Posts made in October 2020

Triumph Car illustrated by Mina Tocalini for 360 MAGAZINE.

Pirelli Tires

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PIRELLI TIRES TAILOR MADE FOR RIVIAN DELIVER SILENCE ON BOARD AND LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE

SPECIAL VERSIONS OF SCORPION TIRE RANGE CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR R1T, THE FIRST ELECTRIC PICKUP TRUCK IN THE WORLD, AND R1S, THE ELECTRIC SUV

RIV IS THE DEDICATED MARKING THAT WILL IDENTIFY PIRELLI’S TIRES FOR RIVIAN;ELECT MARKINGS WILL IDENTIFY EV TIRES

PIRELLI’S 21-INCH TIRES FOR RIVIAN HAVE A WORLD-UNIQUE SIZE

The EV startup Rivian has chosen Pirelli Scorpion range to fit its highly anticipated R1T pickup, which begins production in June 2021, and its R1S electric SUV. Pirelli has developed special versions of its Scorpion Verde All Season, Scorpion Zero All Season and Scorpion All Terrain tires (Pirelli’s dedicated range for SUVs and pickups) to meet Rivian’s specifications, and to enhance the vehicles’ unique characteristics following the “Pirelli Perfect Fit” strategy. Indeed, all Pirelli tires developed for Rivian have a special marking on the shoulder: RIV and Elect.

“Elect” is the marking that identifies Pirelli tires for electric vehicles. Tires play a crucial role in EV performance – they are a key safety, performance, and range optimizer. 

Pirelli tires marked “Elect” offer a number of advantages for electric vehicles, thanks to a specific set of technical characteristics. Low rolling resistance helps to maximize each car’s range. In electric cars, reduction in noiseaccentuates one of the key advantages of electric driving: silence. Finally, the Pirelli tires marked “Elect” offer improved traction in line with the intense demands from the transmission. Electric motors deliver the maximum torque available right from the bottom of the rev range, and so they need tires that can bite into the asphalt instantly.

Pirelli and Rivian co-developed these products over almost two years, and this collaboration has resulted in three special tires: 20, 21 and 22 inches. In particular, the Scorpion Verde All Season in 21 inches have a very special tire size, unique in the world, introduced in the industry by Pirelli specifically for Rivian: 275 55R21.

The technical partnership with Rivian underlines the focus of Pirelli on sustainable mobility and American car brands.

PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE ALL SEASON: THE “LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE” TIRE

The Scorpion Verde (Italian for green) All Season is Pirelli’s eco-friendly Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire developed for the drivers of crossovers, sport utility vehicles and pickups.

The main challenge Pirelli’s technicians had to face to develop a dedicated version of these tires for Rivian was to meet their low rolling resistance targets.

Pirelli’s engineers worked on a higher-silica compound that decreases the vehicles’ energy consumption. Then, they worked on a dedicated design of the mold, narrowing the tread pattern of the tires and keeping an optimal footprint pressure distribution. In this case reducing surface-to-ground contact translates into less energy dissipation.

Pirelli’s Scorpion Verde All Season tires for Rivian are constructed from lighter raw materials that don’t compromise durability or performance. The Scorpion Verde All Season also presents a special size, unique in the industry: 275/55R21. 

The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season for Rivian increases efficiency and range. It is also designed to combine dry and wet road handling, comfort and year-round capabilities, including all-season traction in light snow.

PIRELLI SCORPION ZERO ALL SEASON: THE “GRIPPY” TIRE

If “Verde” in the Pirelli vocabulary defines its environmentally friendly tires with low rolling resistance and weight, “Zero” definitely indicates its high-performance range.   

In particular, the Scorpion Zero All Season tires are developed for the drivers of powerful crossovers and SUVs, as well as sport-tuned and performance pickup trucks looking for a combination of high-performance capability with all-season utility, including the ability to drive in snow.

For its vehicles, Rivian asked Pirelli to develop an even “grippier” version of its Scorpion Zero All Season tires. To achieve this request, Pirelli’s engineers introduced nano-composite compounds to ensure maximum grip and stability. Then they focused on the tread pattern, introducing a dedicated mold with a larger tread width, able to provide more contact area and, consequently, leading to a better handling performance.

All of that, without compromising the low rolling resistance targets needed to support a longer vehicle range.

