Four and a half months after Super Bowl LIX took place at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, police have arrested the performer responsible for a Gaza protest during Kendrick Lamar‘s halftime ahow.
On Thursday (June 26), Louisiana State Police announced that they arrested 41-year-old performer Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu for “resisting an officer” and “disturbing the peace by interruption of a lawful assembly” during the 2025 Super Bowl. According to a press release from police superintendent Col. Robert Hughes, Nantambu “surrendered himself through coordination with his attorney” and has been booked.
During Lamar’s performance, Nantambu, who was hired as a backup performer for the show, broke away from his choreography during “TV Off” and began waving a Sudanese flag with “SUDAN” and “GAZA” painted across it. He was then chased and tackled by security personnel and apprehended by New Orleans police.
After he was initially arrested, Nantambu was released without charges, but was banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events. A spokesperson for the Super Bowl Halftime Show at the time said that “no one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent.”
Billboard has reached out to the Louisiana State Police for further comment on Nantambu’s arrest.
In a statement released after police announced Nantambu’s arrest on Thursday, the NFL thanked the LSP for “its diligence and professionalism in this matter,” while maintaining its lifetime ban on Nantambu. “We take any attempt to disrupt any part of an NFL game, including the halftime show, very seriously and are pleased this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” the statement read.
In an interview with NBC News following the halftime show, Nantambu said he wanted to use his performance to “highlight the human suffering” occurring in Gaza as a result of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, as well as in the Sudanese civil war. During the interview, Nantambu called on President Donald Trump to “be empathetic and compassionate to those who are suffering in Palestine” and to “do what is right by the Palestinians … and if he can, help the Sudanese.”
Brian Wilson’s cause of death has been revealed two weeks after The Beach Boys singer’s death was announced by his family on June 11.
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According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, the musician’s immediate cause of death was listed as respiratory arrest, with sepsis and cystitis also listed as contributing causes. According to Advanced Cardiac Life Support training, respiratory arrest is when a person stops breathing — which often happens at the same time as cardiac arrest — but still has a pulse.
The death certificate also notes that the musician had several other significant conditions: neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease. His date of death was also confirmed to be June 11.
The iconic musician is survived by his daughters with Marilyn Rovell, Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, who formed ’90s pop trio Wilson Phillips with Chynna Phillips, who is the daughter of The Mamas and the Papas members John and Michelle Phillips. He is also survived by the five children he adopted with wife Melinda Ledbetter.
During The Beach Boys’ career, the group notched 15 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with four of them reaching the summit: “I Get Around” in 1964, “Help Me Rhonda” in 1965, “Good Vibrations” in 1966, and “Kokomo” in 1988. The latter song, in which Brian Wilson was not involved, was featured in the Tom Cruise film Cocktail.
On the album side, the band charted an impressive 56 titles on the all-genre Billboard 200, with 13 hitting the top 10, and two landing at the summit: 1974’s Endless Summer for one week that October, and Beach Boys in Concert for four weeks at the end of 1964.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 18:10:532025-06-26 18:10:53Brian Wilson’s Cause of Death Has Been Revealed
From Buju Banton to Vybz Kartel, Caribbean artists have been reaching new heights in the live music entertainment sector this year, with several of the biggest names across reggae, dancehall, soca and konpa graduating to arena-headlining status. With his forthcoming ninth edition of BAYO Festival on Saturday (June 28), Latin Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Michaël Brun is looking to join that esteemed group.
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Born out of a free, impromptu street party in his home country of Haiti, BAYO is an annual block party that has steadily grown in popularity and turnout each year. Translated to English, “bayo” means “to give,” a worthy title for an event that trades on gifting diasporic communities a night of generation-bridging musical performances and beloved local vendors. Last year, Brun’s festival took over Brooklyn’s Prospect Park with a lineup that included J Balvin, Oxlade and J. Perry. One key element of BAYO is that the lineup is kept a closely guarded secret until the show begins; revelers may not know who will be soundtracking their night ahead of time, but Brun has garnered enough trust from them to properly serve as master of ceremonies. This weekend, BAYO will yet again graduate to an even larger venue: Barclays Center.
