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Music Entrepreneur Adrian L. Miller On Music Supervising Season Three Of Hulu Series Wu-Tang: An American Saga

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cclaimed music entrepreneurĀ Adrian L. MillerĀ is serving as the Music Supervisor for season three of the Hulu seriesĀ Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Created by Wu-Tang Clan memberĀ RZAĀ and screenwriterĀ Alex Tse, it’s a biographical drama about the formation of the Wu-Tang Clan that’s currently streaming its third and final season on Hulu.

Miller curated the soundtrack to be representative of real-world events going on at the time.Ā “I purposely sourced music that was part of our daily living soundtrack during this era,”Ā says Miller,Ā “This music is our legacy – and an additional character in each episode.”

Alex TseĀ adds,Ā “We’ve always felt Adrian was part of the family. It was nice to make that official this season.”Ā Method ManĀ says of Miller,Ā “A one since day one.”

For Adrian, this was a trip down memory lane and a thrilling opportunityĀ “to actually see the RZA’s vision for each track. It’s not often we get a chance to use songs that artists have created, while showing the inspiration and engineering that accompanies each song’s production. It’s exciting to see that come full circle. There will never be another Wu-Tang Clan, and the music is just reestablished all over again…”

Among Miller’s other music supervision duties includeĀ Friday, Waist Deep, Cut Throat City, andĀ Judgment Night.

Miller is one of the most influential music executives and business strategists in entertainment. He is the founder of his management company Xyion Inc., and co-owner of record labels including OBE, Delicious Vinyl Island, and A Tiny Universe (with Grammy-winning producerĀ Om’Mas Keith). During his career he’s helped develop several artists’ careers includingĀ Flo Rida, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube, Outkast, and has managed and produced Grammy award-winner Anderson .Paak.

Adrian Miller’sĀ mantra ofĀ “always looking for the perfect beat”Ā follows him through all of his endeavors, both now and into the future.

Global Citizen Now Returns With A New Agenda For Urgent Action

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he world’s leading international advocacy organizationĀ Global CitizenĀ today announced details of the second annualĀ Global Citizen NOWĀ summit, setting a global agenda for action on the most urgent issues facing humanity and the planet. Taking place inĀ New York CityĀ onĀ April 27Ā and 28,Ā Ā Global Citizen NOWĀ will convene government leaders, private sector executives, grassroots activists, cultural innovators, philanthropic experts, and leading journalists for a dynamic two-day event.

EveryĀ Global Citizen NOWĀ session will feature definitive next steps for participants, attendees, and global citizens to take immediate action on urgent issues including climate change, the global food crisis, gender inequality, protecting activists, and more. The program will feature major announcements on policy initiatives, intimate conversations with renowned artists, as well as corporate and world leaders. Various sessions will be livestreamed onĀ InstagramĀ andĀ LinkedIn.

For the first time this year, global citizens around the world can contribute perspectives and questions for potential inclusion inĀ Global Citizen NOWĀ programming by downloading theĀ Global Citizen app, visitingĀ globalcitizen.org/message, or texting via WhatsApp on +27 63 534 5148.

Taking place at The Glasshouse inĀ New York City,Ā Global Citizen NOWĀ is supported by Global PartnersĀ Accenture,Ā Cisco,Ā Citi,Ā Delta Air Lines,Ā Harith General Partners,Ā P&GĀ andĀ Verizon, and Associate PartnersĀ Authentic Brands GroupĀ andĀ Impossible Foods.

“The last few years have had a disproportionately harsh impact on the world’s poor. To redirect that trajectory we need to convene political, business, and cultural leaders and take action together,” saidĀ Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen.Ā “Every session at Global Citizen NOW will drive impact with practical actions everyone can take. World leaders will hear from young climate activists, corporations will make new policy commitments, we’ll announce new ways everyone can take action in their daily lives, and we’ll launch our new campaign to mobilize billions to address the interconnected issues holding people in extreme poverty.”

“Multilateral action needs a reboot and we need to make sure the global financial system is fit for purpose: the fight against extreme poverty and against climate change. Global Citizen NOW is an important opportunity to advance the debate and will help pave the way to a New Global Financing Pact to be agreed inĀ ParisĀ in June,” saidĀ Emmanuel Macron, President ofĀ France.

