Vaughn Lowery is a native of Detroit and the youngest of five siblings, a graduate of Cornell University's ILR School. Core duties: global diversification strategy, production management, and ecological implementation. The grandson of the late civil rights defender and recipient of the presidential medal of freedom, Joseph Lowery. Lastly, a distinguished member of the Alpha Phi Alphi Fraternity, Incorporated (Alpha Chapter).
Oakley has officially named Travis Scott as their first ever Chief Visionary, launching a multi-year creative partnership that marks a bold new chapter for the brand.
After years of organically championing Oakley on and off stage, including throughout his record-breaking Circus Maximus tour, Travis Scott is now partnering with the brand to reimagine the future of eyewear, apparel, and cultural design.
Together with his Cactus Jack team, Travis will work closely with Oakley to evolve its product legacy, rework archival styles, and create entirely new innovations that fuse Oakley’s iconic design with his creative perspective.
To celebrate the start of the partnership, a limited Day Zero drop is available today on shop.travisscott.com, offering an early glimpse at what’s ahead.
THEBLACKLABEL’s breakout co-ed group, ALLDAY PROJECT, hit #1 on YouTube’s Worldwide Trending chart just days after releasing their debut music video “FAMOUS.” One week later, they’re back with the title track “WICKED” – alongside two performance videos that build on the global buzz they’ve sparked as a rapidly rising force on the international stage. Watch both performance videos HERE and HERE. Listen to the single album HERE.
With an experimental beat that seamlessly fuses Brazilian Funk, Trap, R&B, and Drill, “WICKED” gives each member of ALLDAY PROJECT the space to express their individuality with unapologetic freedom. The term “Wicked”—an ironic expression meaning “incredible” or “awesome”—repeats as the hook, anchoring the track’s addictive rhythm. Fueled by explosive performances from ANNIE, TARZZAN, BAILEY, WOOCHAN, and YOUNGSEO and layered over cutting-edge production, the track delivers both sonic intensity and visual exhilaration.
“WICKED” was written by all members of ALLDAY PROJECT—TARZZAN, WOOCHAN, ANNIE, YOUNGSEO, and BAILEY—alongside Vince and global hitmakers Theron Thomas, Tommy “TB Hits” Brown, Amanda Ratchford, and Courtlin Jabrae Edwards. The track is produced by Dominsuk and 24 from THEBLACKLABEL.
ALLDAY PROJECT emerges as a groundbreaking new act under THEBLACKLABEL,
uniting a collective of highly anticipated multi-hyphenate artists who have already built strong reputations in rap, singing, choreography, and fashion. With a bold creative vision and genre-defying approach, the members of ALLDAY PROJECT are actively involved in the production of their music, visuals, and performances. The group has garnered widespread attention for challenging convention and holds the rare distinction of being one of the few co-ed groups in the modern era and the first under THEBLACKLABEL. Founded by mega-producer Teddy Park (a.k.a. TEDDY), THEBLACKLABEL’s roster includes MEOVV, JEON SOMI, Vince, BIGBANG’s TAEYANG, and BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ.
Upon the release of “FAMOUS,” the music video went viral—topping YouTube’s trending music and video charts in Korea, reaching No.1 on YouTube’s global trending list, and placing fourth on China’s QQ Music video chart. These achievements have positioned the group as an emerging presence in the global music scene, with the video surpassing 14 million views on YouTube views in just one week.
Listen to The Debut Single FAMOUS, which includes the title track “WICKED” – HERE
RYAN CASTRO’S HIGHLY PRAISED SOPHOMORE ALBUM ‘SENDÉ’ DEBUTS TOP 10 ON SPOTIFY’S GLOBAL CHART
After starting his career singing on Medellín buses and building buzz through rap freestyles, Ryan moved to Curaçao in search of change. During his time on the island, he balanced everyday jobs while continuing to make music. Curaçao became a place of personal and artistic growth, where genres like reggae, dancehall, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms shaped both his sound and sense of purpose. That evolution is fully captured on Sendé, an 18-track set written and recorded in Curaçao, featuring collaborations with Shaggy, Tribal Kush, Konshens, Jombriel, Blaiz Fayah, Dongo, and Peso Pluma.