“Around 2019, we started almost doubling [attendance] every single year, that’s when the idea to move to arenas came up,” he tells Billboard over a chai latte in Downtown Brooklyn, less than two weeks before the show. “That year, we hosted BAYO for about 1,800 people at Brooklyn Steel, so we felt that we could scale it up in the right way. [Grammy-winning R&B star Maxwell also made a surprise appearance that year.] We stopped for two years [during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic], but I kept doing it online, which was really helpful. When you start something for 20-30 people and see it grow into the biggest stages in the U.S., it’s insane, incredible and a little bit scary.”
Though this year marks his ninth time mounting BAYO, it’s also Brun’s tenth year personally throwing events. From debuting as a self-taught electronic DJ at house parties in his teenage years to playing major festivals like Coachella and Tomorrowland, Brun has used his music skills to consciously and intentionally build communities around the globe. “All the EDM stuff taught me how to do Caribbean-specific events,” he says. “I’m really grateful for that trajectory because even though I didn’t know where I was going at the time, in retrospect, it taught me a lot.”
This year’s BAYO Fest also serves as a tribute to Brun’s late mother, Sharon Andrea Lee-Brun, who passed late last year after a battle with cancer. “This was one of the last things we spoke about before she passed,” he reflects. “There’s a moment for her in the show that’s gonna be really, really special.”
BAYO’s Barclays moment also comes amid an upswing in Caribbean touring acts at the arena level. Dancehall king Vybz Kartel sold out two back-to-back nights at Barclays in April, and Long Island’s UBS Arena has hosted five sold-out, $1 million-grossing shows across four Caribbean genres in under a year. As UBS has emerged as a formidable competitor to iconic NYC arenas like Barclays and Madison Square Garden, Brun couldn’t resist the gravity of finally bringing BAYO to the very venue he walks by every day in his second hometown of Brooklyn. Nonetheless, mounting a show in a roofed arena is markedly different from a summertime showcase in a public park. With a new venue comes a new vision for the festival, and Brun has taken careful consideration to strike a balance between honoring the essence of BAYO while translating the show to an arena stage.
“What’s really cool about the arena — and maybe complex for some artists — is that it’s a blank canvas,” he explains. “Inherently, when you [throw] a block party, there’s an element of a lot of things happening at once. In the arena, it’s all about crafting a spectacle. In smaller scale shows, there’s less distance between the stage and the audience, so we’re thinking about how to ensure that every moment of the show makes you feel as if you were in the first few rows.”
With a concert capacity of 19,000, this year’s BAYO lineup will have access to a much larger and more intricate venue than past iterations of the festival. While he’s intent on keeping the stage design as much as a secret as the lineup, Brun does tease that he’s re-teamed with past BAYO collaborator and Haitian artist Yaël Talleyrand and that the stage will be anchored by a theme of transportation. “Transportation is important,” he muses. “How does that build and inform identity?”
Brun’s alluding to immigration, a particularly prickly topic in a city like New York. Caribbean immigrants are a vital part of what makes NYC such a culturally rich city, and increased ICE presence in neighborhoods densely populated by Caribbean people (like Flatbush or Crown Heights) has only made their relationship with their city more contentious. What’s more? Brun is mounting BAYO the very month President Trump’s travel ban, which includes Haiti, goes into effect.
It’s one thing to bring a Caribbean festival to an arena in less than ten years, but it’s an entirely different thing to do during one of the most precarious political moments of the decade so far. How do you coordinate security? What does that look like when ICE seems to be arresting, detaining and deporting before asking questions? Is it even ethical to knowingly bring these groups into the same space?
“I’m creating safe spaces that show the beauty of life,” Brun says, choosing his words carefully. “I think the most powerful way to share your experience and perspective is through something like a concert, because it’s very subtle. It creates a curiosity that’s genuine, and an attraction to something that’s different. On the one hand, you’re creating a safe place for the people of the culture, but you’re also opening up a route for adversarial people, who might be operating from a place of fear. Hopefully, [those adversarial people] come to the show and their minds will be changed. That’s my view. I want to be a positive ambassador for the things that I love; in the process of that, you create bridges.”
The Billboard-charting artist also stressed that BAYO has “the support of local government and parts of NYPD,” which he hopes will “create a safe environment where people feel comfortable going out.”
