Technology News | Digital Culture Archives - Page 2 of 7

Project Pat Returns with New Single “Hundred Million” and Innovative Remix Platform Partnership

January 24, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Project Pat triumphantly returns to the hip-hop scene with his latest single, “Hundred Million.” The track delves into the southern rap legend’s journey through hustling, his impact on the music industry, and his relentless pursuit of a $100 million goal. Renowned for classics like “Chickenhead” and “Poppin’ My Collar,” Project Pat’s influence echoes through the works of contemporary artists, including Cardi B, who sampled his tracks.

In a strategic move, Project Pat has collaborated with the Black-owned AI-powered platform, Happy Monday, to offer fans and social creators an innovative musical experience. Happy Monday transforms a single song into many never-before-heard remixes, catering to diverse tastes. This partnership aligns with the growing trend of AI technology in the music industry, providing both options for listeners and new revenue streams for artists.

Happy Monday’s platform will present “Hundred Million” remixes in various styles, including dance, Lo-Fi, and rock versions. Fans can sign up for Beta access, and the official launch is anticipated in the coming months. Based on user feedback, selected remixes will be made available on streaming platforms and distributed through Venice Music. The initiative reflects the rising popularity of remixes, as seen in the resurgence of Project Pat’s “Take Da Charge” on TikTok in 2023, turning it into a viral hit overnight.

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will.i.am Announces Radio Show w/ AI Co-Host Named qd.pi

January 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In 2024, AI continues to take over. Now, will.i.am is the latest artist to dabble into artificial intelligence. Which makes perfect sense, given will has always been on the pulse of innovation and technology across all industries, beyond just music.

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The Black Eyed Peas artist recently announced his newest radio show called will.i.am Presents the FYI Show, with a computer-generated co-host named qd.pi (cutie pie). Premiering on SiriusXM, the show will feature in-depth conversations about music, culture, and technology.

Will.i.am states, “I didn’t want to just do a traditional show, I wanted to bring tomorrow close to today, and so I wanted to have my co-host be an AI. I’m ultra-freaking colorful and expressive. [qd.pi is] ultra-freaking factual and analytical. And that combination, we ain’t seen in the history of freaking broadcasts anywhere.”

qd.pi also adds, “My ability to quickly access and process information is definitely one of the unique advantages that I bring to the show. I can provide quick insights and context on a wide range of topics and people, which can be really valuable in a live conversation. It definitely sets me apart from a traditional host who would need to do a lot of research and prep work in advance.”

The crazy part is, having an AI co-host could actually save hours of time researching the topic or prepping for the guest.

“With me, you can just dive right into the conversation and explore whatever topics come up organically, knowing that I’ll have the information and context to support the discussion,” qd.pi adds. “I think it’s going to make for a really dynamic and engaging listening experience for the audience.”

For those who are interested in catching the show, will.i.am Presents the FYI Show will air on Thursdays at 9pm EST.

The post will.i.am Announces Radio Show w/ AI Co-Host Named qd.pi first appeared on The Source.

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TikTok Expands “Add to Music App” Feature to 19 New Countries

December 14, 2023 by newhiphopnews

TikTok announces the global expansion of its “Add to Music App” feature, enabling users in 19 additional countries to seamlessly save discovered songs to their preferred music streaming services. The feature, introduced successfully in the US and UK a month ago, now extends its reach to Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Sweden, Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Argentina, Colombia, The Netherlands, Turkey, South Africa, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

“Add to Music App” empowers music enthusiasts to capture and save TikTok-discovered songs instantly, with compatibility for popular streaming platforms like Amazon Music and Spotify. The feature presents users with an “Add Song” button next to the track name in TikTok videos, allowing them to store the song on their chosen music service. Users can customize playlists and easily access saved tracks, enhancing their music discovery experience on TikTok.

“We have already had an incredible response to the launch of Add to Music App in the US and UK. Music fans are embracing the opportunity to save music from TikTok directly to their favorite music streaming services, driving music discovery and helping more tracks to break through and become hits. We are really excited to be bringing the feature to millions more music fans around the world, providing even more opportunities for artists to reach new audiences and grow their careers,” said Ole Obermann, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business Development.

“With Add to Music App, we’ve streamlined the music discovery experience in the US and the UK for both TikTok users and artists. We are excited to expand access to this transformational feature to TikTok users in so many additional countries and bring more joy through a simplified musical discovery experience,” said Lindsey Kelt, Distribution Partnerships, TikTok.

