been leaving their mark on their local scene for over a year now.. They also strongly recall classic Def Jux stuff like El-P and Aesop Rock (both of whom they cite as influences), and fans of that stuff should definitely check these guys out.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“The self-produced track showcases the group vying their best to out rhyme each other over a minimalist, entrancing soundscape. The song was treated to an equally beguiling psychedelic video, which shows the group in their element skateboarding and lighting fireworks.” – Impose

The Video:

Emerging from a close-knit Buffalo rap scene, 14 trapdoors stand apart with their vibrant chemistry and substance-friendly lyricism. Showcasing their expert-level three-man weave over the course of 10 tracks, the trio comprised of Wza, Bendyface, and Short Moscato shares Eileen, their new album. Named after Bendyface’s grandmother who recently passed, Eileen is a stark and pure project, emphasizing bar-for-bar lyricism and flows that toe-tag glistening instrumentals. The new album finds them sinking their teeth into exquisite beats from Camoflauge Monk (Westside Gunn, Tha God Fahim), whose sparkling, textured, and bleak soundscapes evoke a frosty evening in Western New York. Carving through Monk’s ice cold beats, the three emcees inhabit each instrumental with their brash demeanor and electric chemistry, occasionally highlighting punchlines with three-man chants. Featuring appearances from Benny The Butcher, Boldy James, Che’ Noir, Royce Da 5’9″, Smoke Dza, and more, Eileen is available everywhere via The Media Music Inc.

The new album arrives alongside the group’s video for “Means To The End,” the tape’s incendiary closing track. Camo Monk provides a stark and dreary atmosphere, complete with upright bass and ringing vibraphones, allowing each emcee to expound upon what they would do if they had 24 hours to live: Boldy James would kiss his kids, Royce Da 5’9 would put out his blunt on Donald Trump’s toupee, etc. Directed by Liza “RED” Ostanina & Dre Howard, the video for “Means To The End” ably reflects our apocalyptic present, piecing together clips of protests from this summer, incidents of police brutality (including one that occurred in the trio’s hometown of Buffalo), and archival footage of past justice movements, intercut with joyous expressions of dance from marginalized individuals.

“Means To The End” is the latest standout single from Eileen, following the supremely laidback “Orion’s Belt” featuring Che Noir, the Benny The Butcher and Rick Hyde-featuring banger “I Did It All” (premiered by Earmilk and covered in Brooklyn Vegan, 2DopeBoyz, and more), and the reverb-heavy “LOVE” ft. DNTWATCHTV & Medusa. Previously unheard highlights include the “Most Of The Time,” a lyrical exercise in 6/8 time that shows off the group’s in-sync personalities, and “Curbside Pickup,” the weeded-out opening track.

Buy/Stream Eileen: https://lnk.to/14trapdoorsEileen

Watch “Means To The End” ft. Boldy James, Royce Da 5’9″ & Billie Essco: https://youtu.be/h4bsY_h0few

Eileen tracklist:
1. Curbside Pickup ft. Smoke DZA
2. LOVE ft. DNTWATCHTV & Medusa
3. I Did It All ft. Benny The Butcher & Rick Hyde
4. Most Of The Time
5. Kaleidoscope ft. Qari
6. Hypothesis ft. Skyzoo
7. My Bad ft. Chango4
8. Orion’s Belt ft. Che Noir
9. The End (Interlude)
10. Means To The End (24hr Left) ft. Boldy James, Royce Da 5’9″ & Billie Essco

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

The Background:

14 trapdoors have created their own subgenre of Hip-Hop. The trio from Buffalo, New York featuring members bendyface, Short Moscato and Wza cull from a wide range of influences that span Aesop Rock, Big L,  El-P, JAY Z and fellow Buffalo artists Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny the Butcher to Pink Floyd, Prince and Led Zeppelin. “People who gravitate toward the golden age ‘90s boom bap feel will fuck with us because we focus on lyricism and new age youngin’s will fuck with it because we have songs with a more ‘trappy’ vibe, but nothing’s force, through it all we can only be true to ourselves” bendyface says.

Links:

official site | twitter | instagram | facebook | youtube | spotify

Eileen: https://lnk.to/14trapdoorsEileen

“Means To The End” ft. Boldy James, Royce Da 5’9″ & Billie Essco: https://youtu.be/h4bsY_h0few

“Love” ft. DNTWATCHTV & Medusa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6c_HxE_XA

“Orion’s Belt” ft. Che Noir: https://lnk.to/OrionsBelt

“I Did It All” ft. Benny The Butcher & Rick Hyde: https://lnkfi.re/IDidItAll

9.25.20

It Starts On TikTok: Jennifer Lopez and Maluma

The two Latin superstars partnered with TikTok for a Behind The Video LIVE stream for their 2-part “Pa Ti”/”Lonely” Music Video and enlisted the help of Charli D’Amelio to kick off the #PaTiChallenge for Latinx Heritage Month

The News:

TikTok is proud to foster a community that’s at the cutting edge of pop culture, creating viral trends, propelling songs up the charts, and minting new icons. What starts on TikTok as a brief moment of inspiration can snowball into a movement that changes the culture. Now, for the first time, TikTok teamed up with a major artist to launch an interconnected, multimedia story–starting on TikTok.

Today, TikTok reveals the full extent of its wide-ranging partnership with Jennifer Lopez as she shares her new two-part music video “Pa Ti/Lonely.” Collaborating with Latin superstar Maluma, her duet partner in the new single, Lopez enlisted the TikTok community, including TikTok Breakout 10 creator Charli D’Amelio, to help make her new video release a can’t miss event. Our new partnership with Lopez and Maluma arrives as TikTok celebrates its #FamiliaLatina during Latinx Heritage Month.

Lopez kicked off the campaign on Monday, posting intriguing videos on her TikTok account teasing the collaboration with Maluma on the “Pa Ti/Lonely” music video. In a TikTok LIVE stream last night, hosted on Lopez’s TikTok account, the two superstars offered fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the music video, detailing the nuts-and-bolts of making a major music video during COVID and packing in cameos and easter eggs for the fans. The stream ended with a premiere of “Pa Ti/Lonely,” which featured a cameo from Charli D’Amelio. TikTok users can join the fun by emulating Lopez and D’Amelio’s moves in “Pa Ti” and tagging their videos with #PaTiChallenge.