Rumors continue to swirl about this year’s performers — Brun confirms “there will be some shaking,” but whether that’s “to the max” is yet to be determined — but the ever-evolving multihyphenate is keeping his DJ skills at the center of his growing BAYO empire.
Over the last sip of his latte, Brun proclaims: “When I’m bringing people out at BAYO, I see it as me DJing people instead of songs.”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Glossier’s coveted “Friends of Glossier” Sale is kicking off Thursday (June 26) and will run through June 30.
Makeup and skincare fanatics can head to Glossier.com now to take 20% off sitewide purchases and 25% off purchases of $100 or more. Whether you’re looking to stock up on some old favorites or revamp your makeup bag entirely, this sale makes for a great excuse to try out a product that was too expensive or intimidating to try out.
Glossier features a range of unique products currently on sale, from their famed brow products to innovative perfumes beloved by many, especially KATSEYE. In fact, a bunch of the products that the girl group uses in its everyday rotations or to create their signature stage looks can be shopped during this sale. We’re talking Lip Glaze and Cloud Paints made even more affordable for you. To celebrate the sale, we’re rounding up five of the best products to shop. Some are KATSEYE-approved, while others get our Billboard Shopping stamp of approval. This doesn’t happen often. You’ll want to take advantage of these prices before they go away for good.
Kissable and so affordable, Glossier’s Lip Glaze is a favorite of KATSEYE’s Daniela. With the sale, you can now get your lips glossier than ever for just $17.60. This gloss delivers up to 12 hours of hydration with help from a blend of ingredients such as shea butter along with apricot and raspberry seed oils. For those hot days sat out by the pool, this gloss’ cooling tech comes in extra handy.
The formula features a menthol-derived cooling agent that offers the same tingling effect that a peppermint candy would. The gloss is also non-sticky, wearing comfortably on the lips. Don’t expect an impactful color payoff. The Lip Glaze is just that — a glaze. It’s like a wash of color that enhances the lips. Daniela’s chosen shade is Icy, a sheer blue hue that goes on clear, rather than the blue you see in the packaging.
Bushy brows often give a youthful look to the face. They’ve always been extremely popular for that reason. From the ’80s to today, the captivating arch is all about volume and drama. Glossier’s Boy Brow is hallowed for offering that effect and then some ever since its launch back in 2015, quickly becoming a bestseller for the brand. The formula is a pomade style, inspired by similar formulas for grooming mustaches.
Boy Brow is a wax-based formula, offering that stifness the product needs to shape and define brow hairs. To achieve the perfect arch, you’ll want to select a shade that matches your hair. Lucky for you, Glossier features six different shades to choose from including Gray for our silver foxes. They’ve also got a clear formula that focuses on shaping rather than filling in. Once you’ve picked the proper shade, you’ll want to brush the spoolie through your brows, making sure to work up and in sections, feathering the wand through the hairs. You’ll have bushy and wonderful Cara Delevingne eyebrows in seconds.
Glossier’s Cloud Paint is another one of the brand’s hit products. Launched back in 2017, making its official debut on the Oscars red carpet with stars such as Chrissy Teigen and Taraji P. Henson. The product is a favorite for the natural, skin-like flush it imparts, making the wearer look naturally bashful and youthful. KATSEYE’s Megan is a fan of the shade Beam, while Yoon-chae uses Puff and Soar. Sophia uses Whisp and Manon uses Dawn.
We like Spark, a poppy hue that would look flattering on just about everyone. The flush is fluid, meaning it’s buildable and easy to use. To apply, squeeze a couple of dots onto your fingers, around two is enough to start. Dot onto the cheeks and the bridge of the nose, working in with your fingers in a patting motion. If you want more pigment, feel free to apply more. The world is your oyster.
If there’s one thing that Glossier has mastered, it’s innovative fragrance. Glossier’s You began it all, launched as one of the brand’s first forces into the fragrance world. Since then, the brand has launched three more perfumes, along with candles and solid fragrance balms. You is a scent that adapts to the wearer’s skin chemistry, creating a smell that’s all unique to you. You’ll never smell like anyone else wearing this bad boy. You’ve got notes of sparkling and spicy pink pepper along with earthy iris and a warm, musky base of ambrox and ambrette. The combined notes create a sweet and complex but skin-like scent that’s perfect for those seeking out a subtle fragrance.
