Posts made in June 2020

travel, 360 MAGAZINE

Portugal Opening to Travel

Leave a reply

Portugal is the first European country to receive the ‘Safe Travels’ seal from the World Travel & Tourism Council.

This seal aims to recognize destinations that comply with health and hygiene protocols in line with the Safe Travel Protocols issued by the WTTC, helping, above all, to instill confidence in consumers, so that they feel they can travel safely as soon as restrictions are applied.

For the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, “Portugal was apioneer in launching the Clean & Safe seal. This WTTC seal comes to reward the effort that has been made by everyone. The best destination in the world is also seen as the safest in the world. ”

The WTTC also published guidelines for other sectors, including catering, street shopping, aviation, airports, congress, meeting and event centers.

In addition to distinguishing destinations, the WTTC is also promoting a stamp that recognizes the commitment to safety by companies, a stamp that can be obtained through the WTTC website, and-Assets.

360 Magazine, The White Buffalo

“The White Buffalo” Live Show

Leave a reply

The White Buffalo is playing live from the Belly Up Tavern on June 14th. It is an ‘All-Request Show’ virtual concert in partnership with Cadenza.TV.

Purchase tickets to “The White Buffalo Live from The Belly Up Tavern” and stream/purchase “On The Widow’s Walk.”

The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith) has announced a second virtual concert in partnership with Cadenza. On April 5th, The White Buffalo and Cadenza partnered in one of the first paid, premium quality live stream experiences to happen in the wake of Covid-19. Due to the success of that first stream, a second performance has been scheduled for June 14.

“Christopher, Matt, and I were really humbled by the success of the first live stream in April. It was pretty amazing to see our whole global fan community come together in that way, especially during such a tough time for the world. We wanted to up the stakes for number two, so it only made sense to do it at one of our all-time favorite venues, the legendary Belly Up Tavern!” – Jake Smith (The White Buffalo)

The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA is a long-time staple of The White Buffalo’s, and a natural fit for the stream. This stream will be an all-request show where the fans will be 100% involved in selecting the setlist.

Fans can purchase tickets to the event here.

“The White Buffalo is one of our most treasured artists. He has a legacy of incredible live shows here at the Belly Up and we’re excited to show the world how well his artistry and our venue work together. It’s inspiring to me that artists like Jake are willing to put in the effort to give their fans a true concert performance at a time like this, with professional sound and lights, on a real stage, and it also helps support live venues like ours at a time when we really need it.” – Chris Goldsmith

The Belly Up Tavern Billed is an “all-request” event, this stream will also expand upon the first by making fan engagement a core focus. After fans purchase a pass, they will be able to request songs within the exclusive “Song Requests” section of the event page. Fans should first check to see if a song they want to request has already been requested, and if so, upvote it instead of typing it in. If a song has not yet been requested, anybody can type it in for other fans to upvote. There will be a 5 song submission limit. The most upvoted songs will create the setlist.

The White Buffalo recently released his seventh studio album On The Widow’s Walk, produced by Shooter Jennings. Upon release, the album charted in six categories, including #1 Bluegrass #2 Americana/Folk #4 New Artist #8 Rock. Newsweek praised the album saying it’s “an adventurous work of Americana” and Associated Press said, “Listening to The White Buffalo’s songs on the road will make you take the long way home so you can enjoy them a little while more.”

“I am able to put myself into the situation of the character, even though that character may not represent my point of view,” Smith reflects. “I try to take it to a human level and keep it as honest as I can. I guess what I’ve tried to do with this new album is to represent a broad range of emotions.” The album runs the gamut exploring dark moments as well as more uplifting ones, and a little bit of what’s in between. “I like to put some confusion into my songs, which is a very human element, I think.”

On The Widow’s Walk is a compelling, gimmick-free statement from an artist, now based in Southern California, whose activity between the musical lines has seen his star very much on the rise, playing to a million followers worldwide, achieving over 200 million streams to date, and securing a Top 10 spot in the TV/Film Syncs Chart for 2019.