Jennifer Lopez is a major presence on TikTok, where she’s one of the most-followed celebrity accounts (11.1 million). After performing at Super Bowl LIV with Shakira, Lopez launched the #JLoTikTokChallenge with audio from her performance, inspiring hundreds of thousands of creations and generating over 356 million video views.

Read more at TikTok’s newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/it-starts-on-tiktok-jennifer-lopez-and-maluma

Read about TikTok’s Latinx Heritage Month initiatives: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/latinx-heritage-month

Please contact Michelle, Andrea, or Erin for more info.

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Click here to read TikTok’s statement to its Black community: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/a-message-to-our-black-community

Links:

Read more at TikTok’s Newsroom: newsroom.tiktok.com

9.23.2020

Video: wifisfuneral – “All In”

The Alamo Records Signee Shares a Brooding Clip for an Auto-Tune-Enhanced Highlight from His PAIN? Project

Critical Praise:

XXL Freshman, Class of 2018

“[wifisfuneral] displays an impressive array of verbal acrobatics, showing off masterful breath control and a rapid fire flow.”  – Pitchfork

“He’s synthesized the regionless, borderless world of the internet age from which he takes his name, while lacing it with a narcotically addictive flow and a distinct ear for melody that’s allowed him to develop while others stagnate.” – NOISEY

“The young rapper has a wide range of skills, from agile raps and bass-heavy tracks to dark and moody slow-burners, and his unpredictability is part of his appeal” – Pigeons & Planes

The Video:

wifisfuneral specializes in thoughtful and reflective rumination of his inner turmoil, digging deep into his psyche to interrogate his state of mind. The Palm Beach County native picks up a fateful phone call in “All In,” his latest music video. Produced by Cian P & Jimmy Duval, “All In” combines the cerebral lyricism of his earlier work with the auto-tuned melodics that makes his new album PAIN? unique in his discography. Directed by Chris Moreno, the “All In” video takes inspiration from wifi’s line “I hear my sins calling,” as the 23-year-old rapper takes a call at an isolated payphone and opens up his heart to the unidentified person at the other end of the line and attempts to escape the shadows of his past misdeeds.

Turning heads with his new artistic direction, PAIN? marks a new chapter in the one-time XXL Freshman’s career. Released at the end of August, PAIN? integrates auto-tune assisted melodies into his cerebral songs, giving his songs a tuneful lift. The album veers from romantic devotionals, to X-rated sex jams, to expressions of loneliness, wifi’s pitch-shifting voice expressing the deeply-felt emotion reflected in his lyrics. PAIN? is home to several well-received singles, including the Smoove’L-featuring “Ocean” and lo-fi pop gem “Lost In Time“ ft. Coi Leray. Over the past few weeks, wifi showcased certain album highlights with live performance videos, including clips for ride-or-die lead single “End Of Story“ and playalistic cautionary tale “Guy Like Me.“ Praised by Stereogum, XXL, HotNewHipHop, Lyrical Lemonade, and more, PAIN? is available everywhere via Alamo Records. Watch “All In”:

Watch “All In”: https://youtu.be/UlQLwCwa_rI

Buy/Stream PAIN?: http://smarturl.it/PainWifisfuneral

PAIN? tracklist:

1. Lost In Time ft. Coi Leray
2. End of Story
3. What It Is?
4. Guy Like Me
5. Hills
6. Backache
7. Take Me Away
8. Motion
9. Front 2 Back Side 2 Side
10. Ocean ft. Smoove’L
11. All In
12. Day Switch
13. Screw Up
14. End of Story (Pt. 2) ft. Mariah Angeliq

Please contact Michelle or Kerry for more info.

The Background:

22-year-old South Florida rapper wifisfuneral has taken his dark sonics, mature-beyond-his-years lyrics, and trunk rattling bass from the streets of Palm Beach to the world, amassing over 1.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 700,000 followers on various social media platforms. wifisfuneral’s growth has been organic and cult-like, with his fans spreading his music like wildfire with each and every release. With virtually zero promotion other than his social media presence, wifisfuneral’s independent projects Black Heart Revenge (May 27th, 2016) and When Hell Falls (January 27, 2017) reached #69 and #17 on the iTunes hip-hop charts respectively, resulting in a label deal with Alamo and Interscope Records. His major label debut mixtape, Boy Who Cried Wolf, received critical acclaim, with two of the tracks earning placement in the Spotify’s coveted Most Necessary playlist. His latest mixtape, Ethernet, was released in June 2018 via Alamo Records. In 2018, wifisfuneral was officially named to the XXL Freshman List and reached #1 on YouTube’s trending chart. In 2019, wifi headlined two nationwide tours, released two follow-up EPs to Ethernet, and collaborated with Robb Bank$ on the Conn3ct3d project.

Links:

official site | soundcloud | twitter | instagram | tumblr | spotify

Bio, photos, music, and more for wifisfuneral can be found at www.audibletreats.com/wifisfuneral

“All In”: https://youtu.be/UlQLwCwa_rI

“Back Ache”: https://youtu.be/f7xcZY0WWNY

PAIN?: http://smarturl.it/PainWifisfuneral

“Lost In Time” ft. Coi Leray: http://smarturl.it/LostInTimeWifi / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW40drW8uMI

“Ocean”: http://smarturl.it/OceanWifisfuneral

“End Of Story”: http://smarturl.it/EndOfStory / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2imgkFvqU4

“idk”: https://soundcloud.com/wifisfuneral/idk-prod-cris-dinero

“All Bones”: https://youtu.be/IHa63es_PyI

“It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane!” ft. Ratchet Roach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2I02ZG3iqQ

“What You Made Me”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hEn4ZT6QXU

