Beyoncé Stars in Levi’s ‘REIIMAGINE’ Campaign
Beyoncé went from singing about her “Levii’s Jeans” on Cowboy Carter to now teaming up with the iconic denim apparel brand on a new campaign. Aptly titled “REIIMAGINE,” the collaboration with Levi’s is inspired by Bey’s inventive approach to art, culture, and storytelling, with the Houston-born singer appearing in a “series of chapters” that aims to reinvent some of the company’s most memorable ads. The first visual, “Launderette,” draws comparisons from the 1985 commercial of the same name that landed Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” on the Billboard charts nearly two decades after its release.
DirecTV to Acquire Dish in Merger of Satellite TV Rivals
DirecTV confirmed Monday its intent to purchase rival Dish Network following years of merger talk. DirecTV and Dish parent company EchoStar said the “combination of DirecTV and Dish will benefit US video consumers by creating a more robust competitive force in a video industry dominated by streaming services owned by large tech companies and programmers.” DirecTV will buy Dish Network by paying a nominal consideration of $1 while assuming $9.75 billion of Dish’s $20 billion debt. DirecTV, alongside private equity firm TPG Angelo Gordon, is also paying $2.5 billion to refinance Dish’s outstanding debt.
Shohei Ohtani Tops MLB Jersey Sales Over Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge
After the historic season he’s had, it’s no surprise that Shohei Ohtani topped MLB jersey sales for the second straight season. The MLB and MLB Players Inc. shared the top 10 list on Monday, with the Los Angeles star claiming the No. 1 spot in his first season in a Dodgers uniform. Following Ohtani were Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, while fellow Dodgers teammate Mookie Betts and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor rounded out the top five, respectively.
Drake’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour’ Crowned Highest-Grossing Hip-Hop Tour Ever
Drake’s It’s All A Blur Tour has officially been named the highest-grossing hip-hop tour in history. Genius shared the news on Instagram, writing in the caption that the 80-date jaunt sold out at each venue and made $320.5 million with 1.3 million tickets sold. Featured guests on the tour included 21 Savage, J. Cole, Travis Scott, Sexyy Red, and more.
OpenAI Reportedly Set to Receive $500M Investment from SoftBank
The Information reported Monday that SoftBank‘s Vision Fund will invest $500 million in OpenAI, its first stake in the ChatGPT developer. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son expressed interest in the investment because the recent improvements in AI renewed his interest in backing the technology. Not to mention, Son has even consulted ChatGPT’s software for his own use. CNBC says OpenAI is expected to close a $6.5 billion funding round this week, which should value the San Francisco-based company at around $150 billion.
LVMH Sells Off-White to Bluestar Alliance
LVMH has sold Off-White LLC, the Off-White brand’s parent company, to brand management firm Bluestar Alliance, the company announced Monday. “Acquiring Off-White™ represents a unique opportunity for Bluestar Alliance to honor and build upon the enduring legacy of Virgil Abloh. His visionary approach to fashion resonates deeply with our core values,” said Bluestar Alliance CEO Joey Gabbay. While financial terms were not disclosed, LVMH called Bluestar Alliance the “perfect partner” to carry Off-White’s late founder Virgil Abloh’s legacy forward. Other brands Bluestar Alliance owns include Scotch & Soda, Hurley, Bebe, Catherine Malandrino, and youth labels Justice and Limited Too.
Marvel, DC Lose ‘Super Hero’ Trademarks
After exclusively holding onto the stamp for decades, Reuters reported Monday that Marvel and DC Comics will soon lose a set of trademarks for the term “Super Hero.” The US Patent and Trademark Office has annulled the companies’ claim to several of their trademarks as the consequence of a challenge from Superbabies Limited, a small company that develops a series of Superbabies comics. USPTO records show that rivals Marvel and DC have jointly owned four federal trademarks that cover the terms “Super Hero” and “Super Heroes,” the earliest of which dates back to 1967.
Daniel Kaluuya to Be Honored With Statue in Central London
Daniel Kaluuya is set to be honored with a statue in London, the Oscar-winning actor’s hometown. An exclusive from Variety explains that it will celebrate Kaluuya’s breakout performance as Chris Washington in 2017’s Get Out. Kaluuya was selected from a poll of 5,000 British film enthusiasts as the actor people would like to be featured on the “Scenes in the Square” trail in Leicester Square, picking up a fifth of the vote. Expected to be unveiled in October, the statue plans to portray the iconic “Sunken Place” scene in which Kaluuya’s character falls into a hypnosis-induced state.
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