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Introducing Biebs Brew! The much-anticipated next collab between Justin Bieber and Tim Hortons is a co-created French Vanilla-flavored Cold Brew coffee

Tim Hortons

The wait is almost over – starting June 6, Tim Hortons guests across Canada and the United States can try Justin Bieber’s next Tims-inspired creation! The first part of the Tims x Justin Bieber collab was focused on Justin putting his own spin on his favorite treats at Tim Hortons: bite-sized Timbits donuts. This time, Justin and Tims developed a new twist on what the iconic brand is best known for: brewing the perfect cup of coffee. In product brainstorms with the Tims team for the second collab, Justin shared that he prefers his coffee on ice, which led to working on a new flavor of Tim Hortons Cold Brew, which is made with 100 percent premium Arabica beans and is steeped for 16 hours to enhance the bold and smooth flavor. Also inspired by a slight sweet tooth and his love for hints of delicious vanilla flavoring in his coffee, Justin and our beverage innovation team developed a creamy French Vanilla flavor to go with our Cold Brew. Biebs Brew is the perfect blend of those two beloved Tims flavors. "We couldn't stop at Timbiebs, we needed a Biebs Brew too. And we are bringing both to Tims next month,” said Justin. "Doing a Tim Hortons collab had always been a dream of mine. I grew up on Tim Hortons and it's always been something close to my heart." All three Timbiebs flavors – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle flavors – will return to Tims restaurants in Canada and the United States along with Biebs Brew on June 6. Guests in the US can get a $5 Biebs Bundle*: a large Biebs Brew and a 10-pack of Timbiebs for $5 when ordered through the Tims app. In the US, Tims restaurants will also be bringing back limited quantities of Timbiebs merchandise for guests, including the beanie, fanny pack, and tote bag that were developed in collaboration with Justin. When guests buy any Tims x Justin Bieber merch they get 50% off a second item**. “Timbiebs was a huge success – truly beyond all of our expectations – and what made it so great was the authenticity of the partnership,” said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer for Tim Hortons. “Even before the Timbiebs collaboration, Justin had often shared with fans how he’d grown up with Tim Hortons and was obsessed with the brand. His commitment to working with us to develop a natural and authentic twist on the Tims experience is what made Timbiebs a hit and we know guests are going to love Biebs Brew and his take on Tims Cold Brew.” * No substitutions. Valid on bundle only, if items are added à la carte, promotional price will not apply. Ends 7/5/22. Add'l terms apply: timhortons.com/offer-terms. ** Buy 1 item at reg. price, get 1 for 50% off, while supplies last. No substitutions. Tax extra. Cannot be combined w/ any other offer, including food & beverage offers. Not valid on digital orders. “Justin Bieber” and “Biebs” are trademarks of Bieber Time Holdings, LLC. TM & © Tim Hortons, 2022. About Tim Hortons Tim Hortons® is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, teas and our famous Iced Capp® beverages), fresh baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, breakfast snacking items, and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com. Contact Details Alison Brod Marketing & Communications Adrianna Lauricella tims@abmc-us.com Company Website https://www.timhortons.com/

May 17, 2022 04:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cookie Co. Announces Opening of New Location in Riverside, California

Cookie Co.

Celebrated as a pandemic success story, Cookie Co. has opened its second location in California, located at 195 E. Alessandro Blvd Suite 8C Riverside, CA, 92508. The brand is committed to bringing their gourmet cookies made locally to raving fans across the USA, and is carefully vetting corporate locations and franchise partners. Cookie Co. is rapidly expanding under strict guidelines to maintain the integrity of their beloved cookies with both new corporate and franchise locations. With franchise requests coming in from across the USA, Cookie Co. is working closely with qualified, interested parties to determine the right partnerships during the company’s current growth phase. Riverside, California was a smart next location for the state, as there is a built up demand from patrons in the city, which is neighboring to the original location in Redlands. “We’re excited to see this location in our home state open! There has been significant demand in the area, and now Riverside locals will have our cookies at an even closer proximity to their homes, making a quick stop easy and accessible any day of the week so they can grab their favorites. ” -Elise Thomas, Co-Founder, Cookie Co. About Cookie Co: Gourmet cookies, made locally. Founded in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Cookie Co. began as a labor of love, offering the simplest of comfort foods – fresh baked cookies. Baked right at home with curbside pick-up in their driveway, Founders Elise and Matt Thomas discovered peace in providing an experience that reminded them of hopeful childhood memories. Opening the first location in August 2020 in Redlands, California, Cookie Co. is known for its signature cookies which are proprietary to the company. Cookie Co. has thrived thanks to raving fans across the community and is now available as a franchise. Interested franchise partners can learn more here. Contact Details Sterling Public Relations Paula Steurer +1 949-200-6566 concierge@sterlingpublicrelationsoc.com Company Website https://www.cookieco.com

