Posts made in July 2020

Gwyn Love Never Have To See You Again

Leave a reply

Oklahoma born pop singer-songwriter Gwyn Love unveils her debut single “never have to see u again” via Canadian indie label 604 Records. The label, who is home to Canada’s biggest acts such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Dallas Smith and Marianas Trench, marks their first American signee with Gwyn.

As a huge fan of Canadian pop-rockers Marianas Trench, Gwyn reached out to 604 Records President Jonathan Simkin, asking about an interview for a school project. After mentioning she was a musician herself, he asked her to send along a demo. A few months later, he signed her to his label. Growing up in small-town Oklahoma, Gwyn Love knew she was destined for something bigger. Now, as the first-ever American artist signed to 604 Records — she’s ready to take on the world. Drawing mainly from her own life experience, Gwyn maintains she’s hardly ever at a loss for words when it comes to songwriting — musical motivation and vision are always priority one. Her debut single “never have to see you again,” which premiered via CelebSecrets, speaks to just that. It’s a song the artist says she believes becomes more powerful each and every time she hears it — an anthem that constantly re-ignites the happiest of moments when everything in her life really started to come together. It’s a kind of honest lyricism that is sure to set Gwyn apart from the pack.

Jane Fonda × Uncle Bud’s

Leave a reply

In celebration of National Hemp Month, Uncle Bud’s, the Made in America, mass market leader in Hemp and CBD, reveals its first campaign imagery with Jane Fonda, the brand’s newest ambassador. Shot by acclaimed photographer John Russo with styling by Cristina Ehrlich, who is named one of the top 25 most powerful stylists by The Hollywood Reporter, the campaign features two-time Academy Award-winning actress, author, activist, and fitness guru Jane Fonda, who was playfully captured with her go-to products from Uncle Bud’s Hemp & CBD.

The hero campaign image is a compilation of seven Fondas holding a different Uncle Bud’s product. The assortment includes the glow-inducing Hemp Enzyme Face Mask, the powerful and fast-acting CBD Body Revive Gel, the moisturizing and indulgent Hemp Body Lotion, the timely and in-demand cult favorite Hemp Hand Sanitizer, the original and hero product, The Hemp Topical Pain Relief, its counterpart The Hemp Roll-On Pain Relief, and the healing, digital age must-have, The Hemp Blue Light Face Mask. The eye-catching shot will live alongside the slogan “I’m FONDA Hemp and CBD” on a prominent billboard in Times Square and be used in the brand’s digital reach this quarter.

With the partnership kicking off during the pandemic, Uncle Bud’s, an innovative leader in the Hemp and CBD space was inspired to get creative in working with Fonda to release the collaboration. In lieu of a traditional photoshoot, Fonda was announced as the brand’s newest ambassador in May by way of a lighthearted video created by Fonda and shared on her personal social media accounts. The video was a fun play on TikTok’s viral ‘pass the brush’ challenge, and the partnership has lived on social channels until now.

In early June, the campaign came to life on set in Los Angeles, with Uncle Bud’s, Fonda and all parties taking utmost precaution in a safe and mindfully orchestrated socially distanced photoshoot.

Jane Highlighted some of her favorite products from the set: “This [the Hemp Roll-On Pain Relief] is my go-to for aches and pains. Just roll it on and go. No mess, no stiffness, no BS…I gave this blue light face mask to a good friend of mine. It protects your skin from harmful blue light that emits from your computer or phone. It’s terrific. So, if you happen to know *someone* who spends too much time online, get this mask.”

“We are excited to be able to celebrate National Hemp Month with the release of the ‘I’m FONDA Hemp & CBD’ campaign” said Garrett Greller, Co-Founder of Uncle Bud’s Hemp & CBD. “With COVID-19, this partnership took a different course to start but it’s allowed the brand’s innovation to shine through. The playful imagery is the perfect fusion of Jane Fonda’s personality and Uncle Bud’s product.”

