Posts made in December 2023

Kirk Franklin – Exodus Festival

Iconic gospel artist Kirk Franklin and Live Nation Urban proudly announce the return of the Exodus Music & Arts Festival. Following sold-out iterations in 2023, 2018, and 2019, it resumes at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas, TX on May 25-26, 2024.

Exodus stands out as the preeminent festival for gospel music and culture, spotlighting the genre’s superstars and elevating the vanguard of its next era. General on-sale will begin on Friday, December 1st at 10am CT HERE. Once again, Franklin will personally host and headline the show.

Stay tuned for more news and announcements about Exodus Music & Arts Festival soon.

About Kirk Franklin

Since making his debut in the early 90s, Kirk Franklin has established himself as a trailblazer and icon in contemporary music. He first burst onto the world stage with Kirk Franklin & The Family, forever changing the look and sound of gospel music. Since then, Franklin has written and produced timeless, genre-bending music for himself and other artists earning numerous awards and accolades, including nineteen GRAMMYs and over fifty Stellar Awards, and has sold over 10 million albums worldwide. With a career spanning over thirty years, he continues to break new ground and make indelible contributions to popular music.

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

Live Nation Urban (LNU) is a partnership with Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company. Specifically focusing on Hip-Hop, R&B and Gospel, LNU builds platforms, events, and festivals globally and develops dynamic content strategies based upon the live properties created. Live Nation Urban considers itself the most powerful source for live urban music. For additional information, visit www.livenationurban.com.

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ

‘Beyonce’s Renaissance is a must-see masterpiece for the marginalized movement, a tribe of communities seeking equity and inclusion.’

—Vaughn Lowery, 360®

BUY

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter‘s Renaissance film is a testament to her hard work and heart. With a behind-the-scenes look at her most talked-about Renaissance World Tour (RWT), it’s a moment of inclusivity and pure transparency.

Queen Bey re-examines her relationship with her Uncle Johnny, former Destiny’s Child band members, and delves deeper into the socioeconomic plight of a triumphant black woman outperforming their male counterparts. The tenacious spirit of an intellectual being who continues to reinvent themselves. Beyoncé’s motherhood is one of the most powerful pivots in entertainment we’ve ever witnessed. While effectively breaking down RWT, she inadvertently continues to end generational curses that constantly cripple the black community.

An exclusive exhibition of epic talents from Honey Balenciaga, Blue Ivy, Amari Marshall, and her pregnant trumpet player, Crystal Torres. She single-handedly creates safe spaces where her stage lands. Next, she explains the RWT Jumbotrons that were mostly made by women.

During the briefing, the audience was mesmerized by her concert recaps featuring Megan Thee Stallion and Kendrick Lamar. Moreover, we got a brief glimpse of Remi & Sir, Kevin JZ Prodigy, and legendary publicist Yvette Noel-Schure (Prince).

As an opulent and decadent global citizen, Beyoncé repels negativity. She gave an open explanation to the critics about her daughter’s contribution to the tour and conveyed Blue Ivy’s determination to perform My Power. Finally, audience members understood that Blue Ivy is a Knowles-Carter and is never afraid of working on her craft. This especially proves online haters wrong. In fact, there wasn’t a non- teary-eyed person at the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9.

Beyonce’s homage to her beautiful black progressive parents was one of the most iconic moments. Affirming her inherent attributes from father Mathew Knowles, who is an analytics expert, and mother Ms. Tina Knowles, who is resourceful, Beyoncé’s parental acknowledgment was profound. Despite the adolescent turbulence, Beyoncé reminds us to thank our parents for their sacrificial support as we journey toward success.

Lastly, Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter’s next gem of the evening was to trust in yourself and let your talents coupled with skills speak for themselves.

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ feature via 360 MAGAZINE.

Photo: Beyoncé | Parkwood Entertainment

Articles in the Media

Beyonce’s Renaissance Tops Global Box Office w/ 27.4 million

Renaissance debuts No. 1 at box office

Entertainment Weekly

World AIDS Day

Newsbreak

Taylor attends Renaissance film premiere

NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL

On the 35th Anniversary of World AIDS Day, the National AIDS Memorial Hosts Light in the Grove, a Community Fundraiser Dedicated to Remembrance and Renewal.

