About 360 MAGAZINE

360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

ALLEN IVERSON × AUTHENTIC

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand owner, development and entertainment platform, today announced that it has partnered with Allen Iverson to further develop his brand. Through the partnership, Authentic will focus on growing Iverson’s entertainment business, securing new endorsements and strategic partnerships, as well as consumer products that are as electrifying and original as the man himself.

Early in his career, Iverson’s outspoken nature and winning mentality earned him the nickname “The Answer,” which became the foundation for his longstanding relationship with Reebok. Through Reebok, which it acquired in February 2022, Authentic has an inherent link to Iverson who is in the 26th year of his lifetime partnership with the brand. “Authentic and I share a commitment to being number one and accepting nothing less,” said Iverson.

“Our shared values and their relentless drive to disrupt the branding industry make Authentic the ideal partner to take my brand to the next level.” Iverson is one of the most celebrated and sought-after athletes in the world. His confidence, original style and impact on the game have cemented his everlasting influence on culture. Iverson’s position as a style icon will serve as a building block to expand his brand in partnership with Authentic.

Authentic has a proven track record of building and elevating the long-term value of iconic athletes, personalities and brands. With Iverson, it will take a similar approach by tapping into the power of his global influence to galvanize his personal brand.

“Allen is a Hall of Famer and one of the most recognizable basketball players of all time,” said Marc Rosen, President, Entertainment, Authentic. “A trailblazer both on and off the court, Allen paved the way for professional athletes today and we see significant opportunities to build on that success.”

Spanning 14 seasons and seven All-NBA teams, Iverson had a long-term tenure with the NBA. He is regarded as one of the best scorers in NBA history, is an 11-time NBA allstar, won Most Valuable Player in 2001 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Frank Zappa – MUDD CLUB

Presenting two previously unreleased concerts from Frank Zappa’s short-lived 1980’s band, the latest exciting live collection to be released from The Vault, Zappa 80: Mudd Club/Munich, offers fans an opportunity to hear two blistering shows recorded in two distinct settings: the intimate 240 capacity Mudd Club in New York City and the massive 12,000 seat German arena, Olympiahalle in Munich. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, this historically significant release, releasing March 3 via Zappa Records/UMe, marks the first time that full concerts have ever been released featuring the 1980 lineup of Zappa leading the five-strong band which included the dual vocal attack of Ike Willis and Ray White, Arthur Barrow on bass, Tommy Mars on keyboards, and newcomer David Logeman on drums. Additionally, this is the first posthumous release of this distinct, brief lineup, as Logeman, who replaced drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, would end up leaving when Colaiuta returned to the band. Previously only two tracks from these shows – “Love Of My Life” from Mudd Club and “You Didn’t Try To Call Me” from Munich – were ever released by Zappa on his CD live series, You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore.

Pre-order Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich

The Mudd Club show was recorded on May 8, 1980 by Klaus Weidemann on a 2-track Nagra tape recorder while the Munich show at Olympiahalle was recorded and mixed by engineer Mick Glossop direct to digital 2-track stereo and has the distinction of being the first digital live recording of Zappa ever. The Maestro was early to embrace the emerging technology and would importantly shift to it as a result of this recording. Made on a Sony PCM 1600 recording system, the show was recorded on 3/4” U-Matic videotape, which at the time was state of the art but is now a relic of the rapid evolution of sound recording. The show was transferred from the original digital masters and audio drop-outs, a common issue with this format, were fixed by Travers using multiple tape backups, some analog, some digital, that Zappa worked on, signaling he was considering a potential release at some point. Both shows were mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich, which is being previewed today with a scintillating performance of Joe’s Garage standout, “Outside Now,” from the Mudd Club show, will be available digitally and as a 3CD set with the 15-track Mudd Club performance in its entirety on disc 1 and the 22-track full Munich concert spread across discs 2 and 3. The package features cover photography and a host of rare and unseen photos of Zappa and the band members in the accompanying 17-page booklet shot on tour by superfan George Alper. Alper, the son of seminal ‘60s photographer Joe Alper, who befriended Zappa and became part of his inner circle in NYC and eventually sold merch on tour, provides some of his personal memories in the extensive liner notes that also includes an introduction from Joe Travers, a detailed track-by-track of the setlists by band member, Arthur Barrow, who also offers up a reminiscence about the tour and 1980 lineup, and is rounded out with an illuminating essay by Steve Vai who attended the Mudd Club show as a 19-year-old fan who was hired by Zappa to transcribe recently recorded guitar solos and drum tracks. A few months later Vai was invited to join the band and as the virtuoso guitarist/songwriter pens in the liners, “From that point on, the whirlwind world of Frank Zappa that I embarked on for the next 3 years was intense, funny, terrifying at times, but deeply and soulfully rewarding.”

