Rihanna Joins ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Spin-Off

Film

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Rihanna has joined the Ocean’s Eleven spin-off Ocean’s Ocho.

Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett — both of whom have been long rumored to star in the movie — will head up the cast of the Gary Ross-helmed heist film that is scheduled to begin production in October in New York.

Like the Oceans Eleven films, the rest of the ensemble is stacked with major stars including Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter. Mindy Kaling also is joining the cast, with music stars Rihanna (Battleship) and Awkwafina (Neighbors 2) rounding out the group.

It’s About Passion, Not Algorithms

Mark Sullivan interviewed Apple Music’s Bozoma Saint John for Fast Company:

We should be paying attention to all of the ways that people want to listen to music, I mean, truly. Each point of interest is equally important as the other. I really like R&B from 1993, but I really like R&B that I just heard last week, too. How do I get served both of those things, because I am a complex music listener? By the way, you don’t have to be a music-phile in order to have that experience. Even a casual listener at the end of the day does not want to listen to the same thing again and again and again. You do want fresh; you want to be served something. I have learned that the balance of all of those things between the security of listening, to everything I want to listen to, and being served something new, the experience of U.S. consumers or me as a consumer, all those things should be rated equally.

BitTorrent Launches Discovery Fund

BitTorrent has announced the “Discovery Fund:”

Over the next year, BitTorrent aims to partner with 25 creators by providing cash grants and promotional support to build impactful releases and discover new fans. We are looking for artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers and other creators working on uncompromised projects representing a diverse, original perspective seeking global distribution. This open, international initiative has a rolling call (so you can apply when your project is ready) and provides $2,500- $100,000 in marketing and distribution funding to use at your discretion.

Artists an apply here.