PIRELLI SCORPION ALL TERRAIN: THE OFF-ROAD TIRE

Pirelli’s 275/65R20 off-road tire, the Scorpion All Terrain Plus, was also specifically developed for the R1T and R1S with electric adventure in mind.

The Scorpion All Terrain Plus is Pirelli’s On-/Off- Road All-Terrain light truck tire developed for drivers of pickup trucks, crossovers, and SUVs who want a balanced blend of on-road civility with off-road capability. The Scorpion All Terrain Plus is designed with a focus on optimizing durability, traction and wear resistance, in addition to providing snow traction: it gained indeed the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

The Scorpion All Terrain Plus is molded into a symmetric, high-void pattern. This pattern is designed to provide smooth and quiet on-road operation along with aggressive looks and confident off-road traction. Deep grooves and independent tread blocks help provide the clawing action needed to find grip in loose terrain, and conical stone ejectors resist punctures by forcing small rocks from the tread.

In this case, the challenge to create a dedicated version of these tires for Rivian has been to match their low rolling resistance targets with the off-road applications of the Scorpion All Terrain. 

To achieve this result, Pirelli’s engineers designed a dedicated mold in order to reduce the weight of the tire, adding then a special compound for light trucks that made the tires more resistant to cuts and lacerations.

Queen Naija – misunderstood

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QUEEN NAIJA’S DEBUT ALBUM, MISSUNDERSTOOD, IS OUT TODAY

Queen Shares Official Video For Pretend

Platinum-certified singer/songwriter Queen Naija hailed by The New York Times as ‘the first soul star of the social media generation’ released her debut album, missunderstood, today via Capitol Records.

Download / stream HERE.

In her career to date, Queen has already amassed over 1.7 billion combined global streams.Today, Queen shared the official video for Pretend. View HERE .

Lil Durk, Russ, Mulatto, Toosii, Jacquees, Lucky Daye, Kiana Led, and Pretty Vee feature on the album. missunderstood includes ‘Butterflies Pt. 2’, which continues its climb at Urban AC radio, entering the top three. The song has more than 63 million combined global streams while ‘Pack Lite’ has amassed over 42 million cumulative streams. Teyana Taylor, aka Spike Tey, directed the official videos for Pack Lite and Lie to Me ft. Lil Durk.

Earlier this week, Queen shared the album’s track listing in the form of a nostalgic 90’s sitcom introduction featuring her new single ‘Bitter ft. Mulatto’ as the show’s theme song. View HERE. The video racked up 500,000 views in the first 24 hours. Additional diary-entry style videos that serve as a visual track-by-track were released on her YouTube channel a total of 16 videos, one for each track on the album. After Zane Lowe premiered ‘Bitter,’ it became the #1 trending song on Apple Music. Queen appeared on the cover of New Music Daily and ‘Bitter’ took the #1 spot on the playlist. Listen to Queen on The Zane Lowe Show HERE.

In the lead-up to the album’s release, Queen appeared on Kandi Burruss’ Speak On It podcast and Angela Yee’s Lip Service. She also spoke with American Songwriter about penning the songs for ‘missunderstood,’ shared The Playlist of My Life on Teen Vogue’s YouTube channel and was featured in an Elle #WakingUpWith video.

Named by HotNewHipHop as one of the most talented figures in R&B right now, Queen features alongside Jeremih and Lil Durk on the remix of NE-YO’s new single, U 2 Luv, which was released last Friday. View the lyric video HERE. With the arrival of her 2018 self-titled debut EP, Queen emerged as an unstoppable new force in the R&B world. Queen Naija featured three Platinum-certified singles: Butterflies, Karma, and her breakthrough hit Medicine an independently released smash that made its staggering debut at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, a nearly-unheard-of achievement for an unsigned artist. Along with debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, she earned major recognition in the 2019 awards season with nominations for Top R&B Artist at the Billboard Music Awards, Best New Artist at the BET Awards and three nods at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Track Listing “missunderstood”:

  1. Intro
  2. Too Much To Say
  3. I’m Her feat. Kiana Led
  4. Pack Lite
  5. Lie To Me feat. Lil Durk
  6. Dream feat. Lucky Daye
  7. Love Language
  8. Without You feat. Russ
  9. Say What You Mean
  10. Bitter Skit feat. Pretty Vee
  11. Bitter feat. Mulatto
  12. One Time feat. Toosii
  13. Pressure
  14. Five Seconds feat. Jacquees
  15. Pretend
  16. Trial And Error
  17. Butterflies Pt. 2
  18. Beautiful

