OKAYPLAYER 2014 MEDIA KIT

OKAYPLAYER 2014 MEDIA KIT
Launched in 1999 by ?uestlove of The Roots,
Okayplayer is the original progressive urban music site
and maintains its position as the premier digital destination
for music connoisseurs worldwide. From D’Angelo to
The Weeknd, from NaS to Major Lazer, from Erykah
Badu to Willis Earl Beal, Okayplayer delivers the full
spectrum of groundbreaking music to your fingertips
(and earphones) everyday. Well-established as the gold
standard in online hip-hop, Okayplayer--together with our
channel partners Okayfuture, Okayafrica, LargeUp and
Revive-also defines the cutting edge in Electronic & DJ
Culture, African & Caribbean music, arts and style as well
as soul, jazz and indie rock.
Born of ?uestlove’s dream of enabling like-minded
artists to communicate directly with fans, over the past 13
years Okayplayer has grown into a multifaceted company
with one of the strongest brands in entertainment. An
early adopter in embracing fan and artist interaction,
Okayplayer has been instrumental in bridging the gap
between music fans and artists like Common, Erykah
Badu, D’Angelo, Yasiin Bey (FKA Mos Def) and Jill
Scott--all of whom joined the OKP community early in
their careers.
As a result, Okayplayer maintains an unparalleled level
of interaction and engagement with its readers and
community board-members. The original worldwide
forum has grown to include Okayplayer TV (which
showcases original video content on the site), a fullfledged online store (featuring exclusive apparel,
accessories, posters and music), numerous live events
(including the annual Roots Picnic, the storied Jam
Sessions and several international and domestic tours),
and our four sister sites (Okayafrica, LargeUp, Revive
and the recently launched Okayfuture.) With the recent
re-launch of Okayplayer Records, OKP continues to lead
the way in empowering both artists and fans responsibly.
The
Legendary
Roots
Crew
Founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1987, The Roots consist of MC Black Thought,
drummer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, keyboardists Kamal Gray and
James Poyser, percussionist F. Knuckles, guitarist Captain Kirk Douglas,
bassist Mark Kelley and Damon Bryson (AKA Tuba Gooding Jr.) on sousaphone.
From 1993’s Organix to 2012’s undun The Roots have 12 albums under their
collective belt and along the way they’ve taken home 4 Grammys, becoming
one of the best-known and most-respected hip-hop acts in the business. In
2009, The Roots, named one of the greatest live bands around by both Spin
and Rolling Stone, became the official house band on Late Night with Jimmy
Fallon where they currently perform every Monday-Friday.
Ahmir
?uestlove
Thompson
Acclaimed drummer, DJ, producer, entrepreneur (and the
founder of Okayplayer), Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson is
undoubtedly the new “hardest working man in showbiz.”
In addition to being the unmistakable heartbeat of The
Roots, hip-hop’s most influential and prolific live band,
this Grammy award-winning musician’s sterling reputation has landed him music director positions with everyone from D’Angelo to Eminem to Jay-Z. He is the
Musical Director for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and
his beloved Roots crew serves as the show’s house band.
As an entrepreneur, he has blazed trails for progressive music from
Broadway (where he served as an above-the-line producer on the
acclaimed FELA! The Musical) to the information highway (where
his site Okayplayer established the blueprint for urban music
online). His perfectionism and tireless pursuit of flavor have
found a second outlet through his moves into the culinary
world--notably his ?uest Loves Food venture, already
well-known for his signature “Love’s Drumstick.”
Okayplayer
ORIGINAL CONTENT.
In-depth features
In addition to keeping an ear to the electronic grapevine for the latest in music news,
Okayplayer is focused more than ever on the production of original content, setting the
standard with editorials, exclusive interviews, concept-driven mixtapes, Okayplayer
TV webisodes and the most-talked about album reviews on the web.
OKAYPLAYER TV
Okayplayer continues to create must-watch video content through its OkayplayerTV
series. Applying The Roots’ distinctive take on live hip-hop to the visual realm,
OkayplayerTV focuses on the performative aspect of music and hip-hop culture,
balancing interviews and backstage access with ‘sessions’--artists performing live for
the camera, whether in a studio, on the street or the rooftop of a Manhattan skyscraper.
OkayplayerTV videos have received close to 7 million views.
PASS THE POPCORN
From its very beginnings the artists associated with Okayplayer made it a multi-media,
interdisciplinary forum for underground art, establishing it as the source for news
and the opinion that counts on a growing network of actors and filmmakers from Zoe
Saldana to Spike Lee, Idris Elba to The RZA.
BOOK CLUB
Launching Christmas 2012 in conjunction with Apple’s iBooks store, the Okayplayer
book club, dubbed “Read A Book,” will spotlight books, new and old, relating to
music and the surrounding cultures. The Okayplayer curated selection will not only be
featured on Okayplayer. com but also in a special section of the Apple iBooks store.