In addition to the 3CD set, the Mudd Club and Munich shows will also be available separately on 180-gram vinyl, with the Mudd Club pressed on 2LP at 45 rpm and Munich on 3LP 33 1/3 rpm vinyl. uDiscover Music and Zappa.com are also exclusively offering a limited edition 180-gram color pressing of each title with Mudd Club on Coke Bottle Green and Munich on Transparent Orange vinyl, which both come with iron-on transfers. Like the CD and digital, the vinyl releases have also been mastered by Bernie Grundman. Vinyl has been pressed at Optimal Media in Germany. For more information about the formats or to order, visit: https://FrankZappa.lnk.to/Zappa80pr

In conjunction with the album, a series of exclusive merch commemorating the 1980 tour has just been released. Check out the new items and order here: https://bit.ly/3WNtfqV

In 1980, The Mudd Club was a happening, underground venue in lower Manhattan best known for being a popular hangout for the counterculture and a bastion of new wave and punk which dominated NYC’s music and fashion scene. As Travers writes in the liners, “celebrities and musicians alike would frequent the ‘art bar cabaret’ during its heyday between 1979 and 1983, dancing, drinking and making the scene amongst the New York City denizens of the deep.” Zappa loved the small, seedy club and the punks, posers and hipsters that called it home, and so made it a priority to play there while on tour, scheduling a performance on May 8^th, 1980, at the tiny 240-capacity room, sandwiched between much larger arena dates in Cincinnati, Philadelphia and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island where he played two shows in one night to more than 20,000 fans total.

Zappa and his five-piece band treated the sweaty, packed club to a thrilling 15-song, hour-long set filled with tracks from the recently released 1979 albums, the triple LP rock opera, Joe’s Garage (“Joe’s Garage,” “Keep It Greasy,” “Outside Now,” “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?”), and Sheik Yerbuti (“Bobby Brown Goes Down,” “City Of Tiny Lites”), along with songs from across his prolific catalog, including “I Ain’t Got No Heart” and “You Didn’t Try To Call Me” from 1966’s Freak Out!, and the title track from 1970’s “Chunga’s Revenge.” Additionally, the band played early versions of Zappa’s homage to the club, “Mudd Club,” “The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing,” and “You Are What You Is,” which would all be recorded after the tour and released the following year on You Are What You Is. The show was famously captured by an Austrian film crew DoRo (Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher) who included two songs – “Mudd Club” and “Chunga’s Revenge” – in their documentary, “Frank Zappa: New York and Elsewhere.”

Whereas the Mudd Club show took place early into the tour, the concert at Munich’s Olympiahalle arena was the final show and saw the band firing all on cylinders after three months on the road together. The set, which included most of the songs played at the Mudd Club, was nearly twice as long and also featured such highlights as “Cosmik Debris,” “Dancin’ Fool,” “Pound For A Brown,” “The Illinois Enema Bandit,” and a cover of Tony Allen’s “Nite Owl.” Notably the band played an early rendition of “Pick Me, I’m Clean,” which Zappa would release the following year on the double live album, Tinsel Town Rebellion.

Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich is an opportunity to experience Zappa and his terrific yet transitory 1980 band playing two fantastic concerts at two very different venues for the first time.

ROTTET COLLECTION

The Walking Bench from the Rottet Collection by Hall of Fame architect and interior designer Lauren Rottet, FAIA, FIIDA, has won a prestigious GOOD DESIGN® Award and earlier in the year also captured a top place in the 2022 NYCxDESIGN Product Design Awards.

The GOOD DESIGN® Awards recognize the top new products bestowed annually by The Chicago Athenaeum in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies. Founded in Chicago in 1950, GOOD DESIGN® is the oldest and most respected program awarding design excellence worldwide. This year the museum received a record number of submissions from an international roster of top manufacturers and industrial, product and graphic design firms representing 55 nations.

“I’m thrilled with this recognition and want to thank this year’s panel of judges along with the design community,” said Rottet, when referencing the recent win for the Walking Bench (top), a sculpted horizontal stone bench that received multiple awards and accolades this year.

The Walking Bench won the 2022 NYCxDESIGN Product Design Award for best residential seating and was a finalist in the A+Product Awards from Architizer. Highlighting angled legs and marble construction, the bench was originally designed as indoor/outdoor seating for the entry foyer at the Kips Bay Show House in Dallas.

The Rottet Collection along with the Walking Bench can be viewed by appointment only at the New York Showroom, 29 West 30th St., 6th Floor. Contact: Sandra Sharma, Director, Rottet Collection, 866-400-4777.

About Lauren Rottet

Lauren Rottet is Founding Principal of Rottet Studio, an international architecture and interior design firm recognized as one of the Top 3 Most Admired Design Firms in the World. Lauren Rottet is one of the most celebrated designers of our time and the first woman to hold the title of both FAIA and FIIDA. She also holds the titles of Interior Design Hall of Fame, Interiors Designer of the Year, Boutique Design’s Designer of the Year and Hospitality Design Platinum Circle inductee. Rottet’s product designs have earned many accolades, including Interior Design’s Best of Year, four gold medals for Best of NeoCon and eight Chicago Athenaeum GOOD DESIGN Awards. “I have never seen someone who is as skilled in such a wide vernacular of design styles from contemporary minimal to elegantly traditional in such an authentic manner,” said architecture critic Paul Goldberger about Rottet’s signature oeuvre.

ARE YOU THERE GOD?

Written for the screen and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig.

Based on the Book by Judy Blume.

Lionsgate has revealed first look images featuring Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates on behalf of ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET.

For over fifty years, Judy Blume’s classic and groundbreaking novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. has impacted generations with its timeless coming of age story, insightful humor, and candid exploration of life’s biggest questions. In Lionsgate’s big-screen adaptation, 11-year-old Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) is uprooted from her life in New York City for the suburbs of New Jersey, going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school. She relies on her mother, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), who is also struggling to adjust to life outside the big city, and her adoring grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates), who isn’t happy they moved away and likes to remind them every chance she gets. The film also stars Benny Safdie (Licorice Pizza, Good Time) and is written for the screen and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), based on the book by Judy Blume, and produced by Gracie Films’ Academy Award winner James L. Brooks (Best Picture, 1983 – Terms of Endearment), alongside Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, Kelly Fremon Craig, Judy Blume, Amy Lorraine Brooks, Aldric La’auli Porter, and executive produced by Jonathan McCoy.

Lionsgate presents, a Gracie Films production.

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Photo: Dana Hawley

LOUIS VUITTON × KUSAMA

Louis Vuitton debuted their latest campaign in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artist, Yayoi Kusama. Celebrating the ten-year anniversary of Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama’s first global collaboration, this campaign has already garnered attention worldwide and is paving the way for an even-more alluring collection offering. The highly-anticipated first drop of the collection will officially hit stores on January 6th, and will be available in the Miami Design District and Aventura Mall.