EV3RYTHING SUCKS EP: http://smarturl.it/ev3rythingsucks

“Split”: https://youtu.be/XGiDoQOKtSg

“Peace Sign” ft. YBN Nahmir: http://smarturl.it/wifipeacesign

Ethernet 2: https://smarturl.it/ethernet2

“Alone As A Facetat”: https://youtu.be/9t2a0gp5g5E

“run?”: http://smarturl.it/run

Conn3ct3d: https://soundcloud.com/wifisfuneral/sets/conn3ct3d

Ethernet : Soundcloud | Spotify | iTunes

9.23.20

TikTok Treats, Week of September 21st

A Deep Dive Into the World of Latin Music on TikTok Encounters Reggaeton, Merengue, Norteño, and Even Beat Boxing

The News:

TikTok offers all users a safe space to creatively celebrate their cultural heritages. During Latinx Heritage Month, TikTok is taking the time to salute its vibrant Latinx community, ranging from megastars like @JLo to trailblazers like @itsnikki.g. Though communities on TikTok are sometimes siloed by language differences, the Latinx community cuts through to all corners of the TikTok globe with their seismic impact on music. Below, examine a small fraction of the ways Latin music and Latinx artists have made their mark on the platform:

• It’s impossible to talk about Latin Music on TikTok without talking about “Kulikitaka Ti” (2003), a rowdy merengue hit from Dominican legend Toño Rosario. The song’s energetic chanting and stop-start rhythms have made “Kulikitaka Ti” a go-to song for TikTok users (and celebrities like Bad Bunny) for over a year, generating over 4 million videos split between multiple sounds. Earlier this year, TikTok couple @ariadna_nick shared a haunting video that featured a signature crab walk dance, inspiring imitations from TikTok users across the globe, who’ve used a similar dance to alternatively show off and startle their poor pets. Notable figures who’ve participated in the #KulikitakaChallenge include Daniel Craig, Spanish footballer Sergio Ramos, Colombian singer Sebastian Yatra, and more.
• Reggaeton queen Karol G is one of the most followed (7.8 million) and most active Latin music stars on TikTok. She’s been particularly active in recent weeks, trying her hand at mega popular trends like “M To The B” trend and “Mi Pan,” showing off the bizarre sleeping positions of her bulldog Goku, and previewing a stripped-down version of her recent hit “Ay, DiOs Mío!” The original version of “Ay, DiOs Mío!” is one of TikTok’s most popular Latin sounds, generating over 2.7 million video creations, including a dance routine popularized by @analisseworld and @justmaiko.
• The latest Latin crowd pleaser to get traction on TikTok is “Espejeando,” a traditional number from norteño collective Los Tucanes De Tijuana. “Espejeando” is a jaunty song for family dances, and it’s inspired a nimble one-legged dance challenge (good for individuals and groups!). The song also provides a great soundtrack for Abuela makeovers and frenzied house cleans. In just one week, “Espejeando” has over 28k video creations and videos with the hashtag #Espejeando have over 4 million views.
• This week, TikTok is hosting a live stream with two of Latin music’s biggest stars: Jennifer Lopez & Maluma. J-Lo is one of TikTok’s most-followed celebrities, with 11 million followers, and in conjunction with her Super Bowl performance earlier this year, she teamed with Charli D’Amelio to launch the #JLoTikTokChallenge (357 million views). On Monday, J-Lo posted a teaser for her upcoming 2-part collaboration with Maluma, “Pa Ti/Lonely,” and the two artists will go live from J-Lo’s account on Thursday to give TikTok users an exclusive look behind the scenes at the making of the video. Tune in at 6pm ET on 9/24 for surprises, easter eggs, and a first look at the video before it premieres on all platforms.
• Global superstar and Latino gang chieftain J Balvin is one of TikTok’s most enthusiastic champions, using the platform to promote songs like “Un Dia” and “Agua,” but also to goof around with helium versions of his hits, or by re-enacting scenes from The Simpsons. His 2018 megahit “Mi Gente” is currently trending, as part of a mashup with “Ven Bailalo” by Reggaeton duo Angel Y Khriz. Originally used in 2018, the sound has proven especially enduring, recently soundtracking one of the top-viewed videos with the #FamiliaLatina tag. The sound starts with the familiar sirens of “Mi Gente,” before slowing down and morphing into honking keyboard arpeggios of “Ven Bailalo.” The mashup provides the perfect soundtrack for that feeling when you’re ready to leave a party, but have to stay for just one more song.
• With over 44.5 million followers and over a billion likes on his videos, beatboxer @SpencerX is one of TikTok’s most unique talents. Selected as a Latinx TikTok Trailblazer, Spencer X can create a universe of sounds with his mouth, a power he uses for good (entertaining and informative beatboxing tutorials) and for evil (devious pranks). Spencer recently engaged in a drum-off with @xxrook, and spurred his recent single “Be Somebody” to over 10k video creations.

TikTok is pulling out all the stops to honor its #FamiliaLatina during Latinx Heritage Month. The company selected 12 influential creators (including @SpencerX) to be TikTok Latinx Trailblazers, and is spotlighting Latinx stars like Luis Fonsi, La La Anthony, Gaby Melian, and more in Sound-Off live streams this month. Posts tagged with the #FamiliaLatina hashtag have generated nearly 200 million views in just one week. TikTok is sponsoring the Hispanic Heritage Award for Vision at this year’s Hispanic Heritage Awards, which will be awarded to Bad Bunny for his groundbreaking music and social activism. To stay up-to-date on happenings during Latinx Heritage Month, follow @TikTokCreators and @TikTokUS on TikTok.

Read more about TikTok’s Latinx Heritage Month initiatives here: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/latinx-heritage-month

Check TikTok’s newsroom for more noteworthy stories: newsroom.tiktok.com

For more info, please contact:
Michelle McDevitt, Andrea Higgins, Erin Treat, Audible Treats
Leah Linder, TikTok

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Click here to read TikTok’s progress report on supporting Black communities and promoting diversity & inclusion: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/progress-report-how-were-supporting-black-communities-and-promoting-diversity-and-inclusion

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
Big Sean, Charlie Puth, Classical Harp, and More From TikTok
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

9.23.2020

Video: Young Dolph – “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up”

The Paper Route EMPIRE CEO Ponders Life Without Rap in the Poignant New Video from Rich Slave

The Video:

“I remember my mom and dad was livin’ in a one-room shack,” says Young Dolph on “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up.“ “Nowadays, I wake up in a mansion.” The Paper Route EMPIRE CEO overcame insurmountable odds to become one of the rap game’s most respected figures. But in his new video for “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up,” Dolph imagines what his life might be like without the rap talent that allowed him to become the King of Memphis. As he spits his boastful bars atop an easygoing beat from Paper Route EMPIRE producer Bandplay, Dolph pictures himself living a modest life, making a living as a dry cleaner. Even without the extravagant wealth he describes in the song’s lyrics, Dolph is still the consummate professional, working day and night to provide for his family.

