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.
Florists are dreading weekend pickups for this year's Valentine's Day, which lands on a Monday. Christina Stembel, founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers joined Cheddar News to discuss the challenges presented by shortages caused by supply chain issues, lack of labor, and climate change and how her company is preparing for this year's holiday. “A Monday delivery is just really hard for small businesses like us," said Stembel. "Larger companies have the scale that some of the large transportation carriers will provide a Sunday pick up for Monday delivery, but for small companies like us, that's not an option. So we have to try to convince people to order early."
Americans placing bets on the Super Bowl is expected to reach a record high due to multiple states legalizing sports gambling. Hana Ostapchuk, the host of Cheddar Bets, joined Baker Machado on Between Bells to discuss the action on the Big Game.
Chipotle posted its quarterly report showing a beat on earnings and revenue. The restaurant chain was able to stay ahead of inflation by raising prices and noted digital sales made up more than 40 percent of overall sales.
trivago reported its last earnings of 2021 yesterday, marking the end of a rollercoaster year. The online hotel search site was forced to cut costs during the pandemic as the travel industry shut down entirely, instead pivoting its strategy to meet customer demand in other ways. Matthias Tillmann, CFO of trivago, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the company's results and why he's optimistic about the future of the travel industry in 2022.
PLAY, a low-cost airline headquartered in Iceland, is expanding service to New York Stewart International Airport, marking its third destination in the United States. PLAY is the latest affordable carrier to fly onto the scene, debuting its first flights a little more than six months ago. Birgir Jonsson, CEO of PLAY, joined Cheddar to discuss what this expansion means for the airline and what it's been like to lead a new airline during a pandemic. "For us to get into the market now, have the availability of great, brand new aircraft at historically low prices, and basically being able to secure a low operating cost base for the future is a completely rare opportunity," Jonsson said. "We can get into the market now when our competitors are also weak."
