The Trailblazers.FM Podcast Celebrates its 100th Episode
The podcast has now featured over 100 accomplished black professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives and corporate leaders.
Trailblazers.FM, the premier podcast exploring the stories of today’s most successful black professionals, celebrates its 100th episode.
Trailblazers.FM has now been downloaded in 108 countries globally. The podcast publishes new episodes on Monday mornings at 5 a.m. ET. Listeners consume episodes via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music and tbpod.com. Listeners can also enable the podcast for consumption on their Amazon echo, using the TuneIn app.
Since February 2016, Trailblazers.FM has been highlighting the knowledge, resources, and tools of today’s black trailblazers, to help their listeners, the Blazer Nation, gain the confidence, know-how, and motivation needed to blaze their own trails in life. The podcast’s host Stephen A. Hart is a sought-after brand and marketing strategist, was a standing room only speaker at Podcast Movement 2017 and recognized as a 2016 Black Enterprise BE Modern Man.
As a husband and father of two, Hart’s vision is to create and expand the view of positive images our children and peers see for black role models in the media.
“I remember when I was preparing to launch the podcast, and read about the failures of many young black businesses and professionals, which many times stemmed from the lack of mentorship of other successful black business owners and leaders,” said Stephen A. Hart. “Those of us who were accomplishing some measure of success weren’t reaching back and pouring into the next up and coming generation. The old crab in a barrel mentality was evident. I was determined that through Trailblazers.FM, we would begin to reframe that narrative. My belief is that all boats should and will rise with the tide.”
Hart believes it’s imperative for black professionals to listen to Trailblazers.FM. “You’ll begin to hear stories, failures, strategies, and wisdom, and be inspired by folks that look and sound just like us.” The content produced weekly is mission fuel for the young and old and helps motivate listeners to step into their daily lives prepared to accomplish their own measure of greatness.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast within your Apple Podcasts app and follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter.
Foot Locker And Timberland Team Up With Hip-Hop Legend Nas To Launch Fall 2017 Legends Collection
Foot Locker (NYSE: FL) and Timberland team up with legendary hip-hop recording artist Nas to present the Fall 2017 Legends Collection – a limited-release series of Timberland® boots available exclusively at Foot Locker Legends Club locations. To bring the new Legends Collection to life, each monthly drop (Volumes VII – X) will be accompanied by a custom animated video short, the first of which launches today on Foot Locker’s YouTube channel. The videos document pivotal milestones in the artist’s personal journey, with Nas telling the stories in his own words, from his early days in Queens to the moment he was discovered.
Last night, Nas joined Foot Locker and Timberland at NYC33, Foot Locker’s experiential event space in midtown Manhattan, to personally unveil the collection in front of a capacity crowd of influencers, celebrities, and media. Sporting the third drop in the collection – Volume IX, a Port Field Boot with Velvet Collar – Nas brought the crowd to its feet, performing an explosive 20-minute set including many of his biggest hits such as If I Ruled the World, Get Down, The World is Yours and more.
“Before you become what you will, you start as who you are,” Nas said. “Timberland boots have been part of my journey from the beginning, and the Legends Collection partnership with Foot Locker connects our paths and illustrates how, like any story worth telling, it has to evolve to make us who we are today.”
“Foot Locker is thrilled to be partnering with Nas and Timberland to bring this season’s Legends Collection to life for our customers,” said Jed Berger, head of marketing for Foot Locker. “Nas is a true icon and authentically defines what our Timberland Legends Collection is all about. He elevates the credibility and respect for both of our brands as we introduce new and timeless boot styles to the next generation.”
The Volume VII FlyRoam™ Leather Sneakerboot, featuring a sporty silhouette and creamy buttermilk nubuck leathers, takes design cues from Timberland’s heritage while incorporating modern details like the all-new AeroCore™ energy system. Volume VII (retailing for $150) is available via Foot Locker’s App Launch Reservation in select New York City locations on Saturday, Sept. 23. Volume VII will be available on footlocker.com and in Legends Club locations nationwide on Sept. 30.
The accompanying animated short takes viewers to the beginning of Nas’ journey at age 6, on a Queensstreet corner wearing classic Timberland® 6-Inch boots, and tapping his feet as he plays the trumpet before a growing crowd. Nas narrates, “Before there was rap, there was jazz. My father played the trumpet, so for me, that’s where my journey started.” The story unfolds to mark the moment when Nas discovers that the sounds he can make with his body and his mind are universal. The video ends with a close-up of Timberland’s classic 6-inch Premium yellow boot which morphs into the Volume VII FlyRoam™ Sneakerboot.