“Shout-out to anyone who takes their job serious and does whatever they gotta do to make ends meet,” says Young Dolph.

“Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up” is a highlight track from Rich Slave, Dolph’s deeply personal and highly successful new album. The album explores Dolph’s rags to riches story, emphasizing his Memphis roots with Dirty South instrumentals as he mixes his trademark flex-heavy witticisms with his thoughts on the responsibility that comes with mogul status. Flexing bar after bar about his earned wealth, Dolph reflects on the glass ceiling on the upward mobility of Black people; no amount of money allows you to escape racism as a Black person in this country. Featuring singles like the West Coast tribute “Death Row,“ the conversational “Blue Diamonds,” and the Megan Thee Stallion-featuring riders’ anthem “RNB,” Rich Slave peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and hit #1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, selling over 65k units and generating over 44 million on-demand streams in its first week. Home to video singles “Cray Cray“ (2.5 million views),  “What’s Da Bizness” (1.8 million views) and “Blue Diamonds“ (6.9 million views), Rich Slave is available everywhere via Paper Route EMPIRE.

Praised by GQ and others for his topical “Sunshine” single (“Young Dolph Is Leading Rap Through the Pandemic” – GQ), Young Dolph recently earned a spot on Billboard’s list of Indie Power Players for his stewardship of his Paper Route EMPIRE label. The rapper recently gave away his custom-wrapped 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, valued at over $400k, to Jack Davila (@nailsbyjackk), a 23-year-old superfan in Dallas, Texas. After taking some time to enjoy her new Lambo, the 4-months-pregnant Jack received blessings from Dolph to sell the car, which she plans to do to buy a new home for her growing family.

Watch “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-K-3arN9c

Buy/Stream Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

Watch Dolph give away his Lambo to a lucky fan in Dallas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhYiTx8V6JI

Visit Young Dolph’s website to purchase the album and Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

Rich Slave tracklist:
1. Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up
2. Black Friday Skit
3. To Be Honest
4. I See $’s
5. Corduroy House Shoes
6. What’s Da Bizness
7. The Land
8. Death Row
9. Cray Cray
10. RNB ft. Megan Thee Stallion
11. Rich Slave
12. Until It Rot
13. Blue Diamonds
14. No Sense ft. Key Glock
15. Benz
16. 1 Scale ft. G Herbo

Please contact Michelle or Erin for more info.

Links:

twitter | facebook | soundcloud | youtube | instagram | official site | spotify

Bio, photos, music and more can be found at www.audibletreats.com/young-dolph

“Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-K-3arN9c

“Cray Cray”: https://youtu.be/E42t-yK78gg

Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

“Death Row”: https://empire.ffm.to/deathrow

Visit Young Dolph’s website to pre-order Rich Slave and purchase Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

View the official rules for the “Rich Slave Lamborghini Contest” here. No purchase is required to enter the contest: https://store.youngdolph.com/pages/young-dolph-contest-rules

“Blue Diamonds”:  https://empire.ffm.to/bluediamonds / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBn_aZPcqJk

“RNB” ft. Megan Thee Stallion: https://empire.ffm.to/youngdolph_rnb

“Sunshine”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2lUhNmdXkE / https://empire.ffm.to/sunshine

Dum & Dummer: https://empire.lnk.to/dummer

9.23.2020

Video: Taleban Dooda – “Dis Dooda”

The 18-Year-Old Tampa Native Has the Support of His City in an Energetic New Video

Critical Praise for Taleban Dooda:

“At only 18 years old.. his talents are already overly abundant and his potential is probably higher than most up and coming artists you could name off the top of your head.” – Lyrical Lemonade

“He falls into the lane of melodic street rap that acts like YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Durk, Teejay3k, and others are making, but his high-pitched vocals and limitless subject matter set him apart.” – Earmilk

The Video:

Taking over the streets of Tampa with his innate sense of melody, Taleban Dooda is one of the South’s most promising new rappers. Gathering his crew for an afternoon of mayhem, Dooda shares the video for “Dis Dooda.“ Released earlier this month via Green Light Music Group/Rostrum Records, ‘Dis Dooda” is an introductory anthem from the 18-year-old rapper, showing the world what he stands for and declaring his intentions to take over the rap game. Directed by 20kVisuals, the video for “Dis Dooda” finds the rapper and several homies riding around his city, as they dance atop cars, shoot dice, and celebrate Dooda’s meteoric rise.

Born and raised in East Tampa, Dooda started rapping at the age of 15, using his innate sense of melody to create a sound that owes as much to Jeremih as it does to fellow bottom-of-the-map emcees like NBA YoungBoy and Kodak Black. After working hard to build a backlog of bangers, Dooda struck gold with “Tru Colors,” his first-ever release. Produced by Herothaproducer, “Tru Colors” has become a regional anthem, racking up over 2 million streams, generating over 1 million views on its YouTube video, and reaching #18 on SoundCloud’s worldwide New & Hot chart. The Tampa teenager kept the momentum going with collaborations with his frequent rap partner Rees Money, and successful video singles like “2 In Da Morning” (700k views). Stay tuned for much more from the teenaged rapper as he continues to shape his considerable talents.

Watch “Dis Dooda”: https://youtu.be/q-GBO7z9XAc

Stream “Dis Dooda”: https://smarturl.it/DoodaDisDooda

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

The Background:

Taleban Dooda is an 18-year old rapper from East Tampa, FL, with the vivid lyrics of Kodak Black and the smooth tone of Jeremih. Dooda got his start singing at 15 and rapping at 16, making melody the foundation of his sound. In addition to several releases with frequent collaborator Rees Money, his debut solo release was this year’s “Tru Colors” and the song has amassed over 2 million streams.

