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Raynes
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Following the release of their debut single "Lemon Drop," folk-pop trio Raynes are back with "Come My Way."
Referring to their sound as "expensive folk," the band describes the song: "There's something of an 'us against the world' quality to it, naive and young and probably foolish, but motivated by nothing but love." Pounding drums and flying strings carry the song along as it transports listeners to somewhere far away.
Come My Way
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Culture News
Sony's PS5 Event Delay Is the Right Move (Even If It's Just PR)
If a brand can back positive social change through financially beneficial PR, that's still a positive.
06.02.2020
Sony
Corporations have one interest and one interest only: profit.
No matter how much you love a nostalgic toy brand from your childhood or a fast food chain's Twitter account, it's worth remembering that their primary goal is always to get you to buy their product. Brands are not your friends, and it's naive to think that they ever "do the right thing" out of some higher sense of justice beyond their bottom line.
<p>That said, there's still value in brands taking stances on social and political issues. The fact that brands aren't people doesn't mean that some of the people behind brands don't sincerely care about social issues. If a brand can back positive social change through financially beneficial PR, that's still a net positive—at least within the context of a capitalist society where brands are put on pedestals and treated as if they have more rights than the average living, breathing human.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>On Thursday, June 4th of 2020, Sony was scheduled to host the long-awaited reveal event for the PlayStation 5 wherein launch games would be outlined and a release date would presumably be set in stone. </p><p>That was until George Floyd's cold-blooded, state-sanctioned murder by a group of Minneapolis police officers. Now the Black Lives Matter movement has taken on a newfound fervor in the public eye, with major protests against police brutality in every major city. Police are responding with unprecedented violence (tear gas, rubber bullets, etc.) <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867532070/trumps-unannounced-church-visit-angers-church-officials" target="_blank">against peaceful protestors</a> and journalists which, in turn, is driving some protesters to violence. Riots rage across the country. Trump is threatening <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/politics/donald-trump-national-address-race/index.html" target="_blank">military violence</a> against his own citizens if the protests don't stop, which is all the more reason for the protests to continue in full force.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>Amidst all of this Sony decided to delay their event, posting on the official PlayStation Twitter: "While we understand gamers worldwide are excited to see PS5 games, we don not feel that right now is a time celebration and for now, we want to stand back and allow more important voices to be heard."</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1267525525825900549" id="twitter-embed-1267525525825900549" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1267525525825900549&created_ts=1591036609.0&screen_name=PlayStation&text=https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FZAY8StN0EU&id=1267525525825900549&name=PlayStation" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="99a57c2d6c9c6e2b57aba317f8e45f4b"></iframe><p>Their decision has received wide support, with their "rival," the Xbox account, standing in solidarity.</p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1267583493254475777" id="twitter-embed-1267583493254475777" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1267583493254475777&created_ts=1591050430.0&screen_name=Xbox&text=We+stand+together+%F0%9F%92%99%F0%9F%92%9A+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FHMZNHeNzLd&id=1267583493254475777&name=Xbox" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="60835d08e03051dbb9f217eac2ddb6a6"></iframe><p>But sure enough, Sony's decision to delay their PS5 event isn't popular amongst a <em>certain</em> gamer demographic. Their comment section is predictably a toxic waste pit. For context, this guy choosing to represent himself with an <em>Assassin's Creed </em>logo and saying, "Wtf? C'mon dude! Seriously?" is one of the more mature people on the thread.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1267525734014345230" id="twitter-embed-1267525734014345230" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1267525734014345230&created_ts=1591036659.0&screen_name=Azix30&text=%40PlayStation+Wtf%3F+C%E2%80%99mon+dude%21+Seriously%3F+%F0%9F%98%A4%F0%9F%A4%AC&id=1267525734014345230&name=PhantomR" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="7395151e7ff7adcf3202151a08f8e467"></iframe><p>A good number of the more popular complaints, however, hinge on the assertion that Sony doesn't actually care. </p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1267550001518874624" id="twitter-embed-1267550001518874624" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1267550001518874624&created_ts=1591042444.0&screen_name=Beni12Sackboy17&text=%40PlayStation+Last+November+government+in+Iran+Slaughtered+1500+protesters%2C+did+you+care%3F+What+about+protesters+in+H%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FQUMygv2f9w&id=1267550001518874624&name=Bs" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="37d8183ef8764fc0b86726d30f344bb0"></iframe><p>To some extent, this is valid. When the commenter with a <em>Rick and Morty </em>avatar says that "it's all about MONEY" for Sony, he's most likely correct. But here's the deal: Who cares? Regardless of whether Sony made this decision because the people behind the company actually support the cause or because the marketing team decided that any announcements they made would be vastly overshadowed in the media (and it's honestly most likely this one), they're still doing the right thing. Now is not the time to be hosting a celebratory media event in America. Black people and allies are out in the streets fighting for their lives. PS5 announcements can wait.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p><strong>Most importantly, though, when brands speak up like Sony did, they help to normalize progressive sentiments around important issues.</strong> </p><p><span></span>Typically speaking, when a brand decides to publicly promote a social or political issue, we can usually assume that they've made a decision based on market research that supporting the cause will not lead to financial downfall. Thus, brands tend to support causes that are already popular amongst large demographics of people. Even if their support is hollow, which it almost always is, the benefits of normalization outweigh the loftier moral issues of intent. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>To be clear, by advocating for black voices amidst the Black Lives Matter protests, Sony has essentially told its customers that it doesn't care about losing sales from whatever demographic of racist gamers might be against the cause. Quite frankly, it's not important why they decided this. Nobody is turning to Sony for community leadership, anyways. The important part is that it rightfully makes that racist demographic of gamers who hate BLM and disagree with the protests <em>understand </em>that their views and values are unwanted. This, in turn, takes power away from their ideas.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><h2></h2><p>By all means, continue to be critical of corporate greed from <a href="https://www.popdust.com/gillette-ad-2626185510.html" target="_blank">obviously pandering brands</a>. Brands aren't people, and they don't have feelings to hurt. But at the same time, it's useful to recognize positivity in a situation as dire as this. A popular company normalizing support of BLM can only help spread the message.</p>
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New Releases
YG Says What We're All Thinking with "F*ck The Police"
The song is loud and braggadocios, and as police assault innocent protestors across the country, YG once again says what's exactly on our mind.
06.02.2020
As protests swell across the country demanding an end to police brutality and justice for the murder of George Floyd, YG once again releases a protest song in line with the current political climate.
YG - FTP (Official Audio) www.youtube.com
<p>A perfect sequel to his legendary hit "FDT," Compton rapper YG returned with another protest anthem called "FTP," or rather "F*ck The Police." The release was announced on the Compton rapper's Instagram page along with the sad news that YG would be unable to host his planned demonstration on Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><h2></h2><p>"I was told today that my protest is not safe," YG wrote, "and people could get hurt or shot." He said that he planned to come back "bigger and better" and that he'd soon be partnering with Black Lives Matter. The song is loud and braggadocios, and as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/police-tactics-floyd-protests.html" target="_blank">police assault</a> innocent protestors across the country, YG once again says what's exactly on our mind.<br><br></p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><h2>Follow YG on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/yg/?hl=en" target="_blank"> Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Yg400/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/yg?lang=en" target="_blank">Twitter</a></h2>
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