Offering an array of items for both men and women across all product categories, the collection is built on several themes iconic to Yayoi Kusama: Dots, Flowers, Pumpkins and Faces. The Maison’s Savoir Faire takes center stage, displaying exquisite attention to detail through a variety of printing and embellishment techniques.

ABOUT

Ten years after its global collaboration, Louis Vuitton launches chapter two of its partnership with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, hitting stores worldwide this month. In 2012, Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama’s collaboration flourished through various universes of the Maison, from product, exhibitions, and a series of unique window installations. In 2023, the second installment is an ultimate tribute to her extraordinary art, audacity and craftsmanship that has nurtured the longstanding relationship. A handful of leather goods were unveiled during the Women’s Cruise 2023 Collection fashion show at the Salk Institute in San Diego: a first glimpse teasing the 2023 collection which is, with a captivation retrospective approach, built on several themes iconic to the artist: Dots, Flowers, Pumpkins and Faces. For the first time, this unique collaboration includes all product categories for both men’s and women’s. Displaying all our métier’s savoir-faire, it explores a variety of printing and embellishment techniques, from 3D serigraphy to exquisite leather marquetry, subtle jacquard to complex embroideries, laser on denim and delicate enameling. The collection will appear in two parts, with the first drop launching January 6th, 2023 and the second drop launching March 31st, 2023.

Def Jam appoints Kardinal Offishall as Global A&R

Award-winning artist and producer Kardinal Offishall has been appointed as Global A&R for iconic record label Def Jam, and will be working directly with CEO Tuni Balogun and EVP LaTrice Burnette.

In his new groundbreaking role, he will sign and help elevate talent from around the world. “I feel incredibly blessed to be able to work with the new faces of Def Jam. I grew up on all the legendary music that had a home here. From LL Cool J and DMX to Benny the Butcher and 2 Chainz, the company has an incredible legacy and I’m looking forward to working with the new superstars, as well as the incredible legacy acts,” says the respected music executive and multi-platinum selling artist about working for the most-followed major label on all major social media platforms that has expanded to include labels in the UK, France, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.

Kardinal Offishall became a staple in the international music scene in the late 2000s with features on hit records such as Akon’s “Beautiful”, Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and his own single “Dangerous” which scorched the Billboard Hot 100 charts and peaked in the Top 5, making him the first rapper from Canada to do so. He participated early on in the careers of Rihanna, Alex Da Kid, T-Pain, Vybz Kartel, Estelle, and Sean Paul, to name a few. He is also a cultural and musical ambassador for a new wave of Canadian superstars, working with Drake, K’naan, Daniel Caesar, Boi-1da, and Glenn Lewis. Over the last decade, Kardinal diversified his portfolio by adding Executive to his Rapper, Producer and Philanthropist repertoire. Outside of his role finding and signing the global stars of today and tomorrow, Kardinal is also a judge on Canada’s Got Talent, the world’s greatest talent competition and global talent show brand. Last year the show became Citytv’s biggest original series of the past decade, attracting about 1.4 million viewers per episode.

Working for the legendary Def Jam Recordings label allows Kardinal to help grow and compliment the cutting-edge label that launched stars like LL Cool J, Slick Rick, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, and established its dominance with a range of superstar acts like Jay-Z, DMX, Rihanna, Pusha T, Big Sean, and Jeremih, among many many others. “Big up to Tunji, LaTrice, Eric Hutcherson, Michelle Anthony, Sir Lucian and the entire UMG family who helped make this happen. I will physically be in the US and across the globe on a regular basis, as per usual, but Toronto will always be home. Been working…and I can’t wait for y’all to see what we have cooking. Rocking wit’ the winning team!”

