Making yet another (super)power move, multi-talented visionary Jaden Smith took fans and the Internet by complete surprise whe he Tweeted that he’s unveiling his Sunset Tapes: A Cool Tape Story project, which dropped just recently–get it HERE via MSFTS Music / Roc Nation/ Republic Records.
He also shares the new single “Plastic.” Its dynamic production echoes beneath rapid cadences, mind-numbing bars, and a razor sharp hook. Once again, it defies any and all categorization–like everything he does. The same could be said of the previously released rager “GOKU,” which generated 6 million-plus Spotify streams and counting. Rounding out this powerhouse tracklisting is his latest crossover smash “Icon (feat. Nicky Jam & Will Smith) which is featured in the boxing film Creed II starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone.
Once again, he’s challenging music and the culture to move forward by lading on Sunset Tapes. Get ready to watch Jaden Smith make history!
The soundtrack to the third season of Josh Wakely’s animated Netflix original series Beat Bugs released on November 16th as announced by Republic Records. The soundtrack release comes after the Beat Bugs Season 3 debut on Netflix which premiered back in November 9th.
Beat Bugs: Season 3 soundtrack is available now at this link
Check out the trailer for Beat Bugs Season 2 HERE.
Following the success of the first 2 seasons and a 48-minute special on Netflix, Season 3 attracted a myriad of talent to reimagine classics by The Beatles for a new generation. Yusuf/Cat Stevens recorded “Here Comes The Sun,” while rising Vermont indie pop troubadour Noah Kahan delivered a show-stopping rendition of “You Won’t See Me.” Samantha Gongol of Marian Hill takes on the classic “Let It Be,” Chloe Kohanski adds millennial sunshine to “A Day In The Life,” and Welshly Arms amplify the rock ‘n’ roll gusto of “Revolution.”
Wakely’s Beat Bugs stands out as the perfect gateway for kids to experience the canon of The Beatles.
Beat Bugs Season 3 Tracklisting:
Yusuf/Cat Stevens– “Here Comes The Sun”
Noah Kahan– “You Won’t See Me”
Samantha Gongol– “Let It Be”
Welshly Arms– “Revolution”
The Beat Bugs– “Hey Jude”
The Beat Bugs– “Baby You’re A Rich Man”
The Beat Bugs– “Paperback Writer”
The Beat Bugs– “I’m Only Sleeping”
Chloe Kohanski– “A Day In The Life”
The Beat Bugs– “Yesterday”
The Beat Bugs– “Mother Nature’s Son”
The Beat Bugs– “Good Morning, Good Morning”
The Beat Bugs– “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
The Beat Bugs– “Oh! Darling”
The Beat Bugs– “The Long And Winding Road”
The Emmy®-winning series and its music have garnered widespread critical praise. The New York Timeswrote, “Like most enduring animation series, the writing in Beat Bugs is crafted to appeal to children as well as thier parents, with plenty of allusions to lyrics.” In its piece on the show, Rolling Stone said that by engaging with Beat Bugs kids are “experiencing the music of the Beatles in a way their parents and grandparents never imagined.” The Wall Street Journal also ran an in-depth piece, while Variety covered the project in this article, calling the covers in the series “richly orchestrated.”
Beat Bugs was created by Wakely, following a groundbreaking deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and is produced by his Grace: a storytelling company. Wakely personally selected each of these songs for his integration into the series’ episodes and was closely involved in the music’s production, arranging and mixing. Melodia was formed by the principals of Beat Bugs’ production entities to release music from this series, as well as future film, television, and theatrical endeavors, in conjunction with the company’s partners.
About Grace: a storytelling company:
Grace is a global independent film and television development and production banner led by filmmaker Josh Wakely. Grace’s output is distinguished by innovation, and imaginative creative and business partnerships, combined to cultivate transformative storytelling. Based out of Australia and the US, Grace is committed to producing intelligent, elevatedm talent-driven film and television projects to the worldwide audience.
For YFL Kelvin, hip-hop is the soundtrack to his struggle. “My story is rags to riches,” the 21-year old explains. The Cleveland native has found solace in music since his father was gunned down–in an accidental shooting–when he was just five. Kelvin began recording out of his home studio, but music was secondary to the lure of the streets, taking his rap name from his biological father and the aspirational acronym “Young, Flashy, Lifestyle.”
The street life landed him behind bars on three occassions, “My little brother is in jail. Like, everybody who I used to be with is in jail.” No matter the tribulation, it doubled as a sonic inspiration. In 2016, his beef with a former friend sparked his major release, “Mayweather Freestyle.”