May 12, 2022 04:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Headline: Uno Pizzeria and Grill introduces new Virtual Brand, Detroit Pizza Works

UNO Pizzeria & Grill

Uno Pizzeria and Grill, the inventor of deep dish pizza in Chicago in 1943, has introduced a Virtual Brand called Detroit Pizza Works which features Detroit-style pizza. Detroit-style pizza has grown in popularity over the last few years and has expanded outside of the Detroit area across the U.S. There are distinct characteristics of Detroit-style pizza that make it unique – rectangular in shape, a thick but light and airy dough, a cheese-baked edge, and tomato sauce that is spread like a racing stripe across the top of the pizza. Uno Pizzeria and Grill has developed a recipe that stays true to all of the hallmark details that make Detroit-style pizza unique. Detroit Pizza Works was launched in November of last year on major Delivery apps – Door Dash, Uber Eats and Grubhub. Uno Pizzeria and Grill CEO Erik Frederick enthusiastically stated “The feedback we’ve received from our guests is that we’ve absolutely ‘nailed it.” Frederick continued, “Even though UNO’s is the birthplace of, and is known for deep dish pizza, we also make a spectacular Chicago-style thin crust pizza. Our customers have grown to trust us to provide quality pizza varieties. And if a new great style comes along we will always explore the possibilities to expand our product offerings. With Detroit Pizza Works, we wanted to stay true to the classic Detroit-style pizza and think we have a top-of-the-line pizza to offer. The Virtual Kitchen marketplace gives us the opportunity to open up to entirely new guests and markets.” Based on the overwhelming success of the Detroit Pizza Works virtual brand, UNO is now offering Detroit-style pizza in select restaurants as an LTO for takeout and delivery only. It will be offered for dine in at many UNO restaurants in June. “Everyone loves pizza and we want to give our guests a variety of options to appeal to their individual tastes and occasions. As long as it is awesome pizza, we will always look to expand our horizons.” Frederick concluded. About UNO Pizzeria & Grill Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes approximately 80 company-owned and franchised UNO Pizzeria & Grill restaurants located in 18 states, and the District of Columbia, India, and Saudi Arabia. UNO is all about connecting people over pizza – from its famous Chicago Deep Dish, which UNO invented in 1943, to its Chicago Thin Crust, to its gluten-free and vegan pizzas. The Company also operates Uno Foods, a consumer packaged-foods business which supplies supermarkets, airlines, movie theaters, hotels, airports, travel plazas, and schools, with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and UNO branded products. For more information, visit www.unos.com. Contact Details Chris Dellamarggio +1 339-613-7641 cdellamarggio@unos.com Company Website https://www.detroitpizzaworks.com

May 12, 2022 02:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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City Produce Joins FreshEdge

