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GOONBOX by Chris Murray

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Tenacious Toys is pumped to announce their next exclusive toy drop: the Rap Kings GOONBOX Gold Edition 7-inch vinyl art toy designed by Chris B. Murray and produced with care by Clutter Studios.

This is the first vinyl art toy by Philly artist Chris B. Murray who is best known for his illustrations and prints.

Chris grew up studying hip hop culture, which has driven his design sensibility as well as his work as a professional artist. His ongoing Rap Kings illustrated series highlights the groups he grew up listening to as well as current day artists. It started as a poster series, extended into other merchandise, and then ultimately led him to create the series first vinyl toy, GOONBOX!

The concept for the GOONBOX character is an intentionally vague mashup born out of the hip hop era—a gritty street character that incorporates pieces of some of Chris’ favorite rappers, groups and various elements of hip hop culture. Many references can be found all over this figure: the camo pants, the bees, the pigeons, the backpack, the manhole cover, the flower.

The Tenacious exclusive Gold Edition GOONBOX ES are limited to just 50 pieces and priced at $149.99. They will drop on the Clutter page at noon EST on Tuesday, July 13th.

About Chris B. Murray

Chris B. Murray is a fine artist/commercial illustrator living and working out of Philadelphia, PA (originally from upstate NY). From an early age, Chris immersed himself in everything that dealt with pop culture. His most favorite being hip-hop and everything surrounding the culture including graffiti art, sneaker hoarding/streetwear fashion and most importantly, the attitude. Every aspect of it was so very inspiring to Chris. He even goes as far to say that hip hop and the culture revolving it played a major role in raising him through his formative years. Those very same influences are deeply rooted in the work he is still making today from the vast array of color usage and character treatment, the inventive narratives to the meticulous compositions and concepts. Chris has been disciplined in using a variety of media on various surfaces to create his imagery.

About Tenacious Toys

Tenacious Toys has been buying, selling & producing art toys in vinyl, resin, PVC and plush since 2004. The primary mission of Tenacious is to lift up and empower new creators by offering them a retail platform to showcase, promote and sell their artwork in the 3D collectibles space.

Shang-Chi #1-2

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Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang and rising star artist Dike Ruan’s revolutionary run on SHANG-CHI is redefining the super hero’s mythos like never before! After taking over leadership of his evil father’s cult-like organization known as the Five Weapons Society, the iconic martial arts hero has set out to change the group’s corrupt ways and it hasn’t been easy. With new power comes new enemies and each action-packed issue has not only pitted Shang-Chi against fellow Marvel super heroes, but have also introduced deadly new foes. And in the shadows, Shang-Chi’s exciting new rogues gallery are teaming up with a very mysterious leader to take him down for good. With the first two thrilling issues selling out, Marvel Comics is happy to announce new second printings so fans can dive into what is shaping up to be the most iconic era of Marvel’s greatest fighter!

Shang-Chi, or Brother Hand, is a superhero that first debuted in Special Marvel Edition #15 in 1973, therefore in the Bronze Age of comic books, and starred in his first solo title in 1983. He was originally the son of master criminal Fu Manchu but that changed once Marvel lost the rights to author Sax Rhomer’s properties. He’s known for using guns, swords, and nunchaku as weapons. In 2021 he’ll make his MCU debut with the standalone movie: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Pick up the second printings of SHANG-CHI #1 and #2 on August 4th.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

Masked Wolf – Say So

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Elektra recording artist Masked Wolf has unveiled his brand new single “Say So,” available today on all DSPs HERE. The buoyant track is an early contender for song of the summer, and marks the Australian rapper’s much anticipated, follow up to his global smash “Astronaut In The Ocean” which has already gone to #1 in 8 countries around the world and amassed over a BILLION streams to date. “Say So” sees Masked Wolf collaborating once again with “Astronaut” producer Tyron Hapi. Watch the companion lyric video for “Say So” HERE.

Masked Wolf explains: “It’s always important for me to say something with my music, even if the deeper message is hidden inside of what sounds like a fun, upbeat song. In ‘Say So,’ I was writing about how, in times of trouble, we often try to act like we’re still okay, even when we really aren’t. No matter how bad the situation is or how close we are to self-destructing, we think that, if we keep telling ourselves we’re ok, then maybe we will be. We think ‘if we say so, then we say so…’ but really we need help.”.