“Nas perfectly captures the notion that success is born out of hard work and hustle – something that’s at the heart of every Timberland boot,” said Jim Davey, vice president of global brand marketing for Timberland. “We are thrilled to be a small part of his journey, and to recognize him for the legend he has become.”
The Legends Collection is made with only the most premium materials and Timberland’s legendary craftsmanship. Monthly releases to follow the September launch include: Volume VIII, a 6-inch Premium Strap Boot with an asymmetrical strap and sleek blackout leather, fabric and hardware (October, $160); Volume IX, a 6-Inch Field Boot with velvet collar (November, $175); and Volume X, the 6-Inch Premium in boot mauve shadow with contrasting port collar (December, $190).
The Legends Collection campaign was created and art directed by creative agency, Pereira & O’Dell with animation executed by Gentlemen Scholar. For more information on the Fall 2017 Legends Collection, visit footlocker.com/legendsclub.
Additional information may be found at footlocker.com | Instagram: @footlocker | Twitter: @footlocker | YouTube: youtube.com/footlocker | Blog: unlocked.footlocker.com | Facebook: facebook.com/footlocker | App: iOS and Android #Approved
SOURCE Foot Locker, Inc
“THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR” Platinum Selling R&B Quartet XSCAPE Announce Nation-Wide Tour With Special Guests Monica and Tamar Braxton
One of the most beloved groups in R&B history, XSCAPE, have announced their first-ever headlining tour, THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR.
Answering the overwhelming demand of fans nationwide, XSCAPE—Kandi Burruss-Tucker, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, and sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott—return to the stage to perform all of their memorable hits. Adding to the excitement, the group will be joined on tour by special guests, Monica and Tamar Braxton. THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR kicks off on November 22nd at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA, hits major markets across North America, and concludes in Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater on January 6th, 2018. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 22nd in most markets. Check your local listings or go to greatxscapetour.com for more information.
An escape into the world of a legendary, award-winning, multiplatinum R&B powerhouse, THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR promises to be the ultimate night out. The set will draw from their three consecutive platinum albums—namely, Hummin‘ Comin‘ At ‘Cha, Off the Hook, and Traces of My Lipstick—as it showcases their six top singles, including “Just Kickin‘ It”, “Understanding”, “Who Can I Run To,” and more. The audience begged for this, and XSCAPE are delivering like only they can.
About THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR, the group comments, “You asked for it! We had so much fun with y’all this summer that we decided to bring the party to cities across the U.S. We decided to do something very special and have our good friends Monica and Tamar Braxton join us! We are beyond excited to have them out with us for the ultimate girls night out show! This is the tour we’ve always wanted to do and we can’t wait to see you there!”
It has been a scorching hot summer for the group; XSCAPE made their triumphant return on the BET Awards performing a trio of their biggest hits. Rolling Stone highlighting it as one of the “Best moments” of the night, calling their performance “magic” and a “show of their unfaltering, still awe-inspiring vocal ranges.” Following this landmark performance, XSCAPE performed two sold-out shows in Detroit, and shut down an entire floor at the Super Dome in New Orleans, as fans stormed the stage not to miss their Essence Festival set. Vibe proclaimed, “They haven’t lost an ounce of their magic.”
Rounding out an epic comeback year, the official XSCAPE docu-series is coming soon to BRAVO.
Catch THE GREAT XSCAPE TOUR in a City near you this fall:
|
Nov 22 |
Richmond, VA |
Richmond Coliseum* |
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Nov 24 |
Norfolk, VA |
Constant Center |
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Nov 25 |
Newark, NJ |
Prudential Center |
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Nov 26 |
Washington, DC |
Capital One Arena |
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Nov 30 |
Birmingham, AL |
Legacy Arena at BJCC |
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Dec 01 |
Nashville, TN |
Bridgestone Arena |
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Dec 02 |
Charlotte, NC |
Spectrum Center* |
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Dec 03 |
Raleigh, NC |
PNC Arena |
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Dec 07 |
Columbia, SC |
Colonial Life Arena* |
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Dec 08 |
Columbus, GA |
Columbus Civic Center |
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Dec 09 |
Jackson, MS |
Mississippi Coliseum |
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Dec 10 |
Bossier City, LA |
CenturyLink Center |
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Dec 13 |
Grand Prairie, TX |
Verizon Theater at Grand Prairie |
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Dec 15 |
Chicago, IL |
United Center |
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Dec 16 |
St. Louis, MO |
Chaifetz Arena |
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Dec 17 |
Columbus, OH |
Nationwide Arena |
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Dec 27 |
Houston, TX |
Toyota Center* |
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Dec 28 |
New Orleans, LA |
Smoothie King Center |
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Dec 30 |
Southaven, MS |
Landers Center |
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Dec 31 |
Atlanta, GA |
Philips Arena |
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Jan 05 |
Oakland, CA |
Oracle Arena* |
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Jan 06 |
Los Angeles, CA |
Microsoft Theater * |
*Tickets on sale Friday, October 6th at 10 am local time
https://www.