“To fight climate change, end hunger and empower girls and women, the world needs our leadership; we all have the duty to act NOW,” saidĀ Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

“The world is at a critical crossroads, and it is imperative that we act NOW to save our planet, address the climate crisis, ease the burdens crushing economies, and alleviate the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people,” saidĀ Mia Mottley, Prime Minister ofĀ Barbados. “I am thrilled to be part of Global Citizen NOW, which is assembling global change-makers, listening to young people and grassroots activists, and driving an agenda of urgent action the world desperately needs.”

“Global Citizen NOW is an important opportunity for the voices of young people and global citizens everywhere to be heard by those in power, and for all of us, together, to find solutions that will shape our world for future generations,” saidĀ Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador.

Showcasing the power of cross-sector participation to make progress on the systemic challenges our world is facing,Ā Global Citizen NOWĀ is convening the brightest minds, global decision makers, and the biggest names in pop culture with a diverse program of sessions and speakers, including:

  • Power Our Planet
    Mia Mottley,
    Ā Prime Minister ofĀ Barbados;Ā Vanessa Nakate, Ugandan Climate Justice Activist, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Author of ‘A Bigger Picture’;Ā Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;Ā Dr.Ā Rajiv Shah, President, Rockefeller Foundation
  • How Ideas Become Impact
    Sabrina Elba,Ā 
    United Nations IFAD Goodwill Ambassador;Ā Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador;Ā Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen
  • New YorkĀ Attorney GeneralĀ Letitia JamesĀ in conversation with two time Emmy Award-winning Journalist and AuthorĀ Tamron Hall
  • The “Good Life”Ā 
    Portia Blunt, Vice President, Global Apparel, Reebok;Ā Ebro Darden, Global Editorial Head of Hip-Hop and R&B, Apple Music, and Host, HOT 97;Ā Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO, Evil Geniuses;Ā Jordan Fisher, Producer, Actor, Gamer;Ā Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman, VaynerX, and CEO, VaynerMedia

Further programming details to be announced over the coming weeks.

Other participants include:Ā Anjula Acharia, Founder & CEO, A-Series Management;Ā Nat Kwabena Adisi (Bola Ray),Ā CEO, EIB Network Ltd. and Chairman, Empire Group;Ā Maggie Baird, Founder and President, Support + Feed;Ā Nir Bar Dea, CEO,Ā Bridgewater Associates;Ā Helder Barbalho, Governor of the Amazonic State of ParĆ”,Ā Brazil;Ā David Droga, CEO, Accenture Song;Ā Pamela Fletcher, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines;Ā Dorothy Fortenberry, Executive Producer, “Extrapolations”;Ā Michael Gandolfini;Ā Phoebe Gates, Women’s Health & Reproductive Rights Activist;Ā C.D. Glin, President,Ā PepsiCo Foundation;Ā Dr.Ā Patrick Gruber, CEO, Gevo;Ā Prabal Gurung, Creative Director and Fashion Designer;Ā Katie Holmes;Ā Daniel Humm, Chef and Owner, Eleven Madison Park and Eleven Madison Home;Ā Fran Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco;Ā Alvaro Lario,Ā President, International Fund for Agricultural Development;Ā Stefan Lƶfven, Former Prime Minister ofĀ Sweden;Ā Emmanuel Macron,Ā President ofĀ France;Ā TshepoĀ Mahloele, Founder & Chairman, Harith General Partners;Ā Mark Malloch-Brown, President, Open Society Foundations;Ā Chris Martin, International Global Citizen Festival Curator;Ā Peter McGuinness, President & CEO, Impossible Foods;Ā Catherine McKenna, Chair of the UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero;Ā Bridget Moynahan, Global Citizen Ambassador;Ā Antonio NuƱo, CEO, Someone Somewhere;Ā Marc Pritchard, ChiefĀ Brand Officer, P&G;Ā Diego Scotti, Chief Marketing Officer, Verizon;Ā Amanda Seales, Comedian and Social Justice Advocate;Ā Dr.Ā Rajiv Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation;Ā Alok Sharma,Ā COP26Ā President and Member of Parliament of theĀ United Kingdom;Ā Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait;Ā Edward Skyler, Executive Vice President, Citi;Ā Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister ofĀ Norway;Ā Abena Soreno, Founder, GOALSFORFLOW;Ā Darren Walker,Ā President, Ford Foundation;Ā Caroline Wanga,Ā President & CEO,Ā Essence Ventures; andĀ Elizabeth Wathuti, Kenyan Climate Activist and Founder, Green Generation Initiative.