For more information on Queen Naija visit:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGsR5CVHh_T4nMLiKhfV7qg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queennaija

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Queen-Naija/100011121128619

Lewis Brice – Young

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Brice Releases New Single Following Streaming Success of “It’s You” Which has Amassed More Than
11 Million Streams and Counting

“Over a banjo laced melody accented by a funky beat” (The Boot / Angela Stefano) Lewis Brice brings the nostalgia with his new single “Young,” available today. The single, which premiered exclusively on The Boot, was co-written by Brice with Rozes and Joshua Logan Tangney and co-produced by Brice with his brother Lee Brice and Ben Simonetti. This is the first release since Brice’s single “It’s You,” which has become a streaming sensation, garnering more than 11 million streams since its release earlier this year.

With lyrics that take you right back to your youth, listeners will want a front seat to Brice’s sentimental trip down memory lane in “Young.”

First kiss and firefly wishin’, Downpour rain that never missed us. Rope swing and backflippin’, Skinny-dippin’, Whiskey sippin’

“Young is a song that takes you back to when you were still figuring it out, where mistakes and memories were made that last a lifetime,” Brice tells The Boot. “I know looking back on when I was a lil’ younger always brings a smile to my face.”

Brice’s previous single “It’s You” has seen tremendous streaming success, amassing more than 11 million streams and has been added to key country and all-genre playlists, most recently Amazon’s Country Heat. Additionally, the single has spent four weeks on the Spotify Daily Viral 50 Charts and three weeks on the Spotify Weekly Viral 50 Charts, garnering around 870k streams weekly across all streaming services. The “perfectly romantic love song (CMT.com)” was co-written by Brice with Ben Simonetti and Niko Moon. Ben Simonetti also produced the track, which has been featured on pivotal playlists including Spotify’s Global Viral, Hot Country, US Viral, Breakout Country and New Boots, Apple Music’s Breaking Country, Pure Country Radio, Pandora’s New Country Radio playlists and many more. Fans can watch Brice perform this single and more fan favorite hits during his weekly Monday night Happy Hour, “Live with Lewis,” at 5 p.m. CST on his Facebook and Instagram.

Here’s an overview of playlists including “It’s You”:

Spotify Hot Country, Spotify New Boots, Spotify Wild Country, Spotify New Music Nashville, Spotify Next From Nashville, Spotify Breakout Country, Apple Music Soundcheck, Apple Music Country Lovin’ (Canada), Apple Music Breaking Country, Apple Music Light My Fire, Apple Pure Country Radio, Radio Disney Country Playlist, YouTube Country Paradise, Pandora New Country Radio, Spotify Global Viral 50, Spotify US Viral 50, Spotify Country Songs 2020 – Best Country Music Playlists 2020, Spotify May 2020 Monthly Country Music Hits, Spotify Country Top Tracks, Spotify Canada Viral 50, Spotify Viral, Spotify As 50 virais do mundo, Apple Country Risers, Sirius XM On the Horizon, Pandora Country Love Songs, Pandora Emerging Artists, Amazon Fresh Country

For more information and the latest news on Lewis Brice, follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit LewisBrice.com.

ABOUT LEWIS BRICE:

Lewis’s debut self-titled EP, produced by himself and his brother Lee Brice, was released via Pump House Music on July 14th, 2017 to glowing reviews, landing at No. 11 on the US iTunes Country chart. Since then, Lewis has been named one of Rolling Stone Country’s “New Country Artists You Need to Know” and Billboard’s “Country Artists to Watch in 2018”. Tracks from the EP were featured on SiriusXM The Highway, CMT Music, and Spotify’s New Boots & Wild Country playlists, and its lead single ‘Best Ex Ever’ reached the Top 40 of MusicRow’s Country Breakout radio chart. The next chapter of Lewis’s music was unveiled on November 23rd, 2018 as the first single from his forthcoming second collection of songs, titled ‘Blessed’, was introduced to the world by a special Thanksgiving acoustic performance premiere with his brother Lee Brice. With more new music on the horizon, 2020 promises to be the best year yet for Lewis Brice!

BENEE – Plain × Lily Allen & Flo Milli

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New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE reveals her new single, “Plain” feat. Lily Allen & Flo Milli—listen HERE! It stands out as the latest song to be unveiled from her anxiously awaited full-length debut, Hey u x, out November 13th—pre-order it HERE now.