Executive Director of nglccNY

Executive Director of nglccNY, and continue supporting LGBTQ entrepreneurs on an even larger scale,” said Kellie Parkin.

Under her transformative leadership, The Pride Chamber was honored as Chamber of the Year in 2017 by the NGLCC. Kellie was honored during the 2020 pride month by U.S. Congressman Darren Soto as a distinguished leader in Central Florida. Most recently, she was recognized as a 2021 Social Justice Game Changer by the Orlando Magic.

“Kellie received the inaugural Affiliate Chamber Leader of the Year Award by the NGLCC, and continues to be a mentor and role model for chamber leaders throughout the nation,” said NGLCC Co-Founder and CEO Chance Mitchell. “We are thrilled to have Kellie in the expanded and important role helping New York’s vast and diverse LGBTQ business community thrive.”

nglccNY serves the LGBTQ and allied business community across all five boroughs of New York City, as well as across the entire Empire State through a network of outposts and specialized partnerships. The organization produces over 30 programs a year to educate, grow, and connect LGBTQ entrepreneurs and the corporate and community partners seeking to work with them. Learn more at nglccNY.org

MERCEDES-BENZ × CES

Mercedes-Benz Announces New Charging Network and Advanced Tech at CES 2023

The advancements in digital technologies, EV development, and forward-thinking by Mercedes-Benz were on full display at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. With incontrovertible electrification innovations — both current and on the horizon — the automotive manufacturing and software company from Stuttgart, Germany is nobly playing its part in ascertaining that the electrification of mobility is progressive, efficient, convenient, and widespread. Aptly, M-B took advantage of the fanfare at CES 2023 to launch its global branded, high-power charging network which will debut in North America in 2023.

At CES, Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer and Chief Software Officer Magnus Östberg hosted a TECH to DESIRE press conference to discuss the charging network, as well as an array of other news, such as the Vision EQXX research vehicle with an all-electric driving range of more than 745 miles; partnerships with Apple Music and Universal Music Group to provide elevated in-car sound experiences with Dolby Atmos; and Level 3 conditionally automated driving with Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT. In standard German practice, the announcements were meticulous, tech-heavy, and digitally fascinating. The goal of the perpetuating ideologies from Mercedes-Benz‘s engineering perspective is to accelerate infrastructure development to make life easier and convey how technology creates desire for its customers.

Whether your EV adoration is for the EQ brand or another EV company, M-B is aggressively pushing EV adoption to accelerate humanity’s carbon neutrality target. The charging network will be open to every EV customer, not just Mercedes-Benz owners. The rollout will start this year in North America and pairs with MN8 Energy and ChargePoint, which operates one of the most expansive networks of independently owned EV charging stations in 14 countries. MN8 Energy is one of the US’s largest solar energy and battery storage owners and operators. Completion is expected by 2027 and should consist of 400 hubs with more than 2,500 high-power chargers, including an inordinate number of 350 kW chargers. EV drivers can locate the premium charging hubs near highways, central intersections, and metropolitan areas. Cameras for safety will be installed, and the most convenient locations will feature restaurants and restroom facilities close by. Expect 4 to 12 chargers at standard locations and up to 30 at busy junctions. M-B owners will also receive priority with the ability to reserve a spot before arrival.

“At Mercedes-Benz, we’re fully committed to making the charging of battery electric vehicles easier and more accessible,” stated Markus Schäfer. “By selecting MN8 Energy and ChargePoint as our partners in North America – two of the leaders in their respective fields – we’ll be able to continue to drive the transformation towards an electric future, which is one of the main pillars of our holistic, sustainable corporate strategy.”

In accordance with the network announcement, I was also able to experience a Las Vegas drive in the Vision EQXX ultra EV. Engineered in just 18 months and representing the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built, this experimental unit acts as a barometer for production EQ models, which may eventually inherit deviations from its technology, energy storage capabilities, and driving range. Ironically however, an owner of this particular EV may not need the high-power charging network since its range of 745 miles is so extensive. The development intention of the vehicle was to produce a battery with 100 kW capacity, lightweight construction, increased aero, and extreme efficiency.

