Posts made in July 2026

TO NJPAC ON SATURDAY, JULY 18

Mayor Ras J. Baraka joins Joy Reid, Taye Diggs, Bevy Smith, and cast members from Power Book III: Raising Kanan for first-of-its-kind entertainment and fandom experience

Newark, NJ – July 13, 2026 –– Mayor Ras J. Baraka will join nationally recognized journalists, actors, producers, and entertainment executives at the inaugural ViewerCon, a first-of-its-kind entertainment and fandom experience presented by STARZ, on Saturday, July 18, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark.

Part fan convention, part entertainment summit, and part cultural festival, ViewerCon was created by NBC News Entertainment Contributor and PopViewers CEO Chris Witherspoon to bring audiences closer to the people and projects shaping television, film, and popular culture. The full-day event will feature exclusive conversations, behind-the-scenes panels, celebrity appearances, and advance screenings while exploring the future of storytelling, media, and entertainment.

“It’s an honor for our city to host the first ViewerCon festival, and it makes so much sense that the debut conversation about storytelling would happen in a city named as the eighth most vibrant arts community in the country,” said Mayor Baraka. “Newark is steeped in our artistry: murals and music, painting and poetry, dance and drama, sculpture and spoken word, photography and film. Storytelling and artistic expression are born into our community and nurtured here through a mentoring pipeline that now includes workforce training for the jobs in our burgeoning film industry.”

Mayor Baraka will participate in a featured conversation with award-winning journalist and political commentator Joy Reid on Newark’s emergence as one of America’s fastest-growing destinations for film, television, technology, and the creative economy.

Additional programming throughout the day will feature conversations with acclaimed actors, producers, creators, media personalities, and industry leaders, culminating in a special panel with the cast and creators of STARZ’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan and an advance screening of the upcoming STARZ drama Fightland, executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

KEY PROGRAMMING & SPEAKERS:

10:00 a.m.: Opening Fireside Conversation

Joy Reid, award-winning journalist, political commentator, and host of The Joy Reid Show
Chris Witherspoon, Founder and CEO, PopViewers
Ras J. Baraka, Mayor, City of Newark
Midday Programming

Taye Diggs, actor and entrepreneur
Shelby Stone, Emmy Award-winning producer and co-founder, MicroHouse Films
Troy Brookins, co-founder, MicroHouse Films
Bevy Smith, media personality, author, and host of In Bed with Bevy
KeiLyn Durrel Jones, actor
Traci Saulsberry, author
Additional guests to be announced
4:00 p.m.: Flagship Programming – Victoria Theater

Patina Miller
Mekai Curtis
London Brown
Leslie Grossman
Sascha Penn
Featured presentation:

Advance screening of Fightland, executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
As an entertainment journalist for more than a decade, Chris Witherspoon created ViewerCon to strengthen the connection between audiences and the entertainment industry.

“ViewerCon is designed to put audiences at the center of the conversation,” said Witherspoon. “I wanted to create a space where fans, talent, creatives, and industry leaders can come together for meaningful conversations about the culture, creativity, and where the industry is headed.”

ViewerCon also reflects Newark’s continued growth as a destination for film, television, and digital media production. The conference is partnering with organizations including the Newark Office of Film & Television, Newark Film Works, Newark Alliance, Audible, and MicroHouse Films to strengthen opportunities for creators, entrepreneurs, and residents while showcasing Newark’s expanding entertainment ecosystem.

ViewerCon will take place on Saturday, July 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102.

For tickets and additional information, visit viewercon.co.

About Viewercon

ViewerCon is a first-of-its-kind entertainment and media festival bringing together fans, creators, journalists, tastemakers, and industry leaders through exclusive screenings, celebrity conversations, immersive experiences, and community engagement. Founded by Chris Witherspoon, CEO of PopViewers and NBC News Entertainment Contributor, in partnership with STARZ, ViewerCon celebrates the intersection of television, film, culture, and fandom while creating meaningful opportunities for audiences and industry professionals to connect.

About Popviewers

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org

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For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website www.newarknj.gov

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Listen to “Nobody Wants to Die” Featuring Ice Cube: https://youtu.be/K8MPp4ylAiw

Endtroducing…..30th Anniversary Tour
21 North American Shows This September-November; to Perform Landmark Album Live For First Time Ever

One-Night-Only Performance of Endtroducing…..with BBC Symphony Orchestra at Barbican in London December 18

[Photo courtesy of Mass Appeal Records]

July 10, 2026 — Pioneering producer/DJ/composer DJ Shadow will celebrate two major releases in his catalog this year: the 10th anniversary of The Mountain Will Fall, and the 30th anniversary of his landmark debut album Endtroducing…..

