Ditch Snapchat, get Rapchat

Despite the plethora of applications you probably have on your smartphone, today we present to you the only one that will matter: Rapchat. Cut from the same cloth as the now iconic “burn-after-reading” themed Snapchat, Rapchat follows suit with a unique twist that is sure to add an enjoyable aspect to your online presence and activity within your social networks. Featuring a simple design, Rapchat is an application for both Apple and Android platforms that allows users to choose from a variety of beats, and record 30-45 seconds worth of rap to upload to their social media profiles, or send to specific friends. The recorded raps can only be played once by the recipient, and there is no feature to save each set of bars as of yet. This application is great because it transforms the daunting task of rapping into a fun activity between friends, and allows for the users to flex their minds in a creative way throughout the day without any substantial time commitment or scheduling. Geared with all of the same destruction-based technology as Snapchat, those who are too embarrassed to rap in front of people can rejoice, and those who have never rapped before, can start. This app has the potential to change the way in which we view rap altogether, and virtually destroys any barriers that people might face when deciding if they want to experiment within the genre. Also acting as an incredible platform for upcoming producers, the app features beats from a variety of producers that were made exclusively for the product. This word of mouth offers producers a chance to delineate from the over-saturated environment of beat production, and reach customers and rap fans in a new way. This app represents the growth and discovery that technology can offer hip-hop has a genre, and we truly hope that you cop it for free at your respective appstore and see for yourself the reasons why we use and love it. Check out this page for more information on the software, and if you already have the application, send some bars our way to get featured on the blog! We dare you. 

F*ck, That's Delicious with Action Bronson

In the latest installment of "F*ck, That's Delicious", renowned foodie and rapper Action Bronson steps away from the bustle of the Concrete Jungle to the laid back streets of Los Angeles.  During his extended stay, Bronson performs at the Odd Future Carnival before attending a studio session at the home of producer, The Alchemist.  No episode of Bronson's YouTube series is complete without the indulgence of exquisite cuisine, as we see Bronson hit up some of the famous LA eateries with Simon Rex and B-Real.  Check out the latest episode below and stay tuned with InTheRough for the details of Bronson's impending March 24th release of Mr. Wonderful.

VibeRotation 10

While most people do not have much to look forward to on Monday’s, our readers do. VibeRotation 10 is now available on our Soundcloud, and I hope it will help make this gloomy, cold weather a little better. This week’s rotation contains a chill, yet intricate vibe. I love music that features multiple instruments, beats, and surprises. I also admire those who can mix various genres into one song, because there is nothing like a simple instrumental followed by an amazing, elaborate beat drop. My ears constantly want to hear something new and different, and I try to show that through my playlists.

My favorite thing to do when creating a playlist is to imagine what it would sound like during a car ride. To me, there’s nothing better than blasting your favorite songs in the car, because not only does it sound best, but it makes your journey 10x better. Today’s playlist is for those car rides where you just want to relax and feel a sense of ease, or when you are by yourself and want to escape reality for a little while. With that, I hope you all enjoy my first VibeRotation, and make sure to follow us on Soundcloud for more! 

SNL 40th Anniversary Special

On Sunday, February 15 Saturday Night Live will have been making its audience laugh and smile for 40 years. For 40 years we have seen the stage Lorne Michaels created birth many a legends like Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase to the more modern Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. To celebrate SNL's success and 40-year air time the show is planning a three-hour primetime special for the 15th that features a reunion of former cast members, hosts, and musical guests. It is an all-star lineup of sorts as Chris Rock, Tina Fey, Kanye West, Justin TImberlake, Maya Rudolph, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Tom Hanks, Amy Poehler, and many more are slated to appear. Below we have provided two promos for SNL's 40th anniversary special that reveals more of the reunion cast. Be sure to tune in Sunday, February 15 at 8pm on NBC.

Jay Z's Foray into Music Streaming

It's no secret that the music industry has changed.  The way in which we consume music is different.  The days of the prominent record stores are long gone and so is the era of purchased music downloads.  In this past year alone, track and album downloaded purchases dropped by 12.5% and 9.4% respectively.  What's taking the downloaded purchases place? Streaming.  The introduction of companies like Spotify, which boasts 15 million subscriptions, and SoundCloud are redefining how music is listened to and how it is consumed.

Having been vocal about the evolution of the music business in past interviews, Jay Z has jumped into the fray by purchasing Aspiro, the parent company of two subscription streaming services, WiMP and TIDAL.  The $56.2 million offer, which has already been approved, represents a 59.1% premium over the company's closing share price.  The proposal was made through one of Shawn Carter's subsidiary companies, Project Panther Bidco, with the intention of expanding and improving upon the two companies' technology and services.

Project Panther Bidco, Ltd ("Panther"), an entity controlled by S. Carter Enterprises, LLC ("SCE") is pursuing a possible acquisition of Aspiro AB ("Aspiro"), based in Sweden. Aspiro is a media technology company in the forefront of the ongoing redefinition of music consumption. Through the subscription services WiMP and TIDAL, Aspiro offers a complete experience of higher HiFi quality. The platform encompasses audio, video and integrated editorial features. 

Panther believes that the recent developments in the entertainment industry, with the migration to media streaming, offers great potential for increased entertainment consumption and an opportunity for artists to further promote their music. Panther's strategic ambition revolves around global expansion and up-scaling of Aspiro's platform, technology and services.

The acquisition is subject to shareholder approval. As such there is no guaranty that a transaction will take place.

WiMP was initially founded in 2011 as a direct competitor to Spotify.  Although it has been unable to reach the volume Spotify has, it does have a current paying subscription list of 512,000 users.  Moreover, WiMP provides a unique video syndication platform, RADR Music, which presents videos and live performance footage to online media enterprises.  Rivaling media behemoth YouTube, RADR is an interesting element to the Aspiro portfolio as it could be used to expand upon Jay Z's current cultural website Life and Times.  TIDAL, while similar to WiMP, is for the music purists, combining High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos and a uniquely curated experience.

Although the specific details of the change to be implemented have yet to be disclosed, there is much work to be done in terms of transforming these companies into being actual competitors to the already popular streaming services.  Things don't get any easier when you consider the re-launch of Beats Electronics' streaming services by Apple in the coming months as well.  Jay Z, forever the business man, continues to diversify his ventures in ways that expand upon the foundation he has built.  Stay tuned with InTheRough for more developments on Aspiro.