Entertainment

NFL Players Follow Musical Passion To Create Songs Featured On Madden 24 Video Game

Published

1 year ago

2023-09-05

Kiara Grace

SANTA MONICA, Calif. Terron Armstead, a Miami Dolphins tackle, set aside his musical ambitions when he was chosen into the NFL over a decade ago.

Many other professional football players followed suit. However, three industry titans — the NFL, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and Electronic Arts Sports — have joined forces to enable players to fulfill their musical ambitions.

The result is an extended play project called “Crowd Control,” which will be released on Tuesday. The six tracks were also featured in Madden NFL 24, published last month. It’s the first time music composed by NFL players has appeared in the 35-year-old video game franchise.

“I only knew the stigma of ‘ shut up and play’ and ‘do your day job,'” Armstead, a four-time Pro Bowler, explained. “I took a break from music in the early years of my career.” It was a void because music was a means for me to express myself. It has been fantastic for us that they have created this possibility. This has pushed and encouraged men to be themselves.”

On “Crowd Control,” Armstead is one of five active players, including New York Giants tight end Darren Waller, San Francisco out Ray-Ray McCloud, free agency linebacker Melvin Ingram, and Carolina Panthers receiver D.J. Chark Jr.

“People can’t put us in a box,” Waller, whose great-grandfather was jazz icon Thomas “Fats” Waller, remarked. The Pro Bowler has already published four hip-hop albums, showcasing his rapper, producer, and writer abilities.

Terron Armstead, a Miami Dolphins tackle, set aside his musical ambitions when he was chosen into the NFL over a decade ago.

“Hopefully, this opens up a lot of lanes for many guys who want to pursue their passion,” he added. “This could be a good opportunity.” It could start a fire that has not yet been sparked.

The rap recordings were produced at Interscope Records’ vast offices in Santa Monica, California, among hip-hop artists such as Rob49, Jay Rock, That Mexican OT, and Lebra Jolie. Derrick Milano, a Grammy winner who has collaborated with superstars such as Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, and Nicki Minaj, executive produced the project.

“These dudes can rap,” said Bas, a Grammy-nominated rapper who assisted the players during their recording sessions. “It’s very unjust to label somebody. People look at large NFL players and say, ‘Do your one job, tackle somebody or run that route.’ However, being creative is an important element of living a healthy life. I understand these guys have busy schedules with OTAs and camp. They are not on vacation, thus they must put in the effort. They’re working hard to improve their craft. It’s inspiring to witness.”

Many songs on “Crowd Control” were conceived during a songwriting session this summer at Interscope, when NFL players collaborated with producers and musicians.

“It’s a nurturing space,” said David Nieman, Interscope’s senior vice president of sports and gaming, who collaborated with E.A. Sports to curate the Madden NFL 22 soundtrack, the game’s first-ever album release. “When you hear about an athlete wanting to enter the music industry, there isn’t a guard up.” Our artists are not taking to the field. We’re bringing them into our sphere, showing them what we do well, and attempting to provide them with some tools.”

The initiative came to fruition after an NFL Career Tour stop was held at Interscope’s headquarters earlier this year. The day-long workshop included music industry professionals, interactive listening sessions, and roughly 20 players interested in the music business – from marketing to producing to signing talent.

The result is an extended play project called “Crowd Control,” which will be released on Tuesday. The six tracks were also featured in Madden NFL 24.

“It’s really important that these guys have a chance to gain exposure to different industries and explore their gifts and talents that could go beyond the field while they’re playing,” said Ashley Smith, the NFL’s player development manager. She directs league programs and initiatives that provide resources to current and former players while also assisting them in preparing for life after football.

Smith, whose brother Trey Smith is a Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, is familiar with athletes’ post-career struggles.

“When we speak with former players, who we call NFL legends,” she says, “they often talk about the difficulty of the transition.” “Regardless, even if a guy comes prepared for that, it’s still a bit of a loss of identity.” Our role is to assist them. Whether you’re retiring from the league or in your 30s, there’s still time to grow and discover who you are as a football player and a man and businessman.”