Today he has detailed the Standard and Deluxe vinyl versions of The Mountain Will Fall 10th Anniversary Edition, available for pre-order starting today via Mass Appeal, along with the digital release of his track “Nobody Wants To Die” featuring Ice Cube. “Nobody Wants To Die” was originally released in 2016 with the video game Mafia III, and available today on DSPs for the first time ever. “Nobody Wants To Die” is courtesy of Take Two Interactive / 2k Games.

Listen to “Nobody Wants To Die” here: https://youtu.be/K8MPp4ylAiw

The Mountain Will Fall 10th Anniversary Standard Edition is a 2-disc high quality black vinyl release with a new cover by UK visual artist Paul Insect, who also designed the original cover. The 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is a limited edition 4-disc vinyl release that comes with a bonus zine, packaged in Metallic Silver Mylar Outer Bag and Pop-Up gatefold sleeve. The Deluxe Edition also includes “Nobody Wants To Die” featuring Ice Cube. The Deluxe Edition is only available from shop.massappeal.com and djshadow.com, and the Standard Edition is available at all retailers. Listen to the digital release now at https://djshadow.lnk.to/TMWFDLX

[Deluxe edition product shot, courtesy of Mass Appeal]

The digital version of the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Mountain Will Fall is available on DSPs today, and features both “Nobody Wants To Die” featuring Ice Cube and “Nobody Speak 2,” a new track released in June featuring Denzel Curry and TiaCorine.
“Nobody Speak Part 2” is a revisited version of the breakout song from The Mountain Will Fall featuring Run The Jewels and newly recorded verses by Denzel Curry and TiaCorine, who are also collaborators in The Scythe. Curry and TiaCorine revel in the chaos with relentless bars and a ferocious energy that meets the moment.

Listen to “Nobody Speak Part 2” here: http://djshadow.lnk.to/ns2

The Mountain Will Fall is the sixth studio album by DJ Shadow and was released on June 24, 2016 by Mass Appeal. It found Shadow shifting further toward original composition, a path that he would continue exploring further on his subsequent albums – 2019’s double LP Our Pathetic Age, and 2023’s Action Adventure.

The original version of “Nobody Speak” would go on to be certified gold by the RIAA, and has over 120 million streams on Spotify. The track exploded at radio globally and was performed by DJ Shadow and Run The Jewels on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. For the past decade the track has been omnipresent, soundtracking countless TV shows, commercials, video games, films and beyond (even prompting Fast Company to say “No, you’re not hearing things: This song is now in every movie trailer”). The music video for “Nobody Speak” was an instant classic, depicting an all-too-real scene of politicians brawling and released just months before the 2016 Presidential election. At the time, Shadow said they set out to make a “positive, life-affirming video that captures politicians at their election-year best. We got this instead.”

DJ Shadow also recently announced the Endtroducing…..30th Anniversary Tour, in which he will perform a set that is solely focused on his debut album for the first time ever. The 21-date tour of North America begins September 24 in San Diego, includes Los Angeles and New York City, and concludes November 1. He will then perform Endtroducing…..front-to-back with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican in London for a one-night-only concert on December 18. The event sold out in under two hours after tickets went on sale.

Endtroducing…..was released on September 16, 1996, a masterpiece that changed music forever. Crafted using two turntables and a sampler, it has long been appreciated as one of the most influential hip-hop albums ever made, and a fascinating musical world that generations of listeners have gotten lost, and found themselves, in. It is featured on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time, Pitchfork’s Top 150 Albums of the 90s, Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and beyond. Endtroducing…..positioned DJ Shadow as a creative force that has pushed forward the boundaries of instrumental, electronic, hip-hop music and beyond over the past 30 years.

‘The Mo’ Wax Singles, 1993-1997 Box Set is also available now. The first legitimate reissue of DJ Shadow’s classic Mo’Wax Singles in decades, the eight-piece vinyl set was half-speed remastered from the original tapes by Miles Showell at Abbey Road.

https://djshadow.com/

Endtroducing….. 30th Anniversary Tour
9/24 – San Diego, CA – The Sound
9/25 – Los Angeles, CA – The Novo
9/26 – San Francisco, CA – Portola Music Festival
10/1 – St. Paul, MN – The Palace Theatre
10/2 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
10/3 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
10/7 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
10/9 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
10/10 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
10/11 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
10/15 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom
10/16 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
10/17 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
10/22 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
10/23 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
10/24 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern
10/29 – Calgary, AB – The Palace Theatre
10/30 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
10/31 – Fort Worth, TX – Tulips
11/1 – Fort Worth, TX – Tulips
12/18 – London, UK – Barbican with BBC Symphony Orchestra & Jules Buckley

(July 8, 2026 The legacy of Biz Markie continues to reach new audiences and deepen its cultural impact through a series of recent milestones from the Biz Markie Estate, underscoring the enduring relevance of one of Hip-Hop’s most original and beloved icons. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of his groundbreaking 1986 debut EP, Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz, the release that first introduced Biz’s unmistakable voice and creative spirit to the scene.