“Astronaut In The Ocean” has also proven to be a multi-format phenomenon in the U.S., climbing into #1 on the Rhythmic chart while remaining a mainstay in the Top 10 at Top 40 radio. The song has spent 20 weeks and counting on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #6 and holding at 12 this week. Meanwhile, the official music video has logged over 180 million views on YouTube alone. Masked Wolf made his world television debut with an epic performance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” followed by his first, primetime television appearance on The Voice and, most recently, on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Last month, Masked Wolf released “Gravity Glidin’,” a track that he explained as “the response to Astro. Where ‘Astronaut In The Ocean’ is about not being where I should be, this song is about me feeling like I’ve found my place and finally gliding through the environment I was born to be in.”

Look out for much more to come from Masked Wolf in 2021.

About Masked Wolf

Transforming from a mild-mannered man by day into an unrestrained beast in the studio, Masked Wolf (aka, Harry Michael) has unassumingly established himself as a powerful, passionate, and primal hip-hop force. After graduating from school, the Sydney, Australia native tirelessly worked in sales to fund recording. He even took out a loan to build a home studio as he cut hundreds of songs and logged thousands of hours in the lab. In 2018, he dropped his independent debut “Speed Racer.” It gathered millions of streams and turned heads across Australia. Following “Night Rider” and “Water Walkin,” he unveiled “Astronaut in the Ocean.” Awash in airy guitar, jagged 808s, neon keys, and deft wordplay, he submerged himself in honest lyricism, facing depression head-on. That one-two-punch of a recognizable riff and chantable chorus organically caught fire online. It quickly incited 350,000-plus TikTok videos, spanning everything from footage of U.S. military Blackhawk chopper crews to welders and ice fisherman. Meanwhile, Kansas City Chief Super Bowl champ quarterback Patrick Mahomes even incorporated the tune into an Instagram post, fueling its explosion in early 2021. Amassing streams in the hundreds of millions and counting, the buzzing rapper and singer unleashes a torrent of personal truths and emotions on his 2021 debut for Elektra Records and more to come.

Bahari – Forget You

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Rising alt-pop duo Bahari present a brand-new EP entitled Forget You. Get the EP at all DSPs HERE.

The EP includes fan favorites such as the Gold-certified “Savage” [feat. “Whole Lotta Money” rapper BIA], “Jackie Kennedy,” and “Bipolar”—which have collectively generated 10 million streams and counting in advance of the release. Additionally, it boasts a pair of new tracks. “Hurt” hinges on their haunting and hypnotic vocal interplay as guitar curls around glitchy production. Raw emotion seeps through each hook. Meanwhile, the title track “Forget You” fuses icy synths to a head-nodding bass line. It climaxes on the entrancing and ethereal chorus, “Even though I try my best to, I can’t forget you.”

Throughout, Forget You represents the incredible shared creative instincts and intuition of the duo—Ruby Carr and Natalia Panzarella—translated into engaging, entrancing, and enigmatic pop. They make vulnerability vital.

Regarding the EP, Bahari explained, “We wanted to make a body of music that we felt was our truest selves. The writing process was incredibly honest. We wanted to open up about things we have gone through. The past year, we have spent so much time reflecting and writing from our hearts; these songs really embody that. Though these songs have different meanings, whether about a heartbreak, loss of a loved one or dealing with mental health, the vulnerability of each song is really what brings the Forget You EP together as a collection.”

Bahari and VAST

Bahari joined forces with VAST, the next generation platform that helps creators build their network and net worth, and lent “Bipolar” to a new PSA for Project Healthy Minds, the national nonprofit confronting one of the defining issues of our time: the mental health crisis. Along with a live-streamed roundtable discussion moderated by model, actor and self-acceptance coach Hayley Hasselhoff, the initiative includes an auction of AI-fueled NFT’s culled from the “Bipolar” music video itself. The new visual features a storyline that depicts manic mood swings between its pair of on-screen couples, dramatized with an evocative overlay of effects and graphics generated entirely in AI by Seyhan Lee and AI artist Lulu XXX. The auction takes place today, July 9, at 12p PST on MakersPlace, with 20% of the net proceeds to be donated to Project Healthy Minds. This marks one of the first integrated music and visual NFT offerings designed to benefit mental health. The livestreamed event is currently available to view on demand HERE. In addition, today at 9a PST, MakersPlace will host a discussion with Bahari on Twitter Spaces where they will chat with the tech and creative teams behind their charitable initiative. Click HERE to join the conversation.

Be on the lookout for more from Bahari soon. They continue to make music you won’t forget in 2021.