Smith has also been using the time away from the road to revitalize his popular acoustic YouTube series, In The Garage, which has seen the release of four new episodes since mid-April after returning from a lengthy hiatus. Combining Smith’s natural humor, charm, musicianship, and taste for craft beer, In The Garage has proven itself to be an instant fan-favorite amongst day one supporters and new listeners alike.

About Cadenza.TV

Cadenza.tv is bringing music fans closer to the artists they love with new art to live streaming. The company, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, works hand-in-hand with each artist to tell an offstage story captured as a live event for fans to enjoy globally. Every production is of premium quality yet remains raw, uncut, and authentically catered to any genre of music. The only way to tune in is through Cadenza.tv, a platform and interactive experience continuously shaped and evolved by the artists themselves.

About The Belly Up

The Belly Up was opened in Solana Beach, CA, in 1974 with only a couple of mics and no stage. Over the years it became a frequent stop for legends like John Lee Hooker, Etta James, and BB King. Epic performances by Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton, The Neville Brothers, and Toots and Maytals also are a part of the club’s early legacy. Since then, many artists have stopped by on their way up the ladder, including No Doubt, Black Eyed Peas, Mumford and Sons, Childish Gambino, and many more. Major artists have done underplays at the venue in recent years, including The Killers, The Red Hot Chili Peppers (who also played the club for 200 people in 1985), Jimmy Buffet, Willie Nelson, Ben Harper, Damian Marley, and Tom Jones. And, perhaps most famously, the Rolling Stones played a private event there in 2015.

Allison Christensen, 360 Magazine, Vaughn Lowery

Impact of Racism on Families

Leave a reply

Prevent Child Abuse America’s Dr. Melissa Merrick Issues a Statement on the Impact on Racism on Children & Families

For the last several days, emotions that have run high for generations have clearly reached a boiling point, here in Chicago and throughout the country. The understandable outrage, profound sadness, and deafening demands for change stemming from the death of George Floyd and countless others before him are feelings that we at Prevent Child Abuse America share. For those who grieve, we grieve with you.

We remain steadfast in our mission—to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children—and we continue to envision a world where all children grow up happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in supportive families and communities. To do this effectively, we focus on a comprehensive approach, proactively creating the conditions for thriving children and families. To be truly successful, we must actively dismantle the root causes of stress and anxiety that can lead to child abuse, including systemic, structural racism and discrimination. Research consistently highlights the disproportionate exposure and effects of trauma and adversity within communities of color, but too many of our policies and systems produce, rather than. eliminate, such disparities. We know that we can do better, and that most Americans want every child to grow up feeling secure.

We cannot tackle these issues single handedly—no one can—but neither can we sit idly by and allow our children, families, and communities to suffer. At moments like this, it is more important than ever for us to stand together to advocate for racial justice and equity. To do so, we rely on strong partnerships—with our nationwide network of state chapters and Healthy Families America affiliates, with external collaborators at the local, state, and federal levels, and with leaders in the business and civic communities. We all have a role to play in creating a better future for every child, regardless of the color of their skin.

We call upon everyone in our network to take action and support those affected by this time of unrest—in whatever ways you can—to continue to educate and spread awareness in your communities, and to work together to protect children from the effects of systemic racism. At Prevent Child Abuse America, we are deeply committed to reforming the systems that have jeopardized the safety of our children as a byproduct of the persistent racial inequities they produce and exacerbate.

Together, we CAN prevent child abuse, America—because childhood lasts a lifetime.

About Melissa T. Merrick, PhD
Melissa T. Merrick, PhD, is President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, the nation’s oldest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. She has nearly 20 years of clinical, research, and leadership experience related to the etiology, course, and prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Previously, Dr. Merrick was a senior epidemiologist at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, and served on a detail in the Office of the Commissioner at the Children’s Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families. In partnership with the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, she served as the lead scientist for the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study at CDC for 8 years. Dr. Merrick successfully leverages her clinical and research experiences to communicate and disseminate the critical public health importance of preventing early adversity to key stakeholders with diverse priorities, backgrounds, and knowledge, including legislators, business and civic leaders, and members of the academic and medical communities.