FreshEdge

INDIANAPOLIS – FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, acquired City Produce, a fresh food distributor headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For many years, City Produce has been serving North Central Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and central to southern Alabama distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, including an array of fresh-cut offerings, dairy, meats, seafoods, specialty foods, and more. City Produce operates out of two facilities, one in Fort Walton Beach, and a second in Foley, Alabama. The addition expands FreshEdge’s footprint into the southern United States and provides space and logistical support to better serve its customer base as it spreads farther south. City Produce joins Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Indianapolis Fruit, Get Fresh Produce, McCartney Produce, Monteverde’s, Valley Produce, Vine Line, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh and Papania’s. FreshEdge now operates with more than 2,000 employees, approximately 808,500 square feet of warehouse space, and a fleet of more than 720 trucks. “We welcome Tommy Sundy and his amazing team to the FreshEdge family of companies,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “We are excited for this great company to join FreshEdge as we expand farther into the Southeast.” Terms of the deal, which closed on May 10, 2022, were not disclosed. The transaction strengthens the combined business’s presence in Florida and southern Alabama. “City Produce will be a great addition to our expanding group of ‘best in class’ fresh food distribution companies,” said Greg Corsaro, president and COO of FreshEdge. “We look forward to Tommy’s continued leadership at City Produce.” “Our City Produce team is excited to join the FreshEdge family - knowing we’ll be ‘better together’,” said Tommy Sundy, president. “This is the next step in increasing our footprint, serving customers with expanded offerings and growing for our future.” FreshEdge is backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on investments in founder and family held companies. Rotunda seeks to provide opportunities for management teams to reach strategic, financial, and operational objectives. Rotunda entered the food business in 2017 with the acquisition of Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza Produce. FreshEdge was created in 2019 when Get Fresh Produce joined the platform. City Produce represents FreshEdge’s seventh acquisition since Rotunda’s initial investment. Together, Rotunda and FreshEdge intend to continue expanding FreshEdge by welcoming more companies into the group—all focused on high quality produce and specialty food products, along with exceptional service—to create a unique group of complementary entities. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (founded 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, TN) joined the FreshEdge family in November 2020 followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, TN) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, MI) in October 2021, and Monteverde's (Pittsburgh, PA) in November 2021. Collectively, these leading fresh food distribution companies have nearly 500 years of combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. FreshEdge's fleet resource includes more than 720 trucks servicing the Midwest and beyond from 12 facilities totaling approximately 808,500 square feet of warehouse space. Today, FreshEdge is one of the largest independent fresh food distributors in the United States and a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, proteins, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral, and specialty products. For more information, visit www.freshedgefoods.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.freshedgefoods.com/

May 11, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time

VFS Partners with Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games for $200,000 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games Fund

