[HOT]
Stop Using Rap As a Weapon
Four teenagers living near Salt Lake City are in deep doo doo following a recent prank. While other teens engage in such antics as smashing roadside mailboxes and putting flaming bags of dog shit on neighbors’ front porches, these Utah teens stepped over the line when they had the audacity to rap their food order at a McDonald’s drive-thru.
Inspired by a video on YouTube, the teens did their best LL Cool J as they ordered their artery-clogging grub, only to have the cops called on them. The kids were cited for disorderly conduct; the drive-thru employee was said to have felt “her safety was at risk.” That must’ve been some wiggity-wack Big Mac attack.
[WARM]
Buskers Get the Axe
We are convinced that sometime in the near future everything will be corporate sponsored. Streets, rivers, babies, foreheads, sprained ankles, love letters, politicians (oh wait, that happened decades ago) — every activity, person and square inch of public space will one day be labeled with a “Brought to you by the fine people at …” So it’s not a huge shock that companies are now looking at street musicians as a way to spread their corporate brand.
The New York Times recently ran an article about the company behind Axe body spray’s unconventional sponsorship plan. The corporation reportedly sought out buskers and local bands via Web ads in an effort to sign up artists who might have integrity but also probably have pathetic bank account balances. The musicians are not only asked to perform with an “Axe Instinct” (a leather-scented deodorant!) sign in close proximity, but they're also instructed to perform — “a few times a day” — the song “Look Good in Leather” (used in the company’s commercials for the product) and hand out deodorant samples. All for about $1,000. And we thought playing in a cover band was low.
[COLD]
Live Concerts: Now With More Drunks?
We know it’s a big source of revenue for music venues, but — as anyone who's been bumped, punched, vomited on or annoyed by overly drunk fans at a concert can attest — clubs and concert halls really don’t need to encourage people to get more blindingly drunk. Live Nation, which owns a shit-ton of music venues across the country, recently announced a partnership with 901 Silver Tequila, Justin Timberlake’s new high-end booze line. The deal makes the mind-and-panty-erasing drink the “Official Tequila Sponsor” of most LN venues, giving the company high visibility at each site.
Minimum Gauge is bummed, because our “Official Tequila Sponsor” is actually just diesel fuel spiked with Windex.