Smith expressed optimism about expanding into other industries, such as technology and fashion.

“We want the guys to feel like the league cares,” she explained. “We want to do everything we can to ensure they are educated, prepared, and given the necessary tools.” We want them to form relationships that will help them advance in their careers and their lives.”

McCloud described the program as a “significant step” in the right direction. He stated that the recording sessions gave him more confidence.

“A lot of times, athletes get a certain type of stereotype,” said McCloud, who has run his Legend Tribe production company since he was 17. “We have to stick to a specific narrative. We need a second passion in case football ends one day. We want to pursue our goals. My earliest dream of playing in the NFL has come true. However, doing other things that you enjoy and fill your spirit produces a different type of pleasure.”

NFL

SOURCE – (AP)

Entertainment

Gladiator II Rakes in $87 Million in Weekend Debut

Published

6 days ago

2024-11-18

Geoff Brown

Despite not playing in theaters in the United States, Canada, and China until this coming Friday, Gladiator II earned $87 million over the weekend, which is the best foreign opening for a Ridley Scott film to date.

Last week, the picture premiered in 63 countries, including the UK, and grossed $11.4 million from 722 theatres. Particularly impressive was its performance in France, where it raised $10.3 million from 729 outlets.

But this one is a little weaker compared to February’s smash hit sequel, Dune: Part Two, which grossed $97 million worldwide in its opening weekend. At the same time, Deadpool & Wolverine made $233 million for Disney, while Inside Out 2 for Pixar grossed $140 million.

The Fall Guy, an action comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, earned $36.7 million in its opening weekend worldwide, while Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga earned $30 million.

Last Monday, King Charles III attended a screening of Gladiator II in London, capping off a weeks-long worldwide press tour for the film’s cast and production. A Mexican biscuit brand, Rome’s public transportation system, and a German bank VR are just a few multinational brands it has teamed up with to boost its visibility.

In Australia, dessert merchant Oliver Brown offered a special edition of pistachio-heavy puds and drinks dubbed the Emperor’s Collection. The Gladiator II salted caramel latte is available at French Coffee Shop, a business in Paris.

After poor statistics for Venom: The Last Dance and The Rock’s comedy Red One, which premiered worldwide last week, fans hope that Scott’s delayed sequel can lift the global box office for the last month and a half of the year.

Some are predicting a Barbenheimer-style struggle for the top spot in the US box office when Gladiator II and the highly anticipated musical Wicked premiere on the same day, even though double-bill events are unlikely to be very popular.

Gladiator Star Russell Crowe Honored in Rome

Gladiator Star Russell Crowe Honored in Rome

Entertainment

Blizzard’s Remastered Versions Of Warcraft 1 And 2 Are Now Available On PCs.

Published

2 weeks ago

2024-11-13

Salman Ahmad

Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment

(VOR News) – It has been said by Blizzard that it does not intend to remake Warcraft 1 and 2 since the company believes that these games are “just not that fun any longer.”

When the corporation first made this declaration, it has been almost exactly eight years since it was delivered.

However, the firm has only recently made the news that it will be doing precisely that, and as part of the celebrations for Warcraft’s 30th anniversary, both of the remastered versions are now available to play. The celebrations did not start until today.

The public first played Warcraft in 1994.

This game played a significant role in Blizzard’s rise to the top of the competition. In the year that followed, Warcraft 2 was hastily created in order to suit the requirements of the burgeoning fanbase that the first Warcraft had established.

Additionally, the company has just disclosed that they will be remastering the games, and these remasters will contain a variety of additions to the traditional real-time strategic action that is included in the games.

The initial stage of these enhancements to the development process consists of a new collection of hand-drawn pictures that may be toggled on and off in real time. The artistic style of the originals has been said to be completely captured by these photos, according to the assertions made.