While KATSEYE didn’t reach for this product in their GRWM, Glossier’s Bomb Dotcom is an icon. This lip balm launched back in 2014 and was one of the first four products Glossier ever released. Since its release, the balm has garnered an almost cult-like following thanks to its unique scents and colorways. We’ve chosen to highlight Espresso, a new shade of Bomb Dotcom scented like coffee with a brown, mocha-esque tint. No matter the shade, the balm is formulated with antioxidants and natural emollients like beeswax and castor seed oil to nourish your lips. Dryness begone!
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 17:32:242025-06-26 17:32:24KATSEYE’s Favorite Beauty Picks Are Currently Discounted for Friends of Glossier Sale
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Billboard, the globally renowned music authority, officially marked its presence in Vietnam with the Billboard Vietnam Official Launch event held at Bam Bam Bar, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on Monday (June 23).
The event welcomed Billboard CEO Mike Van as well as strategic partners, prominent artists, industry professionals and media representatives. This milestone signals a significant step in connecting Vietnam’s fast-growing music market with global industry standards through verified data, insightful content and internationally recognized music charts.
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Billboard Vietnam will launch key charts like the Vietnam Hot 100 and Top Vietnamese Songs, based on transparent data from global provider Luminate. It will also create local content and partner with artists, labels and platforms to promote Vietnamese music at home and internationally.
In his remarks, Mike Van stated: “Vietnamese music deserves a clear and respected place on the world map.” His message underscores Billboard’s long-term commitment to supporting Vietnam’s music community and its aspirations for global recognition.
With three core pillars — transparent music charts, international connectivity and equal opportunity for all artists — Billboard Vietnam aims to become a trusted foundation for Vietnamese music to reach new heights, grounded in its unique identity and creative potential.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 17:32:232025-06-26 17:32:23Billboard Vietnam Launches With Ho Chi Minh City Event
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Summer’s hottest country hitmakers takes centerstage, as CMA Fest returns to ABC on Thursday (June 26). Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde are set to host the three-hour primetime concert. The TV special was filmed during the 52nd CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8.
Keep reading for ways to watch and stream the CMA Fest 2025 online.
How to Watch CMA Fest 2025 Online
CMA Fest 2025 is set to air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, while the TV special streams on Hulu the following day. Country music fans who don’t have cable may be able to watch it through an antenna to access local channels.
Direct TV is another great way to watch live and on-demand local and cable channels. For a limited time only, the “Choice” streaming package is $30 off for the first month at $59.99 (regularly $89.99 per month). The package comes with channels, like ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, Nickelodeon, ESPN, Bravo, BET, MTV, ESPN, TNT, HGTV and others.
Additionally, country music fans can catch the CMA Fest 2025 primetime special with Sling Blue or Fubo TV.
You can join Hulu for free for the first month to stream CMA Fest. Hulu starts at just $9.99 per month for the basic, ad-supported plan and $18.99 per month to stream without commercials. Enjoy hours of exclusive programming, live sports and new episodes of select cable and network TV shows the day after they air on Hulu.
The streaming platform offers a few other options to save you money overall. For example, Hulu’s annual plan (from $99.99 per year) is a quick way to save on your bill, and there’s a bundle option that gets you Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ for $16.99/month with the Disney Trio. You can also subscribe to Hulu + Live TV and enjoy Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ with loads of live TV channels starting at $82.99 per month.
Meanwhile, fan can use ExpressVPN paired with any of the above services to watch outside of the United States.
This years star-studded lineup of performers includes Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, BigXthaPlug, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Jelly Roll, Marcus King, Brandon Lake, Ella Langley and Carín León.
In addition to hosting, Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde are both expected to take the stage for their own performances.
Additional performers include Parker McCollum, Scotty McCreery, Megan Moroney, Carly Pearce, Rascal Flatts, The Red Clay Strays, Darius Rucker, Dylan Scott, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Zach Top, Travis Tritt, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 17:06:262025-06-26 17:06:26CMA Fest 2025: How to Watch the Star-Studded Country Music TV Special Online for Free
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Whether you’re a serious or casual gamer, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for early deals ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2025.