About Prevent Child Abuse America
Founded in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect. With chapters in 48 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting sites throughout the country, it promotes services that improve child well-being and develops programs that help to prevent all types of abuse and neglect—before they begin. Prevent Child Abuse America is rated as one of the top charities for children by Consumer Reports and numerous charity oversight organizations, including Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. Visit their website here to learn more.

Covid and health illustration

Universal Hip Hop Museum Reopening Exhibit

Leave a reply

The Universal Hip Hop Museum has announced its latest partnership with Soter Technologies, inventors of non-invasive advanced health sensor technology systems, just in time for the reopening of the [R]Evolution of Hip Hop this summer.

In alignment with New York City reopening guidelines, the safety and wellbeing of all visitors are top priority for The Universal Hip Hop Museum. Soter Technologies will offer an extra level of comfort and security by introducing SymptomSense™, a sensor and scanning platform providing a fast, non-contact ability to determine an individual’s Blood Oxygen Level, Body Temperature, Elevated Heart Rate, Chest Congestion, and Shortness of Breath– some of the known symptoms when determining if a person is suffering from a serious virus. Essentially, this platform will assist in screening for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to entering the [R]Evolution of Hip Hop exhibit. This will help lower risk, exposure and provide added reassurance to both staff and patrons. Additional measures will also be taken to further safeguard the community with this groundbreaking technology. A demonstration video of the product can be seen here.

“The Universal Hip-Hop Museum and institutions like it preserve, promote and share the important history and culture of the arts and music. It is critical that we understand and preserve the creativity and contributions of those who have come before us. At Soter Technologies we are committed to supporting organizations that bring people together and inspire others to pursue their dreams and achieve success,” said Derek Peterson, Founder and CEO of Soter Technologies.

Rocky Bucano, Executive Director of The Universal Hip Hop Museum, added, “Our community has been hit hard over the past few months and it is my duty to ensure that as we reopen our doors, visitors not only feel safe but are able to fully enjoy the richness that is Hip Hop culture through this interactive experience. Soter Technologies provides the level of security we need and not to mention we will be among one of the first public institutions to use this platform. We are extremely grateful for Soter Technologies’ experience and partnership.”

Visitors will have a chance to experience the second installation of the [R]Evolution of Hip Hop at Bronx Terminal Market since its launch last December with co-collaborators MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality and Microsoft. The exhibit is merely a preview of what’s to come as the Universal Hip Hop Museum officially opens its doors in 2023, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop, and will officially break ground next month. The Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) will be the first museum construction post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Follow @uhhmuseum across all social media platforms to stay up to date with The Universal Hip Hop Museum

Cannabis, 360 MAGAZINE

High Times x RWB

Leave a reply

High Times partners with Red, White & Bloom to rebrand and develop dispensaries in Michigan, Illinois, and Florida

Hightimes Holding Corp., the owner of High Times®, the most well-known brand in cannabis, today announces that it has entered into a series of agreements with Red, White & Bloom, Inc., also known as RWB, with the goal of the branding of High Times dispensaries and development of cannabis based CBD and THC products in the States of Michigan, Illinois and Florida.

RWB and its investee will use the Hightimes™ trademark, logo and brand to rebrand its 18 planned and operational dispensaries as High Times stores. Together, such stores represent more than 20% of the cannabis market share across the state. RWB’S Investee is the leading cannabis company in Michigan, with dispensaries, indoor/outdoor cultivation and product manufacturing established over the last two years. In addition, as a result of the acquisition of Newco, RWB will also acquire the rights to brand retail and medical dispensaries and products in the states of Illinois and Florida, and may utilize RWB’s 3.6 million square foot facility in Illinois for the production of CBD products and whole hemp flower strains for distribution nationally.

In addition to transforming the dispensaries to become High Times branded destinations and launching delivery capabilities in select locations, High Times branded vapes, tinctures, topicals, and edibles will be available within both owned dispensaries and other third party outlets. The company has aggressive growth plans and is entering the market at a time when the retail landscape has been significantly changed.