The pinnacle of the summit will be the annualĀ Global Citizen Prize 2023Ā award ceremony on Thursday evening, honoring four trailblazing activists profoundly impacting their local communities in the areas of climate change, civic space, sexual health and reproductive health, and food security, as well as the recipient of theĀ Cisco Youth Leadership Award, a young person positively impacting the world using technology innovation. Winners will be announced in the coming weeks. Proud partners of theĀ Global Citizen Prize 2023Ā includeĀ Cisco, Citi and P&G.

Global Citizen NOW is co-chaired by International Global Citizen Festival Curator Chris Martin and Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman; political leaders Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Erna Solberg, former Prime Minister of Norway; and Stefan Löfven, former Prime Minister of Sweden; corporate sector leaders Hans Vestberg, Chairman & CEO, Verizon; Nir Bar Dea, CEO, Bridgewater Associates; Fran Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco; Chris Stadler, Managing Partner, CVC Capital Partners; Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, P&G; Diego Scotti, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Verizon; Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Chairman of Harith General Partners; and Edward Skyler, Executive Vice President, Citi; and philanthropic sector leaders Dr. Rajiv Shah, President, Rockefeller Foundation; Mark Malloch-Brown, President, Open Society Foundations; and Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation.

Global Citizen NOWĀ is grateful for the support of leading media companies across the world including: ABC, AIM Group, Arena Holdings, Bella Naija, Bloomberg, EIB Network, Vanguard Media, Wall Street Journal and Zikoko.

To learn more aboutĀ Global Citizen NOWĀ visitĀ www.globalcitizen.org/now23.

You Can Now Build Your Own Fender Stratocaster With Lego

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Create your own brick-built 1970s Fender Stratocaster guitar and 65 Princeton Reverb amplifier with this LEGO Ideas DIY guitar set for adults (21329). Recall the legendary musicians who have played a Stratocaster as you recreate its iconic curves and add authentic details such as the posable whammy bar, pickup switch and tuning pegs. The buildable amp has removable panels for easy viewing of the motherboard, reverb tank, speaker and other interior details, plus rubber cables to connect it to the guitar and footswitch. This collectible set includes bricks to build the guitar in either red or black and guitar accessories: picks in 4 colors plus an elegant, foldable stand for the guitar model to complete a delightful display piece. There is also a sticker with the Fender logo made from LEGO bricks to attach to your real guitar or amp. This collectible DIY guitar kit is a top birthday present or gift idea for teenagers and adult guitar players, Fender fans, music lovers and keen LEGO builders. A fan designer entered this cool building set in the LEGO Ideas ā€˜Music to our Ears’ contest and was chosen from the top 9 entries to become the next LEGO Ideas set by the LEGO Ideas review board. It sure will make a striking centerpiece at home or in the office. The guitar measures over 14 in. (36 cm) long, 4 in. (11 cm) wide, and 1 in. (3 cm) deep. Contains 1074 pieces.

You can get it here.

My Neat Read: “George Michael: A Life” by James Gavin

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The definitive biography of George Michael, offering an expansive look at the troubled life of the legendary singer, songwriter, and pop superstar.

George Michael was an extravagantly gifted, openhearted soul singer whose work was both pained and smolderingly erotic. He was a songwriter of true craft and substance, and his music swept the world, starting in the mid-1980s. His fabricated image—that of a hypermacho sex god—loomed large in the pop culture of his day. It also hid—for a time—the secret he fought against revealing: Michael was gay. Soon his obsession with fame would start to backfire. As one of the industry’s most privileged yet tortured men began to self-destruct, the press showed little sympathy. George Michael: A Life explores the compelling story of a superstar whose struggles, as well as his songs, continue to touch fans all over the world.