To celebrate the launch of his album, Ryan Castro returned to Curaçao during release week, becoming the first Latin artist to lead a motorcycle run on the island. The ride ended at his release party, where he celebrated with fans and joined a livestream session with Westcol, connecting with his community in real time.
Ryan Castro is set to return toCuraçao this August for a special performance at the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, marking a full-circle moment. He lived on the island with his mother for several years before rising to fame, and it was there that he immersed himself in Caribbean sounds—now fully embraced in the essence of Sendé.
Neo-Soul legend releases first new music as part of “Forever in Rotation,” the celebration of Black Music Month from Amazon Music
Stream “Echos 19” exclusively on Amazon Music here
Last night, Amazon Music came together with multi-Grammy-winning musical icon and producer Erykah Badu to livestream a special hometown concert from the Bomb Factory in Dallas as part of “Forever in Rotation,” the streaming service’s celebration of Black Music Month. The Queen of Neo-Soul opened the show with “Echos 19 (mix 122), a live soundscape of a new single inspired by her collaboration with the legendary hip-hop producer The Alchemist. Badu, who wrote, composed, arranged, and produced the single, gave fans an exclusive first listen before performing a retrospective set of fan favorites and legendary singles, including “On and On,” “Bag Lady,” and “Didn’t Cha Know.”
The studio version of “Echos 19 (mix 122)” is now available exclusively on Amazon Music. The Amazon Music Original is stylistically bold and undeniably soulful—a first taste of new music from the next era of Erykah Badu. Fans can listen to the track here.
Badu, recognized as a fashion icon by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and renowned for her distinctive style, also conceptualized every aspect of the ancient futuristic stage show in Dallas. The custom costume design, lighting, and set design were created by Badu and inspired by graphic designer Voltage. The concert and upcoming tour promises a theatrical and visual spectacle reflecting Badu’s unique ability to make the ancient feel revolutionary and the futuristic feel deeply rooted in cultural tradition.
Following the performance, Amazon Music presented Badu with the inaugural “Forever in Rotation Award,” recognizing artists whose cultural impact and legacy will influence generations to come. Grammy-winning executive and former Motown Records CEO/President Kedar Massenburg–who played a pivotal role in Badu’s early career–presented award alongside Amazon Music executive Sierra Lever, Head of Hip-Hop/R&B.
Listen to “Echos 19 (mix 122) (Amazon Music Original)” exclusively on Amazon Music HERE.
Read more about Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s New Single and Visualizer “Next To You” HERE.
“Forever In Rotation” is a celebration of Black Music Month honoring Black artists who have redefined music and remain in our collective heavy rotation. Keeping with a years-long tradition,
the “Badu Presents: Echos 19” livestream is the fourth year in a row that Amazon Music has broadcast a touchstone cultural moment during Black Music Month. Past years have included Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out, Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival, and Leimert Park Rising.
In addition to last night’s livestream, Rotation celebrates Black music under the banner of “Forever in Rotation” in June with new playlists, Amazon Music Original songs, and programming throughout the month.
ABOUT AMAZON MUSIC
Amazon Music is an immersive audio entertainment service that connects fans, artists, and creators through music, podcasts, and culture. Amazon Music brings fans closer to what they love, with curated and personalized playlists, artist livestreams, artist merch, and Amazon Exclusive podcasts. Prime members get access to over 100 million songs in shuffle mode, All-Access playlists, plus the largest catalog of top ad-free podcasts, included with their membership. Customers can subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited for full, on-demand access to 100 million songs in HD, a growing catalog of Ultra HD and Spatial audio, and one audiobook a month from the world’s largest selection of audiobooks from Audible. Anyone can listen to Amazon Music by downloading the free Amazon Music app or wherever they listen to music, including Alexa-enabled devices. Learn more at amazon.com/music.
GRAMMY® Award-nominated, multi-platinum superstar Offset makes a strong summer return with “Bodies” featuring fellow Atlanta rap iconoclast J.I.D., out now on Motown Records. Produced by Vinylz and FNZ, the smooth track features an iconic sample: Drowning Pool’s 2001 hit, “Bodies.” Listen, HERE. The new single also comes with a surreal yet dapper video creative directed by Offset himself, edited by Mikey Rare, and with styling by SheShe Pendleton. Watch HERE. (OUT LATER TODAY).