Links:

instagram | soundcloud | twitter

“Dis Dooda”: https://smarturl.it/DoodaDisDooda / https://youtu.be/q-GBO7z9XAc

“2 In Da Morning”: https://youtu.be/Tm2Pvww2Y4A

“Tru Colors”: https://youtu.be/DF1A9DcbtKA

9.23.2020

Audio: Jaah SLT – “Right Now” ft. Young Nudy

The Alamo Records Signee Shares a Wavy New Single and Reveals Tracklist for His 9-25-20 Project, Out This Friday

Critical Praise:

“Be prepared to see a whole lot more of Jaah in the coming months as he continues his ascension.” – ELEVATOR

The Song :

Switching up his flow to suit each instrumental, Charlotte rhymer Jaah SLT is impatiently waiting for his turn to blow. Confidently asserting his unwillingness to wait much longer, Jaah shares “Right Now,” his latest single. A vibey and meditative trap track, “Right Now” derives its power from a burbling electric keyboard riff and an off-kilter hi-hat pattern. Undeterred by the laid-back atmosphere, Jaah restlessly packs in syllables between snare snaps, while guest rapper Young Nudy paints around the edges of the beat with his auto-tuned drawl.

“Right Now” is the latest standout single from 9-25-20, the Charlotte native’s project, coming this Friday. The follow-up to 2-7-2020, an energetic 7-track EP, 9-25-20 is the next step on Jaah’s journey towards becoming North Carolina’s next rap star. Spanning 10 energetic and hypnotic trap tracks, 9-25-20 finds the 20-year-old rapper showing off his athletic rhymes, stacking boasts together in sing-song cadences as he slices through monster movie instrumentals. The upcoming project is home to recent singles like the pensive “Out Of My Body” (100k views) and the come-up anthem “Grimey.”  Featuring appearances from SLT crew members Sleep Walkin SLT, Nsikan SLT, and Loweye SLT, 9-25-20 arrives on September 25th via Alamo Records.

Jaah SLT is on the cusp of reaching a new level, riding a wave of momentum in the wake of  “Tuff,” his biggest hit to date. The Brelly Beats-produced anti-police turn-up anthem recently crossed the 1 million view threshold on YouTube, and reached the Spotify’s US Viral 50 chart and Rolling Stone‘s Breakthrough 25 chart in May. Released in September 2019, “Tuff” experienced a slow-and-steady rise, eventually catching fire on TikTok (nearly 300k video creations) and making its way to urban radio in North Carolina. This summer, Jaah has treated his fans to a series of quality singles, including  “Same Me” and “Dottin Up,” which earned a premiere in Lyrical Lemonade and racked up over 375k views on YouTube.

Buy/Stream “Right Now” ft. Young Nudy: http://smarturl.it/RightNowJaahSLT

9-25-20 tracklist: 
1. Intro
2. Grimey (feat Sleep Walkin SLT)
3. Chevy
4. Can I Get That
5. What We Do
6. Hate (feat Nsikan SLT)
7. Lowkey
8. Fake Ass Love
9. Right Now (feat Young Nudy)
10. Said What I Said (feat Loweye SLT)

Pease contact Michelle or Andrea for more info.

The Background:

With uniquely animated vocalizations over trap-punk beats, rapper Jaah SLT—a nickname spawned from a mashup of Charlotte’s airport code, CLT, and a childhood fight club named SALT—first caught viral attention with his 2019 single, “Tuff.” With the song soundtracking playful Tik Tok videos and charting high on Spotify Viral Charts, Shazam Top 200 and Rolling Stone Charts, the North Carolina native is quietly emerging from the internet underground to solid hip-hop spotlight.

Links:

instagram | twitter | facebook | soundcloud | spotify

“Right Now” ft. Young Nudy: http://smarturl.it/RightNowJaahSLT

“Grimey” ft. Sleep Walkin SLT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzuCRCJeTYU / http://smarturl.it/GrimeyJaahSLT

“Out Of My Body”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXuShbeBPJ8

“Real Sh*t”: http://smarturl.it/RealShitJaahSLT

“Y2K” ft. Eman SLT: https://youtu.be/jRfqRabXkWU

“Same Me”: https://youtu.be/1-VcX88HlmU / http://smarturl.it/SameMeJaahSLT

“Dottin Up”: http://smarturl.it/DottinUp / https://youtu.be/V9Mc2O6fQdA

“Tuff”: http://smarturl.it/JaahSLTTuff

2-7-2020: https://open.spotify.com/album/2gngi54ZR6FSwOpfM66Nzr

9.17.2020

Video: Young Dolph – “Cray Cray” (Directed by Young Dolph)

The Paper Route EMPIRE CEO Shares a Cinematic, Self-Directed New Video From His Billboard Chart-Topping Album Rich Slave

The Video:

Young Dolph’s music videos combine his undeniable rap bangers with elements of comedy and tributes to his favorite films and film directors. In his new video for “Cray Cray,“ a new video from his biggest-ever album Rich Slave, Dolph showcases his acting skills as he visits his various female friends across town. Produced by Bandplay, “Cray Cray” finds Dolph sharing boastful details about his twin vices of women and wealth: “Money blue, diamonds too, ain’t no rules, n**** (Uh)/I went swimmin’ and lost a Rolex in the pool, n**** (Uh)/Fell asleep on one b*tch and woke up with two, n***** (What?)/If you was livin’ like this, shit, what would you do, n*****?”

Directed by Young Dolph himself, the “Cray Cray” video pays tribute to Dolph’s favorite director John Singleton, particularly his 2001 film Baby Boy, and features a cameo appearance from That Girl Lay Lay (the youngest female rapper to ever sign a record deal), who finesses a band out of Dolph when she catches him with a woman he’s not supposed to see.

