strike

Riot Games Delays LCS Season Amid Player Strike

by

Last week, the LCSPA, which represents professional League of Legends players in North America, called for a strike vote. The decision came as a result of Riot Games gutting the second tier of professional League of Legends in the region, leading to the loss of over 70 jobs.

The strike authorization vote overwhelmingly passed on May 28, meaning that the league’s 50 presumptive starters would not be taking the stage for the start of the Summer Split on June 1. However, Riot did not immediately cancel or delay the split. Instead, the billion-dollar game studio scrapped a few key regulations in order to make it easier for teams to sign replacement rosters. The LCSPA hit back, urging any players receiving offers from LCS teams to stand in solidarity with the union. Furthermore, a number of influential figures in the amateur and semi-pro scenes indicated that they would be taking note of any players who crossed the picket.

Season Delayed But Riot Holding Firm

In a statement released May 30, Global Head of League of Legends Esports Naz Aletaha announced that Riot had chosen to delay the start of the LCS Summer split by two weeks. “We ultimately decided that it would not hold true to our values that Riot’s esports offers our players and fans a showcase for the best competitive League of Legends. Nothing but putting the best players in North America on the stage at Riot Games Arena is acceptable. So we informed LCSPA leadership today that we will delay the LCS season for the next two weeks.”

However, that’s where the generosity towards the union stopped. Despite saying that Riot wanted to start a “productive dialogue between the LCSPA, teams, and the league,” the statement also included a public rejection of all of the demands set forth by the LCSPA. Furthermore, Riot openly threatened to cancel the entire LCS season, eliminating LCS teams from eligibility at Worlds 2023, if the work stoppage extended beyond two weeks. In short, Riot made it very clear that they were willing to dole out any punishment they saw fit if the union didn’t capitulate and surrender. As a result of these threats, the LCSPA has publicly said they have asked Riot for daily meetings to find an equitable solution. This is a developing story and we’ll have any updates here at HotNewHipHop.

[via]

The post Riot Games Delays LCS Season Amid Player Strike appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Lil Uzi Vert Debut “SNL” Appearance Canceled

by

It’s a wrap for Lil Uzi Vert’s Saturday Night Live debut. That is to say, the performance has been canceled. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing writers’ strike in Hollywood, SNL has been put on an indefinite hold. The show halted production immediately upon the beginning of the strike. Lil Uzi has never appeared on the show before, so it was set to be a big moment for them. Who knows, maybe Leslie would have even made an appearance?

Unfortunately, NBC has announced no new episodes will be produced for the remainder of the season. Typically, the show runs through May before taking a break during the summer. Now, NBC will be airing reruns in the regular time slot for the time being. Pete Davidson’s appearance as host has also been canceled due to the strike. It was set to be his first return to the SNL stage since departing his role as a regular cast member. While the strike is necessary for the sake of fair pay, it is definitely having some negative effects on the careers of performers.

Lil Uzi’s Lawsuit Is Finally Settled

Lil Uzi Vert’s “Strawberry Peels” lawsuit has finally come to a close. Legal papers obtained by HipHopDX indicated that Sun City Publishing reached a settlement agreement with Atlantic Recording Corporation. Sun City is reportedly the owner of the rights to Blackout’s 1995 song “Dim Da Lights.” They alleged that it was sampled without consent in “Strawberry Peels.” The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the parties agreed to resolve the matter. They reportedly anticipate filing a Stipulation to dismiss the lawsuit within thirty days.

Previously, Sun City Publishing had been asking to be awarded damages in excess of $1 million for the use of the unauthorized sample. The amount was decided upon because of the success of “Strawberry Peels.” The Wheezy-produced track features Gunna and Young Thug and appeared on Uzi’s 2020 album Eternal Atake. It has over 39 million streams on Spotify alone. At least there’s some good news for Uzi this week. What do you think of the cancelation? Were you looking forward to seeing the rapper hit the SNL stage? Sound off below!

[Via]