Acclaimed music biographer James Gavin traces Michael’s metamorphosis from the shy and awkward Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou into the swaggering, dominant half of the leading British pop duo of the 1980s Wham!; he then details Michael’s sensational solo career and its subsequent unraveling. With deep analysis of the creative process behind Michael’s albums, tours, and music videos, as well as interviews with hundreds of his friends and colleagues, George Michael: A Life is a probing, definitive portrait of a pop legend.

Folk Rocker Aaron Wylder Releases “Don’t Let Me Down”

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You’ve got to love what you do and draw inspiration from whatever drives you to be the best you can be. The love and passion for music and the art of songwriting is clearly defined by the brilliant indie-folk rock star, Aaron Wylder on his newly released single, ā€œDon’t Let Me Down.ā€

The Cayman Island-born, Victoria, BC-based indie-folk sensation has once again blessed our ears with this new soulful and raw introspective track that can be heard on the just-released Adventure Songs EP.

The song kicks off with a poetic and acoustic melody that instantly puts you in an upbeat mood as the soothing sound of Wyler’s voice guides you on a musical journey. ā€œI’m looking for the sun to shine. I’m looking for words to rhyme. Oh don’t let me down. Some days I feel like. Only way that I’ll survive. Is with a guitar in hand.ā€

Wylder can be heard in the first verse referencing his desire for the sun to shine and for words to rhyme, searching for positivity and creativity. The title phrase, “don’t let me down” emphasizes the importance of achieving these goals and not losing hope.

ā€œThis song describes my animalistic passion and competitive drive to be a truly successful singer-songwriter,ā€ says Wylder. ā€œIt is me saying, hey world, I may not be this or that, but this is who I am.ā€

With the steady strumming beat of acoustic guitar setting the tone throughout the track, Wylder sings about his love for rock ā€˜n roll and creating meaningful music. ā€œCause I’m just a boy. From a sandy island. But I love rock ā€˜n roll. And I sing from my soulā€, paying homage to his proud Cayman Island roots and his passion for his music.

The authentic and nostalgic singer and songwriter go on to add, ā€œThis song is me presenting myself to the world and making a statement that I have arrived.ā€

Wylder shares his struggles, facing all kinds of different challenges but he uses music as a coping mechanism, putting him in his comfort zone with a guitar and pen in hand. Making music is how he expresses his emotions, and he uses those words as a way of encouragement to continue writing and making soulful and honest music.

ā€œI learnt to sing along.
To the beat of my lonely heart.
I don’t mess around.
I learnt to read and write.
To the beat of my lonely fight.
I won’t hit the ground.ā€

The 25-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter’s new EP, Adventure Songs, builds on his blend of indie folk and Americana. ā€œI try to write what I hear in my head and what I feel in my chest,ā€ says Wylder. ā€œIt’s a damn cool thing to write a song that you love and speaks to others as well. If I’m able to make music that I enjoy and people enjoy it too then I’ll die a happy man.ā€

Dany Horovitz Rocks Out On “Don’t Look To Me”

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Some breakups are mutual, some crush you, and some have you wishing the other would just go away as fast as possible. The last kind was the inspiration behind Dany Horovitz’s latest single, ā€œDon’t Look To Me.ā€

The first single on the Canadian singer-songwriter’s upcoming album, Phanerorhyme, ā€œDon’t Look To Meā€ combines a catchy chorus and up-tempo melody with lyrics that describe someone very ready to move on from their significant other.

ā€œHere we are stuck in old routine
I’ve had enough, do you know what I mean
You call me lover, you call me friend
I tell you I’m broken, you ask me to bendā€

The singer performs these lines over a 90s-esque pop rock background that evokes the high-energy songs of Barenaked Ladies, coincidentally Horovitz’s favorite Canadian band. This is a bit of a departure from his earlier releases, which had strong folk vibes, but with this track, Horovitz loudly declares his versatility and flexes his rock muscles.

The pace and energy of this song is why Horovitz decided to make it the single off of this album and the starter on the project’s tracklist.