Officially launching in September 2018 with one hero product, Uncle Bud’s Hemp & CBD has experienced unequivocal growth. In less than two years, the brand has grown to now include over 72 Hemp & CBD products powered by the proprietary formula, CANATREX™, retailed in more than 15,000 stores nationally, and the company has continued to outperform its Q1 and Q2 2020 projections amidst the coronavirus pandemic. As a leader in the Hemp and CBD space, Uncle Bud’s takes pride in being Made in America, GMO Free, Cruelty Free and Leaping Bunny Certified. The full range includes Hemp & CBD products for skincare, personal care, and even pet care – all retailing under $30.

Jane Fonda is a two-time Academy Award-winning actress (Best Actress in 1971 for Klute and in 1978 for Coming Home), author, activist, and fitness guru. Her career has spanned over 50 years, accumulating an extensive body of film work and crucial work on behalf of political causes such as women’s rights, Native Americans, and the environment. She is a three-time Golden Globe winner, Honorary Palme d’Or honoree, 2014 AFI Life Achievement Award winner, and the 2019 recipient of the Stanley Kubrick Excellence in Film Award as part of BAFTA’s Britannia Awards. Fonda will next be seen in the seventh and final season of Grace & Frankie and other past credits include the comedy Book Club for Paramount and the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Jane Fonda in Five Acts, which chronicles her life and activism. Currently, she is leading the charge on Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement to protest government inaction on climate change. In September, Fonda will release her book What Can I Do? My Path from Climate Despair to Action through Penguin Random House about the looming disaster of climate change and the tools we need to join her in protest.

Follow Jane Fonda: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Uncle Bud’s Hemp & CBD: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Rolls-Royce Introduces

Leave a reply

Cleanest Micro Environment Available in a Motor Car

When developing the latest generation of pinnacle luxury products, Rolls-Royce engineers sought to elevate the exceptional air quality within its existing motor cars to unprecedented levels of purity. By using the latest sensor and Nanofleece filtration technology, the marque has created the cleanest micro environment available in any motor car, further complementing the sense of oasis created by the design and material substance of its interior environments.
The importance of protecting clients from harmful carbon and pollen particles, as well as viruses and bacterial contaminants, has been of the utmost importance to the marque and, since 2015, all Rolls-Royce motor cars have benefited from state-of-the-art air filtration equipment. For the new Ghost, which debuts in autumn 2020, this technology has been further developed to incorporate a full suite of hardware and software improvements, collectively known as the Micro Environment Purification System.
Highly sensitive Impurity Detection Sensors have been introduced to detect ambient air quality, automatically switching fresh air intakes to Recirculation Mode if unacceptable levels of airborne contaminants are present. This channels all cabin air through a Nanofleece filter, which is capable of removing nearly all ultra-fine particles, viruses and bacteria from the Rolls-Royce’s micro environment in less than two minutes.
Following the initial implementation of this technology, clients in future will be able to remotely pre-condition the micro environment within their Rolls-Royce via the vehicle’s app in preparation for their arrival.

For more about Rolls Royce: Website | Instagram

The Kid Laroi Tell Me Why

Leave a reply

The Kid LAROI pens an open letter and final goodbye to Juice WRLD in the emotionally stirring new song “Tell Me Why“. In this moving soliloquy, LAROI opens up about heartbreak and battles with saying his final goodbyes to lost loved ones. The accompanying Cole Bennett directed video premiered live on Lyrical Lemonade.

The Kid LAROI gears up for the release of his debut project F*ck Love releasing July 24th, via Columbia Records and Grade A. In one of his most recent releases, LAROI shared “Go” featuring his late former mentor Juice WRLD, truly embodying the relationship they held as friends and brothers. The Kid LAROI’s ongoing momentum amassing millions of views across videos as well as surpassing over a hundred million streams worldwide is just the beginning of his journey. With the release of his upcoming mixtape, The Kid LAROI is predicted to be one of this decades youngest artists to watch.

Surfaces Release Extended Video for Learn To Fly

Leave a reply

Texas-based duo Surfaces have announced an extended version of their collaborative single “Learn To Fly” with legendary multi-GRAMMY Award winning Elton John, along with an accompanying extended music video, both out now. The extended video was directed by Ivan Dixon (Childish Gambino’s “Feels Like Summer”) and produced by Sean Zwan from Studio Showoff. Released on June 12 via 10K Projects, the original version of “Learn To Fly” has since accumulated over 13.5 million global combined streams. Earlier this month, Surfaces’ smash hit “Sunday Best” was certified Platinum by the RIAA, with over 1.2 billion global combined streams. Having spent over 19 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Sunday Best” was cited by Billboard as a “lead contender in the race for the song of the summer”.