Last month, Dolph made waves with his new album Rich Slave, his most emotional, political album yet. The album explores Dolph’s rags to riches story, emphasizing his Memphis roots with Dirty South instrumentals and recorded phone conversations with a family friend, as he mixes his trademark flex-heavy witticisms with his thoughts on the responsibility that comes with mogul status. As Dolph flexes bar after bar about his earned wealth, the album title Rich Slave emphasizes the glass ceiling on the upward mobility of Black people; no amount of money allows you to escape racism as a Black person in this country. Featuring singles like the West Coast tribute “Death Row,“ the conversational “Blue Diamonds,” and the Megan Thee Stallion-featuring riders’ anthem “RNB,” Rich Slave peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and hit #1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, selling over 65k units in its first week and generating over 44 million on-demand streams.

Praised by GQ and others for his topical “Sunshine” single (“Young Dolph Is Leading Rap Through the Pandemic” – GQ), Young Dolph recently earned a spot on Billboard’s list of Indie Power Players for his stewardship of his Paper Route EMPIRE label. The rapper recently released videos for Rich Slave highlights “What’s Da Bizness” (1.7 million views) and “Blue Diamonds“ (6.7 million views) and gave away his custom-wrapped 2018 Lamborghini Aventador to a lucky fan.

Watch “Cray Cray”: https://youtu.be/E42t-yK78gg

Buy/Stream Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

Visit Young Dolph’s website to purchase the album and Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

Rich Slave tracklist:
1. Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up
2. Black Friday Skit
3. To Be Honest
4. I See $’s
5. Corduroy House Shoes
6. What’s Da Bizness
7. The Land
8. Death Row
9. Cray Cray
10. RNB ft. Megan Thee Stallion
11. Rich Slave
12. Until It Rot
13. Blue Diamonds
14. No Sense ft. Key Glock
15. Benz
16. 1 Scale ft. G Herbo

Please contact Michelle or Erin for more info.

Links:

twitter | facebook | soundcloud | youtube | instagram | official site | spotify

Bio, photos, music and more can be found at www.audibletreats.com/young-dolph

“Cray Cray”: https://youtu.be/E42t-yK78gg

Rich Slave: https://empire.ffm.to/richslave

“Death Row”: https://empire.ffm.to/deathrow

Visit Young Dolph’s website to pre-order Rich Slave and purchase Young Dolph merch: http://store.youngdolph.com/

View the official rules for the “Rich Slave Lamborghini Contest” here. No purchase is required to enter the contest: https://store.youngdolph.com/pages/young-dolph-contest-rules

“Blue Diamonds”:  https://empire.ffm.to/bluediamonds / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBn_aZPcqJk

“RNB” ft. Megan Thee Stallion: https://empire.ffm.to/youngdolph_rnb

“Sunshine”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2lUhNmdXkE / https://empire.ffm.to/sunshine

Dum & Dummer: https://empire.lnk.to/dummer

9.17.2020

TikTok Treats, Week Of September 14th

#YouHaveTo Check Out This Week’s Best Music Stories From The World of TikTok, Featuring Big Sean, Charlie Puth, and More

The News:

It’s tempting to think of the TikTok community as a monolith, but it’s often more interesting to think of the myriad subcultures nested within. The platform provides a home for creatives of all types, from musicians and makeup artists to choreographers and comedians, to express themselves in their own ways. Music connects these disparate groups, offering a common theme around which creators can compose their variations. Take a look below to see how music connected TikTok users in recent days:

• Salt Lake City indie band Ritt Momney might have a silly name, but their cover of Corinne Bailey Rae’s 2006 hit “Put Your Records On” is doing serious business on TikTok. One of the top trending tracks of the week, “Put Your Records On” starts as a slow-and-dreamy ballad before switching on a dime to spritely-and-propulsive sparkle pop. The sudden change in the song makes “Put Your Records On” the perfect sound for a TikTok transition trend, and the TikTok community has responded. Originally starting on Makeup TikTok, where users would quickly transition from the very beginning to the very end of their makeover process, “Put Your Records On” can also provide the perfect vibes for oddly-satisfying ASMR or for increasing views by any means necessary.
• In recent weeks, TikTok users have started several trends soundtracked by “Slowed and Reverbed” tracks, which transform popular tracks into odd, lurching shapes. Internet Money’s Top 40 hit “Lemonade” is the latest song to get this treatment, springing from a sound first used in late August by @joyy.li (560k video creations), which slows “Lemonade” to quarter speed in between “heys” during Don Toliver’s hook. The remixed “Lemonade” soundtracks failed attempts at the silent treatment, to Pixar movie reenactments, to (of course) transformation transitions. “Lemonade” is far from the only song to have slowed versions to trend on TikTok–versions of Ashnikko’s “Daisy” (160k video creations) and Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s immortal “WAP” (130k video creations) have also made an impact.
• Detroit’s very own Big Sean returned to TikTok just ahead of the release of his recent album Detroit 2. During the week leading up to and following its release, Sean posted 12 times, sharing clips of new music videos for songs like “Lithuania” and “Body Language,” reciting inspirational lyrics from “Guard Your Heart,” and enlisted @LA_Britney to choreograph a dance for “The Baddest.” Most recently, the 32-year-old rapper popped champagne to celebrate the success of Detroit 2, the third Billboard 200 number one album of his career.
• With a following that exceed 7 million, Charlie Puth has evolved into one of TikTok’s favorite artists for his willingness to interact and musically collaborate with fans. In August, Puth posted a video of himself playing an effortlessly funky new song, saying in the caption, “I woke up and made this. Who should sing it with me ? Tell me.” TIkTok users have responded in force, sharing duets that showcase singing skills, rapping talent, and in the case of rising artist Olivia Knox, both. Even Oneya, the man behind @angryreactions, got in his feelings and delivered a standout verse. The “stressful” new song even inspired a rare three-user collab, featuring contributions from @ryanmackmusic and @justusraps
• R&B singer-songwriter Vedo is best known for his behind-the-scenes contributions on songs by artists like Usher and Chris Brown. But thanks to TikTok, Vedo is finally having his moment in the sun. Vedo scored a trending single with “You Got It,” a motivational ode to fulfilling potential highlighted by smooth vocals and jazzy chords, racking up over 1 million video creations on the platform. The song started as a soundtrack for miraculous feats of hairstyling, but has since crossed over into the wider TikTok realm, inspiring videos from influencers like @njc.justin (who started a dance trend for the song), @thewalters2wins, @noahbeck, and more.
• Hannah Stater, better known as @Hannah_Harpist, is one of TikTok’s favorite classical musicians, making her name with harp and piano covers of trending TikTok sounds, hits of the past, and her personal favorite classical pieces. Her cinematic and wistful  cover of “A Moment Apart” by Odesza, uploaded under the original sound title “you have to stop supporting trump,” has inspired the inspirational #YouHaveTo trend, in which TikTok users implore their viewers to take control of their lives, to stop over-watering their plants, and to admit that, despite years of denial, they do have a favorite child. Drawing over 1.8 billion video views, the #YouHaveTo trend even reached Dr. Phil, who had very serious advice for his commenters. As the trend reached critical mass last week, TikTok user @sammydelucs made sure everyone knew that the trend started with Hannah and her immaculate instrument.

