TOGETHER WITH

It's Tuesday and TikTok is breaking into the musical competition scene with a new livestreamed singing contest called Gimme the Mic.

GIVEAWAY GONE WRONG

Twitch’s #1 streamer is facing criminal charges after inciting a riot

Last Friday, Twitch’s most-watched streamer—Kai Cenat—stepped out of his car to greet thousands of screaming fans at Union Square Park. That crowd quickly went off the rails: videos from the event captured the chaos of people climbing onto cars and buses and the subsequent arrival of police in riot gear. Although the NYPD claims there were no shots fired or flash-bang devices used, one clip showed officers grabbing a retreating attendee and pushing him facefirst into the back window of a taxi, which shattered and cut him.

By the next morning, Cenat’s live-streamed giveaway—which advertised free PlayStation 5s and $100 gift cards—had resulted in multiple hospitalizations and 65 arrests.

The streamer himself was among those charged.

Per ABC, Cenat was arrested during the Friday event and released Saturday morning. At that point, he was issued a desk appearance ticket—a written notice that will require him to face charges of first-degree rioting, inciting a riot, and unlawful assembly during a future court appointment. At the center of those charges (which include two misdemeanors and a felony) is a legal snafu: according to the NYPD, Cenat did not have a permit to host his in-person giveaway.

The streamer’s creator collab group, AMP (aka Any Means Possible), has released an apologetic statement in response to Friday’s chaotic event:

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

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When Airrack wanted to expand his production team in 2022, he knew exactly where to turn to: “If I immediately need cash, obviously Spotter is where I would go for that.”

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• After defeating former UFC fighter Nate Diaz in a ten-round fight, influencer-slash-athlete Jake Paul has signaled his desire to break into mixed martial arts. (Tubefilter)
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• YouTube star Mayca Delduque’s rapidly-growing Shorts hub has risen to the top of the global charts after earning more views than any other channel during the week of August 6. (Tubefilter)
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• Movella has released an “all-in-one” motion capture and streaming platform designed to give VTubers access to high-level body-tracking technology. (The Verge)
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• Virtual Dining Concepts has responded to MrBeast’s lawsuit by countersuing the YouTuber (aka Jimmy Donaldson) for over $100 million. (Engadget)

WEEKLY BRAND REPORT 💸 GOSPEL STATS 

The sleep industry is waking up to the power of online video

The sleep industry is finding its niche on YouTube. Over the last three months, mattress and sleep tech companies have sponsored hundreds of branded videos—including a fair number of viral hits. Between 07/24 and 07/31, for instance, five of YouTube’s 100 most-viewed branded videos were sponsored by sleep-centric companies like Helix, Snooz, beam, and Eight Sleep.

Those videos fall into a few different categories, but two stand out from the rest: ASMR and technology.

It’s not hard to see why companies like Helix and beam would gravitate towards the first of those categories. After all, it makes sense that insomniacs watching ASMR sleep videos are probably open to the idea that they need a better mattress. (Or, at least, they’re desperate enough to try something new—whether that means an “outrageously comfortable” bed or sleep-inducing supplements.)

Over the last ninety days or so, Helix alone has sponsored 90+ branded YouTube clips, including more than 20 ASMR videos. That approach is nothing new for the mattress company: in fact, Helix’s partnerships with creators like Gibi ASMR have repeatedly yielded millions of views per upload.

Other sleep companies are taking a more tech-focused approach.

When it comes to futuristic insomnia-fighters like Eight Sleep (which peddles heating-and-cooling smart beds) and Snooz (a purveyor of bluetooth-compatible white noise machines), partnerships with Marques Brownlee, Mrwhosetheboss, and Linus Tech Tips are a safe bet. Those STEM-focused creators come with loyal, tech-savvy viewers and proven track records of producing viral videos. In fact, Brownlee’s latest Eight Sleep-sponsored video actually over-performed in comparison to his other long-form clips. The grand total: 6.7 million views.

We’re guessing numbers like those will help Eight Sleep execs rest easy—not that they need the help, of course.

HIP-HOP HISTORY

YouTube is celebrating 50 years of hip-hop by cracking open its “archival treasury”

YouTube is going all out for hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. To mark the musical occasion, the video platform has launched a campaign called Fifty Deep, which includes an archive of 2,000 music videos that have “changed the game,” several YouTube Music playlists, and a Hip Hop Live concert on August 11.

According to Basa, YouTube’s 2,000-video library and curated playlists are all about acknowledging “the milestone of Hip Hop’s evolution over the last fifty years.” The director describes Fifty Deep’s music selection—which includes a 50-song survey spanning nearly four hours of hip-hop hits—as part of a celebration of iconic rappers “from Ice T to Ice Spice.”

That celebration won’t be limited to YouTube music. In addition to reaching Google’s Arts & Culture hub, Fifty Deep heralds the return of the platform’s Avenues program. The educational outreach initiative (which launched last year) will visit underserved communities in Atlanta, New Orleans, Baltimore, Raleigh/Durham, and Miami.

And to kick off the whole campaign?

YouTube’s Hip Hop 50 Live concert will hit Yankee Stadium on August 11. Livestreamed coverage of the event will be available on the official channel of Mass Appeal, a New York-based music magazine co-owned by rapper Nas.

WATCH THIS 📺

Look out! Sharknado is touching down in theaters on August 15 and 16.

Everyone’s favorite SyFy series is back with a vengeance. After sinking its teeth into millions of viewers, Sharknado has grown to become a beloved cult classic—and now, it’s landing in theaters for a two-day re-release.

In celebration of the film’s 10th anniversary, a “fully remastered” version of Sharknado “with hundreds of new visual effects” will play in select theaters from August 15-16. Check out the trailer for the updated horror flick here (and don’t forget to grab your tickets before it’s too late!).

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.