J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival Announces 2025 Dates in Raleigh
After more than 100,000 fans traveled from all 50 states, Washington DC, and 20-plus countries to attend last year, Dreamville Festival is returning for a fifth edition in 2025. The music fest founded by J. Cole and his team will be held at Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park on April 5-6 next year. Performers haven’t been announced yet, but excited fans can snag tickets when the presale begins on Dec. 11 at 9 a.m. ET. In addition to hearing some of the best names in music perform live, additional activations include site-wide art installations, riding the iconic Dreamville Ferris Wheel, and other surprises.
Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull Top 2024 Formula 1 Team Valuations
With just a couple of races left in the 2024 season, Sportico released its list of Formula 1 team valuations, and Ferrari tops the ranks at $4.78 billion. Mercedes ($3.94 billion) sits in second, while newly crowned champion Max Verstappen’s team, Red Bull Racing, sits in third ($3.5 billion). Rounding out the top five F1 team valuations are Mclaren ($2.65 billion) and Aston Martin ($2.07 billion). For the first time in the league’s history, every team boasts a valuation of over $1 billion.
Adele Caps Vegas Residency with Commemorative Vinyl Drop
After 50 performances, Adele has officially wrapped her two-year Las Vegas residency and she is giving fans a chance to secure a limited-edition collector’s piece to relive memories of the sold-out run. The “Hello” singer announced via Instagram that she’s dropping a live album of Weekends With Adele, adding in other goodies like a photobook and confetti from the show. The collection arrives packaged in a vinyl box and retails for $349. Shipping won’t be available until February 2025, but those anxious to receive Adele-themed goods earlier can spring for other commemorative merch, including a new card game in time for holiday festivities, a ceramic Christmas tree, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and more.
Rivian Granted $6.6B Government Loan to Prep for the Future of EVs
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Rivian Automotive has been granted conditional approval on a $6.6 billion loan from the US government to produce electronic vehicles and build a new facility in Georgia. The California-based firm will receive the initial amount in principle and about $600 million in capitalized interest from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. When both phases of the Georgia plant are complete, the Journal says it will create 7,500 jobs and generate up to 200,000 vehicles annually.
Drake Files New Lawsuit Following ‘Not Like Us’ Beef
A day after submitting a legal filing in Manhattan court on Monday accusing UMG and Spotify of engaging in an illegal “scheme,” a second filing from Drake and his team was made public on Tuesday, this time making similar accusations against iHeartRadio in Texas Court. Both filings center around the promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” with Drake alleging that UMG “funneled payments” to iHeartRadio in a “pay-to-play scheme” in the second claim. Additionally, the superstar is accusing the company of defamation, claiming UMG could have stopped the release of the song that contains strong assertions of his character. UMG responded to Drake’s first filing, saying, “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue.”
Russell Westbrook Makes Major Investment in Sports & Entertainment Future in OKC
Former Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook has backed a group working to bring professional soccer back to the state’s capital. Per a Tuesday release, Echo’s Sports & Entertainment said it has teamed up with Westbrook’s firm, Russell Westbrook Enterprises, on an “eight-figure investment platform to energize Oklahoma City’s sports and entertainment industries.” The partnership includes reviving Oklahoma City’s professional soccer club, building a world-class stadium and entertainment district, and positioning the city as a hotspot for film, television, and production. Westbrook and Echo’s founder, Christian Kanady, will focus on opportunities that are “authentic and purpose-driven.” The professional men’s soccer club is expected to begin play in the United Soccer League (USL) in Spring 2027, around the same time as the opening of the multi-purpose venue.
Selena Gomez’s Wondermind, Fifth Season Partner on First Project
Wondermind, the mental health-focused organization co-founded by Selena Gomez, is expanding its book of business. The company has teamed up with Fifth Season to acquire the film rights to Baggage Claim, a short story from Julianna Baggott about a 30-something baggage claim worker stuck in a rut. This marks the first production effort for Wondermind; Mr. and Mrs. Smith writer Yvonne Hana Yi has been tasked with screenwriting responsibilities. Wondermind CEO Mandy Teefy said this was the ideal inaugural project for the company because “it felt perfectly aligned with our mission to tell deep stories that bring rich mental health narratives to the forefront.” At the moment, no casting announcements or release date has been revealed.
Delta, United, American, Spirit, & Frontier Make Over $12B in Seat Fees
Per a Senate subcommittee report published Tuesday, from 2018 to 2023, five US airlines pocketed more than $12 billion on seat selection fees alone. The companies — United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines — are scheduled to appear in front of lawmakers in a hearing next week to discuss these findings. Additional data in the report revealed that checked bags accounted for $25 billion in revenue during that same period for those aforementioned airlines.
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