Bryce Young Leaps Into the NFL with New Jordan Brand Deal
Welcome to the league, Bryce Young. The Alabama superstar heard his name called first by the Carolina Panthers. As he prepares to suit up in silver and blue, the QB will also be dripping in Jordan Brand. He is the latest gridiron athlete for the Michael Jordan-led Swoosh subsidiary, joining partners across categories like Jayson Tatum, Travis Scott, and Luka Dončić. Recently, Jordan has jumped head-first into football by signing the likes of Dak Prescott and Deebo Samuel. Young’s signing means the brand’s NFL momentum will pick up right where last season left off last season.
Lamar Jackson Secures the Bag in Baltimore
Odell Beckham Jr. will have one of the league’s best arms throwing to him in Baltimore next season. After years of tempestuous negotiations, Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. The new deal was first reported and confirmed on April 27 by insiders including Ian Rapoport, Jay Glazer, and Josina Anderson. The new deal makes Jackson the league’s highest paid player by AAV.
Rihanna is Headed to the Silver Screen in ‘The Smurfs Movie’
Rihanna is having quite the week that truly shows her range. The Barbadian billionaire appeared onstage at the Ulta Conference in Vegas this week in support of her mega-successful Fenty Brand. Simultaneously, she secured her first-ever RIAA Diamond Record as a lead artist with her 2011 hit “We Found Love.” But good things happen in threes, so Rih also revealed that she will be taking on the role of Smurfette in the upcoming animated The Smurfs Movie. She confirmed the news with a surprise appearance at CinemaCon, making the most of her time in Vegas.
Congressmen Combine with The Recording Academy to Reintroduce the RAP Act
The Recording Academy leaders, executives, and members joined Congressmen Hank Johnson and Jamaal Bowman at a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce the reintroduction of the Restoring Artistic Protection Act – also referred to as the RAP Act. Artists and industry advocates including Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Academy Black Music Collective Chair Rico Love, shared their perspectives on the value of passing this legislation and reassuring all artists can create freely without fear of criminalizing their work. With the implementation of this act, Johnson hopes to open doors for other realms of free speech. He calls on the government to stop trying to silence artists because of their focus on controversial or unorthodox subjects.
Roger Federer to Bring Classic Styles with Oliver Peoples
Roger Federer is staying busy in retirement. The tennis superstar unveiled his newest business venture on Thursday, announcing a new partnership with Oliver Peoples. The Collab has the two combining to create classic eyewear. It marks the legacy brand’s first endeavor into the sporting world. In a statement, the 20-time Grand Slam champ said, “I’ve been a fan of the brand for years and have always appreciated their exceptional craftsmanship alongside timeless, elegant designs.” He will debut his RF Collection in 2024.
Triller to Pay Sony $4.57M, Acknowledges Non-payment Error
Triller learned the hard way what happens if you miss payment to Sony. In court documents filed on Apr. 26, Sony outlined that the short-form video company began to lapse on payments beginning over a year ago. In total, Sony estimated the total amount owed to be $4.57 million. This is only one of a series of legal woes for Triller and Sony, as the papework also revealed that Sony plans to pursue additional compensation for what they identify as copyright infringement. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland also successfully reached a settlement with Triller for $28 million for disputes related to their VERZUZ series.
Snap Logs Big Loss in Q1
On the heels of the Snap Summit, the social media company got less than positive news from its first quarter figures. Reported revenue came up short, posting $989 million as opposed to the $1.1 billion that was forecasted. The numbers reflect a 7% decline in year-over-year revenue. In response, the company’s stock plummeted in the after hours, dropping as much as 20%. However, Snap Founder Evan Spiegel remained positive. He said in a statement: “We are working to accelerate our revenue growth and we are using this opportunity to make significant improvements to our advertising platform to help drive increased return on investment for our advertising partners.”