ā€œI wanted to front-load the higher energy songs, so the first three songs especially have a lot of drive,ā€ he explained. ā€œOf those three songs, I think that ā€˜Don’t Look To Me’ is catchiest because of its earworm of a chorus. It also has my trademark ā€˜sweet-melody-paired-with-dark-lyrics’ thing. In short, people who know me are going to like it a lot and hear something new and interesting, and it’s a great entry point for anyone who has never heard my music before, too.ā€

Phanerorhyme will be Horovitz’s second album and third project. In 2021, he released his first single, ā€œMoving On,ā€ which dove into post-breakup recovery. It serves as an apt juxtaposition to ā€œDon’t Look To Me.ā€

ā€œā€˜Moving On’ was about feeling joy again after going through heartbreak,ā€ Horovitz said. ā€œā€˜Don’t Look To Me’ makes for an interesting counterpoint, because it is an upbeat song about saying, ā€˜good riddance,’ to someone.ā€

Horovitz must have had someone particular in mind when he recorded this song in Toronto, because he immediately matches the heat of the instrumentals, only gaining energy as the track goes on. It culminates in a very memorable close.

ā€œOne interesting thing happens at the end where I hold the final note basically forever,ā€ Horovitz said. ā€œThe last 30 seconds of the song is all one breath.ā€

Horovitz is an exciting, rising star in the North American music scene. He has had several singles get radio play across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia, and his single ā€œFree Tonightā€ earned him Top 20 honors on Cashbox Radio. The next song up is ā€œDon’t Look To Meā€ – keep your ears peeled for this catchy tune on a radio station near you.

Ottawa Folk Artist Christine Graves Releases “Keep In This Mind’ Single

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Everyday life is a wonder. Ottawa-based Canadian folk singer-songwriter Christine Graves knows this well. In her new single “Keep this in Mind” an ironic perspective emerges about life and a reality that we don’t get everything we dream of experiencing “before we’re done”.

The results are both simple and sublime, throughout the album “Everyday Life” and “Keep this in Mind” is here to serve as a musical blessing upon all those who look back on a life and ask ‘did I do enough good?’

“During the pandemic, working in a mental health hospital catapulted me into intensely writing again,” she says. “Believing that my gift of making music is an important healing tool is a lesson learned from the hardships we all faced in COVID times.”

The album is not, however, a “COVID album,” she is quick to add, though “that might come next.” The album represents works from before, during, and “after” COVID, and the message of “Keep This In Mind” about finding the beauty in the mundane is about as timeless as you can get.

“The song relates to how we define reality,” she says. “We can live something each day and it seems normal. Live it different, and reality is redefined. Do we have this capability? I think we do.”

Christine Graves is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has released music independently since 1995. She served as the artistic director of the Blue Skies Music Festival from 2006 to 2008. While raising her family and working as a healthcare professional have kept her from recording for a considerable time, Everyday Life will be her fifth studio album release. With her remarkable voice and poetic heart, Christine is a performer who knows something about everyday life and can draw an audience into discover together how we are all the same.

The Wicked Witch of the West Visits ā€˜Sesame Street’ In A Segment Rarely Seen Before

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Margaret Hamilton went back to her role as the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz on a 1976 episode of Sesame Street that was removed from future broadcasts for being too scary for kids.

Only aired once, the SHOW was released in 2019 at a Jim Henson exhibit, but the full footage has finally been found.

ā€˜Weird Al’ Yankovic Shares The Coverage Take For The ā€˜Eat It’ Video

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Back in 1984, “Weird Al” Yankovic released Eat It, his parody of Michael Jackson’s single Beat It, with the contents changed to be about an exasperated parent attempting to get their picky child to eat anything at all, much less to eat properly. Yankovic recently found footage from the video not seen before and shared it on YouTube.

Yankovic says, “Recently a friend of mine was digitizing all the original film footage that we shot for the “Eat It” video, and he came across this “coverage” take. Basically this is a take where the director just points the camera at the star of the video, who just does anything they feel like doing for the duration of the song. It’s insurance, in case for some reason the production runs out of time and doesn’t get all the shots they were hoping to get. I’m pretty sure NOTHING from this take got used in the final video, but I still thought it was stupid/amusing enough to share.”

Los Del RĆ­o x Disturbed Mashup = Los Disturbados: Stuparena

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Mashing up Los Del RĆ­o’s Macarena with the Disturbed track Stupify can only come from one person, and that superhuman is remixer Bill McClintock.