World AIDS Day Commemorated through Powerful Conversations with 5-time Olympic medalist and LGBTQ+ activist Greg Louganis and Others

The National AIDS Memorial marks the 35th Anniversary of World AIDS Day with a series of events which honor the history of the AIDS movement, highlight current progress and struggles, and provide hope for the future. Light in the Grove, consistently recognized as one of the Bay Area’s best LGBTQ+ community fundraising events, kicks off the commemoration on the evening of November 30. A series of inspiring conversations on December 1 brings to life faces and stories of the pandemic which has taken the lives of 32 million people worldwide and to offer hope and support to the 1.2 million people estimated to be living with HIV in the U.S. today.

What/When:

Light in the Grove, Thursday, November 30, 6 – 9:30 PM: A magical evening under a big tent in the heart of the National AIDS Memorial Grove. All proceeds directly support the mission and programs of the National AIDS Memorial.

World AIDS Day, Friday, December 1, Noon – 2 PM: Two powerful conversations will offer context around the intersectional issues connected to the struggle of living with HIV/AIDS, and provide hope and inspiration for the future. The annual World AIDS Day National Observance is free to the public.

Opening/Welcome, Noon – 12:20 PM: The day begins with a performance of Dance AZTECA, a living, evolving, cultural tradition using the artistic and spiritual traditions of the pre-Colombian Aztecs. An invocation and opening remarks will follow.

Bodily Autonomy in 2023, 12:20 – 1:05 PM: Conversation focuses on what defines

this fundamental human right, how it affects various communities differently, the current legal, social, and political barriers that surround it, and what actions can be taken in its support. This all-BIPOC, female-identifying panel will engage in an insightful conversation around personal freedom, choice, and self-determination.

Insights with Greg Louganis, 1:15 – 2 PM: In conversation with National AIDS Memorial CEO John Cunningham. Louganis will recount a deeply personal story of living with HIV/AIDS under a public spotlight and how this has shaped his trajectory and inspired his mission.

Following the conversations, participants are invited to the Grove’s Circle of Friends, where nearly 4,000 names of lives touched by AIDS are engraved. A reading of the names engraved in the Circle in 2023, including Louganis, will ensue. A light lunch will follow.

Where:

National AIDS Memorial Grove, ‍Nancy Pelosi Drive & Bowling Green Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94122. The only federally designated memorial to the pandemic.

Who:

Light in the Grove:

Opening Remarks:
- John Cunningham, CEO, National AIDS Memorial.
- Daniel O’Day, Chairman and CEO, Gilead Sciences which is the presenting sponsor for the National AIDS Memorial’s World AIDS Day observance.
Hope and Inspiration Award Recipient (inaugural award introduced in 2023, bestowed upon an individual who has clearly exemplified through challenge and struggle what it means to be resilient and who serves as an inspiration for the HIV/AIDS community):
- Lashanda (Tootie) Salinas, active member of the Tennessee HIV Modernization Coalition, a Health Not Prisons advocate, and a member of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Council of Justice Leaders. First diagnosed with HIV at 16. In 2006, Salinas was unjustly imprisoned and charged with a crime for living with HIV, forcing her to register as a sex offender. She was instrumental in changing Tennessee state law to decriminalize living with HIV.

World AIDS Day:

Emcee: Karl Schmid, television host and noted AIDS activist.
Bodily Autonomy in 2023 Panel:
- Panelist: Asmara Gebre, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine faculty in the OBGYN department with clinical practice at San Francisco General Hospital. Gebre founded and leads several initiatives in San Francisco focused on improving access to midwifery-led care and community resources including Black Centering, Black Midwifery Fellowship, BIPOC Aspiring Midwives, Midwifery Mentorship & Belonging, and One Love Black Community.
- Panelist: Aria Sa’id, transgender advocate and political strategist; founder/President Emerita of The Transgender District.
- Panelist: Lashanda (Tootie) Salinas, active member of the Tennessee HIV Modernization Coalition, a Health Not Prisons advocate, and a member of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Council of Justice Leaders. The inaugural 2023 National Aids Memorial Hope and Inspiration Award recipient.
- Moderator: Imani Rupert-Gordon, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, California. NCLR is a non-profit, public interest law firm that litigates precedent-setting cases at the trial and appellate court levels; advocates for equitable public policies affecting the LGBTQ community; provides free legal assistance to LGBTQ people and their legal advocates; and conducts community education on issues facing LGBTQ people.
Insights from Greg Louganis:
- Greg Louganis, Longtime AIDS/HIV survivor, LGBTQ+ activist, Olympic gold medalist, NY Times best-selling author, National AIDS Memorial 2023 National Leadership Award honoree.
- John Cunningham, CEO of the National AIDS Memorial.