To evaluate the EQXX’s limits, M-B engineers averaged an impressive energy consumption of 7.5 miles per kilowatt hour on a drive from Stuttgart, Germany to Silverstone, U.K. The RWD EQXX features carbon fiber components, fully covered magnesium rims, a solar-paneled fix roof for regeneration, a 47.5″ 8K MBUX display screen, and an all-planted-based interior utilizing bamboo, cactus, and mushroom-derived materials. Although it’s optimized for highway driving, the EV moves emphatically with its low center of gravity. Comparatively speaking, the EQXX battery is half the volume of the EQS battery and a third less in weight, yet has almost the same amount of energy as the EQS.

After a charge and refresher, hop back in your M-B EV to enjoy 31-speaker Burmester high-end 4D and 3D sound experiences to generate excitement en route to your next destination. With this system, which features speakers in the seats, you will hear and feel the music! M-B collaborated with Apple Music, Universal Music Group (UMG), and Dolby Atmos immersive audio to reproduce every sound element from recording sessions to harvest preferable in-car entertainment through MBUX. As a result, a Mercedes-Benz is now the first device not produced by Apple to present Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. Furthermore, this setup provided a lane for UMG artists to base their song approval procedures on the end mix and establish the “Approved in a Mercedes-Benz” seal as a gold standard of sound.

The future of mobility was presented succinctly to showgoers looking for the most visceral human experience possible from the collision of virtual reality and analog worlds. Mercedes-Benz gave audiences the latest innovations, cutting-edge technology, and future cars at the 2023 Consumer Electronics. So are you ready for the next transitioning stage of mobility?

Article: Kimatni Rawlins

Mercedes-Benz announced new charging networks at CES via 360 MAGAZINE.

CHAO BEBE

Available HERE.

Award-winning artist/producer, Ovy On The Drums, recruits global superstar Ozuna to cap off the year in a big way with the release of his new single titled “CHAO BEBE.“ The single and music video are now available on all digital platforms.

With “CHAO BEBE”, Ovy On The Drums, who has become known as a true genius behind the console and has become one of the most sought after producers in the urban genre, joins the powerhouses of Colombia and Puerto Rico in a hard-hitting track that promises to connect with a global audience. This single features an infectious beat mixed with electronic touches creating the perfect fusion that highlights the artistic genius that Ovy On The Drums possesses and Ozuna’s unmistakable vocals.

The single is accompanied by an animated video in which the backdrop is a laboratory in which we see Dr. Drums (Ovy On The Drums) and Ozuna creating the perfect formula resulting in the hit: “CHAO BEBE”. In the images you can see unique and representative details of both artists such as the Koala with which Ovy On The Drums has been seen and the Bear representing Ozuna.

“CHAO BEBE’ has all the makings of a global hit. When I was in the studio working on the track, I immediately had the idea of calling Ozuna to jump on this song. I’m very excited about the final results and I hope you can enjoy it to the fullest as we close this year and welcome 2023,” expressed Ovy On The Drums.

“I’m thrilled to be able to share this new song along with my brother, Ovy On The Drums, to wrap up what has been an incredible year and kick-off 2023 with a bang for our fans,” said Ozuna.

This new track is the perfect teaser to what’s in store for Ovy On The Drums in 2023, kicking off the new phase of Dr. Drums – a genius who has mastered the science of producing and has his own formula for creating the biggest urban hits in his lab. In this new phase, his audience will get to know Ovy’s mastermind, and more than anything else, the artistry behind the creation of each of his songs.