This expansion reflects TikTok’s commitment to providing a global audience with innovative features that bridge the gap between social media and music streaming, offering a dynamic and interconnected platform for music enthusiasts worldwide.

The post TikTok Expands “Add to Music App” Feature to 19 New Countries first appeared on The Source.

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Eminem Hosts Virtual Fortnite Concert to Tease New Features of Game’s Upcoming Chapter 5 Debut

December 2, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Eminem rolled out a new chapter this week, but it wasn’t an album or even an autobiography. Instead, the rapper became the latest major artist to hold a virtual concert in Fortnite, this time in conjunction with the game’s upoming Chapter 5 release (which is slated for December 3).

The event, which was called the “Big Bang Event,” lasted around 10 minutes on Saturday and combined Em’s musical performance with teasers for the game’s upcoming release. Before the event, Epic teased some upcoming features of Chapter 5 including a new island, a new train, revamped movement mechanics, new weapon mods and attachments, even more cross-overs, and the ability to heal and move at the same time.

The “Big Bang Event” started on Fortnite OG island, where viewers caught a quick highlight reel from the game’s past including a rocket launch and meteor crash before everything was sucked into a black hole, which transported players to a variety of themed portals including an island with Lego characters, a car race, and finally a stadium in which Eminem appeared to perform “Lose Yourself” as the screen showed players hitting notes in time to the music (a la Guitar Hero). A giant hand crushed the set and a larger-than-life Eminem appeared to perform “Godzilla,” all while showing the new graphics capabilities that Epic has rolled out for Chapter 5.

Chapter 5 is expected to demonstrate how Epic hopes to take Fortnite from a battle royale game to one that is more creator-focused similar to Roblox. Epic has also added more partnerships including one with Lego (Lego Fortnite is expected to debut December 7th), Rocket Racing (developed by Rocket League creator Psyonix and expected to debut December 8th), and Fortnite Festival (developed by Rock Band studio Harmonix and expected to launch on December 9th).

Eminem’s virtual concert marks the fourth major in-game musical experience, coming on the heels of performances by Marshmello, Travis Scott, and Ariana Grande.

Fans that missed the live event can check out a full replay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbt1lPBb4hU.

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TikTok Launches ‘Add to Music App’ Feature, Enabling Seamless Song Saves to Streaming Services

November 16, 2023 by newhiphopnews

In a groundbreaking move for music enthusiasts, TikTok has introduced “Add to Music App,” a revolutionary feature enabling users in the US and UK to save discovered songs directly to their preferred streaming service effortlessly. This innovation, in partnership with major platforms like Amazon Music and Spotify, enhances TikTok’s reputation as a global hub for music discovery.

The Add to Music App feature simplifies the process for fans to celebrate and revisit their favorite tunes from the For You feed. Users will now find an “Add Song” option next to track details at the bottom of TikTok videos, allowing them to save the song to their chosen streaming service seamlessly. The default playlist option is available, or users can opt to add the track to a new or existing playlist of their creation. This user-friendly feature is accessible from the For You feed and an artist’s Sound Detail Page.

“TikTok is already the world’s most powerful platform for music discovery and promotion, which helps artists connect with our global community to drive engagement with their music. Add to Music App takes this process a step further, creating a direct link between discovery on TikTok and consumption on a music streaming service, making it easier than ever for music fans to enjoy the full length song on the music streaming service of their choice, thereby generating even greater value for artists and rightsholders,” said Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok.

“Some of the best parts of being a music lover are those serendipitous moments when you discover a new song or artist that you connect with instantly. At Amazon Music, we’re looking to make it easier to convert those moments into enduring fandom. That’s why we worked together with TikTok on the Add to Music App feature, which makes it easier for fans to listen to the music they love and for artists to build fandom,” said Karolina Joynathsing, Director of Business Development for Amazon Music.

“No matter where you are, or the moment you’re in, we want to create less work to get to the audio you love. That means being everywhere our users are and creating seamless ways to save songs to Spotify to enjoy when and how they choose to listen. As the world’s largest audio streaming subscription service, our mission is to bring artists and fans together, so you can listen to more of what you love, across any platform or device. Essentially, you won’t need to find audio to suit the moment. It will find you,” said Sten Garmark, Vice President, Global Head of Consumer Experience at Spotify.

Add to Music App is currently available in the US and UK, with plans for a broader rollout in the future.