Why:

World AIDS Day is an international day dedicated to raising awareness about the AIDS pandemic. Every year on December 1st, the world gathers to remember the stories of those lost, educate others about its impact, and rally to eliminate the devastating stigma associated with the disease. Each year, our community hosts a national observance in the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. We bring leaders together from across the country for a national conversation to shine a light on the ongoing struggle to end the epidemic, recognize the progress made, and inspire hope for the future. The National AIDS Memorial is dedicated to ensure that the lives of people who died from AIDS are not forgotten and the tragic story of AIDS is known by future generations – so that never again will a community be harmed because of fear, silence, discrimination, or stigma.

How:

For media inquiries, please reach out to Michele or Mike using the contact information above.

TYLA – ON AND ON

‘The next generation’s global superstar hails from Joburg.’

— Vaughn Lowery, 360®

Tyla is making it reign. She may be amidst a whirlwind 2023, but Tyla is already gearing up for an even bigger 2024. The South African star announces her self-titled debut album, TYLA, today along with a pre-order and the release of three brand new tracks. The track “On and On,” premiered as a COLORS exclusive this Thursday.

Tyla isn’t just topping charts, she’s making history. When “Water” ascended to its current Top 10 position on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, it gave Tyla her first career Top 10 and earned her the distinction of being the highest-charting African female solo artist EVER on the Hot 100 chart. At just 21-years-old, calling Tyla’s limit the sky may prove to be a modest take.

TYLA is set to arrive in 2024.

[Pre-order: TYLA]

[Watch: Tyla – “On and On” | A COLORS SHOW]

Tyla’s self-titled debut album will represent the culmination of what’s been an incredible journey to this point for the 21-year-old Amapiano star, but also an exciting beginning. “Water,” a consensus candidate for the coveted ‘Song of the Summer’ distinction and one of the hottest second-half songs of the year, has given Tyla a powerful launching pad. Now, with three new songs to go along with the star-studded remixes to “Water,” featuring Travis Scott and Marshmello respectively. Tyla’s mission to help push her native Amapiano sound to global heights is well underway. Tyla and Scott debuted their version of their remix at GQ’s Man of the Year Party, one of the most exclusive annual parties of the year.

“As soon as I heard ‘Water,’ I said, ‘It’s over. We have the song’,” says Tyla of her first experience hearing the music behind her smash hit, in a detailed breakdown for Rolling Stone.

“Water” also ascended to the top of the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip Hop Airplay Chart this week, another indicator of Tyla’s dominant crossover year. The song was the most-played record on U.S. mainstream R&B/Hip Hop stations last week according to Billboard, and it maintains its strong positioning on Billboard’s Global 200 chart, currently sitting at #6. These are crowning achievements for Tyla, who is on the record about her desire to bring her native sound of Amapiano to the world as she interpolates its sound with other genres and styles.

Tyla’s pack of pre-release songs span a variety of the young star’s styles, from the uptempo frequencies of “Water” and “Truth or Dare” to the subdued, acoustic atmosphere of “Butterflies.” In conversation with Cosmopolitan in October, Tyla emphasized her will to fuse genres and styles as she explores her artistry. “Rap, R&B, pop, our type of House in South Africa—not the oontz-oontz type. Jazz, literally almost everything,” she says, describing the music that soundtracked her youth. “So I had a wide variety, and I fell in love with it all. I think that’s why my sound is a fusion of a lot of different things—because I don’t like just one sound.”

“Tyla’s success, and the success of ‘Water’ are a testament to Tyla’s God-given talent, her diligent work ethic, and what can happen when those two elements marry perfectly,” says Epic Records Chairwoman/CEO Sylvia Rhone.

Epic’s President, Ezekiel Lewis, adds, “There’s no foolproof formula for a hit song. Tyla brought herself to the studio, infused herself into the record, and the world responded in kind. We’re excited that everyone is excited about this glimpse of what Tyla can bring to the table, but she has so much more to offer. 2024 is going to be a fun year.”

Tyla’s self-titled debut album is due out in 2024.

PRE-ORDER TYLA HERE.

Follow Tyla:

Instagram / TikTok / Twitter / Facebook

Photo Credit: Jeremy Soma