It’s so easy to make a movie now, you just get your cell phone. When I did it, you had to go rent a heavy, 16mm camera that they used to make the movies. But that’s all right, it all works out. The good ones come out. It’s just harder. You’ve got more competition. Everybody wants to be a film director. If it was easy, every human in the United States would be a film director. You get paid well, you get to boss people around, you get to see people naked. Why wouldn’t you be a film director? – John Waters
George Clooney Shares Hilarious Story About His Uncle Chick In This Animated Interview From 2011
“It was part of our family business that you had to be able to tell a story” – George Clooney in 2011, as told to Cal Fussman.
…He lost a finger from some accident. He had a glass eye because he’d gotten meningitis when he was a kid. He didn’t have his teeth, he had dentures.
Canadian Music Manager: “The infrastructure does not exist in Toronto for hip hop”
Somebody get this guy a TV show or a regular column…
Toronto is hot. This is the Seattle of the 90’s but for hip hop. Everyone is coming here to find the next best thing. Killer producers, killer artists all from Toronto (and surrounding areas respectively). We are breeding some incredible talent, and everyone wants in. Everyone except for the music industry in Toronto itself. With all the global attention, the talent, the hype, there is one thing missing. The infrastructure does not exist in Toronto for hip hop. How is that possible?
I was in New York meeting with Roc Nation and I saw some guy wearing a Toronto shirt. I approached him and asked if he was from Toronto, something we Canadians do while abroad. He was not in fact from Toronto. I thought to myself, then why are you wearing that shirt? Because Toronto is cool.
We can all thank Drake for that. He is the hottest hip hop artist on planet Earth, and he made the 6ix the epicenter of the genre today. And yet, we have no hip hop radio stations, live venues avoid hip hop artists like the plague, labels and agents have no interest in hip hop artists, and managers couldn’t care less…unless they are 19 years old, and live, breathe and eat hip hop. Those kids are making moves. They are a different breed from the successful management companies operating in Toronto and Canada today. These kids are hungry, and they hustle. They have their ear to the ground, which makes them vital to my management team.
Putting the younger generation aside for a moment, for a city that is defined as Hip hop, our industry is showing no interest. Why? Do they not see the monetary potential? Are they too old to get it? Are they too scared to invest? Mainstream POP radio play a handful of artists like Drake, and Big Sean because to them, they are pop. And the reality is, at least with Drake, they have no choice. But Jazz Cartier, Torey Lanez, Roy Wood$ and Derek Wise are nowhere to be heard. You’ll see them on Vevo, but that’s about it…for now. They are blowing up in Canada AND the US market, and you can’t hear them on any mainstream radio stations. Is that why Canadian Majors aren’t signing them? They need mainstream radio to break artists, and without hip hop stations what choice do they have? If you are a hip hop artist from Toronto you are going to have a hard time getting heard.
Unless you are streaming.
And thank god for Spotify, Apple and Google for championing our Canadian hip hop artists. But the truth is, DSP’s aren’t really Canadian. They are imported from Europe and the US with offices in Toronto. Still, they are doing their part, in a big way. Canadian College radio is also there for the hip hop community, but otherwise our industry is barren. For a city that is a hotbed for hip hop, we aren’t nurturing it in any way. We are pushing them out of Canada to our neighbors down south. Only then do we welcome hip hop home with open arms, under the guise of pop music.
— Amir Epstein, LLB, who works with Edwin (I Mother Earth, Crash Karma), Tyler Shaw, The Standstills, Bed Of Stars, and Dylyn
Desert Trip Will Not Be Returning in 2017
Desert Trip, last year’s epic classic rock festival headlined by The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters, will not be making a return in 2017, Goldenvoice’s Paul Tollett has confirmed to Billboard.
“We’re not doing Desert Trip this year,” the L.A.-based concert promoter and Coachella founder tells Billboard. “We loved 2016 Desert Trip — that was a special moment in time. Maybe someday in the future we’ll do something similar.”
The decision not to stage the event in 2017 puts to rest months of speculation about the future of Desert Trip, which grossed a staggering $160 million over two weekends in October 2016 and included performances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and The Who.
Ben & Jerry’s Celebrates Bob Marley’s Legacy with One Love Flavor
“One love, one heart…” So begins one of the most recognized songs in reggae history. Bob Marley’s memorable refrain is a call for global compassion, and is a perfect anthem for Ben & Jerry’s latest flavor, One Love. The flavor concoction that came to fruition in partnership with the Marley family pays homage to the legendary performer and his vision for a better world.
A portion of the proceeds from each One Love pint sold will benefit Jamaica’s One Love Youth Camp, a program run by The Bob Marley Foundation and Partners for Youth Empowerment.
After the flavor enjoyed tremendous success in the United Kingdom last year, One Love is now making a splash on this side of the pond by sharing its mission-driven deliciousness with fans in the U.S. One Love is an enchanting harmony of banana ice cream, caramel and cookie swirls, and chocolatey peace signs.