“I knew I was destined then. Something good was going to play out from all the tragedy that I’ve been through,” he says.
2018’s “NASDAQ” would be the rocket that’d catapult Kelvin beyond Cleveland, released on YouTube the hit song has generated over 300k views. The remix with Moneybagg Yo will lead Kelvin’s first project, Out of Here.
Just recently, Detroit underground icon Icewear Vezzo returns with a new track European. This is his second release under his recently minted deal with Motown and Capitol Music Group.
Adding to the excitement for his upcoming mix-tape, Icewear Vezzo celebrates this moment with a music video for European–check it out here!
Icewear Vezzo proudly leads a new era of Motor City hip-hop. His explosive discography encompasses the fan favorite Clarity mixtape series and breakout Moonwalken, which boasted beats from heavyweights such as Zaytoven and TM 88. Following a stint in Federal Prison, he ignited 2018 as his biggest year yet. In addition to a triumphant return to the stage at Detroit’s Hot 107.5 Summer Jamz, he dropped the acclaimed 337 EP with Earlly Mac and set the internet abalze with the brash and blunt banger Drank God Back Freestyle. Mass Appeal predicted, Detroit’s best hope at a singular star is Icewear Vezzo, and Hypebeast dubbed him, “The King of Contemporary Detroit Rap.” A pillar of his community, he also owned the local haunt Chicken Talk restaurant.
With his surefire spitting and slick storytelling, he ushers in the next generation of Detroit legends.
Knowing this, buzzing Pasadena, CA rapper Katori Walker manages to send a powerful, passionate, and provocative message in under sixty seconds on his appropriately titled new surprise statement, 1 Minute of Your Time EP (Capitol Music Group).
This impactful collection sees him spit with a level of intensity rare in today’s rap game. He places a magnifying glass on a myriad of issues within modern society in the hopes of a positive turnaround. Amidst a tumultuous climate, all it takes is one minute to speak up and make a change he proves that with the new body of work.
Check out the full tracklisting below.
1 Minute of Your Time arrives on the heels of this Spring’s Ignorance EP. It earned early acclaim from The Fader, XXL,and more. Additionally, Ormoni leapt past the 1 million-mark on Spotify.
Give Katori Walker 1 minute of your time, and he’ll undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.
Rap music can affect more than the culture; it has the power to change the world. Just ask Katori Walker. He picked up a mic with a purpose in 2017. Clocking in at barely 10 minutes, his independent five-song Ignorance EP offered a powerful portrait of a gang-related gun violence following the murder of his brother Ormoni. The video Ormoni generated 4.2 million views as it surpassed 1 million Spotify streams in addition to being featured in Eminem’sUntouchable lyric video. It topped Spotify’s Most Necessary Playlist for four weeks in a row. Watch him make a difference in hip-hop and the world.
“Exhale” only scratches the surface of Kemba’s immense lyrical talent. It acts as a reminder that through all the trials and tribulations, he’s still an important fixture in NY rap and hip-hop as a whole. This single sets the tone for what’s to come from Kemba as he works on his next body of work.
Be on the lookout for a lot MORE soon.
It makes perfect sense Kemba calls The Bronx–the birthplace of hip-hop–home. He literally carries the genre with him everywhere. Making a name for himself as a fan favorite under the name of YC The Cynic, he dropped a series of lauded projects and songs from 2010 through 2013. Adopting the moniker Kemba, he ignited his rise with his 2016 album Negus which received critical acclaim. In addition to a highly cited interview on Real Late W/ Peter Rosenberg, he joined Kendrick Lamar on stage for a spontaneous performance that was widely circulated online. His skills not only impressed Kendrick but also caught the eye of Brasstracks (Chance The Rapper’s “No Problem”), who reached out and went to work, helping Kemba craft his forthcoming album due out next year.
“Bobby Sessions has a lot to say and it’s often about the condition of Black America. With an elastic flow and impassioned lyrics, the 20-something Dallas native acts as a self-contained Black Lives Matter rally as he channels the anger and despair that accompany the cycle of systematic racism.” –XXL
“Sessions is not afraid of the reactions that may come from those who feel the content is too much. It’s an audacious attempt but in a genre that glorifies the money and clout, the message that Sessions is spreading is a much needed statement.” – BILLBOARD
“Sessions confronts racism with a captivating flow that’s both acrimonious and awe-inspiring.” –NPR Music
Revolutionary Dallas rapper Bobby Sessions–the firebrand Def Jam MC hot off the title track from the buzzworthy film and soundtrack The Hate U Give–drops his second EP RVLTN-Chapter 2: The Art Of Resistance via Def Jam Recordings.