Sending a message to an ex, dreamy guitar fades in and out of the background as BENEE croons, “What a shame your girl’s so plain, she’s got nothing on me. Hope she stays the hell away, I don’t want to see her.” The song features a gorgeously melancholic cameo from Lily Allen, while Flo Milli raps over the bouncy beat with a razor-sharp rhyme of her own. The track unites three dynamic and diverse female voices on one understated, yet undeniable send-off.

Of the collaboration, BENEE says, “I wanted to make it a song someone could listen to when they find out their ex is with someone new. The feeling sucks, so I wanted ‘Plain’ to make ya feel like you have the upper hand. Lily and Flo Milli both have such cool sass, and both their verses really elevated the track!”

Just over a week ago, BENEE first shared the details for Hey u x. Blending, bending and breaking genres like only she can, the much-anticipated record boasts an all-star cast of collaborators, including Grimes, Gus Dapperton, Mallrat, Kenny Beats, Bakar and Muroki. Hey u x includes BENEE’s Platinum-Certified smash hit “Supalonley” feat. Gus Dapperton, which has amassed over 2.1 billion global streams to date, as well as her recently released pop bops, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats and Bakar and “Snail.” See the full album tracklist below. The album artwork was designed by Californian artist Terry Hoff.

Earlier this month, BENEE announced the launch of Olive, her very own record label based in New Zealand. Her first signing is Muroki, a 19-year-old artist from Raglan, New Zealand, who is featured on Hey u x and accompanied her on her sold-out arena tour across New Zealand. Plus, the breakout artist recently reached new heights with nominations at the MTV EMAs(PUSH Best New Artist Category), E! People’s Choice Awards (The New Artist of 2020 Category) and New Zealand’s Aotearoa Music Awards (Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, Best Pop Artist).

Hey u x TRACKLIST

  1. “Happen To Me”
  2. “Same Effect”
  3. “Sheesh” feat. Grimes
  4. “Supalonely” feat. Gus Dapperton
  5. “Snail”
  6. “Plain” feat. Lily Allen & Flo Milli
  7. “Kool”
  8. “Winter” feat. Mallrat
  9. “A Little While”
  10. “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats & Bakar
  11. “All The Time” feat. Muroki
  12. “If I Get To Meet You”
  13. “C U”

ABOUT BENEE

Stella Rose Bennett, who records as BENEE, grew up in Auckland, New Zealand on a steady diet of downer Soundcloud rap, James Blake breakup hymns, and artists who valued experimentation like Bjork, Groove Armada, and Radiohead, which her parents exposed her to at an early age. One day, on a whim, Bennett put some Gnarls Barkley and Amy Winehouse covers she’d sung directly into GarageBand up on Soundcloud, and soon, she was in the studio with producer Josh Fountain, working on original songs. Last year, Bennett released two EPs—FIRE ON MARZZ and STELLA & STEVE, which went platinum and gold in New Zealand, respectively. Additionally, she was named Apple Up Next Artist July 2020, nominated for MTV VMA “Push Best New Artist” 2020, MTV EMA “Best Push” Artist 2020, E! People’s Choice Awards New Artist of 2020 and nominated for New Zealand’s 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards in the Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, and Best Pop Artist categories. In 2019, she took home four trophies at the New Zealand Music Awards: Single of the Year (“Soaked”), Best Solo Artist, Best Pop Artist, and Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

All of which set the stage for what would become her debut studio album, Hey u x, which is out November 13th. Hey u x is a fascinating album that exists in two opposing eras of modern society: the (relatively) carefree pre-COVID-19 era, and the post COVID world, where lockdowns and intense isolation are now a regular part of life. Each of the songs on the album offer up a discrete universe of heartbreak, loneliness, and personal growth, shot back to the listener as quiet communiques. “I’m writing music for one human listening to the music,” Bennett says. “I want them to feel as connected as they can to my mind. Like a message that you send to a friend.” On Hey u x, musical genres are to be explored and adopted, songs are constructed from otherworldly concepts, and a sense of playfulness hangs over even the most melancholy moments. Like much of what Bennett has achieved thus far, it all seems so casual that it could be accidental, but there’s a deep purpose behind her music and her worldview.