Vancouver Film School

Announcement Highlights: The fund features three full-tuition scholarships for VFS’s Game Design program and one full-tuition scholarship for VFS’s 3D Animation & Visual Effects program. The total fund is valued at over US$200,000. Scholarship winners will be selected by Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games. Winners will also receive monthly mentorship from VFS instructors and design professionals from either Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, or Timbre Games, as well as a four to six-month paid design contract at their respective game studio upon graduation. Submission process is currently open and closes on June 8, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (Vancouver, BC) May 9, 2022 - Vancouver Film School (VFS), in partnership with Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games Studio is pleased to present the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games, including mentorship and a paid internship. The scholarship fund, valued at over US$200,000, is open to applicants 18 years of age and older who identify as First Nations (status or non-status), Inuit, or Métis, and who are looking to enter the game industry as developers. The deadline to apply is June 8, and winners will be announced on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21. The Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games is a collaborative initiative between VFS and Vancouver-based game studios Blackbird Interactive ( Homeworld 3, Hardspace: Shipbreaker ), East Side Games ( The Office: Somehow We Manage, RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar, Trailer Park Boys: Greasy Money ), and Timbre Games Studio (part of The Sumo Group). Three full-tuition scholarships for VFS’s Game Design program and one full-tuition scholarship for the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program will be awarded and may be applied to either the October 24, 2022, or January 3, 2023 intakes. Winners will be selected directly by top-tier AAA studios Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games, and Timbre Games, the latter of which will also select the winner who will enrol in the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program. Additionally, all winners will receive private mentorship by design professionals from Blackbird Interactive, East Side Games or Timbre Games, as well as by their instructors at VFS. Upon graduation, these winners will also receive a paid four to six-month work contract at their respective studio. Finally, each of the winners will be provided with a laptop for use during the program and to keep. The winner chosen by Blackbird Interactive will also receive a $5,000 housing stipend while studying at VFS. "Blackbird Interactive (BBI) is honoured to be collaborating with local gaming studios and VFS on the Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games. We are working to create impactful opportunities that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students can explore, fulfilling their creative technology aspirations in meaningful ways. An education from VFS helps open the door to careers in film, games, 3D animation, and VR/AR design, among other fields. We believe that actions speak louder than words and that young people are the future. There is a lot more that needs to be done, but this is a small and important step for just one of our many local industries.” -Rob Cunningham – CEO & Co-Founder, Blackbird Interactive "Communities thrive on diversity. Whether we’re talking about games, entertainment, or film, we need to ensure we’re including voices and perspectives representative of the community around us. The Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games through Vancouver Film School can do just that. As a member of the Métis community, it is an honour to be able to support a program taking a step in the right direction towards a more inclusive creative landscape. While there's much work to be done, this is a good start." -Josh Nilson – Co-Founder, Studio Head and General Manager, East Side Games “At Timbre Games, our mission is driven by the idea that ‘culture drives creative’. The opportunity to support and collaborate with VFS, Blackbird Interactive and East Side Games on the Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games is a small first step to removing systemic barriers in entering the game industry for the Métis, Inuit, and First Nations people. All of us at Timbre are thrilled to be a small part of creating space in the games industry for these communities. I believe these students will play a significant role in the world of interactive entertainment in the years to come and we are grateful to have the opportunity to support their careers along the way. There is more hard work to be done in this space and Timbre is committed to listening and learning as we embark on our own journey.” -Joe Nickolls – President and Co-Founder, Timbre Games “It is a pleasure for VFS to be joining forces with three outstanding Vancouver studios to offer the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games. This scholarship aims to foster more diversity and more inclusion in the game industry with the aim to have more Indigenous developers actively designing the next generation of games. At VFS, we are proud of the many Indigenous graduates from our programs who now have successful careers both in Vancouver and globally, and this scholarship is Vancouver Film School’s privilege and opportunity to play a role in emerging Indigenous developers building their creative careers.” -Christopher Mitchell – Head of Game Design and Programming for Games, Web & Mobile, VFS Vancouver Film School is committed to fostering and growing Indigenous representation in the video game industry. Indigenous artists, performers, and storytellers are a foundational thread in the fabric of the Canadian narrative, continuing to grow stronger as key voices within our country’s multidimensional creative landscape. For more information about the 2022 Indigenous Scholarship in Video Games, or to apply, visit https://vfs.edu/scholarships/indigenous-scholarship-2022. About Vancouver Film School In 1987, Vancouver Film School introduced the world’s first true immersion film program. Today, VFS is Canada’s premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, design, and beyond. VFS is known for providing high-quality education in accelerated time frames and offers 15 industry-integrated programs in which students graduate in 12 months as an in-demand, industry-ready creative professional. VFS alumni are consistently credited on the highest grossing films, television shows, and games worldwide, in a global industry set to generate US$2.1 trillion in revenue in 2022. VFS Media Contact: Evan Biswanger Creative Director & Head of Marketing Vancouver Film School Follow VFS on Social Media: www.VFS.edu YouTube: www.youtube.com/VancouverFilmSchool Facebook: www.facebook.com/vancouverfilmschool Twitter: www.twitter.com/VFS Instagram: www.instagram.com/vancouverfilmschool Contact Details ebiswanger@vfs.com ebiswanger@vfs.com Company Website https://vfs.edu/

May 10, 2022 03:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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KILTER’S NEWEST “MILES FOR MEANING” EVENT WILL FOCUS ON NONPROFITS SUPPORTING CANCER PREVENTION, RESEARCH, AND TREATMENT THIS JUNE