“’Bodies’ is one of them ones I had to really take my time with. It’s about standing on who you are, coming out the mud, and being confident in the face of adversity. I’m always evolving, and I don’t fit in a box as an artist,” said Offset, “I’ve been cooking this up for a minute and I’m just getting started. J.I.D. is my guy and had the perfect energy to match ‘Bodies.’ Stay tuned because we going up.”
“Bodies” brings high-level intensity weaving together a haunting choir over a fresh take on the known sample (“Let the bodies hit the floor”). Over propulsive drums and an ominous piano, Offset showcases his bold artistry while rapping about his destiny: “I got choices this shit look like crayons … I fold a million dollars in two pockets … Sleeping and dreaming, talking to the rocket, he told me, ‘Go up,’ I told him that I got him.” J.I.D., complements “Bodies” with his own strikingly dynamic verse.
The “Bodies” video filmed in L.A. matches the song’s scope and tone, creating a rich visual that feels like a living painting. In style Offset leads a desert runway where suave models march down a red carpet in front of the candlelit choir. The grim reaper looms behind J.I.D., and Offset oversees cult-like devotees to receive his crown while seated on an elaborate throne.
Offset’s latest follows his ice-cold Valentine’s Day drop “TEN.” He also made a triumphant return to Hot Ones where he discussed his mindset as a solo artist and the origins of his forays into acting — watch HERE. Before that, Offset closed 2024 with a pair of year-end gifts: his surprise Juice WRLD collab “Celebration” — from the legend’s final posthumous album The Party Never Ends — and his hypnotic solo single “Swing My Way.” The song came with a stunning music video directed by Kid Art co-starring supermodel Anok Yai . Watch HERE and read more about the visuals at PAPER Magazine.
Remix of EWC Music’s orchestral theme “Ascension” features cello sensation Tina Guo and merges electronic music with competitive energy in celebration of the world’s biggest esports event
GRAMMY-nominated producer and global electronic music sensation Alesso has released an official remix of Ascension, the lead track from the original music suite created for the Esports World Cup 2025 – the world’s largest esports and gaming event.
Originally composed by Edouard Brenneisen of Hollywood Scoring and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Ascension features fellow GRAMMY nominee and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo. Alesso’s remix reimagines the orchestral original with his signature euphoric production style. The sonic maven seamlessly fuses his progressive house sound with Guo’s powerful tone, transforming the cinematic piece into a high-energy rework designed to capture the intensity and emotion of elite esports competition. The track is part of the EWC Music initiative, a new programme creating an original musical identity for the Esports World Cup and celebrating esports’ deep connection with music. Launched in April with a four-track suite by 2WEI and Hollywood Scoring, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, the programme continues with live performances, artist collaborations, and global fan activations. “Ascension (Alesso Remix)” will be featured across tournament broadcasts, live events, and digital content throughout the seven-week competition, which begins on July 7 in Riyadh. The Opening Ceremony, on July 10, will be headlined by 9x diamond-certified artist Post Malone.
Alesso said of the track, “I was so excited when this opportunity came to me. I’m a huge fan of esports and gaming tournaments – I’m a gamer myself, so combining my two worlds into one on this remix felt so natural. Creating this alongside Tina was incredible. We were able to create something that truly brings listeners into another world. I can’t wait to share this moment with all of you.”
Tina Guo said of the collaboration, “I’m thrilled to have worked with Alesso on this remix and so excited to be a part of the Esports World Cup! This collaboration brings together my passion for music and gaming in a progressive house and cinematic fusion. The energy and creativity that Alesso brings to the table are truly inspiring, and being involved in such a monumental event like the Esports World Cup is a dream come true. I can’t wait to share this experience with everyone!”
Ariel Horn, Executive Producer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “Gaming and EDM have moved together for years, from Marshmello’s Fortnite show to major esports collaborations like League of Legends and VALORANT’s work with Zedd. With Alesso and Tina Guo, we’re building another bridge. Tina has scored games, rocked League Worlds, and played on iconic Hans Zimmer soundtracks – including Wonder Woman. Just as EWC is reimagining what global esports can be, this track reimagines the role music plays in connecting players, fans and culture, turning competition into something you don’t just watch – you feel.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 is the world’s premier esports event. Its unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across multiple platforms and genres – bringing together the best teams, players, and titles under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of competitive gaming. EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool. Tickets, including access to the Opening Ceremony, are now available at esportsworldcup.com.
