Diddy Named Advisor of Hologram Startup Proto Inc.

Diddy Cancels NYE Party Due to Rising COVID Cases in Florida

Diddy has joined Proto Inc., formerly PORTL, as an advisor to the holoportation firm, which operates in a variety of industries, including entertainment, education, retail, enterprise, business, marketing, fashion, and the arts. Interactive holoportation is feasible thanks to Proto’s patented state-of-the-art technology, which allows a person to “beam” in real-time when they can’t physically be there. Proto was first exposed to the singer and entrepreneur when he used the new technology to “beam” from Miami to Los Angeles to sing Happy Birthday to his son King Combs.

“Sean Combs has always been an inspiring pioneer in music and business—constantly changing the game with whatever he does,” said David Nussbaum, CEO and Founder of Proto Inc. “We were honored to bring his family together last Spring, and it became the perfect example of how Proto connects people for meaningful, emotional interactions unlike any other technology. We’re so excited to be working with him as we continue to make the future a reality now.”

Combs was also a part of TRUE Capital Management’s recent $12 million Series A financing (Coinbase, Palantir). Legendary tech investor Tim Draper (Tesla, SpaceX, Twitch), early Uber investors Jillian Manus and Mike Walsh of Structure Management, Migos’ Quavo, and dozens of retired and active pro-athletes such as Marshawn Lynch, Albert Pujols, Robert Griffin III, Luke Walton, and Breanna Stewart were among the investors in the Series A round.

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Doja Cat Announces as New Global Ambassador for JBL

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JBL has announced its newest worldwide ambassador, global sensation Doja Cat, in a creative relationship. Prior to the Grammy Awards, the Grammy winner for Best Pop Duo teased her JBL ambassadorship on social media leading into last night’s Grammy awards. Her  one-of-a-kind custom hand-blown glass handbag, which included a blinged-out JBL Clip 4, shifted the focus from “what are you wearing” to “what are you listening to?”

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Throughout the campaign, special performances and surprising events will give fans front-row seats to uncensored experiences that will leave them wanting more.

“I love that JBL encourages people to be their genuine selves and is letting me have fun with this partnership. Who says we need to leave the idea of carrying around boomboxes behind in the 80s? I’d wear clothes made of speakers if I could,” said Doja Cat. “I’ve always encouraged my fans to follow their passions, and I love that they can see me following mine through my work with JBL. I can’t wait for everyone to see all the cool shizz we’re doing, including something coming really soon for my biggest fans.”

Doja is the newest celebrity to join JBL’s all-star roster of ambassadors, which includes Bebe Rexha, DJ Martin Garrix, and NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Throughout the relationship, there will be a number of JBL x Doja Cat activations, including Doja serving as the face of the brand’s 2022 “Dare To” campaign, which will promote JBL goods and encourage people to be their most true selves. Doja superfans will be granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and unprecedented access through unexpected moments building up to the superstar’s headlining performance at JBL Fest’s explosive return this September in Las Vegas.

“Doja Cat is as authentic as it gets. She’s an adept musician and incredible performer with a strong visual presence, which is hard to find,” said Ralph Santana, Chief Marketing Officer at HARMAN. “She has the unique gift of connecting with fans across a variety of demographics, particularly Gen Z, which makes her the perfect fit for JBL. We are beyond excited to join forces with her to bring together fans from a wide range of backgrounds and encourage everyone to exercise their individuality through personal expression in unexpected ways.”

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Triller Announces Boxing Competition Series ‘So You Think You Can Fight’

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After the unstoppable buzz surrounding their celebrity boxing matches, Triller Fight Club announces the next phase of the brand with a new boxing competition series, titled So You Think You Can Fight. Partnering with TV super-producer Nigel Lythgoe, Triller will produce an unscripted competition series with a similar format to the popular competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”

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Reported as a weekly series, “So You Think You Can Fight” will be an hour-long show that pairs a celebrity action star with a pro fighter, each who will select an amateur boxer through a global talent search and competition audience voting and participation. The selected contestants will undergo a series of mental and physical training, fighting against each other with one winner for each division — lightweight, heavyweight, and MMA. The show’s winner will go on to a pro bout on a Triller Fight Club main event to launch their pro boxing career. 

“So You Think You Can Fight” is slated to premiere late-2022 on Triller’s new streaming platform, Triller Verzuz TV, formed by TrillerNet’s recent acquisition of the Timberland and Swizz Beatz-created live streaming channel Verzuz and global live event streaming platform, FiteTv.