About Bahari

Every so often, two separate journeys collide to form the perfect union in just the right place at just the right time. Bahari blossoms from a similar confluence of circumstances. Singer and keyboardist Ruby Carr hails from the tiny island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya, while singer and bassist Natalia Panzarella was born in Nashville but grew up in Southern California. Each of their experiences shapes a dynamic, diverse, and dark take on alternative pop. Generating over 650 million streams and receiving acclaim from Ladygunn, Nylon, Billboard, Ones To Watch, and more, the Los Angeles-based duo bring a shared vision to life. After meeting at a songwriting session at 16-years-old, the girls formed a lifelong bond. Shortly after, Bahari initially made waves with “Wild Ones,” which generated over 40 million Spotify streams. They maintained a consistent pace with the Dancing on the Sun EP and singles “Get Together” and “Fucked Up.” Along the way, they supported Selena Gomez and Birdy on tour and teamed up with Zedd, ILLENIUM and Grey for collaborations. Bahari earned a viral hit with 2018’s “Savage,” which took on a second life in 2020 with an official remix featuring BIA. The song has generated over 100 million total streams and views and is currently being utilized in promos for “American Horror Stories”. Last year, the duo’s hit collaboration with ILLENIUM, “CRASHING” was featured in the To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You Original Soundtrack. Now in partnership with Epic Records, the pair are gearing up for even more new music with their new EP Forget You.

Boslen – Quartz Music Video

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Vancouver-bred alt-hip-hop newcomer Boslen shares the ferocious video for “QUARTZ.” Featuring Zimbabwe-born rapper Charmaine, “QUARTZ” is the third single released from Boslen’s forthcoming debut album DUSK to DAWN, due out later this year. Watch the Natasha Dion directed and produced video HERE. The video showcases the new Canadian wave with the upcoming artists cruising in their luxurious cars putting on for both Vancouver and Toronto.

“QUARTZ” is built on an aggressive rhythm. It’s one of my best flows. Charmaine and I let loose and this song bridges the gap between Toronto and Vancouver’s music scene,” said Boslen.

Produced by justsayin, Stoopid Lou, and Dalton, “Quartz” is the latest offering from a fast-rising artist with a proven track record of boldly defying genre boundaries. This time around, the 22-year-old phenomenon delivers one of his most formidable tracks to date, showing the full force of his commanding vocals and expert wordplay.

About Boslen

Boslen is a 22-year-old trailblazing and genre-bending artist of Jamaican and Indigenous Canadian descent, based in Vancouver. Fusing hip-hop, rock, pop, and everything else under sun to craft his emotive rap ballads and bouncing trap bangers, he’s a sonic architect who meticulously takes part in the production of all his tracks. In 2018 he released his debut mixtape Motionless, then delivered Motionless II later that year. Arriving in early 2019, his single “Eye for an Eye” cemented his spot as a crucial force in the future of Vancouver’s sound. In July 2019, Boslen released “Hidden Nights,” which gained traction after receiving support from popular YouTube channel and entertainment company, the Nelk Boys. From there, Boslen went on to release his Black Lotus EP, which peaked at #11 on the Canadian Apple Music streaming charts. His momentum continued into 2020 with the release of “VULTURES,” a track clapping back at those who were taking advantage of him. As he continues to push himself creatively, Boslen is becoming widely known for his self-reflective lyricism, as well as his ability to seamlessly flow over pop, hip-hop, R&B, and alternative production. Later this year, Boslen will release his debut album DUSK to DAWN.

Adorno & Scholem: Correspondence

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At first glance, Theodor W. Adorno’s critical social theory and Gershom Scholem’s scholarship of Jewish mysticism could not seem farther removed from one another. To begin with, they also harbored a mutual hostility. But their first conversations in 1938 New York were the impetus for a profound intellectual friendship that lasted thirty years and produced more than 220 letters. These letters discuss the broadest range of topics in philosophy, religion, history, politics, literature, and the arts – as well as the life and the work of Adorno and Scholem’s mutual friend Walter Benjamin. This is the subject of Adorno & Scholem: Correspondence, which compiles their letters into a novel form.

Unfolding with the dramatic tension of a historical novel, the correspondence tells the story of these two intellectuals who faced tragedy, destruction, and loss, but also participated in the efforts to reestablish a just and dignified society after World War II. Scholem immigrated to Palestine before the war and developed his pioneering scholarship of Jewish mysticism before and during the problematic establishment of a Jewish state. Adorno escaped Germany to England, and then to America, returning to Germany in 1949 to participate in the efforts to rebuild and democratize German society. Despite the differences in the lifepaths and worldviews of Adorno and Scholem, their letters are evidence of mutual concern for intellectual truth and hope for a more just society in the wake of historical disaster.