“High Times is a 46-year-old brand with an immense amount of recognition and credibility across the world,” said Peter Horvath, Chief Executive Officer of Hightimes Holding Corp. “Licensing the High Times name, advising on dispensary operations, and providing input on product development allows the company to drive significant revenue from licensing fees without assuming the complexity associated with owning and operating dispensaries and scaled cultivation and manufacturing facilities nationwide. RWB has built an incredible and expansive retail footprint in a quick time frame that we can strengthen through applying the High Times Brand.”

The Hightimes subsidiary holding the Hightimes™ trademark, logo and brand worldwide sublicensed such intellectual property to a new subsidiary, Newco, for the purpose of using and branding retail and medical dispensaries and products in Michigan, Illinois, and Florida. Under the terms of the agreement, the Hightimes Licensing Company sold RWB 100% of the equity of Newco. In return, the Hightimes Licensing Company will receive $15 million of RWB common shares which are expected to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange and may receive an additional $5 million of RWB common shares in the future. In addition, the Hightimes Licensing Company expects certain Minimum Guarantee payments during the term of the agreement and any renewal period.

Hightimes Holding Corp. has also recently announced the appointment of CEO Peter Horvath and its planned acquisition of 13 California dispensaries from Harvest Health & Recreation, one of the largest multi-state operators in cannabis. Through these initiatives, High Times intends to become one of the largest cannabis companies in California, and is working quickly to do the same in Michigan, Illinois and Florida.

About High Times

For more than 45 years, High Times has been the world’s most well-known
cannabis brand – championing the lifestyle and educating the masses on
the benefits of this natural flower. From humble beginnings as a
counterculture lifestyle publication, High Times has evolved into
hosting industry-leading events like the Cannabis Cup and the High
Times Business Summit, while providing digital TV and social networks,
globally distributed merchandise, international licensing deals and
providing content for its millions of fans and supporters across the
globe. In the world of Cannabis, High Times is the arbiter of quality.
For more information on High Times visit their website here.

About Red White & Bloom

Red White & Bloom, building on its first mover advantage (through its
investments and pending acquisitions in the states of Michigan,
Florida, Massachusetts and Illinois) is a multi-state operator that
enters markets at scale. The Company’s portfolio (following completion
of the pending acquisitions) will include superior brands and
proprietary product development capabilities, focused on a “house of
brands” strategy in both cannabis as well as hemp-derived products.

Ti, Nasty C, 360 Magazine, Vaughn Lowery

Nasty C x T.I.

Leave a reply

Nasty C and T.I. team up for their first-ever collaboration with powerful new track “They Don’t” addressing racial injustices in wake of police brutality protests. All proceeds from the new song will be donated to Until Freedom and The Solidarity Fund.

In the wake of rampant police brutality and national civil unrest and how it is a reminder of the horrific injustices of apartheid in South Africa, multi-platinum rapper Nasty C and the multi-hyphenate Tip “T.I.” Harris have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration. “They Don’t” – a powerful new track where the two share their perspectives of racial injustices around the world. Touching on the parallels of the horrific injustices of apartheid in South Africa and the police brutality going on in the United States, the unlikely pair break from business as usual to take on serious global issues. The track, released via Def Jam/Grand Hustle/Def Jam Africa, is produced by Gemini Major and you can stream it here and watch the lyric video here.

On “They Don’t”, Nasty C provides a striking and emotional view with his lyrics and later in the track, provides an encouraging message to all.

“I can only imagine the pain and the grief/from the innocent mothers with all the shit they had to see/ when you lose the ones you love to the f*ckin’ police/it cut’s deep.” “But everything will be alright soon/I just want to let you know, ain’t nothin’ like you.”

T.I. shares his thoughts on systemic police brutality with the poignant lyrics.

“Guess they’d rather see us all in civil unrest/Than to go and make some f*ckin arrests” followed by “How you supposed to serve and protect/with your knee on my neck?”

All proceeds from the song will be donated to two organizations – Until Freedom and the Solidarity Fund. Until Freedom is an intersectional social justice organization focused on addressing systemic and racial injustice, as well as investing in those who are most directly impacted by cyclical poverty, inequality, and state violence. The Solidarity Fund, provides social support, including access to food and shelter, for those in South Africa whose lives have been systemically and disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Nasty C and T.I. connected when T.I. was filming in South Africa and have been in touch ever since.They recently came together to deliver an exclusive, keynote conversation at Midem Digital Edition highlighting the globalization of hip-hop and how brands can use that to work with artists internationally. Fans can register for free and watch the conversation here.