The site currently features major sales on everything from headsets to charging docks, all compatible with major labels such sa PlayStation, Nintendo and Meta. To game like a pro, you have to have pro equipment. From monitors to keyboards, we’ve compiled a list of games and gaming equipment you can shop on sale now for up to 50% off. This’ll have you prepped and ready to play and stream upcoming releases such as Resident Evil 9, GTA 6, Silent Hill and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Remember: You can access these deals only if you have an Amazon Prime membership. Using the link above, you can sign up for a free trial ahead of your membership purchase to test it out for 30 days. Much like a new car, you’ve got to test it out to see if you vibe with it. With a membership secured, you’ll be gaming like a pro in no time.
Samsung 27-Inch S39C Series FHD Curved Gaming Monitor
To play a video game properly, good visuals are a must. Retailing for $139.99, the Samsung 27-inch S39C Series FHD Curved Gaming Monitor is made for the gamers, fixed with a curved display that fits the human field of view so you have less less eye strain while breezing through dungeons or taking down zombies. You’ve also got flicker-free tech that continuously removes irritating screen flicker as well as a built-in eye-saver mode that minimizes emitted blue light.
It’s all about protecting your precious eyesight so you can play for longer with less strain on your peepers. The visuals on this monitor are crystal clear thanks to a 75Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync that work in tandem to eliminate lagging and glitching for a more responsive gaming experience. The price point for this monitor is also extremely hard to beat, given that comparable monitors can run you thousands of dollars.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Xbox Gaming Headset
A gaming headset compatable with Xbox One, PS5, PC and PS4
If you’re playing duos on Fortnite or co-op with multiple people on Lethal Company, you’ll want a quality mic and headset to get you through the game unscathed. Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Xbox Gaming Headset is a great option that’s compatible with most consoles including Xbox, PS5 and Switch along with PC and Mobile.
The detachable mic fixed to the headset covers a wider frequency range of sound for crisp calls with your friends on Discord. You’ve also got a nifty audio dial that allows you to switch between overall volume or game/chat volume so you can create the perfect balance between both. The headset is also equipped with a 2.4GHz wireless connection for smooth and clear connectivity to your game’s audio. Fitted comfortably, these headphones also include padded earcups that fit your ears, eliminating discomfort during long game sessions.
PRISMXR Charging Dock Compatible with Meta Quest 3
The Meta Quest 3 was released back in 2023, and yet its popularity has only grown over the years. We’d like to attribute it to its groundbreaking immersion. The two to three-hour battery life on the headset is a bummer, however. With this compatible charging dock, you won’t be leaving the virtual world for long. The PRISMXR tech is a fast-charging dock currently retailing for $62.99, 18% off its original price.
The dock features a unique magnetic and flexible pin charging solution that allows for reliable charging without precise alignment. With this dock, the headset can be charged in up to 1 hour and 50 minutes, while the controller takes a little more than 2.5 hours. To use, nestle the headset into the basket-like charging dock, lining the headset up with the magnetic pins to lock the tech in place for a secure charge every time.
Charging Dock Compatible with Nintendo Switch & OLED Model Joycons
There’s nothing worse than your Joycons dying out on you while you’re in the middle of an intense multiplayer game of Mario Party or while dodging an E.M.M.I. in Metroid Dread. Take control of your charge with help from this Joycon charging dock available for $11.49 on Amazon. Like the other charging dock on this list, this Joycon-specific dock is easy to use and fast charging. Simply connect the charging dock to the original console dock to get power input and plug your switch joycons into the charging station. No extra cords needed. This dock can charge up to four controllers at once so you’ll never be without your Joycons for long.
The Doom universe has never been so accessible. Retailing for $44.99, this Doom anthology is available for a multitude of consoles from PS4 and PS5 to Xbox. You’ve got the famous 1993 OG Doom all the way up to 2020’s Doom Eternal Deluxe Edition all in one place for an affordable price. You’re practically getting six games for the price of one. That’s three decades of demon slaying all in one place. What a steal. The deal also includes a SteelBook game case and a 5-inch replica of the BFG or Big F–king Gun with LED lights and a stand. Once you purchase, you can play all six games in the anthology box by redeeming a code that comes in the box.
