Lizzo, Beyoncé, & Nicki Minaj Make History on Hot 100
It’s about damn time. Black women are finally getting their due, as a trifecta stormed the Billboard Hot 100. Beyoncé (No. 4, “Break Your Soul”), Lizzo (No. 3, “It’s About Damn Time”), and Nicki Minaj (No. 1, “Super Freaky Girl”) each took her place in the top 10. With her rise to No. 1, Nicki Minaj also became the first female rapper since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” to debut in the top spot.
Kevin Durant to Remain With Brooklyn Nets
Amid trade speculation this offseason, the Brooklyn Nets announced on Tuesday via GM Sean Marks that the team and All-Star forward Kevin Durant “have agreed to move forward with our partnership.” The news comes on the heels of a Monday meeting that included Durant and fellow Boardroom and 35V co-founder Rich Kleiman, Nets co-owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai, head coach Steve Nash, and Marks.
Serena Williams Breaks the Archetype in Conversation with Meghan Markle
Serena Williams and Meghan Markle go way back. Now, the two are reuniting to kick off the former princess’ Spotify podcast Archetypes. The show will feature Markle in conversation with “women across generations who conquered tropes in their lives to inspire a new generation.” The show is the first multi-episode installment following Markle and Prince Harry‘s deal with the streaming service, which they signed back in 2020.
“House of the Dragon” Sets HBO Record with Premiere Audience Pull
Game of Thrones is back. Following its series finale in 2019, the hit program is going back to the beginning. House of the Dragon documents the Targaryen civil war, 200 years before GoT picks up. The show’s Sunday premiere drew nearly 10 million viewers, causing streaming issues on the HBO Max platform. The audience marked a new record and much-needed win for HBO, which has been experiencing challenges in its race to keep up in the streaming wars.
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Patrick Mahomes Gets Iconic Treatment in Fortnite
Patrick Mahomes has his sights set squarely on Super Bowl LVII in Glendale. However, the All-Pro QB is making moves in the virtual world as well. Now, he’s getting the Fortnite treatment. Mahomes joins fellow superstars LeBron James, Neymar, and Harry Kane as part of the game’s Icon Series. Players will have access to three different outfits as part of the Mahomes Fortnite partnership: a relaxed hoodie look (“Patrick Mahomes Outfit”), a gladiator-style skin (“Gladiator Mindset Style”), and a third that’s essentially a combination of the two (“Gameday Gladiator Style”).
Last week, Mahomes was revealed as the global face of Dapper Labs’ NFL All Day.
Shazam Celebrates 20 Years, Drake Tops Most-Searched Artists
Ever find yourself asking what is this song? For the last 20 years, Shazam has been helping you quickly find the answer. The song identification app celebrated its anniversary by releasing a wide-ranging report of the most popular search trends. Topping the list? Drake with over 350 million requests. The report also revealed Tones and I as the most-searched artist in history.
Change Looms for Adidas as Kasper Rorsted Announces 2023 Departure
Change is in the air at the Three Stripes. Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted announced that he and the board of directors have reached a joint conclusion that he will step down in 2023, two years short of his contract which is set to expire in 2025. Rorsted said in an official statement: “The past years have been marked by several external factors that disrupted our business significantly. It required huge efforts to master these challenges. This is why enabling a restart in 2023 is the right thing to do — both for the company and me personally.”
VeeFriends Teams up with Gilang Bogy for New NFT Collection
The NFT market may be cooling off, but VeeFriends is only getting started. The coveted collection unveiled its newest spinoff – VeeFriends Iconics. The one-of-a-kind collection includes 1,175 1-of-1 non-fungible tokens designed by Indonesian illustrator and digital artist Gilang Bogy who is known for his cube-like pop art design style. The collection is set to drop on Sept. 17.
Earlier this year, Boardroom caught up with VeeFriends founder Gary Vaynerchuk for its first-ever cover story.
Hooters Signs Who’s Who of O-Lineman to NIL Deal
It’s all about the wings. Hooters announced that it has inked a deal with 51 offensive linemen from across the country including seven from each LSU, Georgia Tech, and Missouri. The campaign is part of the company’s efforts to “redefine what it means to be the big man on campus.” The deal enables the athletes to visit their local restaurants and contribute to social media campaigns.
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