OKP DEMOGRAPHICS
*All stats according to Quantcast.com
AGE
Household Income
$0-50k (62%)
18-24 (25%)
$50-100k (24%)
35-44 (20%)
$100-150k (8%)
$150k + (5%)
No College (33%)
College (53%)
Grad School (14%)
GENDER
Male (57%)
Female (43%)
25-34 (30%)
ethnicity
<18 (9%)
Caucasian (50%)
55-64 (4%)
65+ (1%)
African American (38%)
Asian (5%)
Hispanic (5%)
Other (2%)
1.United States
2.United Kingdom
3.Canada
4.Germany
5.France
Top 5 US DMAs
education level
45-54 (11%)
Top 5 Countries
1.New York
2.Washington DC
3.Bay Area
4.Los Angeles
5.Philadelphia
NETWORK
okayafrica.com
largeup.com
revivalistmusic.com
okayfuture.com
Okayafrica quite simply represents Africa’s New Wave;
with more than half the population in many African
nations under 25, the bright continent is currently
undergoing an explosion of vibrant new music,
fashion, art and political expression. Okayafrica
is the multi-faceted hub capturing the spirit of this
unprecedented boom in youth culture, focusing on
emerging and progressive artists, blending traditional
aesthetics with a futurist lifestyle. Established
Okayafrica web series include the Africa In Your
Earbuds mixtapes--each mix curated by a breaking,
critically acclaimed artist (tUnE-yArDs, Rich Medina,
BLK JKS, Saul Williams & others)--and The Roots
Of, a series tracing artists’ DNA back to the continent
(Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, ?uestlove and
Black Thought of The Roots, Frank Ocean, Miguel,
Michael K Williams, Flying Lotus and others have
already participated). For its Beta launch in July
2010, Okayafrica hosted The World Cup Finale
party in Prospect Park, drawing over 20,000 people
for a show featuring The Roots, Talib Kweli, and six
new African artists (Blitz the Ambassador, Bajah +
the Dry Eye Crew, Zakee, Janka Nabay, Dragons
of Zynth, and cast members of FELA!). Okayafrica’s
online store launched in conjunction with The Roots’
latest release undun in December 2011, and and has
since rolled out a new curated line.
Okayafrica
ORIGINAL CONTENT.
Africa In Your Earbuds
Original mixtapes curated by Okayafrica artists presented bi-weekly. Past mixtapes have been created by Rich Medina, BLK JKS,
tUnE-yArDs, Saul Williams and many more!
The Roots Of...
In conjunction with African Ancestry, “The Roots Of...” explores the
maternal ancestry of African-American celebrities back to the specific African country and tribe where it all began!
Player Xchange
Exclusive collaborative tracks between Okayplayer acts and African
artists recorded and released in conjunction with Converse’s Rubber Tracks studio. All tracks are accompanied by “Making Of” video
pieces showcasing the artists’ creative and recording process. Okayafrica TV
Short webisodes exploring Okayafrica artists. Most webisodes pair
exclusive interviews with live performances
LargeUp is the definitive Caribbean lifestyle
website, and a premier experiential marketing
agency. The Caribbean is the invisible driver
of worldwide trends, influencing pop music,
entertainment, fashion, sports, cuisine, travel and
more. Yet it remains a largely untapped resource
with massive branding potential. LargeUp hooks
global brands and an international audience
directly into that power source of creative activity.
Through in-depth reporting with a distinct street
sensibility and stunning photography, LargeUp.
com documents the dynamic breadth of Caribbean
culture, from the forward edge of the mainstream to
the heart of the underground. The LargeUp team’s
credibility and experience in this arena has fostered
unique relationships and given us unprecedented
access to the inner circles of Caribbean culture—
and the trust of a discriminating following.
With a braintrust includes renowned journalists and
photographers from Rolling Stone and The Fader,
and contributors such as dancehall stars Shaggy,
Natalie Storm and renowned DJs Walshy Fire
and Jillionaire of Major Lazer, LargeUp produces
unparalleled, magazine-quality content on topics
ranging from James Bond’s Jamaican roots to
carnival culture in Trinidad. As a marketing entity,
LargeUp has partnered with brands such as
Blackwell Rum and Marley’s Mellow Mood, and
produced unique events like the New York premiere
of Jamaican film Better Mus’ Come at Lincoln
Center and the first dancehall reggae showcase at
Miami’s Winter Music Conference.
LARGE UP
ORIGINAL CONTENT.
LARGEUP TV
Our original webisode series immerses viewers in the sights and
sounds of the islands
TOPPA TOP 10
A weekly rundown of the ‘best of the best’
HEDS & DREDS
Exploring the intersection of hip-hop and Caribbean culture
THE PUNANY MONOLOGUES
Dancehall queen turned sex blogger Natalie Storm’s dutty diary
NOW THINGS
Profiles of cutting-edge artists of Caribbean descent who are redefining their genres
FASHION FRIDAYS
A weekly look at fashion trends from the islands and the Diaspora
IMPRESSIONS
Vibrant visual essays from the region’s best photographers
The Revive Music web site is the leading online
journal for the burgeoning jazz community. By
illuminating the renewal of retro and classic music
with that of new emerging genres, Revive is the
center of a cultural resurgence of live music.