From new music that draws directly from his catalog, to major business partnerships, to the launch of a living archive dedicated to preserving his story, Biz Markie’s influence remains alive across music, media, and culture.

Downtown Music Publishing recently announced a new deal to represent the catalog of the Hip-Hop pioneer, including publishing administration, sync licensing, and representation of the late artist’s name, image, and likeness rights. The agreement marks a significant new chapter in the stewardship and expansion of Biz’s legacy, reflecting continued momentum around one of Hip-Hop’s most recognizable and enduring voices. “Biz always believed in the future of his work, and now it’s my responsibility to protect and carry that forward,” said Tara Hall, widow of Marcel Hall (Biz Markie) and executor of the estate. Read more about the deal in Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/lists/publishing-briefs-seeker-virgin-music-group-umpg-rebrand/biz-markie-downtown-music-publishing/

That momentum follows the successful debut of The Biz Markie Experience in New York, a special exhibition and living archive dedicated to preserving and celebrating Biz’s life, music, and cultural legacy. Unveiled on April 8, on what would have been Biz Markie’s birthday, the event featured over 50 estate-sanctioned artifacts from Biz’s personal archive, many of which had never before been shown publicly. The evening introduced SELECT CUTS, a limited-edition collection of original prints featuring rare 1986 photographs taken by legendary photographer George DuBose that capture Biz at the very beginning of his rise. The event drew notable figures from across music, media, and culture, and was further spotlighted in a Rolling Stone feature that described the exhibition as “a living, breathing timeline of Hip-Hop history.” Notables have been picking up their collector-prints, including fellow rap luminary and collaborator Marley Marl.

Biz continues to soundtrack contemporary culture: His timeless and iconic hit, “Just A Friend,” was prominently featured throughout the Knick’s legendary NBA Championship run, with sold-out crowds at Madison Square Garden singing every word. His presence is felt everywhere: Fat Joe recently wore a Biz Markie hat on his Joe & Jada podcast, and one of the lead characters in the final season of hit TV show The Boys wore a Biz Markie shirt. Biz is also featured in Episode 6 of Netflix’s Hip Hop Treasures, where Tara Hall meets with museum curators as part of the ongoing work to preserve his history for the Universal Hip Hop Museum. The episode further underscores the importance of Biz’s personal archive, prized collectibles, and cultural artifacts, while also acknowledging the growing recognition of his place within the larger story of Hip-Hop history.

The estate’s work arrives at a moment when Biz’s music and image continue to inspire new generations: Rising Def Jam R&B group 2BYG recently released their new single and music video “I Want You,” built around a sample of “Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz.” Biz’s voice and presence have also continued to echo through landmark works by other icons, including his memorable appearance onJay-Z’s “Girls, Girls, Girls.” His work has been sampled over 1,500 times, including by Wu-Tang Clan (“Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit”), Nas (“Is Like”), A Tribe Called Quest (“Check the Rhime”), The Notorious B.I.G. (“Things Done Changed”), Beastie Boys (“Get It Together”), and even The Rolling Stones (“Anybody Seen My Baby?”).

Rolling Stone also spotlighted Biz over Fourth of July weekend in their Permanent Wave: 25 Album Covers That Brilliantly Use the American Flag feature, highlighting the cover of his 1993 album All Samples Cleared. The inclusion served as yet another reminder of Biz’s lasting place in the visual and cultural canon, featured alongside other legends, past and present, including Sly & the Family Stone, Beyoncé, Johnny Cash, 2 Live Crew, Bruce Springsteen, A$AP Rocky, OutKast, and more.

Biz Markie became one of music’s most distinctive personalities through his humor, vulnerability, originality, and unshakable sense of self. But his impact has always stretched far beyond any one song. As a pioneering rapper, beatboxer, DJ, performer, and cultural figure, Biz helped expand the creative boundaries of Hip-Hop and opened doors for generations of artists to bring more personality, experimentation, and humanity into the music.

The estate’s efforts also remain rooted in community. A portion of proceeds from recent releases supports the Biz Markie Just A Friend Foundation, which continues Biz’s spirit of generosity through programs serving children and families in need, including work in Harlem through Biz Markie’s Emergency Food Pantry, located at the Harlem Dowling West Side Center. More info here: https://www.bizmarkiesjustafriend.org/

These recent developments reflect more than remembrance, they point to a legacy that is not only still active and evolving, but shaping culture in real time. Biz Markie’s voice and impact remain as present as ever.

More news from the Biz Markie Estate will be announced soon.