ABOUT NASTY C
For nearly a decade, Nasty C (Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo) has had
a singular focus: to push the boundaries of his own potential.  He has
been pursuing his hip-hop dreams since childhood when, legend has it,
he began rapping and learning to lay down tracks at age nine under the
tutelage of his older brother.  At just fifteen years of age, Nasty
released his debut mixtape, One Kid, A Thousand Coffins (2012).  He shot
to stardom in 2014, with his boundary-breaking second mixtape, Price
City, and “Juice Back,” a continent-wide instant classic smash.  The
“Juice Back” remix featured Nigerian muso, Davido and South African
rapper Cassper Nyovest. This early success won Nasty C the Best
Freshman prize at the highly competitive South African Hip-Hop Awards.

Nasty C’s popularity detonated with his 2016 debut album Bad Hair,
which hit #1 on the iTunes local chart and was the country’s
most-streamed album within 24 hours of release.  Its re-release, Bad
Hair Extensions featured French Montana. The seminal album earned him
Nasty C four Metro FM Music Awards, a South African Music Award and a
BET Awards nomination. The momentum surged with Strings And Bling in
2018, named one of South Africa’s greatest hip-hop albums by such
influential local outlets as TimesLive and IOL.  Nasty C was the only
South African nominated for a BET Hip- Hop Award in the Best
International Flow category in 2019, and was also nominated for an MTV
Europe Music Award that year.  Strings and Bling won him two South
African Music Awards and two AFRIMMAs (All African Muzik Magazine
Awards).

Entrepreneur Of The Year

Leave a reply

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2020 

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of India-based Biocon Limited, was this evening named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2020 at a ground-breaking, virtual award ceremony. Kiran was picked from among 46 award winners from 41 countries and territories vying for the world title. In the award’s 20-year history, Kiran becomes the third EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winner from India. She follows former Indian world title winners Uday Kotak of Kotak Mahindra Bank (2014) and Narayana Murthy of Infosys Technologies Limited (2005). She also becomes the second woman to hold the title, following Olivia Lum of Hyflux Limited from Singapore in 2011.

Kiran, 67, founded Biocon, a bio-enzymes company, in 1978 with just two employees and $500. Since its inception, Biocon has grown to employ more than 11,000 people and become one of the strongest innovation-driven biotechnology companies in Asia with revenues of $800m for FY19. Biocon and its subsidiaries are making a lasting impact on global health care. Millions of people living with diabetes now have access to affordable insulin, while millions more who are battling cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other debilitating diseases now have access to affordable biosimilars.

Manny Stul, Chairman and Co-CEO of Moose Toys and Chair of the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel, says, “Kiran is an inspirational entrepreneur who demonstrates that determination, perseverance and a willingness to innovate can create long-term value. The judging panel were impressed by her ability to build and sustain growth over the past 30 years and by her integrity and passion for philanthropy that has delivered huge global impact. She has built India’s largest biopharmaceutical company on a foundation of compassionate capitalism and putting patient needs before profits.”

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, says, “At its core, entrepreneurship is about solving problems. The greatest opportunities often arise at the toughest times, and that’s been my experience throughout my entrepreneurial journey. My business focus is global health care and the provision of universal access to life saving medicine; however, my responsibility as an entrepreneur is greater than simply delivering value to shareholders. Wealth creation can be a catalyst for change, and all entrepreneurs have a responsibility to the world around them and the communities in which they operate. Women also play a hugely important role in economic development, and for too long their contribution has been ignored. It’s important that we use the platform of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year to encourage more women to participate in entrepreneurial pursuits. I’m truly honored to receive this prestigious award.”

Carmine Di Sibio, EY Global Chairman and CEO, says, “Entrepreneurs are the unstoppable visionaries who inspire innovation and fuel growth and prosperity by building remarkable companies and services. Kiran’s passion to develop low-cost, cutting-edge pharmaceutical alternatives has brought affordable health care to patient communities all around the world. Her drive to innovate has created huge growth for Biocon Limited and helped diversify the company’s portfolio of therapies for chronic diseases. Kiran is a truly inspiring EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year winner.”