We are music innovators, musicians, and music
lovers documenting and foretelling the stories of
authentic and original music and how they have
influenced today’s popular music.
Okayfuture.com launched at SXSW in Austin,
TX in March of this year by presenting three
diverse EDM showcases.
The focus of
Okayfuture is to represent the convergence
of new electronic music with hip-hop and
soul that often defies any one category, as
well as the DJ/Remix culture which drives this
fast paced scene. Chopped vocal samples,
atmospheric landscapes, and heavy bass will
often set the tone for the featured music on
this channel, in addition to original stories,
interviews, exclusives, videos, party photos,
WEB STATS
TOTAL NETWORK REACH
(AVG MONTHLY AS OF MAY 2013)
SOCIAL NETWORK
86,139
TWITTER FOLLOWERS:
UNIQUE VISITORS:
1,608, 368
VISITS:
2,415,500
PAGE VIEWS:
5,321,000
AVG. VISIT DURATION:
00:04:10
80,324
FACEBOOK LIKES:
15mm
YOUTUBE VIEWS:
Email list:
50,000+
PROMOTIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES
Okayplayer provides various ways of promoting
your project, product or event. We have multiple
banner ad and page-skin packages available
through Townsquare Media. We also have the
ability to serve rich media interstitial ads on links
shared by Okayplayer on Facebook, Twitter, and
other social media platforms. We also are able to
use posts on our Twitter and Facebook accounts
as a direct promotional vehicle.
SPONSORSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES
Okayplayer provides various ways of promoting your project, product or event. We have multiple banner ad and
page-skin packages available through Townsquare Media. We also have the ability to serve rich media interstitial
ads on links shared by Okayplayer on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. We also are able to
use posts on our Twitter and Facebook accounts as a direct promotional vehicle.
okayplayer
Holiday party
Launched in 2007, the Okayplayer Holiday Party
has become a yearly ritual for industry insiders and
tastemakers, a chance for The Roots and team
Okayplayer to come together with friends and fans
to celebrate the year past. The entire event is lovingly
curated, from the artists and talent invited to perform,
down to the guestlist--and always contains some pleasant
surprises for those who attend. As a free-to-attend event,
this is our collective “thank you” to all who’ve worked as
hard as we have throughout the year. The performance
is also unique: a true Roots Jam Session, with The
Legendary acting as the “house band” for the multitude
of artists who come to share in the spirit of the season.
Always unannounced until showtime, past performers
have included Q-Tip, Shaggy, Mos Def, Big Daddy
Kane, Patti Labelle, John Legend, Estelle, Gary Clark
Jr., Aloe Blacc, Talib Kweli, Bilal, Jean Grae, Pharoahe
Monch, Melvin Van Peebles and many many more. As
people like to say, “you never know who’s gonna show up
at the jam!” Previous jams have been held at The Box,
B.B. Kings, and Brooklyn Bowl in New York City.
“Every jam session you expect the unexpected” – MTV.com
“A week away from Christmas, this will put you in the holiday mood.” - The Source
THE
ROOTS PICNIC
Over the past 5 years The Roots Picnic (est. 2008)
has become Philadelphia’s hottest urban-alternative
festival. Presented by Okayplayer and curated entirely
by The Roots themselves, the event showcases
an eclectic range of hip-hop, electronic, r&b, indie
rock, alternative, reggae and more. With no genre
restrictions, the band invites some of their favorite acts
to play– all culminating in The Roots performing onstage alongside a who’s who of legendary headliners.
So far the list includes Nas, Public Enemy, Wu-
“One of 20 Essential
Festivals of Summer 2012”
-PITCHFORK
Tang’s Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and Method
Man, De La Soul, Rakim, and Esperanza Spalding.
Past Picnics have also featured performances from TV
on the Radio, Gnarls Barkley, Wiz Khalifa, James
Murphy, Vampire Weekend, Mac Miller, Santigold,
Jay Electronica, Major Lazer, Ariel Pink, Yelawolf,
Little Dragon, Deerhoof, The Very Best, tUnEyArDs, The Cool Kids and more. Located at Philly’s
Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing, The Roots Picnic
annually draws an audience of over 7,000 attendees.
“The Roots opened the entire concert with a mini-set. How sick
are these dudes that they even open up for... THEMSELVES?!?”
– Brooklyn Vegan
CONTACT
For opportunities with our websites or network, please reach out to:
Dan Petruzzi
President, Okayplayer / Okayfuture
dan@okayplayer.com
Ginny Suss
Co-President, Okayafrica
ginny@okayplayer.com
Dave “Gravy” Susser
President, LargeUp
dave@largeup.com
Meghan Stabile
President, Revivalist
meghan@revivedalive.com