The letters reveal for the first time the close philosophical proximity between Adorno’s critical theory and Scholem’s scholarship of mysticism and messianism. Their correspondence touches on questions of reason and myth, progress and regression, heresy and authority, and the social dimensions of redemption. Above all, their dialogue sheds light on the power of critical, materialistic analysis of history to bring about social change and prevent repetition of the disasters of the past.

About the Authors

Theodor W. Adorno (1903–1969) was a philosopher, sociologist, and music theorist. A prominent member of the Frankfurt School, Adorno was one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century in the areas of social theory, philosophy, and aesthetics.

Gershom Scholem (1897–1982) was a historian of religious ideas and a preeminent scholar of Jewish mysticism. He was the first Professor of Jewish Mysticism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

GASHI – Don’t Pass on Love

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Rapper GASHI just released his newest single, “Don’t Pass on Love.” It’s a fun, catchy track that’s perfect for summer. Like many of GASHI’s other works, it takes inspiration from other genres, this time having influences of R&B and reggae. The result is a good time. GASHI and Space Primates (Flo RIda, Chris Brown, David Guetta) produced the song. The artist stated about the track, “We’ve been thru a lot as people the past two years so it’s time for us to start accepting love and don’t pass on it”

The accompanying music video was also released on Youtube and features GASHI dancing and smiling in a mansion surrounded by beautiful women. The video is uplifting, joyous, and beautiful at the same time. GASHI co-directed the music video with Jon Primo.

About GASHI

Born in Libya, GASHI spent much of his young life as a refugee, moving from country to country. His family eventually settled in Brooklyn, NY, where he was introduced to music at a very young age. GASHI absorbed a melting pot of musical influences throughout his youth, resulting in the formation of his own unique sonic palette that blends together different genres of music. His dynamic sound has allowed GASHI to collaborate with a wide range of talents ranging from Chris Brown to Travis Scott. In the last couple of years, he released two studio albums, sold out venues across the globe, and has accumulated over 720 million streams with over 130 million video views worldwide.

Last summer, GASHI released his sophomore album 1984 which saw GASHI exploring and harboring new sounds that brought you back to his favorite time – the 80’s and featured his breakout hit “Mama” with the legendary Sting. He also released his documentary GASHI: Now You Know (watch here) and performed his first ever livestream performance featuring tracks from the 1984 album (watch the performance here).

The Rise in Sales of Nintendo Switch

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As one of the most popular consoles globally, Nintendo Switch witnessed an influx of new players and fans since its release back in 2017. According to data presented by SafeBettingSites, Nintendo Switch sales jumped by 50% in a year, with its lifetime unit sales reaching 85.7 million as of May.

More than 26M Nintendo Switch Consoles Sold in a Year

Following the disappointing sales of its predecessor, the Wii U, the Switch was seen as the new hope for Nintendo in the ongoing battle with other console giants, PlayStation and Xbox. Acting as both a portable and home console system and offering a seamless and unified experience switching between them, the console soon started to gain popularity in the gaming community.

A year after its launch in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch hit 15.5 million sold units worldwide, revealed Statista and VGChartz data. The next two years witnessed an influx of new fans, with its lifetime sales reaching 49.8 million units in December 2019. However, as the entire gaming industry exploded amid the lockdowns, Nintendo sold almost 10 million Switch units in the first half of 2020 only. The surge in demand continued since then, with more than 26 million Nintendo Switch consoles sold in the last year.

Compared to other top-selling consoles, Nintendo Switch lifetime sales is still significantly lower than 115.6 million PS4 units sold so far. However, statistics show that Nintendo Switch sold 35.6 million units more than Xbox One, whose lifetime sales hit 50.1 million this month.

North America Generates One-third of Total Sales Revenue

Analyzed by geography, North America represents the leading Nintendo Switch region, with 32.1 million units sold as of May. Europe and Japan followed with 22.2 million and 19.9 million, respectively.

One of the key reasons for the Switch’s success is the popularity of Nintendo’s first-party titles. Blockbuster series like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon are exclusive to Nintendo, meaning that fans can only play them on Nintendo consoles.

With 35.4 million sold units as of March, Mario Kart 8 Delux ranked as the top-selling Nintendo Switch game. Animal Crossing: New Horizons ranked second with 32.6 million in total sales. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Pokémon Sword/Pokémon Shield follow with 23.8 million, 22.2 million, and 21.1 million in unit sales, respectively.

