5 Things To Know Now In Hip Hop, Tech & Media. Get In The Game!

Hope you're week is off to a great start so far! Here are my latest curated items with analysis for you. The only brief of its type looking hip hop, emerging tech, media & brands. Let's go!

1) One of the most powerful discussions around AI is not happening within mainstream media, but is definitely happening "behind the scenes" which, of course, is where all the power truly lies and then emerges. I'm talking about the debate within hip hop as it pertains to artificial intelligence and its impact on Black culture. The legendary recording artist Pete Rock has joined others such as Drake to say that the usage of it as it pertains to Black music culture is "mad disrespectful." This is about culture, money, and power so the issue will not be resolved easily. Universal Music Group has stepped in to ask Spotify, for example, to halt the distribution of AI-generated music. But this approach simply won't work. The genie is out of the bottle. There needs to be massive conversation about how strategy for the future. Is AI-generated music put in a separate category and listed in a vertical, for example, under "producers." If it's generated from a stem of a human-created track, is that a hybrid? Could this actually help more creators of color get into a game that has always had a high barrier to entry? Companies will have to be so very careful when it comes to AI and all forms of emerging technology and its impact on Oh, we are just getting started with all this. I'll be tracking and analyzing for you, for sure!

2) Speaking of which, the annual NFT.NYC conference was intriguing. Several interesting panels on music. Baron Davis spoke on not one but two, panels, btw, which Mastercard talked about its incubator project for new artists. A producer from Yuga Labs said on a panel that he wants to be the first to win a Grammy for a metaverse artist. Yup, you read correctly. I've written a full piece on my take on New York Trend. You can check it out here . Don't miss it.

*** Quick Note: if you are someone who wants to learn more about this powerful space of youth culture and how you can use it to better connect Gen Z and Millennials and/or become part of the cultural narrative, connect with celebrated recording artists/notables in the space, and/or creates brand?strategy,?DM me to discuss further. Hip Hop is where the power resides.

3) Paramount could use a boost, and it could have it with this new deal it just inked with LL Cool J. I've been watching the Rock The Bells scenario. Investment growing from more and more heavyweights each year. Will he be able to pull off killer content that is right on the pulse of the market, though? There also seems to be no emerging tech strategy overlay. Only time will tell on this one, but as it stands, another win for hip hop just happened. Read the full story here .

4) Liking how Fortnite connected again with Coachella this year. Tweets were low about it, however. Researching how it did with numbers. Stay tuned. But as always, looked really great. The promo and real-world tie-in on these things have a ways to go. That's wonderful. More opportunity for the right players and people to get involved. ICYMI the pre-hype, here's an article on it.

5) If you are already watching the "Dear Mama" series on F/X, you'll have a text project to add to your collection. Get ready for "Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography." Word is that the book will be available at the end of October 2023 and was crafted by Staci Robinson (who also has a hand in "Dear Mama") along with Tupac's mom, Afeni. Publisher is Penguin Random House !

Two last bits for you here below. Have a great rest of the week!