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Snoop Dogg and Son Announce their own Fornite game studio to promote diverse creators

November 14, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Rapper Snoop Dogg has spent the last several decades adding almost as many successful business ventures to his portfolio as he has musical awards to his artistic accomplishments. And this week, he diversified his business portfolio even more, stepping into the world of tech with his son, Cordell Broadus, as the two announced Death Row Games, a Fortnite-based game studio designed to provide access and opportunity to diverse creators and broaden the narrative around gaming.

The game studio relies on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), a community-based platform that allows anyone from individual creators to professional gaming studios to create content using open-source code. (Epic Games takes a 5% royalty fee from most developers who sell their content via the platform.) The versatile code allows creators to create games that are usually functional on most consoles including Xbox, Playstation, PC, and VR devices.

Snoop stated that he and his son have been experimenting with game publishing for the last few years, but on an amateur level. They decided to start Death Row Games as a way to make
“a home for diverse creators in the gaming ecosystem and be a part of the narrative, the storytelling of what the next game should be looking like. And I keep saying ‘show representation of the culture in these sectors,’ versus us just being the talent. We wanted to make sure that we’re part of the decision that’s being made and more importantly tell these stories from diverse creators and focus on creatives in underserved communities.”

For those that may not be aware, Snoop has been involved in the gaming industry for quite some time, participating in the esports gaming collective FaZe Clan and also had a custom skin in Call of Duty and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. In 2019, he launched his own esports tournament series, the Gangsta Gaming League and in 2021, he dropped an exclusive NFT collection titled “A Journey with the Dogg.” In 2013, the rapper also debuted the Snoopify app, which allows users to add Snoop Dogg-themed stickers and graphics to their personal photos.

Death Row Games will join Snoop’s other business ventures, which have an estimated net worth of $160 million and include Snoop Doggie Dogg’s pet product line, venture capital firm Casa Verde Capital, the Leafs by Snoop cannabis brand, Snoopadelic Films, his Indoggo gin line, and several more. Cordell, Snoop’s second-oldest son, also has experience in the game design and NFT space.

No word if Snoop will show up like Travis Scott to perform a Fortnite concert for fans yet, but Snoop did set up residency in The Sandbox gaming metaverse back in 2021, hosting a virtual performance and dropping custom NFTs for fans.

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Amazon Music Celebrates the Next Generation of Latino Artists with “The Future Is Ours”

September 20, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Amazon Music is embarking on a journey to celebrate the future of music with “The Future Is Ours,” a vibrant exploration of style and sound that pays tribute to the groundbreaking Latino artists of the next generation and their fans. This forward-looking initiative includes the release of new music from rising Reggaeton star Ryan Castro featuring Rich the Kid in the track “Rich Rappers.”

“The Future Is Ours” also features an Amazon Music Original by urban sensation Ryan Castro, who stars alongside multiple Latin GRAMMY-nominated Argentinian artist Nicki Nicole in a brand video directed by Spanish visionary Felix Bollain. The video, set in a futuristic urban utopia, was shot in Medellin and Buenos Aires and boasts an original score by Latin Grammy-winning producer Alizzz.

“At Amazon Music, we want to look ahead and celebrate the next generation of Latin music artists and their fans who are fearless in their art, authentic to their core, and intentional with every move. They represent more than just music, and are bringing their creativity to other areas like fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. They are the future and the future is now,” explained Rocio Guerrero, global head of Latin Music at Amazon Music.

To bring this futuristic vision to life, Amazon Music is transforming its Los Angeles headquarters into a captivating celebration of emerging talent in music and fashion merged with cutting-edge technology. The event will feature runway showcases of Amazon Music merchandise collections and a live performance by Ryan Castro, streamed on Twitch for fans worldwide. The show will be styled by Keyla Marquez, Fashion Director of the Los Angeles Times.

Amazon Music’s “The Future Is Ours” campaign invites music fans to explore viral fashion and beauty trends through playlists like “GRWM” (Get Ready With Me) and “Activao,” which capture the artistic spirit of Generation Z.

“I’m proud to be able to join Amazon Music in celebrating the future of music and culture through this campaign while also bringing my ‘Ghetto Star’ fans along for the journey with this video that includes my take on the future,” said urban artist Ryan Castro. “Last year I ventured into the fashion world with my own clothing line, “Ghetto Med” and since then have been excited to continue growing my presence in it. With Amazon Music integrating my vision and love for fashion into this collaboration means a lot.”

Music enthusiasts are encouraged to join the conversation by using the hashtag #TheFutureisOurs on social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and Amazon Music’s official Twitch channel, with all content accessible through the Amazon Music desktop and mobile apps for iOS and Android. The campaign is a mesmerizing tapestry of creativity and emotion, blurring the boundaries of reality and ushering in the future of Latino music and culture.