Surfaces on why they decided to release an extended version of the song: “We weren’t really sure how everything would pan out when we started working with Elton over Zoom. It can be difficult to catch a creative wave over a screen rather than in person…but on the first day

Elton had the idea to transition the song into a different mood, a more climactic-anthemic one. We loved it. We didn’t know how to necessarily put everything into the one track, but we knew we had caught the spirit of Elton. After producing it out we realized making an extended version was probably our best bet of having everything feel cohesive…also leaving a little surprise for those of you who liked it initially!”

“Having heard ‘Sunday Best’ for the first time in Australia and liking it so much, I was surprised when the guys reached out to me to sing and play a little piano on ‘Learn To Fly,’” says Elton John. “I loved the song and the production on the track they sent me. We recorded via Zoom in LA, and it was so much fun working on a non-Elton record. These guys are terrific, and we had a blast collaborating.”

Surfaces released their third studio album Horizons, Peaking at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, the success of “Sunday Best” skyrocketed the duo to the #1 spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists Chart in May. In addition, “Sunday Best” is currently being used as part of the Beats by Dre campaign featuring LeBron James, Serena Williams and more.

Powfu New Track and Visual 17again

Leave a reply

Rising lo-fi artist Powfu has shared a new song, “17again,” today. Accompanying the release of the acoustic-driven song is a new DIY-style visual that was created and edited by Powfu’s frequent collaborator and cousin Meliodic in his hometown near Vancouver.

Powfu’s monster hit “death bed (coffee for your head)” featuring beabadoobee continues to be a force on the charts hitting new milestones. The song is now certified Platinum by the RIAA, has been streamed over 1 Billion times and broke into the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The lo-fi hip-hop single has also reached Top 10 on Spotify in over 20 countries, has spent 16 weeks in Shazam’s Global Top 10, and 20+ weeks on Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits & Apple’s Today’s Hits.

Powfu recently appeared on Genius’ Open Mic At Home and performed the infectious track from his bedroom, where he originally created and produced the single. “death bed” appears on Powfu’s EP, poems of the past, which is available now via Columbia Records.

For years, Powfu has been studying and contributing to the lo-fi movement happening around the world, recording and releasing music from his bedroom and building up a legion of nearly 1 million followers across his pages in the process. Now, he’s firmly established himself as an important player in bringing the genre into the mainstream.

George Floyd Family Suing

Leave a reply

By Eamonn Burke

The family of George Floyd will sue the city of Minneapolis, claiming his rights were violated during his arrest, consequently allowing racism and brutality to fester in the city’s police force. This comes as newly released body cam footage clearly shows Floyd pleading with officers and telling them he cannot breathe. The lawsuit will target financial reparations for Floyd’s children and siblings.

The family’s attorney, Mr. Crump, is calling the murder of Floyd “torture” and calling the disproportionate killing of black people by police a “public health crisis”. He cites “deliberate indifference” from the city of Minneapolis on this issue.

“Everything seems to have stopped and got shut down in America during the coronavirus pandemic except racism and discrimination and police brutality against Black and brown people.” says Crump. “This is the tipping point for policing in America.”

Crump is hoping this case will set a precedent for future lawsuits by establishing the damaging financial repercussions that the wrongful killing of marginalized people can incur. Additionally, he anticipates major changes in policing, which have already begun as Minneapolis takes steps to abolish the police.

Meanwhile, the killers of George Floyd – ex-officers Derek Chauvin, Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – have all been charged with aiding and abetting in 2nd degree murder, and await their trial date on March 8, 2021. Their lawyer declined to comment on the topic.

Logic – No Pressure

Leave a reply

Grammy®-nominated, multi-platinum artist Logic gets back to the roots of his craft with the completion of his new album, NO PRESSURE, set to arrive at all DSPs on July 24th via Def Jam Recordings/Visionary Music Group.