TuneIn Serves Passionate Listeners With Launch Of Exclusive Podcast Program
World’s Streaming Audio Leader Offers Early Releases of Podcasts…
TuneIn, a premier podcast destination and the world’s leading streaming audio app, today debuted First Play, a first-of-its-kind podcast program offering early releases of new episodes from new and popular podcasts from networks like WNYC Studios, Gimlet Media, HowStuffWorks, Wondery, Feral Audio and StarTalk. New episodes will be available early, up to one week before they’re available on other platforms, and they will be free to all TuneIn users.
With the launch of First Play, TuneIn enables podcast super fans to hear episodes early from a selection of more than 30 podcasts, produced by the most popular podcast creators. Participating shows will debut their early releases throughout the initial run of the program, concluding December 31st.
The podcast industry has boomed in the last year, with its monthly audience growing 21% in the U.S. (from 57 million to 67 million people), according to Edison Research and Triton Digital’s annual Infinite Dial Report, with no signs of this engagement slowing down. Podcast creators continue to defy creative bounds, building new ways to experience audio content, which avid listeners are eager to consume. Through this program, TuneIn aims to serve listeners who want even more from their favorite shows.
Between TuneIn’s breadth of content offerings and wide distribution network, this program exposes new audiences to great podcast content before anywhere else. More people are discovering podcasts than ever before, and TuneIn is uniquely positioned to support that interest with its integration with connected devices, such as Amazon Alexa-enabled speakers.
“This special offering provides fans what they want most: the ability to get their favorite shows first and early,” said TuneIn Chief Content Officer Kevin Straley. “We’re proud to be releasing such a robust group of partners with fresh new content at a time when podcast listening is at a record high.”
The First Play line up can be found at TuneIn.com including:
- WNYC Studios: Spooked, a new series from Snap Judgment that is No. 1 on the U.S. charts
- Gimlet Media: Uncivil, a new series
- HowStuffWorks: BrainStuff, Ridiculous History and TechStuff Daily Digest
- Wondery: Sword & Scale, I Hate My Boss, Hollywood and Crime, Real Crime Profiles, Tides of History and Something You Should Know
- StarTalk: StarTalk Radio, StarTalk All-Stars and StarTalk Playing with Science
- Feral Audio: Harmontown, Dumb People Town, Natch Beaut and Drinky Fun Time
- ESPN Radio: Cinephile: The Adnan Virk Movie Podcast, Doubletruck Stories, Free Cookies andThat’s What She Said with Sarah Spain
- Parcast: Serial Killers, Unsolved Murders and Jack the Ripper
- Tenderfoot TV: Sworn
- ABC Radio: 10% Happier with Dan Harris, No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis, Motivated, Uncomfortable
- MRW Productions: The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
- Anonymous: Casefile True Crime
- The Wall Street Journal: Secrets of Wealthy Women
- Dr. Robert Puff, Ph.D.: The Happiness Podcast
- Red Bull Music Academy: Couch Wisdom on the Red Bull Radio
As one of the new series to debut on the First Play lineup, Chris Giliberti, head of multiplatform at Gimlet Media, shares, “We are excited to partner with TuneIn to give its listeners exclusive early access to Gimlet’s newest show, Uncivil, via TuneIn’s First Play. Uncivil is a phenomenal, timely and important show and we can’t wait for audiences to enjoy it.”
Glynn Washington, host of WNYC Studios’ Spooked, is thrilled to be one of the first featured this week. “Debuting Spooked with TuneIn’s First Play is a great way to deliver supernatural thrills,” he says. “But don’t turn out the lights!”
“We’re delighted to learn that StarTalk would be among the first podcasts to be featured in TuneIn’s exclusive “First Play” programming,” says Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of StarTalk. “Our running goal has always been to broaden and deepen the public’s access to science in our lives through our informative and entertaining portfolio of celebrity guests and comedic banter. Looks like TuneIn has a recipe that will make that happen as never before.”
This year, TuneIn has made significant investments to elevate itself as a premier destination for both podcasters and podcast listeners. According to internal data, TuneIn reports that they’ve had 27 million listening hours of podcast content so far in 2017, and 27% growth in podcast listening year-over-year from 2016 to 2017.
TuneIn brings the widest collection of sports, music, news, podcasts, and audiobooks into one app. The platform features live and on-demand audio through partnerships with world-class content providers including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, ESPN Radio, ABC Radio, CNN, MSNBC/CNBC, Fox News Talk and BBC Radio.