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“Triller has built something extraordinary, and they truly have their finger on the pulse of where live event entertainment is headed,” Lythgoe said. “As a lifelong fan of music and boxing, I am thrilled to be getting into the ring with Ryan, Snoop and the whole Triller team to join their disruptive and innovative journey. Everyone is fighting for something in this world, and I’m excited to tell the many fascinating stories behind the raised gloves.”

“Nigel Lythgoe is a giant among giants, and his new role at Triller is a total game-changer for us,” said Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of Triller Fight Club parent company TrillerNet. “Nigel has changed the face of competition-based television around the world, and there is no one better to help us bring the excitement of Triller Fight Club to our global audiences, both through our exciting new streaming series and by adding his visionary storytelling abilities to our Fight Club events. We could not be more excited to welcome Nigel to the Triller team.”

“Boxing and dancing share the same movements and the same rhythm, and who better to take Fight Club to the next level that the person who brought the world ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ the iconic talent discovery platforms where music, competition, movement and showmanship all count towards the victory, which in our case is hopefully by a knockout,” said Triller Fight Club partner Snoop Dogg.

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Instagram Brings Back Chronological Feed Option for Users

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Instagram will please a lot of users with their latest move as they have brought back the chronological feed. The new-ish feature made its debut on Wednesday, March 23.

According to Tech Crunch, the new feed options, Following and Favorites, are available via a drop-down menu that is attached to the “Instagram” logo in the top left corner of the app. Under the “Favorites” tab, you can add your favorite users, which will allow you to view those accounts in chronological order. “Following” will show you all of the accounts you follow with their posts in chronological order.

The chronological feed was removed from Instagram in 2016, opting for an engagement-based feed allowing users to see posts from accounts they didn’t follow. You can learn how to switch between the various options below.

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Kevin Gates Single From 9 Years Ago Hits Billboard Hot 100 for the First Time Thanks to TikTok

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The power of Tik Tok is unmatched. The Louisiana rapper’s bawdy rap song “Thinking With My Dick” ft. Juicy J debuted at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, nine years after its release. “Thinking With My Dick” has received over 491k video creations on the platform, with the majority of them coming in March.

The song’s TikTok climb began with footage from Gates’ hometown Louisiana’s Mardi Gras, which featured a Southern gentleman dressed in a blue collared shirt and sparkling aviator sunglasses dancing to the song with a full drink in hand.

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♬ Thinking with My Dick (feat. Juicy J) – Kevin Gates

The short movie captivated the TikTok community, with admirers all over the country imitating the man’s look and cup-enhanced dance routines and the enthusiastic woman in the original video’s backdrop. Some have even attempted to emulate the woman with the backpack who raises her hand after the film.

After a few days of watching the song go viral, the man in the video revealed himself to be @Only1Barbosa, a native of Lafayette, LA, with a video that has over 11 million views, commenting on his unexpected virality. Barbosa, who wears his signature sunglasses, has become a small celebrity, with over 390k TikTok followers and club appearances throughout his native state.

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Netflix Tests Out Fees to Crack Down on Password Sharing

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Then world’s largest streaming service may soon get more (official) subscribers as Netflix announced today that it would begin a rollout to test an initiative that would crack down on illicit password-sharing.

In the past, Netflix had generally turned a blind eye to password sharing. Last spring, Netflix began implementing slightly stricter security protocols, prompting users to re-enter their login credentials, even if they had previously been logged onto a device. However, many viewers found ways to circumnavigate that measure, namely by re-entering their login and password.

This week, Netflix announced that it would be rolling out a pilot program in three markets (Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru). The new “add an extra member” feature would prompt Standard and Premium subscribers to add subsidiary accounts for up to two people they don’t live with, each with their own profile, personalized recommendations, login and password for about $2.99 USD per new account. 

In an official statement on their website, the company explained the basics of the plan as well as the rationale behind the move, saying: “We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans. While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”

However, Netflix did not provide specific details about what they categorized as a household and how household members would be identified if they were not all on the home IP address (watching at work, at the gym, while traveling, etc.). 

Netflix has not announced any plans to test any similar programs in the United States in the immediate near-term future.

As usual, social media had a lot to say about the proposed initiative.

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Artists Turning To Streaming Channels To Build Their Own Community For Better Exposure & How It’s Affecting Mainstreams?

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Words by: Nicole McCray

Since the impact of the global pandemic of COVID-19, many music artists have had to scramble and find new ways to stay relevant within the industry. Streaming music became a means for ensuring independent artists were provided visibility and a tool to continue to promote their original work.

Streaming has become increasingly popular is represents the next generation in our digitally-driven era. It doesn’t just stop at music streaming; television, news, and other forms of streaming have erupted in response to streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music. As a result, it has rapidly altered how customers listen to and buy their music.