The Marley-inspired flavor and partnership will be celebrated May 22nd when Ziggy Marley, musician and eldest son of Bob Marley, will host performances by Aaron Nigel Smith and others at an invitation-only party at the iconic Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip. The kickoff will be followed immediately by the first official listening party of Bob Marley’s reimagined Exodus 40 album – produced by Ziggy and reissued for its 40th anniversary.
In song and in words, Ziggy Marley epitomizes his father’s spirit in saying: “The One Love Youth Camp positively affects youth in Jamaica, providing social and interpersonal tools they can use throughout life. The youth are our future and we are thankful for our partnership with Partners for Youth Empowerment and Ben & Jerry’s.”
In a world of uncertainty, there is a lot to be learned from Marley. “Bob Marley stood for more than just music – he advocated for social change and inspired millions to think about peace, love, and equality,” said Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry’s CoFounder. “Ben & Jerry’s has long strived to champion love and social justice, and by partnering with the Marley family we’re happy to play a small role in supporting Marley’s vision for a sweeter world.”
No need to wait in vain for this flavor. Fans can find this limited batch flavor in Scoop Shops & retailers nationwide.
Tupac Shakur Doc, Directed By Academy Award Winner Steve McQueen, Is A Go
Tupac Shakur Estate trustee Tom Whalley and Amaru Entertainment, the company created by Afeni Shakur to release her son’s posthumous projects, announced today that Nigel Sinclair’s White Horse Pictures and Jayson Jackson will team up to produce a fully authorized documentary with Amaru on the life of acclaimed hip-hop artist, writer and poet Tupac Shakur.
The film will be directed by Academy Award-winning director, Steve McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE) and produced by Jayson Jackson (WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?) and White Horse Pictures’ Nigel Sinclair (THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK – The Touring Years) and Nicholas Ferrall, together with Shakur Estate Trustee Tom Whalley. Gloria Cox, Tupac Shakur’s aunt and Afeni Shakur’s only sister, will executive produce along with White Horse’s Jeanne Elfant Festa.
Though his recording career lasted just five years, Tupac Shakur is one of the most popular artists in history, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. Over half of his eleven studio albums have sold in excess of three million copies. Two of his releases, 1996’s All Eyez On Me and his Greatest Hits collection, have been certified Diamond, with sales of over 10 million copies each. In December 2016, it was announced that Tupac Shakur would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the first solo hip-hop artist to be recognized for inclusion. The ceremony took place in Brooklyn, New York on April 7, 2017 and included a musical tribute from Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, T.I.. Alongside his musical career, Tupac also found success and critical acclaim as an actor, starring in films Juice, Poetic Justice, Above The Rim, Gridlock’d, and Gang Related.
Tupac’s life and legacy continues to impact and influence culture today, from a groundbreaking performance via hologram at the 2012 Coachella Music and Arts Festival to a spoken word appearance on Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed 2015 To Pimp A Butterfly. In addition, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, established by his late mother Afeni, provides arts education to children through camps, workshops, scholarships, and other programs.
Imagine Dragons To Release New Album ‘Evolve’ On June 23
Imagine Dragons will release their third album, Evolve, on June 23 via KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records. The band will also bring its electrifying live show to arenas across North America this fall with the Evolve Tour, produced by Live Nation.
Evolve is now available for pre-order from all participating digital retailers. Those who pre-order Evolve will receive instant downloads of the first single “Believer,” plus new songs “Thunder” and “Whatever It Takes.” Listen to “Whatever it Takes” HERE. Fans who pre-order the album on the official Imagine Dragons store shop.imaginedragonsmusic.com today through Saturday May 13th at 8am PT will be sent registration instructions and receive priority access in the Ticketmaster Verified Fan pre-sale, which begins on Monday the 15th at 10am local time. The album can be purchased in a variety of formats and bundles HERE. Watch the video for “Believer” and “Thunder” HERE.
“Believer” spent six consecutive weeks at No. 1 at Alternative Radio and broke a 13+ year record for number of spins at the format, besting the record previously held by Linkin Park’s “Faint” in 2003. TIME called “Believer” “another showstopper of an anthem,” while Entertainment Weekly noted its “thudding tribal drums, a massive shout along chorus, and a wicked bassline that’s the sonic equivalent of a slug to the gut.” Billboard called “Believer” “a whimsical-yet-authoritative anthem sure to turn even the most hesitant of optimists into a believer.”
Imagine Dragons will kick off the Evolve Tour on September 26th in Phoenix, AZ, with Grouplove and K.Flay providing support. Verified pre-sale begins Monday, May 15th at 10am local time to Thursday, May 18th at 10pm local time. Fans can register now for early access to tickets at presale.imaginedragonsmusic.com. By registering, fans will reserve a spot in line for the fan presale, which they can then improve by sharing their unique pre-sale link with friends and family, or by pre-ordering Imagine Dragon’s new album Evolve. Fans who have registered will be let into a special ticket presale in waves, based on their place in line.
