Mass Appeal Raises $6M Funding Round Led by Universal Music

UMG evp Michele Anthony joins the company's board of directors.

Mass Appeal, the graffiti/hip-hop culture publication that has grown to include television and production wings as well as a record label and creative services division, announced today it had raised $6 million in Series A funding. Leading the round is Universal Music Group, and with today's announcement UMG evp Michele Anthony will serve on Mass Appeal's board of directors.

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Founded as a print magazine in 1996, Mass Appeal has reinvented itself in recent years, particularly after CEO Peter Bittenbender partnered with Nas to relaunch the physical magazine and open Mass Appeal Records, which will serve as Nas' label home after his long-term deal with Def Jam reaches its conclusion. Since the launch of the label in 2014, Mass Appeal Records has released records from Run the Jewels (Run the Jewels 2, Meow the Jewels), Fashawn (The Ecology) andDave East (Hate Me Now, Kairi Chanel), among others, as well as posthumous records from Pimp C (Long Live the Pimp) and J Dilla (The Diary).

The company has also made significant moves in the television space via a partnership with TBS and TNT, including upcoming digital series Storyvillealongside Okayplayer and Think B.I.G., a fictional animated series inspired by the lyrics of The Notorious B.I.G. and produced in partnership with the late rapper's mother, Ms. Voletta Wallace, and former manager Wayne Barrow's Bystorm Films.

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"Universal’s reach and influence is unparalleled in music and beyond," Bittenbender said in a statement announcing the news. "Together, UMG and Mass Appeal will create iconic, globally impactful content and we couldn’t be more excited to get to work."

In addition to UMG, several other investors joined the funding round, includingUsher, Steve Stoute, Evolution Media, Jon Jashni of Raintree Ventures, Charles King of Macro, Michael Kassan of MediaLink and Karen Lauder, as well as Nas and White Owl Capital, who were already investors in the company.

"At Universal Music Group, we are creating new opportunities for our artists and labels to forge deeper relationships with fans around the world through music, film, television, video, social media and brand sponsorships," Anthony said in a statement. "Working with Mass Appeal, we will be able to accelerate that strategy. I’m honored to join Mass Appeal’s board and I’m looking forward to working closely together on many future projects."

Viola Davis to Receive Harvard's Artist of the Year Award

3/4/2017 by the Associated Press

The actress will accept her arts medal Saturday at a ceremony at Harvard's Cultural Rhythms Festival.

Fresh off her best supporting actress Oscar win for her role in Fences, Viola Davis is set to receive the Harvard Foundation 2017 Artist of the Year Award.

Davis will accept her arts medal Saturday at a ceremony at Harvard's Cultural Rhythms Festival in Cambridge, Mass.

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In addition to the Oscar, the actress received the Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA awards for her portrayal of Rose Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences, an August Wilson play.

Nas' Mass Appeal raises 6 mil in funding

Davis co-starred in the play's 2010 Broadway revival with Denzel Washington. Her performance in the play earned her a Tony award.

Davis currently stars on ABC's How to Get Away With Murder.

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Previous winners include Quincy Jones, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, Salma Hayek and Shakira.

This article first appeared in the Associated Press 3/4/2017

China Box Office: 'Resident Evil' Astonishes With Huge $94M Weekend

The Screen Gems/Constantin title debuted to $30.4 million on Friday, getting 110,000 showings across the Middle Kingdom. 

The huge screen share was boosted by Sony's strategic marketing partner Dalian Wanda Group, China's largest cinema operator. Local marketing specialist Leomus Pictures handled an innovative ad campaign that involved tapping local social media influencers to createResident Evil fan art campaigns and working with domestic branding partners.

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Thanks to the big China numbers, The Final Chapter — the sixth and concluding Resident Evil film — is now on track to become the most successful installment in the video-game adaptation franchise. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the pic again stars Milla Jovovich as the heroine making a last stand for humanity against hordes of ravaging zombies.

Fellow video game adaptation Assassin's Creed, starring Michael Fassbender, opened opposite The Final Chapter but came in far behind, taking in $17 million from Friday to Sunday.

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Other Hollywood holdovers added modestly to their China totals. Universal's Sing earned $7.2 million on the weekend, bringing its China cume to $23.8 million after 24 days. Vin Diesel's xXx: The Return of Xander Cage decelerated to $6.6 million for the weekend, while crossing the $150 million mark to hit $153 million after three frames. And Oscar favorite La La Land took in $2.4 million, lifting its 13-day total to $30.5 million, the highest gross ever for a live-action musical in China.

Fantasia Skips Memphis Performance After Suffering Second-Degree Burns

R&B singer Fantasia was unable to perform in Memphis on Sunday (March 5) after her husband revealed that she had suffered second-degree burns. 

Her husband, Kendall Taylor, wrote in an Instagram post Sunday, "My Wife experienced an accident today causing 2nd degree burns on her arm. She's steady asking the Doc 'Can I perform tonight?' But we must be wise and realize this isn't a race, but rather a marathon."

Nas' Mass Appeal raises 6 mil in funding

The details of the accident were not revealed. 

Fantasia was scheduled to perform at the Fedex Forum in Memphis, Tenn. Sunday as part of Charlie Wilson's In It To Win It tour, which also includes Johnny Gill. 

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"So Memphis, our team is already working to create a means that she can redeem this time with you," continued Taylor. "She had something truly special planned for tonight." 

Azealia Banks Fails to Appear in Court, Judge Issues Warrant

A judge issued a bench warrant for Azealia Banks' arrest after the rapper failed to appear in court on Monday (March 6) for a hearing related to a 2015 incident where she was accused of attacking a female security guard at a New York nightclub, including punching and biting the guard's breast.

According to Page Six, her lawyer appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court and relayed the message, “I can be back tomorrow if the court needs it," from Banks, which caused the judge to issue the bench warrant.

Her entertainment lawyer told Pitchfork in a separate statement that Banks confused the court dates. "Azealia Banks mistakenly believed she had a court appearance on March 8th instead of March 6th," the lawyer wrote. "She was in France for Fashion week due to meetings and other social gatherings and was not able to arrange her flight in time to appear today. She apologizes and will apologize in person to the Court for missing her scheduled hearing. In addition, she attempted to appear via a New York Attorney and through a close family member."

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It continues, "Ms. Banks will go to the department to remedy the situation as soon as possible. Again, she apologizes for the inconvenience that may have caused the Department."

She is currently facing charges of misdemeanor assault, attempted assault, disorderly conduct and harassment. At her private attorney's request, Banks was also reportedly assigned a free lawyer. 

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Apart from making music, the Harlem native has dealt with her fair share of controversy in the past including an alleged scuffle at actor Russell Crowe's party last October.