Music streaming offers millions of songs from tons of mainstream and independent artists. It hit an all-time revenue high in 2020. However, with consumers purchasing memberships or subscriptions at a cheaper rate than buying an album outright, streaming has most definitely disrupted the mainstream.

Building an International Tribe

One of the essential goals as a music artist is building a community of loyal fans who will follow the artist anywhere. Independent artists have discovered that with the use of multiple streaming services, they can broaden their reach across the globe without the need for a label for promotion. 

Streaming on services like YouTube and music platforms, including Spotify, gain traffic not only within the United States but in Europe, Asia, and more, giving artists more potential to find and grow their audience. As a result, music streaming services are more widely adopted and popular internationally.

Changing Mainstream Music Artistry

New and emerging artists no longer depend on partnerships with corporate labels or gigging for a talent scout at the local bars. Instead, streaming has provided artists with a way to thrive, with thousands of streams from a single fan adding up to a more prominent source of income than they might’ve obtained in any other capacity.

For artists within the mainstream, they can promote equally across both streamings and with their labels, as long as it allows. Many new artists would not find the work within the mainstream, so streaming gives them a voice. In addition, streaming has given the music industry something that it didn’t have previously – regular and consistent monthly revenue. 

The big winners of that income are the streaming services themselves when it comes down to it. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t provide the artist with their due pay unless you are at the level of fame as, say, Beyonce. 

Alternate Streaming Options

Besides working across streaming platforms, artists have found value in other promoting their original musical works. If, as an artist, you want the exposure but would rather receive more of your revenue, alternate options for digital streaming such as music licensing with Marmoset or streaming on a social media channel such as YouTube, where you can easily monetize your work.

Many artists like this option because they still receive a lot of the same exposure but with more benefits. YouTube might take more effort since you have to provide video with your music. Music licensing includes music producers, supervisors, and other creatives like filmmakers with the option to choose your original music for their projects, which can lead to more extensive undertakings in your career.

Regardless of how you look at it, streaming music services like Spotify did save the global music industry by bringing more stability within the market. Even if it has disrupted the mainstream in terms of payouts and overshadowing bigger artists, it gives hope to indie artists and provides them with a more secure future.


About Nicole McCray: Before she discovered her passion for teaching students how to play their first instrument, Nicole was pinching pennies in her 20s while singing at dive bars across the country. Nowadays, she spends her days contributing to music blogs, parenting forums, and education websites when she’s not providing private music lessons. She finds joy in sharing her insight with musicians, fellow teachers, and parents of musicians-in-training!

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Lil Durk’s ‘7220’ Album Set to Feature Future, Summer Walker & More

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With his 7220 album set for release this Friday, Lil Durk has released the official tracklist. The 17-track album is set to feature Future, Gunna, Summer Walker, and Morgan Wallen.

1. Started From
2. Headtaps
3. Ahhh Ha
4. Shootout @ My Crib
5. Golden Child
6. No Interviews
7. Petty Too ft. Future
8. Barbarian
9. What Happened to Virgil ft. Gunna
10. Grow Up / Keep It On Speaker
11. Smoking & Thinking
12. Blocklist
13. Difference Is ft. Summer Walker
14. Federal Nightmares
15. Love Dior Banks
16. Pissed Me Off
17. Broadway Girls ft. Morgan Wallen

Lil Durk has also entered the realm of cryptocurrencies after announcing the release of his ‘7220’ NXTG3NZ NFT digital shoe to his 12.8 million Instagram followers. Custom costumes and gaming skins for avatars are a $40 billion market that is expected to rise to $265.4 billion by 2026, allowing him to make his imprint in a profitable industry. The NXTG3NZ digital wearables, co-founded by Lil Durk, Satoshi Designs, and Nexus, is poised to transform the metaverse’s footwear sector.

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The first release of the ‘7220’ shoe set will include 10,000 tokens, which can be used on Avatars in the digital sphere while also demonstrating physical ownership. Exclusive member perks come with owning a ‘7220’ NXTG3NZ NFT. The first is a raffle in which token holders will be chosen at random by Lil Durk on his Instagram Live for a chance to win one of ten real pairs of sneakers.

“The power has shifted to the artists and their fans with Blockchain tech. I want to not only be a successful rapper/entrepreneur but a powerhouse voice in the metaverse and NFT community, at the forefront of this movement,” says Lil Durk.

Last week, Durkio released the video for his single “AHHH HA.”

Visit www.NXTG3NZ.com for more information on NXTG3NZ.

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