Gnanlen iPad Pencil 2nd Generation with Magnetic Wireless Charging
This entry is for our casual gamers. If you want to enhance gameplay for titles on your iPad such as Stardew Valley or Minecraft, we suggest you purchase this Gnanlen 2nd Generation iPad Pencil. Retailing for $22.09, this stylus is compatible with a wide variety of iPad models including iPad mini 6th gen, iPad Air 4th/5th gen, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd/4th/5th/6th gen and iPad Pro 11-inch 1st/2nd/3rd/4th gen.
You can easily check your iPad’s compatibility with this product by confirming what model you have in the settings menu. This stylus is extremely hands-off, equipped with Bluetooth compatibility and magnetic charging that attaches it to the side of the iPad. You can also add a widget to your iPad to check your pencil’s battery life in real-time. This product only takes 1.5 hours to charge fully and can last you up to 9 hours. That’s like 100 rounds of Among Us.
Switch TV Docking Station for Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck
If you’ve got a Switch or Steam Deck, you’re probably well aware of how annoying it can be to charge your console on the go without the proper equipment. This mini docking station is a three-in-one situation that takes the hassle out of charging your consoles while out and about. The mini dock is compatible with Nintendo Switch Steam deck ROG Ally and Switch OLED. Unfortunately for Switch Lite users, this dock isn’t compatible with that console. The three ports included are USB 3.0, HDMI and USB Type-C, giving users a wide range of compatibility. The design is also extremely lightweight and tiny, meaning it can easily be packed away in a suitcase or handbag for charging on flights or on the bus.
If you’re a PC gamer, you’ll know that a good keyboard is a must. You want functionality and aesthetics all wrapped in one. AULA WIN68 HE MAX – Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard marries the best of both worlds, incorporating endless style with performance boasting an 8x faster response time than a traditional mechanical keyboard. The keyboard features an ultra-low latency, around (0.2ms). In layman’s terms, this means that there’s a very short delay between pressing a key and the computer registering the input. This feature ensures your commands take effect instantly, making for extremely smooth gameplay. For aesthetic purposes, the keys are backlit.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 17:02:302025-06-26 17:02:30Here Are the Most Worthwhile Early Prime Day Deals on Video Games & Gaming Equipment
For years, marketers have nagged artists to post more on TikTok. Now, they’re turning to another group to do it instead: fans.
Over the past few years, major artists have transformed small, in-person events into billions of TikTok views by encouraging fans in attendance to get out their phones, hit record and post. Alex Warren did it with his London tube station pop-up in March; Charli xcx did it with her Brat wall and Boiler Room underplays last summer; Bon Iver did it with a basketball tournament in April; and the All-American Rejects did it with their mega-viral house party tour this spring, which has helped to propel their comeback. “This is the part of the tour that no one’s talking about,” says Jenni Call, the digital marketing guru working with the pop-punk band. “And they should. The UGC [user-generated content] put them back on the map.”
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“This trend has been bubbling up for the best part of a year and a half now,” says Jamie Skinner, a freelance digital marketer whose worked for artists like girl in red. “But in the last eight to 12 months, it’s really started to rally quite considerably.” Experts attribute the trend to the post-pandemic itch to get back outside, the shift in social media platforms toward “For You” pages (helping average users go viral much more easily) — and the lauded marketing campaign for Charli xcx’s Brat.
In July 2024, Charli’s digital marketer, Terry O’Connor, told Billboard that “a big focus of this campaign has been on making and creating real life, in-person moments around this album… We are in a time when most labels are just focused on pushing their artists to create digital content for TikTok, Reels, Shorts, etc.” But, O’Connor added, “what people are forgetting is that what Gen Z — and our society in general — actually want is to experience things in real life.”
Steven Pardo, senior director of digital marketing at Secretly Group, says that once his roster — which includes Mitski, Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers — resumed touring after COVID-19 lockdowns lifted, the UGC from random showgoers sometimes fared even better than the UGC posted by paid influencers — which was the hottest digital marketing method at the time. “We quickly started to realize that touring was actually a very potent way to market music online,” Pardo says. “In a world where there’s an incessant need for content, this is a way to do it without having to make an artist do anything differently than just being an artist.”