Legacy Recordings Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Mariah Carey’s Butterfly with Release of Commemorative 12″ Vinyl Picture Disc on Friday, October 20
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mariah Carey’s Butterfly with the release of a collector’s edition 12″ vinyl picture disc–featuring the album’s iconic original cover photo and a special note from Mariah to her fans–on Friday, October 20. Available for pre-order now: https://Certified.lnk.to/ButterflyPD/amazon
“Butterfly is my favorite album,” says Mariah. “It’s the most personal work I’ve ever done and will always be a defining moment in my career and in my life. I’m so happy to celebrate this anniversary with such a special release! Stay tuned for more surprises!”
Originally released on September 16, 1997, by Columbia Records, Butterfly, Mariah Carey’s sixth studio album, was one of the 1990’s most-avidly-anticipated albums and quickly established itself as both a commercial (RIAA certified 5x Platinum) and artistic success. The songs and sounds of Butterfly helped shape and define the pop/R&B music and cultural zeitgeist of its era and beyond.
At the time of Butterfly‘s release, Mariah Carey was already the biggest-selling female artist of the decade, having sold more than 80 million records since her debut in 1990. “Honey,” the album’s first single, became an instant hit on the multi-format radio while a groundbreaking video for the track — codirected by Mariah Carey and Daniel Pearl and shot by Paul Hunter — rocketed into across-the-board heavy rotation on MTV, VH1, BET, and the Box. When “Honey” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of its release, it became–according to that week’s Billboard Bulletin (September 4, 1997)–“….her third single to open in the top spot and her 12th No. 1 overall, giving her the most chart-toppers of any solo female artist in the rock era. In the history of the Hot 100, only six singles have debuted at No. 1 and Carey owns half of them.”
Butterfly premiered 11 new compositions written by Mariah with some of pop music’s most illustrious collaborators: “Honey” (produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs for Bad Boy Entertainment, Inc., The Ummah, Stevie J., and Mariah Carey); “Butterfly” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); “My All” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); “The Roof” (produced by Poke and Tone for Track Masters Entertainment, and Mariah Carey); “Fourth of July” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); “Breakdown” (produced by Mariah Carey, Stevie J., and Sean “Puffy” Combs for Bad Boy Entertainment, Inc.); “Babydoll” (produced by Mariah Carey and Cory Rooney); “Close My Eyes” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); “Whenever You Call” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff); “Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)” (co-produced by Mariah Carey and David Morales for Def Mix Productions); and “Outside” (produced and arranged by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff; co-produced by Cory Rooney).
The 12th track on Butterfly is Mariah’s heart-stopping cover of Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” (from “Purple Rain”) recorded as a duet with Dru Hill. Guest artists on Butterfly include Mase & The Lox (on “Honey”) and Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone from Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony (on “Breakdown”).
Mariah Carey – Butterfly – 12″ vinyl Picture Disc
Side A
- Honey
- Butterfly
- My All
- The Roof
- Fourth of July
- Breakdown
Side B
- Babydoll
- Close My Eyes
- Whenever You Call
- Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)
- The Beautiful Ones
- Outside
Futuri Media Reinvents Show Prep with New TopicPulse Content Stream
Content stream with data-driven topic starters added to powerful story discovery tool…
Futuri Media, a global leader and innovator in media technology, today announced the launch of the TopicPulse content stream, a powerful companion to the groundbreaking story discovery tool that scans thousands of local social posts and news sources every minute to deliver demo-specific insights to broadcasters.
TopicPulse’s new content stream takes its powerful real-time story discovery tools and marries it with the writing and curation skills of radio format experts. Radio partners who log into their TopicPulse account will now see a live stream of content ideas specific to their format and target, based on TopicPulse’s data and curated by Futuri’s team of writers and producers with extensive radio experience.
Intended as a companion to TopicPulse’s powerful story discovery tools, content stream material is written in a way that’s easy to use as-is on-air and on social channels. The content stream is available now in the TopicPulse desktop app and will be live in the mobile app in the coming weeks.
The TopicPulse Content Stream’s data-driven topic starter material is also delivered to radio partners in twice-daily format-specific e-mails intended for morning and afternoon drive show prep.
“Anyone who’s charged with creating compelling live content knows how difficult it can be to keep audiences engaged. We created TopicPulse to add science to the art of show prep and story selection,” said Futuri Media CEO Daniel Anstandig. “We’re thrilled to give TopicPulse’s radio partners these new companion capabilities to make it even easier to make use of TopicPulse’s incredible data-driven story discovery capabilities.”