A long time ago, I made a commitment to myself that, when it comes to sports, I would not be a jack of all trades. My plan was to focus my athletic energy on the one sport I’d have the best shot at playing well for a long period of time. I know sports and I have my teams. I like going to games. But I love tennis. I love to play, to compete, to study, and to watch. And …

We’re halfway through 2021, and what a wild ride it’s been. The long 4th of July weekend is upon us, which means it’s time to drop our annual Summer Mixtape! If you know me, you know I love mixtapes. I’ve been making them for decades. The fun part of the playlist era is they’re now living, breathing bodies of work. This mix will change and grow as the Summer takes shape, so make sure you mash that FOLLOW button on …

Are VC’s the New A&R’s? One of the more dynamic and exciting roles played in modern culture is that of the Venture Capitalist. Finance is becoming “cool” and relevant in ways it hasn’t been before. Apps like Robinhood and Public, where anyone can invest in stocks broker-free, are all the rage. Meme stocks are moving the market; traders are becoming more educated and sophisticated as crypto and smart contracts develop more fully; and the power of platforms like Carta, which …

This Saturday is Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the end of slavery and is recoginized by many African-Americans as their independence day in the United States. Although it has been celebrated in some communities for years, it’s exciting to see Juneteenth rise up throughout the country. In recent years, a number of local and national organizations have helped this holiday gain prominence. The country continues to experience what one might label The Great Reflection, finally attempting to take personal stock …

This week kicked off with Apple’s WWDC Conference. Although it’s eternally missing the magic of Steve Jobs, I think these presentations continue to get better and smoother in a nearly-post-Covid era. I found the effects, transitions, and diversity of speakers to once again provide a blueprint for how a company should communicate its product launches. Say what you will about Tim Cook, in my opinion his tenure has taken the company to new heights. Apple continues to innovate and lead. …

In the U.S., certain cities are known for certain times of year: Chicago in August (Lollapalooza, we back!); Miami in December; and the Pacific Northwest once the rain finally stops in July. But do any of these beat Brooklyn in June? I remember growing up in Brooklyn, and in June it was the place to be. Block parties. BBQs. Fire hydrants blasting water. Before I went full pandemic nomad, living in Williamsburg was magical. It was filled with energy, culture, …

Happy almost Memorial Day Weekend. May 31st is sure to kick off a Summer like no other. With markets roaring, prices rising, and so much up in the air, it’s going to be interesting to watch the most fortunate, vaccinated countries get back together post-Covid. Quarantine culture is nearly dead in New York and the pent up demand for travel, experiences, live music, and real-world connection is building. I can’t wait for my calendar to start percolating so I can …

It’s been a weird, rough couple of weeks in the world of crypto. Reports of the NFT market cooling down seem reliable, but the industry, I believe, is here to stay. A little correction can be healthy. The space was ballooning out of control with astronomical pricing that simply didn’t make sense. Everyone is experimenting and paving the way for the future. Sure, there were a lot of bad drops and average artwork that won’t hold weight long-term, but there …

It’s wonderful to see all of the news about live events. Every time I check my email, more and more festivals are announcing 2021 lineups; tour dates are taking shape; and from what it looks like, tickets are selling well. This might not be a ‘recovery recovery,’ but it’s at least a slingshot-accelerated bounce back for the live and events business. The music business learned a lot during the pandemic. It was a tough year emotionally that forced us all …

Wishing you a happy May 5th, otherwise known as Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Though Mexico won the battle, it did not win the war. So, it is odd that this relatively minor Mexican holiday is celebrated by Americans with tequila shots. This evolution into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American …

Back in the day (around 1946), the country western stars of the time envisioned, invested in, and built a place called Pioneertown in the desert outside Palm Springs, CA. The town was designed as a series of country western sets and became home to more than 50 movies and TV shows. Once the Western boom fizzled, the town changed hands a few times and became a kitschy, cool stop along the highway; a marvel-turned-relic of the great state of California. …

It truly is the Roaring Twenty-Twenties! There seems to be a gold rush in every industry as the world is flush with cash and the future is being written. From E-Sports and Gaming to crypto and NFTs; from music rights and startups to the rise of the mental health industry; from IPOs and SPACs to the imminent return of live events, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Even old-school trading cards are booming! One area that is finally coming …

I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to get back out there and experience live music again. When I was a talent agent, I would hit up at least five shows a week and sometimes three in a night. Our agency was arranging 50+ gigs per weekend in the Spring and Fall college months. When I switched lanes, I kept the pace, attending events, shows, and premieres nightly. For as long as I can remember, that’s been my …

Have you been to a museum recently? A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to see the KAWS exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, which documents his remarkable rise. KAWS is an artist that epitomizes how to break into the art world “through the kitchen.” As a graffiti artist, he created his buzz and demand through collectibles, mostly in Japan, flipping and remixing pop culture with his lens and artistic POV. Now, KAWS’s brand collaborations are instant classics. The lines …

When it comes to the world of Crypto x Music, it really is the wild, wild west out here. I haven’t seen something so exciting, so explosive, so disruptive, and so dangerous since the early days of Napster. NFT mania is dominating culture. It’s a perfect storm of timing, technology, and circumstance, leading to rapid, industry-wide change. Soon, NFT will lose its buzzword status and become a household term. This week alone there was Christie’s release with JPG artist, Beeple, …