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Later, Pardo and his team leaned into that discovery more, staging quirkier and more artist-specific activities that might travel to wider audiences on social media. Faye Webster, for example, hosted a yo-yo invitational last year, and fan-made videos from it garnered hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok. That Bon Iver basketball tournament in Los Angeles also reached fans across the world — one unpaid fan’s video of the tournament, for example, yielded over 830,000 views and nearly 100,000 likes on TikTok alone.
Meanwhile, when Charli xcx and Sabrina Carpenter went on tour, their sets featured segments that were easily capturable and created anticipation for their extremely online crowds, whether or not it was intentionally optimized for UGC. Charli xcx’s “Apple” dance, which pans the arena’s camera to a surprise celebrity in the crowd once a night, has reached millions of viewers. So has Carpenter’s outros for her song “Nonsense” and the suggestive positions she does during the song “Juno,” both of which kept fans on their toes, cameras at the ready, night after night.
“I think it works because of the little sense of FOMO [fear of missing out] you get when you watch these videos,” says Pardo. “When you watch someone get to have a unique experience in real life, it plays into what most of us are seeking now, which is to not be on our phone and to find other people who are like minded. When you give people online a window into a real experience, they watch.”
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This trend toward taking artist marketing back outside is true even beyond music. In the dating world, Gen Zers are expressing fatigue with algorithmic dating apps, instead preferring to meet singles at more organic gatherings like run clubs. Folks are ditching their at-home Pelotons for studio Pilates classes, and “community” seems to be the latest buzz word on the tip of every tech founder’s tongue.
But TikTok-optimized marketing moments are just the latest iteration in a long history of artists and brands trying to host experiences that translate to social media. In the mid-to-late 2010s, for example, Instagram was the it-platform for savvy marketers. This prompted Billie Eilish’s team to host an activation with Spotify for her first album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? that was designed for photos. Fans who attended the event were guided through a series of aesthetically pleasing rooms, themed after each song on the album — and when those fans posted their photos on IG, the event’s impact spread to Billie fans everywhere. Similarly, Netflix hosted an experience where fans could capture photos of themselves in small, recreated sets for hit shows like Stranger Things. Meanwhile, experiential companies like the Ice Cream Museum popped up around the world as essentially adult Instagram playgrounds, featuring themed rooms perfect for content taking like its famous pit of fake sprinkles.
The difference between then and now is the shift towards audiovisual content and For You pages. TikTok shook up the social media landscape around the time of the pandemic, moving it from a model that served content based on who one is following to one that served content based on one’s interests. By focusing on interest-based content, TikTok — and all of the apps that followed their approach — made virality for newcomers much easier, empowering fans, regardless of their follower count, to post and to find connection with likeminded people.
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Call says that new tools for marketers like her are also enabling this trend. As word spread about the Rejects’ house party tour, she began working with the popular startup Cobrand to send out text blasts direct to fans, catalog every piece of UGC made, track pre-saves on Spotify, and more — all in one dashboard. While bits and pieces of this service have been available for years, Call says “it’s never been more efficient” to connect with fans than it is now. In the end, many viral moments later, she claims the band’s agents did an analysis of the house parties and found “the number of impressions and people reached from it was the equivalent of a $4.2 million campaign,” adding, “There’s a way to be scrappy and to find your fans. I think this is the perfect case study — the fans did so much of the work for us.”
But experts say this focus on IRL-to-UGC moments does not take away from the popularity of other digital marketing trends, like running fake fan pages for the artist or doing paid creator campaigns. As Skinner says: “Arguably, gathering this UGC is actually essential for running fan pages right now.”
Fan pages, another relatively new digital marketing must-have, involves the artist’s team setting up multiple pages on TikTok, posing as regular fans, in another attempt to reach real fans in the increasingly saturated social media landscape. To keep up with the relentless posting schedule of about 1-5 times a day on each of these accounts, Skinner says reposting fan-made videos from live events is the perfect solution.
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“You’re really scaling how far each piece of content can go,” Skinner says. “Then on top of that, if we are doing a micro-influencer campaign [hiring influencers with a smaller followings of 5,000 to around 50,000] too, we can just ask them to go to these events to capture moments. Many of them are happy to just go down to a show, capture a specific moment that we’ve briefed them on, get them to post and then send us the high-res files. It’s great.”