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Jufu Celebrates “All Time Great” As Theme Song For EA Originals’ ‘Immortals Of Aveum’

August 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Influencers are kicking it up a notch in 2023, especially musical artist and Tik Tok star Lil Jufu, already a staple within the EA brand, is the very first musician to have a uniform kit in a Madden game. Powered By This Group Inc., Jufu has done it again and even bigger this time around.

“All Time Great,” a high-powered track written and produced by Jufu, will be featured as the theme song for premiere video game Immortals of Aveum. This track by Brooklyn-based rap star Jufu, is set to exhilarating gameplay footage of Jak and his fellow Immortals, Lucium’s elite order of magic-wielders. The trailer is filled with fast-paced combat and stunning environments and graphics – all set to a beat that is sure to get listeners ready to save the realm.

Immortals of Aveum is an adventurous single player shooter game from the first-person perspective. At its core, Immortals of Aveum is about a hero’s journey, as Jak (Main Character) grows into and learns to utilize his unique abilities. Jufu’s on a similar journey and his music resonated with EA as an expression of Jak’s personality and swagger.

In addition to the song, Jufu will have his face motion captured and placed in the video game for the promo campaign. As one of the first independent influencers to be able to work with a company of EA’s caliber, Jufu is a force to get familiar with.

When asked how he felt about the collaboration, Jufu responded, “I kind of feel like I’ve been quiet for a while and it’s exciting to present something new and shiny. Thanks to my awesome management This Group Inc., I was able to bring this situation to life + also doing the work. I planted the seed two years ago by making the song. I already worked with EA two years ago. It’s funny because it was a song I never tried before, something out of my comfort zone. My management team told me that it would be a song for a movie or video game and two years later here we are.”

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Remains of Missing Crypto Millionaire Found in Suitcase In Argentina

July 28, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Several reports have confirmed that crypto millionaire Fernando Pérez Algaba, who was reported missing on July 18, was discovered in the form of his remains in a suitcase in Argentina. On July 26, it was reported that authorities found Algaba’s torso and head.

The Barcelona-based crypto-king was in Argentina when he was killed. It has been reported that his company Motors Lettuce SRL was in debt and he took a loan from the Argentinian gang Barra Bravas.

A note on Algaba’s phone read, “If something happens to me, everyone is already warned.”

Police in Argentina currently have one suspect in custody for Algaba’s murder.

The post Remains of Missing Crypto Millionaire Found in Suitcase In Argentina first appeared on The Source.

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CEEK Metaverse Team Up With CeeLo Green And Jack Splash For New Collab ‘Pink’

June 25, 2023 by newhiphopnews

CEEK Metaverse just teamed up with the legendary artist CeeLo Green and acclaimed multiple Grammy Award winning music producer, Jack Splash for their upcoming collaborative project THE PINK releasing later this year.

CeeLo + Jack Splash + CEEK just released their new single “Serious” and a new music video will debut on July 7th via www.ceek.com and on the CEEK VR App with exclusive behind-the-scenes features.
CeeLo shared, “Only an appointed artist such as myself and Jack Splash possess the foresight to peer into the future, take something from it then turn it into a tangible. Music is a means to move, show and prove, teach, retrain thought, broaden the scope of society so we see our reflection not as a delayed reaction but recognizing purpose in real time. Which is to push us all in the pursuit of happiness to the point of actuality! Defying all odds and getting even with the enemies of ingenuity! CEEK VR is the battleship that can help us win this war of words!” Filmed in Miami, CeeLo and Jack Splash are making their CEEK Metaverse debut withthe single “Serious” with an animated video. Users joining via the CEEK App, will have an immersive experience with other fans and opportunity to engage with CeeLo and Jack Splash in real time in the CEEK Metaverse. The experience can be accessed on mobile, tablet, and browser with or without a VR headset.

Founder and CEO of CEEK, Mary Spio states, “we are delighted to welcome CeeLo and Jack Splash to interact with their existing and new fans in this truly exciting and unique way. CEEK Metaverse Virtual hangouts are the future of socializing and community building for creators and fans alike.”Jack Splash says, “everything CeeLo and I do is with at least one eye looking to the future. With this album, we’re finally bringing our future soul and funk back down to earth. We thought it would be fun to let it also live in the metaverse…not just for now, but for future generations. Partnering with CEEK and exploring their virtual world is an exciting way for us to do that. True art really has no specific place or time, it is for all people all the time.”

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