Story
Travis Scott & Mike Dean Are Cooking Up For “Utopia”
Travis Scott has been a busy man of late, as befitting one of the hip-hop’s biggest superstars. What with securing his own McDonald’s meal — an accomplishment that filled the void left by the Rick & Morty Sczheuan Sauce crave — and locking down a new partnership with PlayStation ahead of the PS5 release, Travis Scott’s brand has never been larger than it is now. And that’s not even factoring in the still-active fallout of 2018’s Astroworld.
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Yet with such fame and notoriety comes a heightening of expectation, and many fans have been looking toward Scott’s recently announced Utopia with a curious eye. In the wake of such singles as “Highest In The Room,” the Kid Cudi-assisted “The Scotts,” and the Young Thug and MIA-assisted “Franchise,” some have had a tough time in figuring out a potential sonic direction. One thing has remained a constant factor in Scott’s music, however, and that’s the stalwart presence of Mike Dean.
Over the weekend, the legendary sound engineer shared the slightest of teases, taking to Instagram to confirm that he and Travis Scott were indeed in the midst of working on some new tunes. Though he neglected to share any actual music, he did make sure to leave his calling card in plain sight — a synthesizer and some RAW rolling papers — as any good specialist should do. No matter how you might feel about Travis Scott’s current direction, it’s fair to say that he and Mike Dean have earned the benefit of the doubt — look for them to lay down some innovative sounds come Utopia’s eventual release.
Artist Spotlight
PLAN-A-EMCEE unveils a call to see clearly with latest release “Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain”
PLAN-A-EMCEE‘s latest release, “Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain,” is a lo-fi hip hop and cloud rap album with a waking-up theme. This one is for those stuck in an NPC-like life, moving toward awakening and ready to challenge their environment. The infectious hook is hard to miss, and delivers the song’s main message, “unmask the blindfold, that you might see!”
The track concept is simple and focused, produced by and rapped by Emcee PLAN-A-EMCEE, aka Anwar. The combination creates a direct relationship between the beat and the vocals, keeping the message front and center. The busy musical approach lets the words do the heavy lifting over the cold lo-fi base.
“Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain” is a musical reminder to pause, look closer, and be more aware of your surroundings. PLAN-A-EMCEE turns that idea into a memorable hip-hop statement, with an infectious refrain and an undeniably purposeful edge.
Connect with PLAN-A-EMCEE on Spotify || Soundcloud || Facebook || Youtube
Entertainment
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Just Swept The Emmys
Bad Bunny is officially an Emmy winner — and not just once. At Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmys, his Super Bowl LX Halftime Show swept every single category it was nominated in, all seven of them, making it the most-decorated nominee of the night.
The headline win was Outstanding Variety Special (Live), a category the show became only the third halftime show ever to claim. From there it just kept going: music direction, choreography, sound mixing, lighting design, technical direction and camerawork, and directing all went home with the Puerto Rican star’s team. There’s technically an eighth trophy with his name attached, too, though it won’t land in his hands — the “Saturday Night Live” episode he hosted last season separately won Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program.
The sweep is good news for Jay-Z as well. As an executive producer on the halftime show, he now has two Emmys to his name, having previously won for producing Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX performance in 2025 — the show that, until Saturday, held the record for most Emmys won by a Super Bowl performance.
Bad Bunny wasn’t the only one having a night. Sabrina Carpenter picked up her first Emmy as a performer and executive producer on “The Muppet Show,” edging out Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour | The Final Show” for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). The Billy Joel HBO miniseries “And So It Goes” won for sound mixing on a nonfiction program, and 50 Cent’s Diddy documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” took home picture editing honors. A big weekend for live spectacle, all around.
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