Stasia Mitchell, EY Global Entrepreneurship Leader, says, “With an exceptional record in creating long-term value, Kiran’s clear vision of making a difference to the lives of millions of people around the world make her a worthy EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year winner. Her impact on improving global health access and affordability will endure for decades to come. She is a beacon for other entrepreneurs to follow.”

About Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Biocon Limited
A first-generation entrepreneur, Kiran graduated as a Master Brewer from a brewing school in Australia and returned to her native India in 1975 to find work as a brew master. After two years of unsuccessfully trying to overcome the hurdles of entering a male-dominated brewing industry, Kiran started Biocon Limited, producing bio-industrial enzymes in the garage of her rented house in Bengaluru, India. A year later, Biocon became the first Indian company to export enzymes to the US and Europe.

Now, Biocon and its subsidiaries are the pioneers in areas less frequented by Indian pharmaceuticals companies, including fermentation-based small molecules, human insulin and insulin analogs, biosimilars for key antibody drugs, novel therapies, and high-end contract research services. With customers in over 120 countries, the company is a world leader in biosimilars and APIs for statins, immunosuppressants and other specialty molecules. In 2014, Biocon was India’s first biotech company to go public and only the second Indian company to pass the US$1b mark on its first day of listing. The company’s market capitalization is currently over US$4b.

Biocon is also leading the way on universal access to affordable life-saving medicine. For example, in September 2019, the company announced that it would supply rh-insulin at less than US$0.10 per day (for the average 40 units of insulin required per patient per day) to low- and middle-income countries — less than a third of current rh-insulin prices. The company has supplied more than 2 billion affordable doses of biosimilar insulins to patients globally in the last 15 years.

Compassionate capitalism that addresses inequality is at the center of Kiran’s business and leadership philosophy. Founded in 2004, the Biocon Foundation provides basic health care, sanitation and early diagnosis and treatment of common cancers and non-communicable diseases to marginalized communities. Kiran has also been an angel investor for numerous successful health care startups in areas such as affordable breast cancer screening, chemotherapy determination, and low-cost warming devices for premature and low-birth-weight babies. The Mazumdar Shaw Center for Translational Research, a nonprofit research institute established by Kiran and dedicated to developing scientific breakthroughs for treating a wide range of human diseases, has also developed several advanced yet affordable cancer diagnostics. In 2016, Kiran signed The Giving Pledge, committing 75% of her wealth to philanthropy and giving back.

Joey Trap Releases New Album

Leave a reply

Joey Trap’s new album, A Playlist For The End Of The World, drops today via PIVTL Projects. Trap’s fourth full-length project of the year boasts 23 tracks, showcasing his eclectic style with features from YBN Nahmir, Kxllswxtch, and Zedzu.

Channeling the distinctive energy that put Trap on the map, A Playlist For The End Of The World taps into the same brand of defiant lyricism. The album is a natural evolution of Trap’s musical ability, thoughtfully curated and meticulously produced to resonate with fans; “This music is not to distract people from what’s going on, but instead to aid them [with] a soundtrack [for] battle,” Joey says, “[These are] memories we will never forget! 2020 is a time for a change.”
For
Boasting 224K followers on Instagram and over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, Trap has earned his title as one of rap’s most prolific visionaries. Trap’s music is widely celebrated for its distinctive blend of range and style, with recent releases ‘Wild West’ and ‘STFU’ showcasing his genre-defying sound.

Featured on Spotify’s Clout Culture playlist, ‘Wild West’ racked up millions of streams following its January release, with the tracks “Purse,” “John Wayne,” and “Arrival” generating huge buzz. And with a punk-rock flare, the February release of ‘STFU’ proved to be yet another win for Trap, featuring the wildly popular single “JOHN CENA.”

Listen to/purchase A Playlist For The End Of The World here.

FOLLOW JOEY TRAP: Instagram | YouTube | Soundcloud

Keith Haring × Kidrobot

Leave a reply

Continuing the celebration of inspirational artists of the 20th century, Kidrobot brings art to life with the first piece in a new collection featuring the work of Keith Haring.