Citi® is the official credit card of the Evolve Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, May 16th at 10am local time through Citi’s Private Pass® program. For complete pre-sale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com. AT&T customers will also have access to priority pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, May 16th at 10am local time. For complete details visit att.com/frontoftheline. Tickets go on-sale to the general public on Friday, May 19th at 10 am local time. For more information visit livenation.com.
Tune in tonight HERE at 7pm PT to watch a global webcast of Imagine Dragons performing three songs from Evolve live from the YouTube space in Los Angeles. In addition, Imagine Dragons will perform at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, which will broadcast live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 21st, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT on ABC.
Formed in 2009 and featuring lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman, Imagine Dragons earned a grassroots following by independently releasing a series of EPs. After Alex Da Kid signed them to his KIDinaKORNER/Interscope label, the band made its major-label debut with the release of Continued Silence, a 2012 EP featuring the 2x platinum breakthrough single “It’s Time.” Night Visions arrived later that year and Imagine Dragons found themselves on a skyward trajectory that saw the album debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and became the No. 1 album on Spotify Worldwide for 2013. Night Visions has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The album’s second single, the 9x-platinum “Radioactive,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rock chart and earned the band a 2014 Grammy for “Best Rock Performance.” The third single, “Demons,” hit No. 1 at Alternative and Top 40 radio, and has sold 3.9 million copies in the U.S. Imagine Dragons’ platinum-selling second album, Smoke + Mirrors, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart and has sold 1.1 million copies worldwide. The band’s third album, Evolve is due June 23rd.
The track-list for Evolve is as follows:
I Don’t Know Why
Whatever It Takes
Believer
Walking The Wire
Rise Up
Make It Up To You
Yesterday
Mouth of the River
Thunder
Start Over
Dancing In The Dark
Evolve Tour Dates:
|
09/26 Phoenix, AZ |
Talking Stick Resort Arena |
|
09/27 San Diego, CA |
Mattress Firm Amphitheatre |
|
09/29 Las Vegas, NV |
T-Mobile Arena |
|
10/01 Los Angeles, CA |
Hollywood Bowl |
|
10/03 Mountain View, CA |
Shoreline Amphitheatre |
|
10/04 Sacramento, CA |
Golden 1 Center |
|
10/06 Seattle, WA |
Key Arena |
|
10/08 Vancouver, BC |
Rogers Arena |
|
10/10 Edmonton, AB |
Rogers Place |
|
10/11 Calgary, AB |
Scotiabank Saddledome |
|
10/13 Salt Lake City, UT |
USANA Amphitheater |
|
10/14 Denver, CO |
Pepsi Center |
|
10/16 Saint Paul, MN |
Xcel Energy Center |
|
10/18 Chicago, IL |
United Center |
|
10/19 Detroit, MI |
Little Caesars Arena |
|
10/21 Cincinnati, OH |
U.S. Bank Arena |
|
10/23 Brooklyn, NY |
Barclays Center |
|
10/24 Newark, NJ |
Prudential Center |
|
10/26 Quebec, QC |
Le Centre Videotron |
|
10/27 Montreal, QC |
Bell Centre |
|
10/29 Boston, MA |
TD Garden |
|
11/01 Buffalo, NY |
KeyBank Center |
|
11/02 Philadelphia, PA |
Wells Fargo Center |
|
11/04 Uncasville, CT |
Mohegan Sun Arena |
|
11/05 Washington, DC |
Verizon Center |
|
11/07 Atlanta, GA |
Philips Arena |
|
11/08 Charlotte, NC |
Spectrum Center |
|
11/10 Orlando, FL |
Amway Arena |
|
11/12 Houston, TX |
Toyota Center |
|
11/13 Dallas, TX |
American Airlines Arena |
|
11/16 Anaheim, CA |
Honda Center |
Tina Fey Sings Bruno Mars’ ‘That’s What I Like’ With Jimmy Fallon and His Barbershop Quartet
The Ragtime Gals sing a barbershop quartet version of Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” with Tina Fey.
Pink Floyd’s ‘The Great Gig In the Sky’ Without Clare Torry’s Vocals
The original version of Pink Floyd‘s “The Great Gig in the Sky” from the iconic album Dark Side of the Moon was actually intended to be an instrumental until producer Alan Parsons asked cover band singer Clare Torry to come in and lay down a few tracks, which she did without much direction or even having an idea of how iconic this piece of music would become.
Snapchat Reaches 166 Million Daily Users, Up 36% Since Last Year
Posting its first quarterly earnings since going public, Snap Inc. reported that its daily active user base grew to 166 million in Q1. That’s an increase of 36% over year-ago levels but only a 5% gain from the previous quarter.
Snap defines a daily active user (DAU) as a registered Snapchat user who opens the app at least once during a defined 24-hour period.
In North America, Snap said it added 3 million daily users in Q1, reaching 71 million DAUs.