Welcome to this week’s Notables, Boardroom’s overview of the buzziest bits circulating in the music industry.
Though the temperature’s dropping and the trees have begun to shed their leaves, it’s never too early to begin to plan next summer’s adventures. According to emerging reports, stadiums will offer a little something for everyone as the Summer 2023 concert schedule fills in.
Following last month’s speculation, Beyoncé confirmed her upcoming Rennaisance Tour by unassumingly putting a one-of-a-kind item up on the block at the Wearable Art Auction: A package including a backstage experience hosted by her mother, Tina Knowles, and luxury travel accommodations all valued at $20,000.
Elsewhere, Taylor Swift followed her blockbuster Midnights LP release with a visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. When asked about a corresponding stage show, she teased, “I think I should do it. When it’s time, we’ll do it. I miss it.” In less than a week, her 10th studio album has already moved more than one million equivalent units while also smashing records across streaming services.
And after catapulting to widespread fame after dropping four massive projects since the world shut down in 2020, Lil Uzi Vert is finally headed on the road. In March, the Philadelphia native will embark on 20-stop trek that marks his first time in a headlining slot since his 2018 Endless Summer Tour.
Below, Boardroom’s all-star squad makes sure you don’t miss anything else worth hitting your group chat(s) about.
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Kid Cudi Has a New Kaws
The vinyl revolution is undeniable. In the same week that T Swift set a new record for vinyl sales in the modern era, Kid Cudi announced that he’s teaming up with artist Kaws for his most recent release. The two will reimagine the artwork for the Cleveland rapper’s Man on the Moon triptych, which includes six albums featuring all of the music from his Man on the Moon I, II, and III releases. In addition to the album artwork, Cudder and Kaws collaborated on a full merch drop, available exclusively for purchase on his website.
The Return of the Profile Song
Gen Z-ers have never known the struggle of selecting the perfect profile song to effectively (or subversively) message their mood. Until now.
A Twitter user unveiled Instagram’s efforts to integrate a profile song feature to user pages. While details are still scarce, the move inspires nostalgia for the golden days of MySpace. Stay tuned to find out if the selected song will blast unprompted when engaging in some light social media stalking.
Rihanna Sets the Stage for a Comeback
Ever since the news of Rihanna‘s Super Bowl return began to swirl, the Barbadian billionaire has begun to load the lineup. Last week, she announced the return of the Savage X Fenty fashion show, which will bring its fourth installment to Prime Video on Nov. 4. There, we are likely to catch the first glimpse of the lingerie line’s newest installment: sportswear.
However, that’s not it — Rih appears to be teeing up a new logo. In trademark paperwork recently filed with the feds, a new iteration of her signature spiky “R” appears, this time featuring a thick black font. The filing covers an extensive array of goods, from earbuds to jewelry, backpacks to umbrellas (obv). Could this signal a new branding for upcoming tour merch?
Whatever it is, it’ll only add to her stack and current standing as the world’s richest musician at an estimated $1.4 billion net worth.
NLE Choppa Puts on For His City
No one reps Memphis harder than NLE Choppa. Just weeks away from his 20th birthday, the rapper became the first artist in history to walk out his hometown team. NLE Choppa led Ja Morant and the Grizzlies out of the tunnel for their 2022-23 NBA regular season home debut.
He joined fellow Memphian GloRilla as the team’s featured artists tapped to ring in the young season.
The pairing is only the most recent blend between hoops and hip-hop. This season, several teams linked up with artists to remix their jerseys in partnership with Mitchell & Ness. Among the featured collabs: Lil Baby and the Hawks, Three 6 Mafia and the Grizzlies, and Wu-Tang Clan and the Knicks.
Final Notes
- NBA YoungBoy is heading to Motown. After months of whispers, the Detroit label made things official, signing arguably the most hotly-pursued rapper in the game.
- Drake and 21 Savage are cooking up a new album. Following the success of the Honestly, Nevermind single “Jimmy Cooks,” the two prolific rappers are dropping a combined project this Friday, Oct. 28, entitled Her Loss.
- Tyler, the Creator is on a collision course with Netflix. The streaming service’s hit animated show Big Mouth revealed that the rapper will voice the character of Jesus in the upcoming sixth season.
- Big Sean is taking a hiatus. Following the recent announcement that he and Jhene Aiko are having their first child, the Detroit rapper announced that he’ll be taking an indefinite break from recording music.
- Jadakiss is getting into the coffee business. Last week, the Yonkers rapper unveiled his newest venture, Kiss Café, alongside father Bob Phillips and son Jaewon Phillips.
- Snoop Dogg is expanding his Bored Ape empire. The Doggfather announced that he is channeling his Bored Ape NFT, Dr. Bombay, to harness his signature style with a new collection. The collection will include everything from velour sweatsuits to blue and gold bandana-inspired beach towels.
- BTS is reporting for duty. The K-pop sensations followed up their June hiatus announcement, by revealing that they will complete their military service mandated by the South Korean government. As a result, the supergroup is expected to pause production until 2025.
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