Media Questions Of The Week

Did Drake’s lawsuit against UMG for defamation regarding Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” have merit?




Kevin Ross Releases LOVE UPTEMPO: MAX

Kevin Ross just entered his LOVE UPTEMPO: MAX era and it is a continuation of his luxe R&B plus more. He shared a taste of the album with the Love Uptempo, Vol. 1 EP that came out earlier this year. LOVE UPTEMPO: MAX is the full experience, and he has collaborative energy on deck from creative duo Louis York, songwriter Justin Love, and musician Romeo Taylor. Ross summed up the collection in the album title, as the music is wholly dedicated to the dynamics of romantic relationships at a pace made for dancing. A song like “Back 4 More” makes the very common obsession with an ex less difficult because the sprightly rhythm resembles joy instead of rehashed heartbreak. Ross puts Afrobeats in the mix seamlessly on “Spin,” “Afrolude,” and “Spin (Again),” and it’s just enough to complement his core sound. “Love In The Middle” is the album’s North Star as it stayed in the number one slot on Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart for three weeks. 

LUM has everything Ross’ fans expect with songs that adhere to his habit of making R&B that honors his authenticity. He says, “This project means so much to me because it’s about celebrating love in all its forms through the joy of R&B music and its effects on the mind, body, and spirit. It’s my love letter to the genre that shaped me. As an independent artist, I’m grateful to be able to create music on my own terms and share it with people who truly connect with it. LOVE UPTEMPO: MAX is me pushing the boundaries of what R&B can sound like while keeping that soul at the center. I hope when people hear it, they feel good and inspired.”

Ross is currently touring LUM. 

 

 

 




Ashley Allison’s Watering Hole Media Acquires The Root

Ashley Allison, a nationally recognized political strategist, communications expert, CNN commentator, and former Obama-Biden White House Administration official, announced today that her company, Watering Hole Media, has acquired digital media outlet, The Root. The acquisition signals a transformative moment in media leadership, one rooted in cultural authority, trust, and representation. 

Allison, who also served as the National Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 presidential campaign, has built a career on amplifying diverse voices and navigating the intersection of politics, policy, and culture. Through Watering Hole Media, she brings this experience to the digital landscape, positioning the company to deliver journalism, storytelling, and entertainment that reflect the depth and complexity of Black communities. 

“This isn’t about making more content but rather about making meaning of this moment,” shares Allison. “The Root has always been about preserving culture and creating clarity in a world full of distractions. Owning the power to tell our own stories is a rich tradition The Root is committed to upholding.” 

Founded in 2008 by historian, filmmaker, and literary critic Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, and former Washington Post Publisher Donald E. Graham, The Root is a trusted destination where Black voices are featured and celebrated. “I am so very proud of Ashley Allison for leading The Root into its next exciting chapter, and for returning The Root to its roots,” enthused Professor Gates. “When Donald and I launched The Root, my vision was to create a platform to showcase the full complexity of Black life with depth, intelligence, and, most importantly, unapologetic honesty. Too often, legacy mainstream outlets treat Black stories as an afterthought, treating an entire community of people as if they are a sidebar. The Root needed to be a front page in its own right. A platform where our history, our culture, and our politics were not only centered, but elevated.”

The Root acquisition will continue the cultural storytelling, while adding immersive multimedia and experimental formats that push boundaries, while honoring the written word and journalistic rigor. 

Rashad Robinson, who will serve as a strategic advisor to Watering Hole Media and The Root’s team, adds, “Rebooting The Root is an exciting moment in the media landscape, with so much potential to make Black voices an even stronger force in the big fights taking place in our country right now. The Root provides an infrastructure for growing Black talent and supports a drumbeat of reporting on issues that would not otherwise gain momentum. I’m excited to be part of its next chapter.” 