The Art of Renaissance follows RVLTN-Chapter 1: The Divided States of AmeriKKKa (released in July), Sessions’ debut EP, which included his first two Def Jam single and video releases of earlier this year, “Like Me” and “Pick A Side.” With hard-hitting production on The Art of Resistance PicnicTyme, Audio Anthem, and RC Williams, Sessions’ aggressive, authentic, soulful sound harkens back to the roots and origins of classic hip-hop.
On The Art of Resistance, Sessions continues to rip open the ongoing oppression of African-Americans in our society sand gets to the root of race issues in our country. Throughout both EPs, he has worked toward his self-possessed goal of “taking the politically incorrect conversations from the barbershop and expressing them through music.”
“My RVLTN EP series,” Sessions has said, “is about taking the politically incorrect conversations from the barbershop and expressing them through music.” He went on to explain that Chapter 1 highlights the root of race issues in this country. It addresses while supremacy, systematic oppression, as well as introspective realizations about the responsibility of becoming a leader. RVLTN will continue to unfold and evolve throughout upcoming chapters in my quest for viable solutions, black empowerment, and justice.
In October-November, Sessions was part of the powerful roster of next-generation Def Jam stars–also including Beau Young Prince, Casanova, DaniLeigh, Fetty Luciano, and YK Osiris–presented by Def Jam Recordings in collaboration with DTLR VILLA and Levi Strauss & Co., on DTLR’s 5th annual HBCU tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
RVLTN–Chapter 2: The Art of Resistance track list;
On December 31, 2014, Bobby Sessions quit his job to pursue his dream of becoming a recording artist full-time. Exactly one year later, he released his debut indie album the Law of Attraction (LOA), a passionate and fiery project influenced by the artists he grew up on as a kid from Dallas, Texas–from Jay-Z to James Brown to N.E.R.D. The hunger he has for motivating people through his words can’t be ignored: it’s in each and every song, interview, and performance. A blistering, concentrated lyricist and speaker, Sessions is constantly focused and determined to attract the energy of those around him–whether onstage performing for fans or in the studio focused on his craft. LOA was followed by a second album, grateful, a jazzy, self-aware reminder to be thankful. “Every freedom, every privilege, every great thing happening in our lives, down to your eyesight, each breath…we should put 100% of our energy into being grateful for that,” Sessions said.
His 2018 signing to Def Jam Recordings, and the arrival of “Like Me” and “Pick A Side” early in the year, set the stage for RVLTN-Chapter 1: The Divided States of AmeriKKKa (released in July), and RVLTN-Chapter 2: The Art Of Resistance (November).
David Castillo Gallery celebrates a pivotal moment during Art Basel this year, with trailblazing news: for the first tie in more than a decade, Art Basel Miami Beach has vetted a gallery from Miami into the exclusive Galleries Section, where only the leading 200 galleries in the world are showcased. The gallery’s singular success story is exemplified by being chosen for this honor, and this year the stars are aligned.
David Castillo at his art gallery with dog (Harry), works by Pepe Mar. Photo by Mateo Serna Zapata. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
David Castillo is recognized in the art industry for his long-term nurturing of artists, many represented by Castillo since the beginning of their careers.
“Our artists help to shape the most current vision of contemporary art,” says David Castillo. “My passion for their artistic evolution, and our gallery’s singular trajectory of success, have led up to this pivotal year. We are thrilled to have been invited to the Galleries section at Art Basel.”
Kalup Linzy, Conversations Wit De Curen: IX XI XII Days of Our Ego
The Strangeness Will Wear Off characterizes the enduring legacy of Modernism as a radical and boundary-pushing form into the contemporary moment. The exhibition probes at how artists break with conventions in uncompromising ways, while borrowing pointedly from the past, the new twenty first century avant garde that looks to history as a catalyst for what is to come.
Eamon Ore-Giron, Infinite Regress LV, 2018, Flashe on linen. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
More about the artists at David Castillo Gallery’s Booth in Art Basel 2018:
Belkis Ayon’s visual vocabulary is sober yet sumptuous, capturing haunting ghost-like figures in stark contrasts of bright whites and deep blacks.
Deeply enmeshed within the origins, rituals and teachings of Afro-Cuban religions, the moody penumbral magic of Ayon’s work carries with it the mystical legacies that so fascinated her before her untimely death.