For Dylan Brewer, former vp of marketing at Epic Records and founder of new creative and experiential music marketing firm Fraudulent, this trend in marketing has become a major business. “I think experiential and IRL marketing is step one. It’s the core,” he says. “But now the idea of ‘set before stage’ is more important than ever. Now I tell people, ‘let’s think about how this thing will get shot. Let’s prioritize that.’”
Like other forms of marketing, it’s hard to quantify the success of these events. Are engaged fans enough, or should these events produce more merch sales or a surge in streaming activity? “I think the reason these events are so great for fans and artists is because they typically aren’t monetized or set up to extract value from fans,” Pardo says. “It’s really refreshing for fans in a time when every conversation turns into, ‘How do we monetize superfans?’ It’s about creating connection and excitement and letting that be the main currency.”
This story is part of Billboard’s music technology newsletter ‘Machine Learnings.’ Sign up for ‘Machine Learnings’ and other Billboard newsletters for free here.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 17:02:292025-06-26 17:02:29For Years, Marketers Urged Artists to Post More on TikTok— Now, They’re Asking Fans
Beyoncé and Jay-Z pulled up as special front-row guests at the Louis Vuitton spring 2026 menswear show in Paris, where Pharrell serves as the luxury fashion house’s men’s creative director.
As Tuesday’s (June 24) show wrapped up, Skateboard P greeted the couple while dropping off a gift for Beyoncé straight off the runway, as the music icon added a brown handbag to her collection before the accessory has even hit shelves.
Bey appeared to be in shock while accepting the gift as P smoothly dapped up with Jay before galloping his way backstage.
The Cowboy Carter singer sported a denim jumpsuit with a chic brown cowboy hat. As for Hov, he went with a reserved leather jacket over his white shirt and matching black pants.
Pharrell showed Beyoncé a token of his appreciation, as the duo has an extensive collaborative history dating back to the early portion of her decorated career. They joined forces for Cowboy Carter‘s “SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN” with Shaboozey, THE CARTERS‘ “APESHIT” and “NICE,” as well as The Lion King‘s “Water.” P also helmed production on Bey tracks such as “Kitty Kat,” “Energy,” “Superpower” and “Blow.”
Beyoncé stuck around for Paris Fashion Week after she performed a series of shows in the French capital. Her June 22 concert made waves when Jay-Z touched the stage as the couple performed “Crazy in Love” for the first time in seven years. Hov kept the party going while riling up the crowd with a rendition of Watch The Throne‘s “N—s in Paris.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 16:56:372025-06-26 16:56:37Pharrell Gifts Beyoncé a Louis Vuitton Handbag Straight Off Fashion Show Runway
Cam’ron is adding author to his already extensive resumé.
The rapper, acto, and host announced on social media Tuesday (June 24) that he inked a book deal worth $750,000 with Simon and Shuster to write his memoir. While there isn’t an official release date, Cam hopes to release it sometime next year. “I’m happy to have this deal done,” he said in a press release. “Hopefully the book will be released February of 2026 and that everyone can take something from my memoir when they read it.”
The Harlem legend has been keeping himself busy with his sports show It Is What It Is with his cohosts Mase and Treasure Wilson, and his talk show Talk With Flee, both of which currently live on YouTube. However, that might change, as he announced last week that he’s partnering with Revolt after signing a multimillion dollar deal with for the cable network to help produce Talk With Flee. “N—as is right this ain’t a run I’m on. It’s a f—king marathon,” he wrote in an Instagram caption. “My mom up in heaven working. Miss and love you.”
Cam has made a ton of headlines since entering the podcasting and YouTube arena. He’s interviewed sex workers involved in the Diddy trial, revealed that he originally wrote “I Really Mean It” with the intention of giving it to Lil Kim, cleared up old Mariah Carey dating rumors and told a story about the time he randomly ran into the infamous Alpo Martinez and received some critiques on how he portrayed the late street legend in Paid in Full.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-06-26 16:36:032025-06-26 16:36:03Cam’ron Announces Six-Figure Book Deal to Write His Memoir: ‘I’m Happy to Have This Deal Done’