Kidrobot is proud to introduce a Dunny featuring the work, Three Eyed Face. This Keith Haring Masterpiece Three Eyed Face Dunny Art Figure is on an 8-inch Dunny in a premium display box. This Dunny release is the first piece in the Kidrobot x Keith Haring collection, bringing Haring’s art to a new generation.

The Keith Haring Masterpiece Three Eyed Face 8″Dunny Art Figure drops on Kidrobot.com and select art toy stores June 5th at 10am MST (12pm EST). Visit this page for the release, and refresh the page at time of release so you don’t miss out! Make sure you complete checkout quickly, as adding to cart does not reserve the item.

FOLLOW KIDROBOT: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Website

Justice illustration

Patriotic Millionaires BLM Statement

Leave a reply

The Patriotic Millionaires have released a statement on the Black Lives Matter movement;

“Sometimes there are moments where conducting fbusiness as usual is not only grossly inappropriate, but simply impossible. The nationwide protests this past week are exactly one of those moments.

The murder of George Floyd, like the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and every other unacceptable killing of Black Americans before them, have exposed the rotten truth at the heart of our country: the United States was founded on systemic racism that infects nearly every facet of our society to this day. And it is the duty of each and every single one of us to abolish it in all forms and move together towards a just and equitable future for all.

Because Black lives matter. Black livelihoods matter. Black futures matter.

So instead of our normal weekly roundup of analysis and insights on COVID-19 and the economy, we are providing some resources on race and economics in America to put these protests in context for you, our amazing supporters. We hope you – particularly our white readers – find these useful in informing and guiding our collective fight for justice.

  • “Cause of death: COVID-19, police violence, or racism?” by Melissa Healy

    The COVID-19 pandemic is killing Black Americans at far higher rates than every other group – but it’s far from the only systemic danger they disproportionately face. At birth, Black children average a lower life expectancy than white children by 3.5 years and are 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty. This critical piece provides an overview of the systemic barriers that our Black compatriots face every day.

  • “Black workers face two of the most lethal preexisting conditions for coronavirus—racism and economic inequality” by Elise Gould and Valerie Wilson

    This comprehensive report from the great folks at the Economic Policy Institute examines the two economies that exist in our country: one for the mostly well-off white majority, and one for Black America. Decades of racist policies, from redlining to land deeds that bar Black ownership, have locked Black people out of wealth-building models that allowed white Americans to move into the middle and upper classes. Add that to low wages, employment discrimination, chronic underfunding of public services, and disproportionate incarceration rates, and the recipe for economic apartheid becomes devastatingly clear.

  • “A vast wealth gap, driven by segregation, redlining, evictions and exclusion, separates black and white America” by Trymaine Lee

    All those policies outlined in the EPI report have existed for decades, and were often direct legacies of slavery and Jim Crow legislation. This essay, part of the New York Times’ landmark 1619 Project, places our country’s stunning racial wealth gap into its proper historical context. Examining the roots of the problem is key to tearing it out, root to stem.

  • “I’m a black climate expert. Racism derails our efforts to save the planet” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

    Fighting for equality is a moral good in its own right, but the consequences of our systemic racism extend far beyond the Black lives it directly impacts. Racism exists in every sphere, hindering collective progress on issues that affect us all. This poignant essay by marine biologist and climate expert Dr. Johnson puts the problem into perspective.

  • “New York City and Los Angeles slash budgets – but not for police” by Alice Speri

    Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, state and local governments are facing unprecedented revenue shortfalls, forcing them to make tough decisions about their 2020-21 budgets. Stunningly, however, police departments across the country are not facing any budget cuts, with many actually receiving budget increases. As we observe police departments deploy tanks, riot gear, tear gas, rubber bullets, and thousands of officers at the same time doctors and nurses have no PPE, teachers have no school supplies, and civil service jobs are being cut, it’s critical to ask: is the continued militarization of our police really the best way to spend taxpayer money?

This is far from a comprehensive list of resources, and we encourage you to further your education on this critically important issue – and we thank you, as always, for standing with us.”