Sanford Biggers plays with the broad scales of time and culture in works that collage histories both far and recent.
His floor sculpture marries his interest in participatory works and geometry: while his quilt constructions tell the uneasy histories of America’s violent racial past through the aspirations of Afrofuturism.
Alder Guerrier, Untitled (longevity has its place), 2017, graphite, color pencil, enamel paint and solvent transfer on paper. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Adler Guerrier’s work across collage and print mines the cultural make-up of Miami–and of the artist’s own background as a Haitian American living in one of the largest centers of the Haitian diaspora–drawing out themes of collectivizing belonging, seeking refuge, and claiming place.
Quisqueya Henriquez, Lyubov Popova/Jackie Winsor, 2014, inkjet print on Dibond and a frame inside a frame. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Quisqueya Henriquez boldly claims the history of art for her own, actively mining and recombining references from Conceptualism and the greater lineage of Modernism to reframe this often staid history along new terms. She inserts herself into pictorial modes that largely excluded the voices of those who are Other: women and Latin Americans.
Pepe Mar, Checkerboard, 2018. Photo by Zach Balber/Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Pepe Mar’s fabric paintings tell of a contemporary folklore between past and present, place, and time.
His curiously collaged works that draw from the artist’s own oeuvre; much of the fabrics used in these pieces are printed from photographs from along Mar’s own fifteen-year career, creating new contexts for these past works from combining and re-combining these imageries.
Glexis Novoa, Timba, 2017, graphite on Carrara marble (marble recovered from Havana.) Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Glexis Novoa sources fragments of Carrara marble from the crumbling edificies of Cuban buildings and draws upon them aspirational images of future cities; grand and gleaming architectures in stark contrast to the current realities of Cuban life. Novoa imagines urban infrastructure as a broad political message and one that pulls at the opposing tensions of what is and what could be.
Xaviera Simmons, Velvet, 2018, acrylic on wood. Installation view, Renaissance Society, Chicago/Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Xaviera Simmons’ new body of text paintings, photographs, and sculptural furniture play with ideas of nomadism and the enduring legacies on which the contemporary American narratives is founded; histories of racial inequality, perseverance and unyielding calls for change. Simmons often inserts herself into her works, aligning with the disparate pasts to obscure the boundaries between them and now, us and them.
Shinique Smith, Sometimes I wonder, 2016, acrylic, ink, fabric, collage, ribbon and objects on canvas over wood panel. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Shinique Smith’s body of work takes form across modes of production that collage found objects, second-hand clothing, and references to the flows of global commerce; how goods are produced in the Global South, transported to the West and then used, discarded, and returned to those countries from which they originated for recycling. Her paintings are often of sweeping swirling forms incorporating Eastern calligraphic traditions.
Vaughn Spann, Siren, 2018, polymer paint, dye, prisma marker, fabric, terry cloth on stretcher bars. Courtesy David Castillo Gallery.
Vaughn Spann creates evocative and at times deeply personal paintings that blend abstract formalism with the today’s uneasy social nuance.
The visual vocabulary of his Dalmatian series, which brings together black-and-white patters, examines the shifting associations of various geometries and forms across his childhood, recent history and deeper past.
More about the David Castillo Gallery:
Wendy White, Jeart (Mello Yello)
David Castillo Gallery opened over thirteen years ago under sole ownership after transforming a dilapidated warehouse in Miami, Florida into a 5,000 square foot gallery. After a decade in the Wynwood Arts district, David Castillo relocated for its second decade to Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road and has produced more than 116 fine art exhibitions to date. The gallery’s focus is on conceptual curatorial models as they relate to art historical, cultural, and personal investigations of identity. The gallery works with artists committed to the integrity of their individual histories and studio practices as agents of contemporary climate.
Since opening in Miami in 2005, David Castillo Gallery has become one of the nation’s preeminent galleries in the identification, development, and presentation of groundbreaking artists of color and queer artists, spearheading a far-reaching national and international impact on cultural and critical spaces.
Jillian Mayer, I Am Your Grandma
Gallery Represented Artists:
Sanford Biggers, Kate Gilmore, Adler Guerrier, Lyle Ashton Harris, Quisqueya Henriquez, Kalup Linzy, Belkis Ayon, Pepe Mar, Jillian Mayer, Robert Melee, Glexis Novoa, Xaviera Simmons, Shinique Smith, Wendy White.