FOLLOW BENEE

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE

JAWNY – For Abby

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Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist JAWNY releases his debut major label project For Abby on Interscope Records. Written in his bedroom in Los Angeles, For Abby features a collection of songs showcasing his restless creativity and eclectic aesthetic.  For Abby is available now at all digital retailers HERE.

Built on a drowsy but hard-hitting production, last week’s release “Trigger of Love” spotlights JAWNY’s signature talent for displaying his raw sincerity and outlandish humor. The Los Angeles-based artist merges his nostalgic reflections with slapstick wordplay, casually dropping iconic references from Monopoly to Hugh Hefner to Janis Joplin.  “Trigger of Love” arrived as the follow-up to “Super Bad Mantra” ft. Christian Blue, a September release hailed by Ones To Watch as an “electrifying new single that’s destined to get you on your feet.” In addition to “Trigger of Love” and “Super Bad Mantra,” For Abby will feature the August-released single “Sabotage,” an angsty and resigned track that was heralded by Clara Amfo & Annie Mac of BBC 1 Radio: “…I  would say if you grew up loving Beastie Boys, if you still love Beastie Boys then you’ll be definitely into this”, setting the dark-humored tone of JAWNY’s major-label debut.

The 10-track project (Definitely not an EP! But, also not an album!) is a conceptual, narrative piece in which JAWNY attempts to rekindle a troubled relationship with ‘Abby’ by giving her a “mixtape” of her favorite songs in hopes that she will eventually call him back. As most relationships do, the project starts off on an uptempo high note with songs like “Super Bad Mantra” and the playful “You Gotta Man” on Side A, but eventually gets significantly more introspective once Abby flips the tape over to Side B, where she finds sentimental & confessional lo-fi ballads like “When I Fall Apart”, “4tounce”, “Coloring” and the superb title track “For Abby”.

For Abby also displays the untamed originality JAWNY first revealed in early releases like his 2019 viral hit “Honeypie.” Hailed as a “slacker-funk gem” by DIY Mag, “Honeypie” has racked up over 120 million streams globally across all streaming platforms and has surpassed 13 million views on YouTube.

Born Jacob Sullenger, JAWNY grew up outside Oakland and started playing guitar when he was just six-years-old. At age 13, he began making beats with his brother, eventually landing placements with several rappers in the SoundCloud scene of the late-aughts. By 2017 he’d gained a cult-like following thanks in part to a series of viral videos posted on Twitter, and drew further buzz in 2018 with a self-titled debut EP made under the stage name Johnny Utah. In 2019, he broadened his fanbase with widely praised singles like “Honeypie” and “4Tounce,” then landed a deal with Interscope Records by the year’s end.

JAWNY For Abby

Retail | Amazon | Apple Music | Deezer | iTunes

Pandora | Soundcloud | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube Music

FOLLOW JAWNY

Website | Instagram | Twitter

Cody illustration for 360 magazine by Kaelen Felix

Big Brother’s 22 Finale

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By Hannah DiPilato

Wednesday night, the 22nd season of the reality show Big Brother on CBS came to an end. Cody Calafiore took home the grand prize of $500,000 after an unanimous vote. 

The season premiered August 5th, a much later start than previous years due to the pandemic, which led to a later finale. 

Calafiore, Enzo Palumbo and Nicole Franzel were the final three players in the house. Franzel won the first round of the three-part Head of Household competition. Calafiore beat Palumbo by a landslide in part two. Calafiore finished the competition in 4 minutes and 49 seconds while it took Palumbo 37 minutes and 38 seconds. 

Palumbo, discouraged about his time, gave a very emotional speech that left Calafiore and Franzel in tears. He expressed feeling like a failure while explaining the other two players should choose each other for the final two. After he stormed off in frustration, Calafiore and Franzel had to move on to part three of the competition. 

Calafiore took the win of the final HOH competition and had to choose who to have sit next to him for the final vote. He chose to eliminate Franzel and take Palumbo to the final two. Franzel was in shock at the fact she was voted out. 

“You know, I was so hurt and it’s so crazy to say because him and I got so close this season and he was like a brother to me. It just hurts,” said Franzel according to Entertainment Weekly. 

Franzel then joined the jury, which consists of players that were voted out throughout the season and choose the final winner between the final two. The jury speculated in the last few episodes who they thought played the best game, but also pointed out flaws in the games of everyone in the final three. 

Both Calafiore and Palumbo had a chance to plead their case to the jury. Each jury member was able to ask one of the final two players one question to help them choose a winner. Both players advocated for themselves well, but with Cody playing such a strong mental and physical game, he was victorious. 

When Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves started revealing the votes that were all in favor of Calafiore, we quickly learned he was going to win. With a vote of nine to zero, Calafiore took the crown with all jury members in agreement that he played the best game. 

Palumbo gave his co-star and friend a hug congratulating him and didn’t look too distraught about the loss. He said he would be using his second-place prize of $50,000 strictly on his two children. 

Calafiore exited the house and was met with confetti and his former housemates to congratulate him. His family was also present virtually, beaming with pride for Calafiore. He expressed that he did not know what he would do with the grand prize money. 

It was also revealed on finale night that player Da’Vonne Rogers won America’s vote for favorite houseguest and was rewarded with a prize of $25,000. In an interview with Rogers after the show, she revealed that if Calafiore would have taken Franzel to sit next to him in the finale instead of Palumbo, he would’ve had less of a chance to win.

“If it were Nicole and Cody, Cody would have won, but it wouldn’t have been a unanimous vote,” said Rogers. She said that players Memphis, Christmas, Kevin and David would have voted for Franzel over Calafiore.

Although the results of the finale didn’t come as a huge surprise to most fans, Calafiore played an excellent game until the end. He made all the right plays to guarantee his prize of $500,000.

Kaelen Felix illustrates Nas for 360 Magazine

BET’s New Documentary

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Illustration by Kaelen Felix

BET PRESENTS NEW ORIGINAL GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY “SMOKE: MARIJUANA + BLACK AMERICA” EXECUTIVE PRODUCED AND NARRATED BY MULTI-PLATINUM RAPPER AND ENTREPRENEUR
NASIR “NAS” JONES

The Two-Hour Original Documentary Explores Black America’s Complex Relationship with Marijuana and the Current Fight to Reap the Benefits of Legalization. “SMOKE” Will Premiere
Wednesday, November 18 at 10 PM ET/PT

Produced by Swirl Films, “SMOKE” Features Sit-Down Interviews with Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney
Kim Foxx, Representative Barbara Lee, Former NBA Player Al Harrington, WNBA Star Cheyenne Parker, Former NFL Player Ricky Williams, Rapper B Real, Singer/Producer Ty Dolla $ign, Son of Notorious B.I.G. C.J. Wallace and others

Watch The Trailer Here

BET has announced a new original documentary titled “Smoke: Marijuana + Black America,” set to premiere onWednesday, November 18th at 10pm ET/PT. Narrated and executive produced by multi-platinum rapper and entrepreneur, Nasir “Nas” Jones, the two-hour special examines marijuana’s cultural, social, economic and legal impact on American society and the Black community. Told through the lens of aficionados, policy makers, advocates and innovators in the booming legal cannabis industry, SMOKE features testimony from a range of notable individuals including Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Representative Barbara Lee, former NBA player and cannabis investor Al Harrington, WNBA star Cheyenne Parker, former NFL star Ricky Williams, rapper B-Real (Cypress Hill), award-winning music artist Ty Dolla $ign, son of Notorious B.I.G. C.J. Wallace, Columbia University PhD Professor Carl Hart and others.

Watch The “Smoke” Trailer Here“SMOKE” traces the fascinating and complex legacy of marijuana in the Black community. Early usage was recreational in nature, but political and racial dynamics led to the criminalization of cannabis and eventually its prohibition. America’s unjust war on drugs systematically targeted marijuana use in the Black community, resulting in racially disproportionate numbers of arrests and convictions. “SMOKE” features the voices of high-profile lawmakers, including the potential Vice President of the United States Senator Kamala D. Harris, Senator Cory Booker and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who are fighting to bring restorative justice to those incarcerated and others saddled with felony convictions. SMOKE also spotlights the tragic story of Corvain Cooper, a father, who is serving a life sentence for selling marijuana in the same neighborhood where legal dispensaries now operate in the open.

While the legal cannabis industry is expected to generate $30 billion in sales by 2025, only 4.3 percent of dispensaries are currently Black owned. “SMOKE” spotlights the hypocrisy of the system, highlighting the stories of pioneering African American entrepreneurs across the country, including former NBA player Al Harrington, who are fighting to own a piece of the booming legal cannabis industry currently dominated by White owned conglomerates and entrepreneurs.