The Background:

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Click here to read TikTok’s progress report on supporting Black communities and promoting diversity & inclusion: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/progress-report-how-were-supporting-black-communities-and-promoting-diversity-and-inclusion

Links:

TikTok’s Newsroom: https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us

Check out previous editions of TikTok Treats, a weekly newsletter about the most interesting music happenings on TikTok:
David Guetta, Sada Baby, and Rick James Are Having a Moment on TikTok
BTS Hits #1, Kendrick Plants Money Trees, and More From TikTok
Dua Lipa Levitates, J. Cole Soundtracks Glow-Ups and More TikTok Stories
TikTok: The “WAP” Dance Challenge, Folklore, La Roux, and More Provide Joy and Catharsis
Charlie Puth, Pop Smoke, and More Trending TikTok Stories
Artists Unite to Say #SaveTikTok
How TikTok Users Use the App to Boost Their Musical Careers
TikTok Doesn’t Just Mint New Hits…It Revives Old Ones
These International TikTok Artists and Hits Eliminate Language Barriers
Who’s Hot on TikTok? Jason DeRulo, Rod Wave, and More
TikTok Success = Chart Success and the Hot 100 Proves It
TikTok Users and Artists Celebrate #MyPride Through Music
TikTok Promotes a Vibrant Artistic Community with #BlackMusicMonth

9.15.2020

Video: Germ – “Walked In”

The ATL Rapper Shows Us How He Lives in the Latest Video from The Hijinx Tape

Critical Praise:

“For a time, Germ was your favorite SoundCloud rapper’s favorite SoundCloud rapper. Before established himself with solo releases, he was racking up hundreds of thousands of streams providing a jolt of off-the-wall energy on tracks by $UICIDEBOY$, Fat Nick, and Pouya. When he began to branch out on his own, with the mixtape Bad Shit (Bootleg) and the $UICIDEBOY$ collaboration DIRTYNASTY$UICIDE, he established himself as a raucous spark plug with a nasally flow and rhyme schemes that recalled a certain Academy Award-winning Memphis rap crew” – Complex

“The Haitian rapper is soaring to new heights with a debut album under his belt called Germ Has A Deathwish.” – Interview

“The latest signee to the $uicideboy$ label is an Atlanta skater-turned-rapper with a voice that’s as aggressive as it is gleeful. His new tape isn’t that serious, but his rapping is.” – Pitchfork

The Video:

Delivering his rhymes a piercing voice and a fiery intensity, Atlanta’s Germ is a natural born spitter. Walking us through an action-packed day in his life, Germ shares “Walked In,” his latest video. Produced by Budd Dwyer (aka Scrim from $uicideboy$), “Walked In” finds Germ weaving his way between single-note piano creeps and thumping 808s at lightning speed, as he artfully explains how he’s had the sauce since birth: “Ever since I could remember, I was yea tall, pushing babies over/Gucci baby stroller, Haiti baby poet, smooth talker since a toddler/Why bother f*cking with me, I was born already done with college/I’m a f*cking scholar and a f*cking doctor.” In the video, Germ wakes up, brushes his teeth, hops in his Rolls Royce with some G59 associates, and heads to a weed growing facility to have his pick of the region’s finest bud. “Walked In” follows Germ’s recent videos for “7 Hunna Horses” and “Cookies,” which boasts an official video and a thrilling animé visualizer (over 600k combined views).

“Walked In” is the opening track from The Hijinx Tape, Germ’s recently release project. Praised by Pitchfork for its gleeful and aggressive rhymes, album is an outrageously confident catalog of Germ’s favorite things, as he rhymes about his ounces of Cookies weed, his garage full of Dodge SRT Hellcats, and having more jewels than your local Zales. The Hijinx Tape is the ideal soundtrack for crashing a whip just to have an excuse to buy another one – in fact, the album artwork is a photo of Germ’s actual car crash in 2019. Featuring an appearance from G59’s Shakewell, The Hijinx Tape is available now via G59 Records.

Watch “Walked In”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-2dt7rK2g

Buy/Stream The Hijinx Tape: https://germ.lnk.to/hijinx

The Hijinx Tape tracklist:

1. “Walked In” (Prod. by Budd Dwyer)
2. “6 God Freestyle” (Prod. by YAYGO)
3. “Cookies” (Prod. by Grove$ide)
4. “7 Hunna Horses” (Prod. by Kevin Rolly)
5. “Dolo” (Prod. by BeatsByAzura)
6. “We Outside” (Prod. by M4orty)
7. “Plead The 5th” (Prod. by Budd Dwyer)
8. “Runnin Thru Plastic” (Prod. by ProdByOra)
9. “Brand New Rollie” (Prod. by H3 & Ace Taylor)
10. “AR Pistols” (Prod. by Kevin Rolly)
11. “Hellcat” ft. Shakewell (Prod. by Budd Dwyer)
12. “Green Light” (Prod. by Rxland)

Please contact Michelle or Kerry for more info.

The Background:

Atlanta-native and G59 signee Germ dropped his debut album and first project with the label (helmed by his co-conspirators $uicideboy$) titled Germ Has A Deathwish in 2019. The 11-track LP proves to be his breakout; a versatile and progressive body of work showcasing the elevation of his rap career, from his early upbringing and Haitian roots to his days cutting his teeth as a skater on the streets of ATL. Germ recently supported $uicideboy$ on Grey Day Tour and proved he could infuse energy into crowds numbering into the thousands. Germ’s sophomore album The Hinjinx Tape is slated for a July 31st release date.

