the modern-day speakeasies

Hey! January's almost done. This month definitely flew by. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks from Trapital.

night club concerts during the pandemic

via TMZ

In recent weeks, Bow Wow, Trey Songz, Fabolous, and others received backlash for hosting concerts at packed indoor venues for mask-less attendees.

When the pandemic started, the concert cancellations set tons of artists back. Live shows are where many of them make real money. They all have rich lifestyles to maintain. A five-figure check to perform at a nightclub is tempting, especially in a pandemic. If states like Texas have looser restrictions, some artists will risk it despite the public health dangers.

This won't get any better. Unfortunately, these pandemic nightclub concerts will continue. They are modern-day speakeasies. In the 1920s during prohibition, these underground venues thrived despite the restrictions. It's much harder to stay low profile in the age of social media, but that won't stop them. If a legacy hip-hop artist had to choose between a performance guarantee and social media backlash, or no check and no backlash, a lot of them will take that check.

These super-spreader events will make it harder for this pandemic to ever end, so get ready.

new podcast: Binta Brown on the State of the Music Industry, omalilly projects, and Black Music Action Coalition

Music executive Binta Brown talked about why she left a successful career as an attorney to enter the music industry. We talked about the opportunities she saw and how the industry differs from other forms of media. We also talked about her work leading the Black Music Action Coalition, an advocacy organization formed to address systemic racism in the music industry.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube:

Verzuz expands beyond music

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland's competitions expand into NFL 1-on-1 matchups and posthumous celebrations.

By expanding beyond the R&B and hip-hop superstars, Verzuz maintains relevancy and consistency. As the sports matchups expand, it can lead to bigger mashups and new concepts.

For instance, the "The Match II" celebrity golf match with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady had golf's largest cable audience ever with nearly 6 million viewers on TNT. Golf may not be Verzuz' target demo, but the same can be done with other sports. Verzuz can expand into basketball, boxing, NBA players who can rap, and more.

My Verzuz wish list: Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, and Mary J. Blige. Not sure who they would go up against. Some of them could go against each other! Let's hope it happens.

webinar recording: Def Jam's Past, Present, and Future with Gary Suarez

A webinar recording of "Def Jam's Past, Present, and Future," a conversation on the past decade of business decisions made by one of hip-hop's most storied record labels.

Gary and I discuss the highlights, the lowlights, and who should lead the label next.

Gary Suarez runs a great hip-hop newsletter called Cabbages. He's a music journalist with bylines in Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, NPR and VICE.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube:

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Enjoy the rest of your week. I'll be back next week.

Dan

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