Kilter

Hustle For Hope, the newest activity-driven fundraising challenge in Kilter’s Miles for Meaning series, will launch on June 1st with $20,000 available in donation prizes for the top performing cancer-related nonprofits or corporations supporting their favorite cancer-related causes, it was announced by Seth Braddock, Kilter Founder & CEO. “Cancer is something that touches most lives in some way. I’m a huge believer in exercise and movement as a powerful preventative and rehabilitative therapy for cancer, which is why bringing Hustle For Hope to life is so exciting to me, because it will enable communities of people to get out and move however they like throughout the month of June while raising awareness and funds for the cancer-cause of their choice.” Kilter is the most inclusive activity-based engagement platform for good. The platform is used by nonprofits, corporations, and brands to unite supporters and employees through everyday health, wellness and lifestyle activities. Hustle For Hope, open to both nonprofits and companies for their supporters and employees, will provide tens of thousands of dollars in donation prizes to nonprofit organizations during National Cancer Survivor Month and engage nonprofit partners as big as American Cancer Society to small family run foundations like Linda W. Daniel Foundation who all have a fair and equal opportunity to win donation prizes. Participants, regardless of location or physical ability, will accumulate miles (steps, run, bike, walk, wheelchair roll) from June 1-21 and can also fundraise for their favorite cause along the way if they so choose. The participating teams will compete to win cash donation prizes sponsored by Kilter & TVP. “When your mission is to ‘Challenge the athlete in you to fight cancer today’, Kilter is the perfect partner” says Laura Daniel of the Linda W. Daniel Foundation. “We are thrilled to partner with Kilter and join Hustle for Hope! It's a great opportunity to build and compete as a community while raising funds to support our efforts.” This annual event will be the first of many in the Miles For Meaning series that focuses on a specific sector of the nonprofit industry for large donation prizes. Registration for interested nonprofits and corporations is open all of May, with many corporate and nonprofit teams already involved. ABOUT KILTER Kilter is the most inclusive activity-based engagement platform for good. The platform allows users to turn their everyday health, wellness and lifestyle activities into opportunities for to drive charitable dollars to their favorite causes, all while building culture and community to make a global impact. With 50+ trackable activities from running to yoga to pickleball to volunteering, plus our best in class user experience, functionality and customer support, employers, nonprofits and event producers will meet their supporters where they are today (on their phones) and easily exceed engagement and impact goals. Learn more at www.kilterapp.com. Contact Details Julian Lavelle +1 315-708-3494 julian@kilterapp.com Company Website https://www.kilterapp.com

May 10, 2022 09:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Telos “Mission” NFT Challenge - 175,000 in Crypto Prizes!

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS) presents its “Mission NFT Challenge” for digital graphic creators, offering a very attractive prize pool to be shared among contest winners. Telos believes that NFTs are both an art form and a pivoting technology that should be easily and affordably accessible to the masses. As such, Telos strives to facilitate the lowest barrier of entry into the emerging field of NFTs. Utilizing Byt.io, the latest leading NFT marketplace to integrate Telos, end-users will mint and trade their NFTs at unprecedented fast speeds while enjoying industry-low gas fees. The Telos EVM will also offer a congestion-free minting experience that leaves no carbon footprint or any of the front running / MEV that constantly plagues Ethereum users. Furthermore, contract deployment is a fraction of the cost and significantly faster on Telos when compared to virtually every other network, making it a far superior ecosystem to build on. Transactions are instant on Telos! Some Contest Details: The contest opens for registration on Monday May 9th, 12:00 pm EST and participants can submit their projects by Friday, June 24th, 12:00 pm EST. Public Voting on the submissions will take place between Monday May 23rd, 12:00 pm EST to Thursday, June 30th, at 12:00 pm EST. Twenty finalists will be announced on Friday July 1st, 12:00 pm EST and the top five winners will be selected and announced on Tuesday July 5th at 11:00 am EST. Telos encourages all digital artists and aspiring NFT projects to compete in this contest to win one of 5 prizes worth 25,000 TLOS each. Furthermore, an honorable pick by The Big Gooey, Telos’ in-house NFT curator, will award one winner with an additional 50,000 TLOS. The contest and voting will be hosted on the Taikai platform (also built on telos), which recently completed a very successful hackathon for the Telos Ignite contest. The public will vote on all submissions to select the top 20 projects after which a panel of judges will decide on the top five. This maiden NFT contest is inviting artists to bring their NFT projects (ERC 721) and deploy them on the tEVM where they can be minted to be sold on the Byt marketplace or other secondary markets. All additional details and criteria can be found on the Taikai platform through the following link: https://taikai.network/en/telos-foundation/hackathons/nftp-slug/overview About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper, and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running and, more uniquely, offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Even while operating as a Net Zero Blockchain, Telos still sustainably supports hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals (on a first-in-first-out basis, eliminating front running on the network), and securely validates transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. As a result, the Telos blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 landscape better than any other blockchain in existence. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Telos NFT Curator The Big Gooey thebiggooey@telosfoundation.io Byt Co-founder Will Perkins will@byt.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