After six years of major career accomplishments, including four #1 albums, NO PRESSURE finds Logic back in the studio with renowned producer No I.D., who produced Logic’s groundbreaking RIAA gold debut album of 2014, Under Pressure. Working again with No I.D., and 6IX, NO PRESSURE is the full circle career moment for Logic, making the music he loves with ‘no pressure.’

Prior to NO PRESSURE, the ever-prolific Logic released five albums: Under Pressure (2014); The Incredible True Story (#1 chart debut in 2015); Everybody (#1 chart debut in 2017; YSIV (#1 chart debut in 2018); and Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (#1 chart debut in 2019). His Bobby Tarantino II mixtape entered at #1 in 2018.

In March 2019, “Supermarket,” the dazzling debut novel by Bobby Hall (aka Logic), entered the New York Times Paperback Fiction list at #1, making him the first-ever hip-hop MC to author a New York Times fiction bestseller. Logic’s accompanying Supermarket “soundtrack” album was simultaneously released via Def Jam/Visionary. The album’s Top 10 debut on the Billboard Alternative Album chart was an ‘Alt’ chart first for Logic.

Logic’s most recent Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind Tour, presented by Live Nation in October-November 2019, was a 26-city tour of the U.S. and Canada. He was joined on most dates by special guests J.I.D. and Confessions collaborator YBN Cordae.

Multi-platinum, Grammy Nominated artist Logic (aka Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, aka Bobby Hall) – among the top streaming artists in the world with billions of streams to date – burst onto the music scene through a series of mixtapes that led to a significant, rabid underground fan base. Those tapes – Young, Broke, and Infamous (2010); Young Sinatra (2011); Young Sinatra: Undeniable (2012); and Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever (2013) – garnered millions of downloads and streams. They jump started a worldwide tour that led up to his record deal with Def Jam Recordings in 2014, and the release of his debut album Under Pressure that year. Logic kept up the pace with his second album, The Incredible True Story (2015, with the RIAA gold “Fade Away”), followed by Everybody (2017), containing the landmark 5x-platinum “1-800-273-8255” (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid.

Overlapping Logic’s albums were new mixtapes Bobby Tarantino (2016, with the RIAA gold single “Flexicution”), and Bobby Tarantino II (2018, with the RIAA platinum “44 More” and “Everyday”). YSIV (September 2018), the fourth chapter of his Young Sinatra saga, contained “One Day” which Logic performed with Ryan Tedder and over 200 immigrant children, their siblings and parents at the MTV VMAs. 2019 kicked off with the publication in March of Supermarket (Simon & Schuster), the debut novel written by Bobby Hall, which entered the New York Times Paperback Fiction bestseller list at #1 – first-ever for a hip-hop artist. It was accompanied by the Supermarket “soundtrack” album, which debuted inside the Top 10 on the Billboard Alternative Album chart, an ‘Alt’ chart first for Logic. The prolific artist dropped his fifth studio album in May 2019, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind. It was preceded by the title tune single and video, “Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind,” and RIAA platinum “Homicide” featuring Eminem.

Follow Logic: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Renewal Award Winners

Leave a reply

A global pandemic. Racial injustice. Extreme political polarization. In an incredibly challenged moment for the country, extraordinary people in communities across America are working tirelessly to light the way forward. Community-based organizations have become essential lifelines, which is why five nonprofits that represent the brightest lights were chosen as recipients of this year’s Renewal Awards.

The Renewal Awards, presented by The Atlantic and Allstate, is a national competition recognizing organizations that use innovative solutions to create lasting change in their communities. This year’s winners are the 5th class of award recipients and were selected from more than 13,000 nominations. Each winner receives a $40,000 grant to amplify their mission of helping others, along with national recognition that elevates their profile and awareness for their work.

Despite facing significant funding and staffing challenges in this unprecedented year, the winning organizations continue to stay relentlessly focused on the most pervasive and systemic challenges affecting society—homelessness, educational equity, skills and job training, and children and families in need. Each organization serves different needs, but all are united by a core belief that defines our times—no matter who we are, we can lift each other up in times of need.