‘Kumho Tires combines high performance with affordability.’ – Vaughn L.
KUMHO TIRE U.S.A. SETTING A NEW STANDARD IN THE ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE CATEGORY WITH LAUNCH OF THREE NEW TIRES
Leveraging 60 years of innovation and experience working alongside some of the world’s best automotive manufacturers, the Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71, Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72 deliver superior performance without compromise
Kumho Tire U.S.A., one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, has announced a bold new lineup of ultra-high performance tires. The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71, Ecsta Sport PS72, and Ecsta Sport S PS72 bring next-generation compound and tread design technology for superior performance without compromise. The all-new Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 and Ecsta Sport and Sport S PS72 tires will debut at this year’s SEMA 2024, Nov 5-8 in Las Vegas and will be showcased in the Kumho Tire booth (Booth #81398, outside the convention center in the Silver Lot). The tires will be available in the spring of 2025.
Leveraging advancements in AI and long standing relationships of Kumho Tire with OE manufacturers for rapid iterative design testing, the Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71, and two summer tires, the Ecsta Sport and Sport S PS72, push the boundaries of innovation to deliver superior performance of enhanced grip, wet weather performance and overall tread life. Every detail was considered in the all-new tires including tire aesthetics to match the beauty of high-end, high-performance vehicles.
“We are introducing our most technologically advanced ultra-high performance tires that set a new standard for what a high-performance tire can and should be,” said Shawn Denlein, president of sales and marketing, Kumho Tire U.S.A. “We are continuing to deliver superior tires with exceptional warranties at extremely competitive price points, which is what customers can and should expect from Kumho Tire.”
The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 is an ultra-high performance all-season tire featuring a next-generation compound technology designed to enhance grip and traction, rain or shine, without sacrificing performance characteristics. The tire also comes with an impressive 50,000-mile treadwear warranty*. The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 is fully capable of handling the horsepower of today’s high-performance vehicles with wide and stiff outside tread blocks to add stability when cornering, and includes lateral grooves in the tread design to aid in water drainage in order to maintain performance in wet weather. Plus, as an all-season tire, snow performance is enhanced with zig-zag grooves on the inside tread blocks. The tire is also remarkably comfortable and quiet, with rounded edges of the tread blocks to help minimize noise and provide excellent comfort by dispersing impacts from the road, and also includes the proprietary “K-NOISE DEFENDER” dimple design to help interrupt air flow through the tire grooves and further minimize road noise.
“The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 delivers a combination that is hard to find,” said Denlein. “It offers true performance and grip, is excellent in wet weather, and features a high-mileage warranty. This tire pushes the limits of what is possible in an all-season, high-performance tire.”
The new ultra-high performance summer tire, which will be available in two tread configurations across the Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72 lines are the most advanced ultra-high performance summer tires Kumho Tire has ever developed, showcasing more than 60 years of design and engineering innovation. These summer tires provide maximum traction with an enhanced compound to grip the road and deliver heightened levels of performance in handling, stability, cornering, and steering response. Plus, you can expect excellent performance in the rain for a summer tire, thanks to a compound and tread design developed to help boost water excavation for performance in wet weather. The Ecsta Sport and Ecsta Sport S PS72 tires also include an impressive 30,000-mile treadwear warranty*.
“The Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72 product line sets Kumho Tire apart in the ultra-high performance tire space,” said Denlein. “The magic is in the details, and we left no stone unturned to design tires with the mission to unleash peak performance and includes an impressive tread wear warranty.”
The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 is available in 56 sizes, ranging from 16-inch to 21-inch. The Ecsta Sport PS72 is available in 56 sizes from 17-inch to 21-inch wheel diameters and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 in 52 different sizes from 18-inch to 22-inch wheel diameters.
For more information on the full product lineup of Kumho Tire U.S.A., visit kumhotire.com.
Tonight, the Atlanta Braves paid tribute to Atlanta icon and eight-time GRAMMY award-winning artist and storyteller USHER, with an USHER Bobblehead gate giveaway, USHER x Braves retail collection, specialty one-night-only themed food truck, ceremonial first pitch, and celebration at Truist Park.