May 09, 2022 11:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Raj Chaudhuri’s Claims Against R&S Records And Renaat Vandepapeliere Dismissed

R&S Records

All claims submitted to an Employment Tribunal in London (United Kingdom) by Raj Chaudhuri, were dismissed on 06 April 2022. In a trenchant judgment following a 2-day hearing on 10 th and 11 th March 2022 at which Chaudhuri gave evidence, the judge ruled that Chaudhuri was not an employee of R&S Records. As such, his claims were dismissed. Employment Judge (EJ) Wright rejected Chaudhuri’s version of events. She found that: For his 700 Euros a month, Chaudhuri did as much or as little work for R&S Records as he saw fit and in fact, he did very little; Contrary to his claims, Chaudhuri was in business on his own account and knew that he was not an employee. His contemporaneous descriptions of himself contradicted the status he wished to present to the tribunal and what Chaudhuri claimed now was not what he understood at the time he was scouting for R&S; On Chaudhuri’s evidence, there were 33 missing invoices which he failed to disclose, and it was strange and of concern that Chaudhuri only provided a tax return for a single year which had been amended just before a tribunal deadline. Having sought to extend his remit and further ingratiate himself with R&S Records, he was unsuccessful in attempting to negotiate a partnership deal with Vandepapeliere and never managed to secure the deal he wanted; He had no authority to sign acts for R&S Records and did not do so; The basis of Chaudhuri’s claim to be entitled to a payment of £10,000 was unclear but, more seriously, in September 2020 he threatened to publish an open letter online unless £10,000 was paid into his account that evening which Vandepapeliere referred to as blackmail; Chaudhuri released details of his claim though it was sub judice leading to a concern that media outlets including the BBC, Guardian and Resident Advisor were in contempt of court; Contemporaneous documents pointed to the opposite of Chaudhuri’s alleged basis for his claims which were all dismissed; It was a difference of view about the future direction of the label that led to a fundamental difference of opinion and a parting of the ways. Renaat Vandepapeliere commented, “ After 18 months of making false, malicious and damaging allegations about me and the record label, the judge has utterly rejected Chaudhuri’s attempts to rewrite history.” Following criticism about the basis for his claims by a judge in a previous hearing, and despite having pursued wide press publication for his allegations, Chaudhuri withdrew significant aspects of his claim without explanation, retraction or apology. In consequence of the judges’ decisions and his failed claims, Chaudhuri and his legal representative now face applications for costs in excess of £95,000. In further developments, the Belgian authorities are investigating the possible prosecution of Chaudhuri for blackmail threats. a reference on contempt has been made to the UK Attorney-General by leading media law firm, Manley’s. Background Summary and Further Comment follow...... Background Summary Mr Vandepapeliere formed R&S Records in 1983 with his partner Sabine and is widely regarded as a pioneer of the electronic dance music industry. The label is one of the forerunners in the genre. Chaudhuri’s race discrimination allegations are contradicted by the exceptional African American artist and label stalwart, Mikahl Anthony. Anthony said, “ Renaat has been nothing but genuine in regards to my musical career and also understanding the culture i come from as an African American living in the states. He’s not only supported my Art; he’s been a mentor and true supporter of diversity. I fully affirm his character and the allegations seem completely opposite of the individual he’s been to me. He’s been a man of respect, honor and authentically a great human being. Renaat; he’s changed my life for the better and has always been present in a time of need.” It was a reference to Mikahl by Vandepapeliere which sparked the press furore exploited by Chaudhuri. A former, disgruntled LA-based artist, Eddington Again, whose contract had been terminated by Vandepapeliere, accused R&S Records of lacking racial and gender diversity among its artists; a label that doesn’t “sign colour”. An allegation that is categorically false. In a series of leaked, private, email exchanges between Mr Vandepapeliere and Eddington Again, Vandepapeliere said he had, “found a full pure breed black artist that he could spend his life focussed on”. Vandepapeliere’s remark in Flemish referred to Mikahl Anthony as world class and unique, a one-off artist. When told the meaning of the phrase could be misconstrued in other languages, Vandepapeliere immediately apologised. But Raj Chaudhuri exploited the ambiguity with a self-serving intention to damage the reputation of Vandepapeliere and R&S Records having previously ‘warned’ Mr Vandepapeliere about what harm allegations of racism would cause,. R&S Records is a world class label working with music’s top creative artists signed for their ability to write and produce great tracks irrespective of colour, creed or gender. R&S Records and Mr Vandepapeliere now look forward to future releases and refocussing their attention on sharing music for all to enjoy. Further Comment From Mr Vandepapeliere On the employment tribunal dismissal of all three claims, Mr Vandepapeliere said: “I am delighted that the tribunal has dismissed all three claims brought by Raj Chaudhuri. Given our label’s roster of artists, his allegations of racial discrimination always looked like a cover for his unwarranted demands for money. “This last two years has been absolute hell for me and my partner Sabine, my family and the artists on our record label. My artistic policy for R&S Records has always been inclusive and Raj Chaudhuri knew that. He also knew that allegations of racism would have a devastating impact on me and my business. We would like to personally thank our loyal friends, fans and artists who have remained supportive throughout these very difficult times. “Differences of opinion over music and artistic direction in a record label are one thing, but to falsely label them as racism or racial inequality is wrong; it undermines the very fabric of tackling racism and makes a mockery of those who are genuinely fighting inequality. “Dance music has always been about uniting people through the commonality and love of electronic music, regardless of ethnicity, colour, religion or sexuality. I have always been a champion and supporter of original artists. Signing an artist is about their talents; the music they make and produce – it’s what the label stands for. “As the Tribunal Judge found, my priority is, ‘the integrity of the music R&S Records produced’.” Note: Relevant claim numbers: 2300271/2021, 2300665/2021, and 2301949/2021. London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon, London Contact Details R&S Records Gerard Franklin +44 7791 039636 hello@i5media.co.uk