Allison’s leadership reflects her long-standing commitment to racial equity and representation. Beyond her experience at the White House and on the campaign trail, she is a frequent CNN commentator known for her clear and informed political analysis. Earlier in her career, she served as a high school special education teacher in Brooklyn, New York, before earning her master’s in education and a law degree in public interest law. She was also appointed as a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics Fellow in 2021.

For more information, visit and follow:

The Root: TheRoot.com

Watering Hole Media: Wateringholemedia.com @Wateringholemedia 

Ashley Allison: Ashley Allison




Digital Underground Co-Founder Chopmaster J and Son, S.O.T.U. Announce New Era of Digital Underground featuring DUNxG Releases on Intercept Music

San Fransico, CA – Jimi “Chopmaster J” Dright, co-founder of the iconic hip hop group Digital Underground (DU), is extending his musical legacy with his label imprints, Herb n Soul Media and Digital Dope Music Group.  The veteran musician along with his son S.O.T.U. (Son of the Underground) and his band, D.U.Nx.G. (Digital Underground Next Generation) are simultaneously releasing four singles via their deal with Intercept Music, a worldwide, leading, technology-driven independent music distribution and marketing company. “Spirit” and “Something About You” are the two releases from the “ChopMaster J Body Of Works” project and the singles “Whistle” and “Move” are from the upcoming new Digital Underground featuring DUNxG album, “Evolution.” In addition, the father and son duo are hosting a new podcast, “Like Father Life Fun.”  

The “Evolution” endeavor marks an important footnote for Chopmaster J. For the first time in over 20 years, Chopmaster J will be officially releasing new Digital Underground music.  Digital Underground, one of the first hip-hop bands, included members Money B, DJ Fuze, and an 18-year-old Tupac Amaru Shakur, who Jimi is credited with discovering. The group’s rise to fame in the early ’90s featured hits like “Doowutchyalike,” “Freaks of the Industry,” “Same Song,” and “Kiss You Back.” In addition, his upcoming album “ChopMaster J Body Of Works” will mark decades of his musical contributions to pop and hip hop culture.

 

“Intercept Music like Digital Underground has deep history in the Bay Area. My personal music roots started here. Jimi and his bandmate Shock G, as the founders of Digital Underground, were an integral component of the area’s music scene and helped launch an international fan base for the Bay’s cultural happenings.  Independent music and hip hop go hand and hand, and this venture is a great intermingling of the two.  Jimi alongside his son S.O.T.U. represent generations of legacy,” expressed Ralph Tashjian, chairman of Intercept Music.

“Something About You” and “Spirit” will both be accompanied by videos.  “Spirit,” originally featured on the “Boyz in the Hood” soundtrack, boasts the Bay Area’s own Tramaine Hawkins and The Interfaith Gospel Choir alongside guest artist Dave Hollister and is being positioned as an official song for the city of Oakland.  The “Something About You” video features Dave Hollister with a cameo appearance by Chopmaster J’s late bandmate Gregory Edward Jacobs, better known as Shock G or Humpty Hump.

“At times it’s been a serious uphill battle maintaining a hold on my music.  I’m extremely happy with the support Intercept Music has provided me.  Their marketing and distribution platform makes is easy for an older artist like me to merge seamlessly back into today’s quickly evolving music scene.  Working alongside my son, S.O.T.U. has been an added blessing,” cites Chopmaster J.

“My dad has always included me in his musical journey. As a kid, I remember his DU studio sessions.  DUNxG is the next generation of Digital Underground and our music continues to elevate the highest of good vibrations,” adds S.O.T.U., son of Chopmaster J and lead member of DUNxG. 

“Like Father Like Fun,” hosted by Pantheon Media, can be heard on all podcast platforms and viewed on YouTube at @OfficialChopmasterJ.

Groove to the four single releases across all streaming platforms at:

Chopmaster J – “Spirit” Feat. Dave Hollister & Tramaine Hawkins with The Interfaith Gospel Choir

ChopMaster J – “Something About Ya” featuring Dave Hollister

 

 

DUNxG – “Whistle”:  

 

DUNxG – “MOVE”