Daniel Oviedo, better known as Ovy On The Drums in the artistic world, began his musical career as a DJ in the city of Medellin about seven years ago. Over the years, Ovy On The Drums has gained great recognition and popularity in the Latin urban genre, producing and composing for a number of artists such as: Karol G, Myke Towers, Blessd, Quevedo, Becky G, Justin Quiles, Ozuna, Maluma, to name a few. Ovy On The Drums has already accumulated over 3.5 billion combined streams in 2022 alone and is determined to surpass that quota in 2023.

(Photo Courtesy of Warner Music Latina)

WATCH “CHAO BEBE” HERE

COCA-COLA × RECYCLED RECORDS

The Coca-Cola Company Partners with Musical Legends Mark Ronson and Madlib to Launch “Recycled Records”

The Campaign Launches with an Original EP, Curated Sound Library and Audio Mixer – All Featuring the Sounds of Recycling – to Celebrate Sprite, Fresca and Seagram’s Transition from Green to Clear Plastic

The Coca-Cola Company announces it has teamed up with two of the most legendary names in the history of music sampling, Mark Ronson and Madlib, to bring a bold musical experiment to life with the launch of “Recycled Records.”

The campaign introduces an original EP made up of the sounds taken from the bottle-to-bottle recycling process, alongside a versatile sound library and engaging short film. Not only will fans be able to listen to these uniquely made tracks, but they’ll also be able to re-mix the very same sound library used by the two musical legends into innovative compositions of their own through an interactive digital beat machine.

“Sampling is an artform which is constantly regenerating. The tiniest sound, whether from an old record or from the world around us, can inspire an entire piece of music. I learnt from my heroes, DJ Premier and Q-Tip, who all made incredible albums from sampling and it’s stayed an integral part of my work up until today,” said GRAMMY®-award winning producer and sampling master Mark Ronson.

A sound sample is to music as clear plastic is to recycling. The process of music sampling is ongoing; an old sound is used in a new track, which is flipped again into a newer track, and so on. When green plastic is recycled, it is usually turned into single-use items that do not get recycled again – so, it was time for a moment of clarity. Now Sprite, Fresca and Seagram’s clear plastic bottles increase the likelihood of them being remade into new bottles.

“A great sample doesn’t have to come from other music, it just has to make you move,” said award-winning pioneer producer and legendary artist, Madlib, also known as the “Loop Digga,” “Quasimoto” and many other aliases. “The thud of a plastic bottle going through a recycling facility is, in its own way, a piece of art, it has the ability to transform. Being able to take sounds from the recycling process that are so different from what I’ve used in the past, and flipping it into a whole new format, is a great example of the versatility of sound. Now any cat has the opportunity to make some dope sounds of their own.”

To learn more, fans can look to critically acclaimed artist and female pioneer of rap, MC Lyte, who narrates a documentary-style short film that draws a clear connection between the heritage and spirit of music sampling and the closed loop recycling process. The captivating film, filled with rich soundscapes, imaginative beats and riveting visuals, showcases the creative process behind “Recycled Records” including extensive sound recordings at recycling facilities nationwide and a fascinating glimpse into the studios of Mark Ronson and Madlib.

“The Coca-Cola Company is thrilled to have teamed up with Mark Ronson and Madlib to celebrate our portfolio’s transition from green to clear plastic. This sonic partnership is part of The Coca-Cola Company’s broader World Without Waste goals,” said Kurt Ritter, Vice President and General Manager, Sustainability, The Coca-Cola Company North America. “We’re excited about the switch because it increases the amount of high-quality, food-grade recycled plastic available in the marketplace and ultimately allows our brands to use more recycled plastic in their packaging.”

Packaging innovation alone will not solve the plastic waste crisis. While the transition away from green plastic is one of many steps needed to drive a circular economy, The Coca-Cola Company recognizes it has a responsibility to keep evolving its process, and this is just one of the steps the company is taking to do so.

Starting December 14th, consumers can join in on the magic of multiple uses by watching the film and taking the Recycled Records beat machine for a spin to create their own musical compositions at www.cokeurl.com/greentoclear.