Specifically, Blizzard has implemented “modern controls” for Warcraft 1, which include the option to move with a right click, the ability to pick bounding boxes, and a faster progression rate.

These features are all present in the Warcraft game.

The alterations that have been made include these, however they are not the only ones. It is important to note that these changes have been introduced in addition to the user interface and user experience enhancements that have been implemented throughout both games.

Tool tips, health bars, mission decision screens, and increased unit selection are some of the enhancements that have been introduced in this version of the game. As an additional feature, the multiplayer mode that was included in the first version of Warcraft 2 is still included in the remastered version of the game.

As an additional point of interest, each and every one of the legacy custom maps is entirely compatible with the new edition and may be played in the same capacity.

Despite the fact that there is currently no information regarding whether or not Warcraft 1 Remastered and Warcraft 2 Remastered will eventually be made available on other markets, both of these remastered versions of the game are currently available for purchase on Battle.net for personal computers at prices of $9.99 and $14.99, respectively.

Both of these versions of the game are remastered versions of the original game. A Battle Chest bundle is also available for purchase, and it can be purchased for the price of $39.99. All of the titles that have been remastered are included in this bundle, in addition to Blizzard’s Warcraft 3: Reforged, which has been met with a considerable deal of criticism.

Blizzard has been making continual efforts to improve the game ever since it was first made available to the public in the year 2020.

This is despite the fact that the game was met with poor reviews practically immediately after it was released. An entirely new upgrade, version 2.0, is currently being made available to all gamers without delay.

One of the numerous enhancements to the quality of life that are included in this is “much, much more,” in addition to a wide range of options for personalizing the hockey experience within the game and a new ladder.

In addition to the high-definition versions of all of the older Warcraft assets, these upgrades also include new environments and lighting, a redesigned user interface, and a variety of other enhancements.

SOURCE: EG

Entertainment

Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 Returns Without Kevin Costner

Published

2 weeks ago

2024-11-11

Geoff Brown

Yellowstone is finally returning for the second half of its fifth season without Kevin Costner

Yellowstone will finally return for the second half of its fifth season. We have a lot to speak about, such as recalling what is going on in this program, Kevin Costner’s departure, and whether or not season 5, part 2, will truly end Yellowstone.

Season 5 Part 1 ended on a cliffhanger—we could be in for a full-fledged Dutton family civil war—and we’ve been waiting for nearly two years.

A quick recap: nothing changes from how this program usually goes, except it’s a little more intense. Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) despised Jamie Dutton. Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) despised Beth Dutton.

That has always been the case since childhood trauma, but now things have escalated. Their father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), is now Montana’s Governor, and Jamie, who should be his top legal thinker, is played by a group of local businessmen known as Market Equities.

Anyway, Jamie and Beth are attempting to kill each other, and John appears to be leaning toward Beth’s side.

Given Kevin Costner’s public exit from the program, part 2 of season 5 will be especially noteworthy. Long story short, he departed to make his Horizon films and never returned.

So, how will Yellowstone pick up the tale without John? That much is unknown, which adds to the season’s appeal!

Of course, our other characters continue to do what they do. Rip (Cole Hauser) is doing his Rip thing. Kayce (Luke Grimes) oversees the ranch. His wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), is still grieving the loss of their unborn son.

But we do have some high stakes to pick up—and they will begin on Sunday, November 10th, whether Kevin Costner appears on screen or not.

Another twist: While we believed season 5 would conclude the Yellowstone story, part 2 is in the works.

There have also been suggestions that Yellowstone could return for a sixth season, starring Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly as Rip and Beth. Hmm, certainly!

Yellowstone’s fifth season, part 2, will air each episode of the truncated half-season on Sunday nights at 8:00 PM EST.

The episodes will then be shown on linear TV, Hulu with Live TV, or the Paramount Network website and app for those with a cable subscription. The premiere will also re-air on CBS at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Yellowstone season 5, part 2, will consist of six episodes, the first of which is currently accessible to watch and stream. That implies the series might end with five more episodes of Western family drama.