Fresh off the 20-year anniversary of the chart-topping hit, It Wasn't Me, dancehall megastar Shaggy has linked up with Cheetos to bring some nostalgic feels to Super Bowl LV.
The ad features Shaggy alongside celeb couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis in a comedic rendition of the classic hit centered around Cheetos' new Crunch Pop Mix. The Boombastic rapper told Cheddar that it's been an amazing ride to be able to celebrate a song that has stayed relevant for two decades, especially on such a massive stage like the Super Bowl.
"The thing about this song is it's relatable. I think that's what really did it," he told Cheddar.
"It's big because this is arguably one of the biggest Super Bowls in decades because of the fact that for the first time it's during COVID, of course," he added.
Much like the NFL pressing on through the pandemic, Shaggy said he hasn't let the impact of the virus lower the volume on his mic. Last year, he released Hot Shot 2020, a re-recording of the 2000 release.
This year also is shaping up to be a good one for the rapper as he gears up for a new release. "I just did an amazing record with my friend Anthony Hamilton that I'm really, really proud of," he said.
When it comes to adapting to the times, the proof is in the pudding, Shaggy explained, and he attributed his keeping a finger on the pulse of the culture by connecting with young creatives. He also touted championing artist empowerment and the new age of music discovery on social media apps like TikTok.
"It's amazing to watch, amazing to be a part of and to have gone through the journey from when it was cassettes all the way to CDs, to downloads, to ringtones, to streaming," he said. "We have seen music gone back into the hands of the artist, where a lot of it is controlled by the artist interaction with their fan base and that determines them getting on playlists and stuff like that."
Shaggy also shared similar sentiments circulating among musicians in regards to what many of them deem as unfair practices on the part of the record labels when it comes to fair payment in the age of streaming.
"Of course we're hoping legislation comes down to really bring a lot more money to streaming for a lot of these artists. These record companies have been having a field day for quite a while, and I've seen throughout this pandemic, where artists didn't get to tour a lot, especially [when] they were really counting on their streaming income," he said.
Plans to add affordable housing to a development in Yellow Springs, Ohio, were squashed after comedian Dave Chappelle and other community members spoke out against the project. Chappelle threatened to pull the plug on his local comedy club and restaurant projects if the development had been approved.
Jason Moser, Senior Analyst at The Motley Fool, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to talk about the big takeaways from Disney's Q1 report, which showed the company nearing 130 million Disney+ subscribers as parks revenue ticks up.
The airline industry is seeing a major consolidation as Frontier and Spirit Airlines have agreed to merge in a deal valued at $6.6 billion dollars. Frontier will control just over 51% of the company, and Spirit will control the other 48%, creating what would become the fifth-largest airline in the U.S. The deal was approved over the weekend, with Spirit CEO Ted Christie saying that the merger aims to create an aggressive, low-fare competitor focused on consumer-friendly pricing. John Grant, Senior Analyst at OAG explains the gravity of the merger, and the wider impact it could have on competition and the airline industry as a whole.
Cheeze, Inc. is a media platform that hopes to help photographers to tell stories through the use of NFT’s. Simon Hudson, founder and CEO of Cheeze, Inc. joined Cheddar News to explain the process as well as teasing its "Women of Authenticity" display for Women’s History Month. "We've made it very simple and focused very hard on reducing all of the friction to bring their items to the blockchain." Hudson explained. He also addressed reports that cloud software giant Salesforce could be getting into the NFT marketplace.
President Biden's push for electric vehicles is doing more than trying to hold off climate change as it also hopes to revive American manufacturing jobs. The latest company to open an EV charging production plant in the U.S. is Australia-based Tritium, looking to open its new Lebanon, Tennessee, facility in the fall of 2022. It's expected to create at least 500 jobs in the region and reach a production capacity of 10,000 charging units per year. Jane Hunter, CEO and executive director of Tritium, joined Closing Bell to discuss the plant, production capacity, and working with the Biden administration. "The policies that they put in place have directly driven demand for our fast charging products," she said. "Discussions that we have are just incredibly positive because this administration wants to have an electric superhighway that runs all across the country so that it's open equitably for all people to drive electric vehicles."
Samsung unveiled its latest product lineup, including a new family of Galaxy S22 smartphones featuring the S22 Ultra with a larger screen, more powerful camera, and the Samsung S Pen stylus. The company also revealed its latest tablet, the Tab S8 Ultra, featuring a 14.6" screen, expanded storage, and 4K video capability. Cheddar News was able to showcase each device as Allison Johnson, reviews writer at The Verge, joined Closing Bell to discuss the new releases, the standout features, and more.
Shares of Canadian cannabis giant Canopy Growth surged after the company reported Q3 earnings Wednesday morning, with shares up more than 15 percent at the close of the day's trading session. Despite net revenue declining year-over-year, Canopy beat analyst expectations and has ramped up efforts to develop a "THC ecosystem' in the U.S. Canopy Growth's CEO, David Klein, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the report. He noted that its brands Storz & Bickel vaporizers and BioSteel beverages showed record growth.