“SMOKE” also dives into the controversy and stories of brave African American athletes, including former NFL star Ricky Williams, and WNBA star Cheyenne Parker, who have risked their careers by openly embracing their use of Cannabis.

“Smoke: Marijuana + Black America” is produced by Swirl Films. Nasir “Nas” Jones, Jason Samuels from BET, and Eric Tomosunas from Swirl Films serve as executive producers. Erik Parker serves as director for the documentary and Swirl Films’ Tony L. Strickland serves as co-executive producer.

For more information, go to BET.com and follow us @bet and @betnews across social media.

ABOUT BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT SWIRL FILMS
Swirl Films is one of the leading independent TV & Urban Film Production companies in the country, based out of Atlanta, Georgia and founded by Eric Tomosunas in 2001. Swirls project slate includes the wildly popular original drama series, Saints & Sinners, and as well as high-quality films and series produced for BET, TV One, Bounce, Lifetime, Hallmark, Reel One, Netflix & Up TV. Swirl Films provides services and content across various areas of production spanning from script to screen, for movies, biopics, scripted series, award shows and documentaries. Purchased in 2019, Swirl Films owns and operates its own 100,000 square foot film studio in Atlanta.

Rita Azar illustrates relationship article for 360 MAGAZINE

Important Tips When Vacationing with Your Special Someone

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Traveling is an enjoyable activity, most especially if you are with the one you love. Sunrises and sunsets become more beautiful, the food seemingly tastes better, and any cultural barriers become more of an experience to laugh at than an irritant.

So, all your custom research papers are written, vacation is about to start, your clothes are ready and tickets are waiting for you to take them and go. But if you are together and unprepared, things might not go the way you planned. Here are some things to consider when vacationing with your special someone.

#1 Agree upon what you’d like to do together

A common source of conflict when vacationing together is that one person is dictating the terms. He or she says what tourist sites they will visit, where they will eat, what souvenirs to buy, and even what time of the day they will do all these things. While the other partner may give in at first, it eventually becomes a pain.

Instead, the couple should discuss what they’d like to do together before going on the trip, including possible dos and don’ts. While spontaneity can be fun and romantic, if your partner is really against doing something (swimming with the sharks, jumping out of a plane, or eating scorpions), then there should be no reason to force them.

#2 Be patient when difficulties crop up

When traveling, difficulties of some sort usually crop up, such as misplacing your tickets, leaving the cellphone charger at the hotel, or forgetting to pick something up on your supply run at the local store. It is important to stay patient. Snapping at each other over such minor inconveniences will ruin the mood for your trip.

This patience is also necessary when dealing with the locals. Cultural and language differences may cause you to become impatient. But dealing rudely with them may get you into further trouble, or it may even irritate your partner who just wants to have a good time.

#3 Give each other space

Even in your locale, it is important to give one another space. 

This is also true when visiting a new place. If the place is safe, it is good to allow one another to explore the area alone for a time. If not that safe, then give one another time to lounge alone, read a magazine, or even watch a favorite show. You will find that after some alone time, you and your partner will be ready to enjoy things together again.

#4 Enjoy your time together

A vacation together is supposed to strengthen your bond as a couple. So ensure that you are both having fun. That’s why it is inadvisable to bring work with you as much as possible.  

If you notice that one of you is not enjoying the trip, find ways to make it more fun. Think of what you can both do to bring more life to your trip. It could be visiting something not on your itinerary, having a coffee at a local café, or just watching the sunset together.

Summary

It’s a blessing to have the chance to travel together. Take advantage of such time, and make it enjoyable by considering the tips above.

FEVER 333, grandson x Linkin Park

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FEVER 333 and grandson covered two Linkin Park songs Wednesday for Spotify Singles.

It is the first time Spotify Singles will go into the catalog, and it’s in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Linkin Park’s diamond-selling album “Hybrid Theory.”

FEVER 333 delivered a sharpened version of “In The End,” which you can hear by clicking right here.

grandson gave listeners a more electronic version of “One Step Closer,” and you can listen to it right here. Both songs are exclusive to Spotify.

grandson said he first heard “In The End” the he was a kid, later learning all of Mike Shinoda’s verses.

“10 years later I played The Forum with Mike in front of thousands of people. Chester is an all-time great, and I could never try and sing like he does,” grandson said. “We had to pitch the song down just so I could come close to hitting the notes in this song. I just wanted to try and pay homage and do this incredible song justice.”

Jason Aalon-Butler of FEVER 333 said he’ll never forget the first time he heard about Linkin Park.