May 09, 2022 07:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The Metaverse’s Biggest Hit Yet: LISA Joins MetaCity M as a Model

Gamamobi

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 6 May 2022 - The world's first ever metaverse mobile game: MetaCity M, developed by Gamamobi today, officially announces LISA, a member of BLACKPINK, a girl group who is massively popular across the entire world, will join MetaCity M as a global model under YG Entertainment. The news of LISA becoming MetaCity M's global model has taken the industry by storm. LISA is known for her cute and loveable style off-stage and her overwhelming dance performance, which is a perfect match for the wholesome style of the MetaCity M. The collaboration, therefore, comes as a bombshell for fans worldwide, who are eagerly waiting to find out what surprises will come next in this exciting collaboration. 《MetaCity M》is the first ever mobile Metaverse game to announce LISA as a global model! The world's first open-world metaverse mobile game where all dreams come true! Having begun development in 2020, MetaCity M precisely focuses on the concept of the 'Open World Metaverse'. Each planet in MetaCity M features more than 1,600 small towns, 690 second-tier cities, and 55 first-tier cities. The massive 510 million square kilometer world allows players everywhere to play with friends and neighbors nearby, and drive, walk or even fly with people far away from all over the world. Explore different countries every day and see the world in all 4 seasons, or take part in the simple joys of life such as watching the sunrise and sunset, or enjoying a mountain top view. Take a spaceship to other planets and experience interplanetary exploration to visit players on alien planets. Use your life construction skill to develop your hometown with a global player base to create a truly unique town in the metaverse. 《MetaCity M》Welcome to our world's first open-world metaverse game! As LISA joins MetaCity M as a global model, fans are more hotly anticipating the release of MetaCity M than ever before. To learn more about LISA, our newest model, keep up to date with the latest news on the MetaCity M website. 《MetaCity M》Website： https://metacitym.com/ Discord： https://discord.gg/JEFGR2FRt9 Twitter： https://twitter.com/MetaCity_M Facebook： https://www.facebook.com/mcm.gamamobi/ instagram： https://www.instagram.com/metacitym/ Contact Details Gamamobi Inka Tada business@gamamobi.com

May 06, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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