The gallery as effectively advocated for the inclusion of its artists in dozens of museum solo shows and hundreds of museum group exhibitions, including: The Museum of Modern Art (New York); MCA Chicago; Fondazione Trussardi (Milan); Harvard University (Cambridge); ICA Boston; The Nasher (Durham); National Museum of Women in Arts (D.C.); Barnes Collection (Philadelphia); Walker Art Center (Minneapolis); MFA Houston; MoMa P.S.1 (New York); Whitney Museum (New York); Metropolitan Museum (New York); The Guggenheim (New York); and the American Academy in Rome among others.
David Castillo holds degrees in History and Art History from Yale University and the Angelicum in Rome. Since 2000, he has dealt in important Latin American, European, and American secondary market works. Castillo has held positions at museums, including the Yale University Art Gallery’s American Decorative Arts curatorial department. He continues to assist private clients in building their collections in addition to managing David Castillo Gallery And has lectured on various topics in art.
“Legends of LA” is highlighted by a stunning180-degree panoramic video, which surrounds the collection of race cars and provides an immersive way to experience the fastest race cars ever built in Los Angeles as they are raced on the region’s famed tracks. Featuring vehicles from every major racing type including midgets, sprint cars, dragsters, off-road cars, IndyCars, land-speed cars and road-racing cars, the panoramic video works alongside the display to take viewers on a visual journey down historic tracks such as El Mirage, Willow Springs International Raceway and Perris Auto Speedway.
Key vehicles on display include a 1963 Ol’Yaller Mark IX, which was one of the last race cars designed and built by Southern California hot rod legend Max Balchowsky; a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 FIA, one of five FIA-spec factory team cars that competed in the 1964 World Championship and was raced by Dan Gurney in the Targa Florio; a 1967 Long “Shelby Super Snake” with an Ed Pink racing engine, which made history when driver Done Prudhomme accomplished four quarter-mile runs in the six-second range at the 1967 NHRA Spring Nationals; and Big Oly, a 1970 Ford Bronco which was raced to a back-to-back victories at the Baja 1000 in 1971 and 1972 by the legendary off-roading team of Parnelli Jones and Bill Stroppe.
“From the early years of auto racing to today, Los Angeles has played a key role in the development and growth of motorsports in North America,” said Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Our new exhibit honors the region’s rich history through some of the finest examples of race car engineering and design, telling a comprehensive story about the legends that helped establish Los Angeles as the diverse racing destination that is today.”
Preceding the public opening, the Petersen hosted a formal cocktail reception and media preview on Thursday, November 8, 2018. The evening paid homage to LA-based racing icon and race car constructor Parnelli Jones, a motorsports legend known for his victories in nearly every major auto racing event in the United States. Jones, whose voice is featured in the gallery video was praised on stage while guests bid on his signed racing memorabilia during a silent auction.
“Legends of Los Angeles” will run through December 1, 2019. To learn more about the new exhibit or the Peterson Automotive Museum, please click here!
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $13 for seniors and students with ID, $8 for children ages 3 to 12. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under three are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit here!
Forget about the king, it’s good to be QUEEN: the iconic rock band scored its highest-charting album in 38 years with the Bohemian Rhapsodysoundtrack (Hollywood Records), which surged from No. 25 to No. 3 on The Billboard 200 (a 187% increase) and is currently No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 and Top Rock Albums charts.
In addition, Queen’s Greatest Hits Vol I, II & III: The Platinum Collection rocketed from No. 194 to No. 9. The chart activity follows the film’s November 2nd opening in theaters across the country. 20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises acclaimed biopic was the No. 1 film at the box office upon its debut with an estimated $50 million in weekend ticket sales.
USA Today said it best: Bohemian Rhapsody is a hit all over again.
Bohemian Rhapsody’s hit-packed companion soundtrack is Queen’s highest-reaching album since 1980, when The Game spent five weeks at No. 1.
Alongside the show-stopping Live Aid performances of Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, Hammer To Fall, and We Are The Champions, the album features other rare live tracks spanning Queen’s entire career, new versions of old favorites, and a choice selection of the brand’s finest studio recordings. Among them are some of Queen’s biggest hits, including eleven all-time greatest anthems that reached No. 1 around the world.
Rolling Stone called the album more than just a greatest hits, praising it as ‘imaginative way to relive the band’ is genius.
Queen currently has a jaw-dropping 22 songs charting on the Digital Rock Tracks Chart, including 7 of the top 10:
With record sales estimated at 300 million and counting, Queen remain evergreen rock favorites whose glorious catalog of songs continues to thrill fans of all ages across the globe.
About Bohemian Rhapsody The Film:
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the brand through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound.
