Weekly roundups; job opportunities; Prada is dressing NASA's astronauts; and more
Welcome Digest [6.12.26]
Welcome To June 12th
Today’s Important Headlines
The astronauts going to the moon will be wearing Prada
Prada has partnered with Axiom Space to develop a high-tech undergarment for NASA’s upcoming Artemis moon missions, one of the most ambitious collaborations yet between luxury fashion and the commercial space industry. Built to regulate body temperature, manage breathing, and improve mobility inside sealed spacesuits, the garment addresses some of the most fundamental challenges astronauts face during lunar exploration and will be used in future crewed missions including Artemis III and Artemis IV. Prada has spent decades experimenting with technical and performance-focused apparel, making its foray into spacewear less surprising than it first appears.
People can’t tell whether the most viral song on the internet right now is AI
Fenix Flexin, one half of Shoreline Mafia, got everyone’s attention this week with the release of “RUBBERZ,” an ’80s-inspired synth-pop track far removed from his usual sound. So far removed, that many listeners have accused it of being AI-generated or assisted. Flexin has denied any AI involvement, attributing the song’s sound instead to autotune, reverb, and what he described as his “fake UK accent,” while citing The Smiths and The Cure as key influences from his upbringing. The discourse around this track’s authenticity forecasts a new kind of controversy that is only becoming more common as the line between human-made and AI-generated music is becoming increasingly difficult for listeners to discern. Buckle up.
Elon Musk is the world’s first trillionaire
SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO raised roughly $75 billion and gave the company an estimated market capitalization of $1.77 trillion. The aerospace giant, which aims to deploy AI data centers in orbit, propelled CEO Elon Musk’s net worth past the $1 trillion mark on paper, making him the world’s first trillionaire. Musk has held the title of world’s richest person since surpassing Jeff Bezos in 2021, but now his fortune stands in a league of its own, dwarfing that of every other billionaire.
The producer lineup on this underground rapper’s new album is insane
Jaeychino, a rapper at the helm of the burgeoning DMV scene (which is one of the most exciting in underground music right now), dropped his new album IF YOU KNEW last night, and the producer lineup was one of the most impressive we’ve seen: Whitearmor, Loukeman, Snow Strippers, Eurohead, 23, Yung Sherman, SJR, Glasear, Woesum, and more. Jaeychino (alongside fellow DMV artists ST6 JodyBoof, SlimeGetEm, and Dragnutz) has been quietly helping shape a distinct DMV sound, and this producer cast proves it has caught the attention of the rest of the underground.
Woah Vicky is a poet now
Internet personality Woah Vicky is hosting a sold-out “evening of poetry” at East Village clothing store le PÉRE under the alias Victoria Plath, a tongue-in-cheek reference to Sylvia Plath. Joining her are downtown internet-literary figures including Alex Dimitrov, Caroline Calloway, Avigayl Sharp, Sotce, and more. Though she lacks a traditional writing background, Vicky has become known online for her bizarrely existential tweets, with recurring meditations on “flesh” earning her an unlikely cult audience.
The Roundups
Music
New Releases:
Tay-K — “Everywhere I Go / Erupt”
Eartheater — “Crown Jewel”
Kodak Black — Kodak The Blessing
2slimey — “lobby”
Eera + CRUSH3d — “Flowers In The Sand”
R8 (Nine Vicious’s producer) — DAWN CHORUS
IYRUS & DIAMOND* — “N0ISE”
News:
A new Tay-K mugshot surfaced online, as well as rumors of an early release. Tay-K’s account also posted cryptic updates and a bizarre video
PZ announces a new EP, arriving June 19
Leaked 2024 Playboi Carti snippet brings back his baby voice
Ken Carson teases a new album, THE XPERIMENT. Rumored features include Playboi Carti, Destroy Lonely, and possibly Young Thug, which would mark Carti’s first official feature on a Ken Carson or Destroy Lonely project
Interpol announces a new album, out August 18
In a new Apple Music interview, Thaiboy Digital reveals he is working on two projects: a solo release and another with Drain Gang.
“Gemini Season” receives an official music video. The visual features pieces from 424, while footwear teased by Bianca Censori is expected to be part of the upcoming collection.
Nettspend appears set to replace Nine Vicious on the Summer Smash lineup.
Artworld
The Online Marketplace of Ideas by Joshua Citarella at at Berggruen Arts & Culture, Venice, Italy
Dudd Lite presented by Dudd Haus x The Future Perfect, NYC
FTC NYC ART SHOW #2 at Sitting Room Gallery, NYC
The Fountain Overflows at GRIMM Gallery, London
Musical Bodies at The Met, NYC
Powder at Sliphouse, NYC
The Enchantment of Reason by Rachel Maclean at Josh Lilley Gallery, London
The Story That Never Ends at ZKM Karlsruhe, Germany
Fashion
Fashion legend Nigel Carbourn has passed away
Stone Island and New Balance’s new billboards are heat-reactive—just like the new Furon v9 soccer cleats that Bukayo Saka will wear at the World Cup.
Bottega campaign teases vanilla fragrance in their signature stitching pattern
Hermes is bringing back their Murder Mystery event
Jaden Smith drops his first Louboutin collection
Balenciaga introduces a subtle new City Bag inspired logo onto their pieces
COMME des GARÇONS tapped painter Henry Taylor to design a new wallet collection
Products
2 Supreme collections: Supreme x La Martina + Supreme x Grave Digger
Basketcase x New Balance Gator Run “Hacky” and “Maiden”
NYC Knicks inspired subway stop collectible from the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn
Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound 9000c — a CD player collaboration with Fragment Design
Re-edition of chairs created by Rei Kawakubo exclusively available at COMME des GARÇONS Paris.
Aime Leon Diore mesh ballet flats
fishforscale mini capsule on Lowheads
Graphic T-shirts from Henry Jawson
Big star hairclips by Beats Rydbacken
1017 ALYX 9SM x Audermars Pigutet Royal Oak
‘GORM’ leather crossbody bag by Lac Demure
Pieces from Robot Kao
Drake dropped a new perfume “CLOUDAR”
Skylark speakers by Justin Bieber
Mugs by @handheld.ceramics
Systematic’s Château slippers
Headline curation and words by Mikail Haroon (@mvkail)
Classifieds
Exciting opportunities, employment and otherwise
OVO Sound — Internship (Toronto, ON)
Internship opportunity supporting operations within OVO Sound. Responsibilities include assisting across ongoing projects and contributing to day-to-day workflows within the label. Ideal candidate is interested in music, culture, and gaining hands-on industry experience.
Apply
SOME DAYS — Art Director (Full-Time & Freelance)
Creative roles leading still and video campaigns from concept through execution. Responsibilities include overseeing production workflows and collaborating with talent across music, sports, and culture. Ideal candidate has experience directing campaigns and managing creative projects at a high level.
Apply
United Talent Agency — Music Department Assistant (New York, NY)
Full-time assistant role supporting the Partner and Co-Head of Worldwide Music at UTA. Responsibilities include calendar management, research, expense reporting, client coordination, and administrative support within a fast-paced music division. Ideal candidate has prior assistant experience, strong organizational skills, and deep knowledge of the music industry.
Apply
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