Links:

instagram | twitter | youtube | spotify | soundcloud

“Walked In”: http://germ.lnk.to/walkedin / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-2dt7rK2g

“Cookies”: https://youtu.be/ot4vbjDN3Ak

“7 Hunna Horses”: https://germ.lnk.to/7HunnaHPR

Germ Has A Death Wish: https://germ.lnk.to/germhasadeathwish

9.14.20

Rolling Loud “Loud Stream” Festival Recap: Over 4 Million Viewers Tune In to Virtually Rage

Broadcast Exclusively on Twitch, Rolling Loud’s First Virtual Festival Was a Resounding Success, As Millions of Fans Tuned In to Watch Swae Lee, Ski Mask The Slump God, and Many Others Perform Live For the First Time in Months

Critical Praise:

“Rolling Loud has rapidly become the most essential annual hip-hop festival” – The New York Times

“One of hip-hop’s biggest festivals” – The Wall Street Journal

“The country’s premier hip-hop festival” – Billboard

THE RECAP:

The name Rolling Loud is synonymous with star-studded lineups, buzzworthy moments, and party-positive vibes. Translating the Rolling Loud experience from the festival stage to the device of your choice, Rap’s premier festival brand partnered with Twitch to broadcast “Loud Stream,” a live virtual festival that aired over the weekend. Hosted by Druski, Jenesis Sanchez, DJ Scheme, and DJ Five Venoms, the stream presented live performances, including debut performances of new material by Swae Lee and Ski Mask The Slump God, commentary, interviews, and DJ sets over a period of 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday, drawing 4.4 million total live viewers with a high of 60k concurrent viewers.

“Loud Stream” offered thrilling live performances from headliners Swae Lee and Ski Mask The Slump God, plus energetic sets from XXL Freshmen Polo G, NLE Choppa, and Lil Keed, leading ladies like Kaash Paige and Tay Money, plus many more. But half the fun of “Loud Stream” came from what happened in between sets, with banter-filled interviews of artists by stream host Druski, interjections from Rolling Loud co-founders Matt Zingler & Tariq Cherif, and an active livestream chat (25k unique chatters!) clamoring for their favorite artists and songs. The festival also welcomed a virtual crowd, Zooming in a wall of fans directly from their living rooms, which the artists could see and vibe with while performing their sets. “Loud Stream” is the first of three virtual festivals Rolling Loud has planned as part of their new exclusive partnership with Twitch. Dates for the next two will be announced soon.

Rolling Loud’s new partnership with Twitch also includes daily live hip hop-driven programming, offering special guests and original live shows like The Rotation and Loud Gaming. During “Loud Stream,” festival co-founder Tariq Cherif teased upcoming guests for this week’s slate, including Jaden Smith, Swae Lee, and Pouya. Read about Rolling Loud’s full slate of Twitch programming HERE.

Check below for some of the best images of the virtual festival’s most memorable moments, taken by Rolling Loud’s brilliant internal media team.

Check out images from “Loud Stream” as they happen (please credit photos to Rolling Loud / photographer): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e7m1zr93qoyi7c9/AAAQd4rD-7jyP2A8RAKpgNuea?dl=0

Buy Rolling Loud merch: shoprollingloud.com

See even more highlights on Rolling Loud’s Instagram.

SWAE LEE:

Swae Lee sends off “Loud Stream” Saturday night in style, after performing new song “Dance Like No One’s Watching” (Photo credit: Rolling Loud / @kadeeeem)

SKI MASK THE SLUMP GOD:

During his headlining set on Sunday, Ski Mask played an untitled new song, and paid tribute to his fallen friends Juice WRLD and XXXTentacion (Photo credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

POLO G:

Chicago’s favorite rising superstar broods in bright lights after his set (Photo credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

NLE CHOPPA:

Choppa brought positive energy throughout his performance, encouraging fans to mind their mental health before inviting his mom to the stage (Photo credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

LIL KEED:

Slime Season came early, as the 2020 XXL Freshman played songs from his recent Trapped In Cleveland 3 project (credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

TAY MONEY:

The Dallas diva performed a colorful Sunday set (Photo credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

FAT NICK & POUYA:

These two Florida natives and frequent collaborators are Rolling Loud regulars, who’ve been opening up pits at Rolling Loud events since 2015 (Credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

DUKE DEUCE:

Memphis’s new King of Crunk went all out during his Sunday set, bringing out a full squad of backup dancers (credit: Rolling Loud / @itchyeyephotos)

FOUNDERS:

Rolling Loud founders Matt Zingler & Tariq Cherif (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

MORE FROM THE BROADCAST:

Kaash Paige chills backstage after her standout Saturday set (credit: Rolling Loud/@saadboiant)

“Loud Stream” host Druski kept the vibe going between sets, bantering with performers and interacting with the live chat (Photo credit: Rolling Loud/@kadeeeem)

Co-hosts Jenesis Sanchez and DJ Scheme address the broadcast between sets (Photo Credit: Rolling Loud/@kadeeeem)

For all other inquiries, contact Michelle, Kerry, or Kevin

THE BACKGROUND:

About Rolling Loud
Founded in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif as a one-day festival in Miami, Rolling Loud evolved into a global behemoth, with massive festivals on both American coasts and international events in Europe and Australia. In October 2019, Rolling Loud hosted the first annual Rolling Loud New York, which boasted one of the brand’s most impressive lineups yet, and in December, it drew 65,000 fans per day to Banc of California Stadium for Rolling Loud Los Angeles.

About Twitch
Launched in 2011, Twitch is a global community that comes together each day to create multiplayer entertainment: unique, live, unpredictable experiences created by the interactions of millions. It brings the joy of co-op to everything, from casual gaming and world-class esports to anime marathons, music, and art streams. Twitch also hosts TwitchCon, the biggest community event of the year, where tens of thousands of people come together to celebrate and connect with others who share their interests and passions. We’re always live at Twitch. Stay up to date on all things Twitch on Twitter and on our Blog.

Links:

website | facebook | twitter | instagram