Laine Hardy – Memorize You

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Rising country star Laine Hardy will perform his latest hit, “Memorize You,” on ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” The episode will feature the romantic performance for the newest Bachelorette, Katie Thurston and her lucky date. This episode of “The Bachelorette,” currently in its 17th season, is scheduled to air Monday July 5 on ABC.

About Katie Thurston

After appearing in the landmark 25th season of “The Bachelor,” Katie Thurston emerged as a leading voice, who repeatedly stood up against bullying and negativity in the house; and women all over America applauded her for speaking up for what she believes. The 30-year-old Washington native became an instant fan favorite for her memorable arrival on night one. Unapologetically herself, Katie is adventurous, daring and ready for a man with whom she can build a life. A marketing manager with an innate social media savvy and humorous outlook on life, she is a witty storyteller who wants a man that will laugh along with her and is ready to step into the spotlight for her own love story to be told.

About Laine Hardy

A native of Livingston, Louisiana (pop. 2,000) Laine Hardy was six when he picked up his first guitar and later joined his brother playing in local clubs and bars for upwards of six hours a night, inspired by artists ranging from Luke Combs and Elvis Presley to Mark Broussard. After winning American Idol in 2019, Laine focused on songwriting and touring, headlining shows in Denver, Indianapolis, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Lexington and more. Laine’s 2020 “Ground I Grew Up On” virtual tour, made 20-plus online stops to date, with views at 2 Million and counting. Catch Laine as he hits the road with the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour. Kicking off on July 22, Laine will headline shows coast to coast spanning the fall. Tickets for The Monster Energy Outbreak Tour featuring Laine Hardy go on sale July 1.

On May 14, 2021, Laine released feel-good summertime track and video, “Memorize You,” written by Michael Tyler, Eric Arjes and Steven Dale Jones, and produced by Michael Knox (Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett). Follow his socials to keep up to date on his new music plans for the rest of the year!

While Louisiana is home, Nashville is where he is destined to be. There, he met his producer Michael Knox and the pair went to work on Laine’s 2020 music releases including his single “Tiny Town” (Michael Tyler), and tracks “Ground I Grew Up On” (Brandon Kinney, Josh Thompson, Brett Beavers), “Let There Be Country” (Jason Afable, Steve Moakler, Tim Nichols), “Other LA” (Laine Hardy, Andy Sheridan, Erik Dylan and Dan Isbell) on Buena Vista Records / Industrial Media’s 19 Recordings. The songs, which earned Laine a Taste of Country RISER designation, tell the stories of Laine’s childhood on the bayou where on an average day you’ll find him fishing, riding his four-wheeler, spending time with his family, dogs, and feasting on jambalaya or his grandmother’s traditional Korean kimchi.

Lady London – Never

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Drumming up critical acclaim as an illustrious artist in a few short years, with destiny for greatness, Lady London shares with the world her new single and accompanying cinematic visual “Never.” The Nigel Uno-produced track serves as a therapeutic release from the New York-born, New Jersey-raised rapper chronicling the vast amount of trials she’s endured that ultimately shapes her to be the resilient woman that she is today.

“Never” is now available to stream/ purchase /share on all streaming music service platforms now. The official music video premiered on YouTube last week.

London shared a special note to fans and followers last week as she unveiled details of today’s momentous release: “This record is my first child—the very first song I recorded the day I landed back in LA & discovered I had lost two years’ worth of my only material on my hard drive. Every song I recorded in my entire career was on that disk. I bled my soul on this record. I speak of my journey through this vicious industry. I speak on the horrors of social media notoriety and even my past relationship. God placed his hand on this record because, for the very first time, I made it for me.”

Earlier this year, Lady London released her heavy-hitting track “Money Over,” which takes on an infectious Barrington Levy sample and pays homage to her West Indian/ Caribbean roots. Rap icon Cardi B praised the track as she took to social media and stated London is “the most slept on.” “Money Over” is currently at 500,000 + views on YouTube. Watch HERE.

A few short months ago, the world got a chance to meet the rising star on a national level for the BET Awards as she delivered an empowering message rooted around the Black Lives Matter movement made to inspire the world—and so it did. The Genius presented performance caught co-signs immediately after from Diddy, Revolt TV, and more as most became immediately captivated by her distinct and dynamic flow.

About Lady London

Having earned her Bachelor of Science from Howard University, and Master of Science from the University of Southern California, Lady London is both a noun and an adjective: a person, a feeling, and state of being. An innovator, tastemaker, emerging songwriter, and published author, making her way through Los Angeles with East Coast style. A true pioneer of academia paired with street witt and style, fully dedicating her works to the women not constricted by boundaries, and the men who aren’t discouraged by that.