The first 15,000 fans through the gates received a bobblehead designed by USHER, featuring the “Peace Up, A-Town” gesture. But the celebration started long before the fans entered the gates of Truist Park. Fans arrived at The Battery Atlanta hours before the game, enjoying a set by DJ Mars, USHER’s Tour DJ, and a ‘Coming Home Diner’ food truck, whose name pays homage to USHER’s first release as an independent artist. Menu items were inspired by hit songs from USHER’s albums, such as ‘OMG’ – Fried Fish and Grits, ‘My Way’ – Lemon Pepper Wet Chicken Wings, ‘Yeah’ – Shrimp and Grits, and more. USHER visited with fans in the Threads by the Braves Clubhouse Store in The Battery Atlanta, showing off his new retail line that launched today as part of the Braves Collab Collection, hyped up the crowd with the ceremonial ‘Open the Gates’ celebration, and threw out tonight’s ceremonial first pitch before the Braves went on to beat the New York Mets, 5-0.
Louis Vuitton introduces the LV BUTTERSOFT Sneaker created by Pharrell Williams. Unveiled as part of the Fall-Winter 2025 Men’s Collection, the emblematic runner fuses the studies of streetwear and dandyism central to the practice of the Men’s Creative Director.
House Ambassador Callum Turner fronts the campaign in a series of portraits, which seamlessly blend the British actor’s charismatic artistic flair with the LV BUTTERSOFT Sneaker’s characteristic expression. Proposed in twenty-four variations, the LV BUTTERSOFT Sneaker takes its name from the buttery leather in which it is crafted.
The sneakers are presented in a wealth of colourways and compositions – from deep nuances to light pastels – including versions adorned with the Louis Vuitton Monogram. The sneaker also carries an LV logo on the side of the upper and a Phriendship silhouette of Pharrell Williams’ face on the tongue.
The LV BUTTERSOFT Sneaker is now available for pre-order on louisvuitton.com and the LV app before its official in-store launch on July 10th.
On the occasion of Pitti Immagine Uomo 2025, LuisaViaRoma celebrated with EENK the launch of the Fall-Winter 2025 collection with a cocktail party and DJ set attended by a selected group of press, talents and friends of the brands, together with the famous K-Pop artist Youngjae from GOT7, set in the LuisaViaRoma store in Florence.
EENK’s keyword for the FW25 Collection is B for Binding. The starting point for EENK is a book. The brand paid attention to the process and result of how words come together to form sentences, how sentences are connected to form a story, and how sheets of paper are bound together to form a book.
The EENK collection, which is dedicated to harmoniously combining multiple cultures, eras, stories and genders within a single garment and a single season, bears a similarity to the binding of a book. Director Hyemee Lee was also fascinated by the worldview of conceptual artist Sooja Kim this season. After seeing Kim’s exhibition “To Breathe-Constellation” at the Bourse de Commerce-Pinault Collection in Paris, she fell in love with the modernization of traditional Korean aesthetics and the way Kim embraces and connects multiple concepts. She also found common ground with EENK’s philosophy in this approach. Kim’s choice of thread and needle as a tool for painting, expanding the canvas into infinite space, and exploring the connection to the universe are all in line with her work, as the three-dimensional garments that she created by weaving two-dimensional fabrics with thread and needle build an individual’s identity. This has resulted in a series that coexists as one, such as a dress with a silhouette that resembles a bookcase with layers of fabric blowing in the breeze, and an outerwear that combines a shirt and jacket into a single item. Kim’s stainless steel works, knit sweaters with patterns resembling sculptural scrolls, and knotted bags reminiscent of “The Bottari Project” are a tribute to a master who revisits traditional aesthetics with a modern eye. We hope that this B for Binding will be a collection that combines EENK’s philosophy and the artist’s worldview into a single book.
This collaboration perfectly embodies LuisaViaRoma’s commitment to discovering emerging brands while maintaining the elegance and sophistication of high-end fashion.
This project takes on even more meaning as EENK is the first Korean brand to create a pop-up corner at the LuisaViaRoma store, presenting its FW25 collection during Pitti Immagine Uomo 2025.
The collection is available at LuisaViaRoma online and in store starting from June 17th.
Discover more about the EENK Fall-Winter 2025 collection here.