“In The End” was the song that made me believe that rap and rock still belonged together. I studied their tasteful marriage of the two styles from that moment on and created my own music with that in mind,” Aalon-Butler said.

“I wish I could tell my 14-year-old self that one day I’d receive a DM from Mike Shinoda about him liking my music. I wish even more that I could tell my younger self he’d offer to share his talents and energy with me to make more music. I don’t think 14-year-old me would believe it, though. 35-year-old me still doesn’t,” he said.

FEVER 333 is coming off the release of their latest EP titled “WRONG GENERATION.” They’re also currently live-streaming performances, and tickets can be purchased by clicking right here. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

grandson is heading into the release of his first full length album titled “Death of an Optimist” on Dec. 4. It will include his song “Riptide,” which is produced by Mike Shinoda. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How to get rid of mosquitoes

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Mosquitoes may not transmit COVID-19, but they can carry other dangerous diseases, including West Nile virus and Zika.

Most regions of the U.S. have issues with mosquitoes, but knowing prevention and mitigation measures can stop them from mushrooming into a big problem, says Dr. Craig Stoops (www.mosquito-authority.com), a retired U.S. Navy medical entomologist and chief science officer at Mosquito® Authority, a mosquito control company. 

“People are unfortunately attractive to mosquitoes,” Dr. Stoops says, “but there are numerous ways we can avoid the irritation and the potential danger of a bite. So much has to do with preparing your property and knowing how mosquitoes thrive.

“Some people are more susceptible to bites than others. Mosquitoes can be attracted to different chemicals found in human skin. But just because mosquitoes are an inevitable part of summer doesn’t mean you’re defenseless.”

Dr. Stoops offers five tips to reduce the appearance of mosquitoes and their biter:

  • Consider a professional service. Sometimes people prefer to do it themselves when it comes to fixing home issues, but they later find that a persistent problem is often better left to trained professionals. “Companies that specialize in mosquito control can effectively address the problem by implementing an entire program over a period of time, including follow-ups,” Dr. Stoops says. “There is a science and strategy to a program, and it requires considerable knowledge of how to treat different types of yards in different regions of the country. A good company in this industry continually educates its people as well as the consumers on how to effectively stay ahead of the problem.”
  • Get rid of standing water. Still water is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Common places of standing water include: clogged drain gutters, corrugated drain pipes, bird baths, pet bowls, planters, trash and recycling bins, children’s toys, and kiddie pools. “It is important to remain vigilant and remove any containers and debris from your yard to lower the habitats available to mosquitoes,” Dr. Stoops says. “A mosquito needs only about a tablespoon of water to lay eggs.”
  • Use safe repellents. Repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency have been reviewed and approved to pose minimal risk when used properly. “Some of the most effective ingredients commonly referred to in a repellent are DEET, Picaridan, and oil of lemon eucalyptus,” Dr. Stoops says. EPA-approved repellents provide up to two hours of protection.
  • Dress appropriately. “Studies have shown that some mosquitoes are more attracted to dark clothing,” Dr. Stoops says. “Avoid wearing lightweight, thin materials, which mosquitoes can bite right through. Instead, opt for tightly woven materials, like cotton, denim, nylon, or windbreaker-type materials, which are more difficult for the bugs to penetrate. Clothing that provides UV protection is typically tightly woven and often protects against insect bites, too.”
  • Keep your landscape clean. “Trimmed trees and shrubs improve a property’s air circulation,” Dr. Stoops says. “The increased air flow will physically push mosquitoes out of that area and remove the environment they thrive in. Also, there are some gardening choices that can deter mosquitoes: basil, lavender, and catnip are all plants that mosquitoes don’t like.”

“Many people just think of bug spray during mosquito season,” Dr. Stoops says. “The main idea should be to keep them out of your yard as much as possible. From there, considering summer is the time to get away, always prepare for your environment, especially if hiking or camping.”

About Dr. Craig Stoops

Dr. Craig Stoops (www.mosquito-authority.com), LCDR (ret.) MSC USN, is a retired U.S. Navy Medical Entomologist and chief science officer at Mosquito® Authority, a mosquito control company. He has conducted mosquito control and research in the United States, South and Central America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He has a B.S. in biology from Shippensburg University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Clemson University. Dr. Stoops is board certified by the Entomological Society of America in Medical and Veterinary Entomology.