2020 WINNERS

Choose 180 (Burien, WA): Engages youth in critical moments and empowers them to make positive changes in their lives, especially when facing jail time or school expulsion. *Allstate Youth Empowerment Award Winner.
College to Congress (Washington, D.C.): Levels the playing field and fosters bipartisanship for congressional interns, providing both financial support and mentorship across the aisle.
Facing Homelessness (The BLOCK Project) (Seattle, WA): Integrates 125-square-foot detached accessory dwelling units in residential backyards to reduce homelessness.
Hello Neighbor (Pittsburgh, PA): Supports recently resettled refugees with mentorship, educational training, and community events.
More Than Words (Waltham, MA): Empowers youth who are in foster care, court-involved, homeless, or out of school by helping to run a bookstore.

The Atlantic’s Ron Brownstein writes about the work of this year’s winners, and the larger story they tell about the country, in a piece published today: “Real Reform Comes From Civic Stamina”. “We are proud to continue this critical partnership with Allstate, especially during the unprecedented events dramatically affecting all communities across the country,” said Hayley Romer, The Atlantic’s Publisher and CRO. “The generous spirit and relentless work modeled by these community leaders is inspiring and driving the progress we need.”

“2020 has changed our way of life, yet these five organizations continue to find ways to serve others despite the enormous challenges they face,” explained Stacy Sharpe, Allstate’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Brand. “These amazing community leaders should remind us all that anything is possible when you know your purpose and have the passion to create a lasting impact.”

Finalists were selected by The Atlantic’s editors and writers. Winners were evaluated by a panel of judges who include former Mayors Rahm Emanuel (Chicago) and Karen Freeman-Wilson (Gary, IN); Anne Marie Burgoyne, managing director of social innovation at Emerson Collective; Kate Nack, director of The Allstate Foundation; former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (Florida); and two past Renewal Award winners, Juedy Mom, director of The Compton Initiative, and Pamela Urquieta, CEO and Executive director of Let’s Innovate Through Education. Allstate selected the Youth Empowerment Award winner.

Started in 2015, The Renewal Awards spotlight grassroots solutions to challenges faced by communities around the country and the people making a positive difference. The awards are the flagship initiative of The Renewal Project, The Atlantic and Allstate’s broader partnership that covers innovation and celebrates change-makers in local communities. With this year’s award, 31 organizations have received more than $800,000 in funding from The Atlantic and Allstate to further their work. To learn more about the awards, and read about past winners, please visit TheRenewalProject.com.

Follow The Renewal Project: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Courtney Bell – “Say You Wanna”

Leave a reply

COURTNEY BELL RELEASES A SINGLE FOR THE LADIES IN “SAY YOU WANNA”.

LISTEN TO SAY YOU WANNA HERE

Detroit native, Courtney Bell is back to deliver a message for the ladies. While slipping into his smooth side over the Noc produced beat, Courtney takes materialism out of relationships. The retro, melodic and synth-heavy production allows Courtney to show off lyrical strength while reminding us he’s “nothing like your last one.”

Showing no signs of slowing down, Courtney Bell has a message of enlightenment to deliver to the masses. Earlier this summer he kicked off with a freestyle visual, “Pride”depicting his flow versatility, talking about the complexities of having pride. He followed up with single, “GB4″ Furthering his mission to empower marginalized communities as well as bring spirituality to the streets, Courtney delivers water to Flint residents monthly while sharing his personal experiences of his life.

Follow Courtney Bell:

Instagram | Twitter

More about Courtney Bell:

Courtney is a spiritual man and often follows the Torah as he resides in Detroit. His daily routines include meditations and calisthenics at least twice a day. During the winter time you can find Courtney plowing snow for low income communities and the elderly. He’s rooted in uplifting the people around him and bridging the gap between the conscious community and the hood. Through his music he is dedicated to bringing “spirits and souls into the light.” Courtney’s music was featured in media outlets such as: Hot New Hip Hop, The Source, Detroit Times, RapRadar & Fake Shore Drive. In the past he’s opened for notable hip hop acts like: WS Boogie, Dave East and Eric Bellinger.