Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.
This week, there’s a changing of the guard at a notable entertainment organization, new info about a movie directed by a creator, and an update in the long-running Vine saga.
Creator commotion
After all that studying, LoFi Girl finally “graduates.” The animated character is the face of a lo-fi hip-hop playlist that attracts thousands of listeners at any given time. Seven years after her virtual study sesh began, LoFi Girl announced that she is “finished with all my homework.” If you’re worried that her graduation will cause her to disappear from her famous playlist, don’t fret: As of this post, LoFi Girl is still chilling at her desk.
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Ricky Banks is stepping away from FaZe Clan. The gamer known as FaZe Banks served as the gaming organization’s CEO, but he’s taking some time off after being accused of perpetrating a pump-and-dump scam related to the MLG cryptocurrency. “For the time being, I’m gonna be stepping away from not only FaZe, but all this internet shit,” Banks said. Despite his decision, he still blames Adin Ross for the whole mess.
FaZe Lacy is going to China with James Harden. Speaking of FaZe Clan, another one of its star creators is going on tour with an NBA star. Lacy and Harden are in China for a six-day swing at the start of August. Harden already has a cool Chinese nickname; he’s called “The Mayor of Jingdazhen” as a roundabout reference to his foul-drawing ability. I hope that Lacy comes away from this trip with a rad nickname of his own.
Pop culture minute
Blippi is bringing “the ultimate road trip” to YouTube. The blue-and-orange-clad character will join his friend Meekah for a cross-country voyage that will include stops in New York, Philadelphia, and Nashville. The week-long event will culminate in the “Be Like Blippi Games,” a series of kid-friendly activities and challenges in Los Angeles. The fun begins on August 16.
The first poster has dropped for Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks. The YouTube film critic is becoming a big-boy director with a horror feature that has been picked up by noted distributor NEON. The movie’s spooky vibes are now on full display, and a trailer is coming on August 4 — though some sharp-eyed Redditors noticed that the trailer was briefly leaked a few days earlier.
TikTokers Adam Rose, Leah Kirkup get lead roles in comedy feature. In an R-rated, nuptial-themed laugher called Perfect Wedding Days, Kirkup will play the bride and Rose will portray a best man who has feelings for his friend’s future wife. More details are available via Deadline.
The biz
Good Good now has its own sunglasses line. The group of golf creators has teamed up with Shady Ray’s to roll out a line of specs designed for use on the links. It would be nice if the PGA Tour could be as forward-thinking as these apparel brands, but the golf org is still catching up with the world of creator culture.
Joe Budden’s podcast empire is a $20 million business. The gossipy ex-rapper offered a look into the finances of a sprawling podcast organization. Surprise, surprise: Business is booming. The CEO of Budden’s podcast company told The New York Times that The Joe Budden Network is on pace to haul in $20 million in 2025 alone.
IRL events are the hot new influencer marketing hack. Creator groups like Dude Perfect and Sam and Colby are putting on more in-person functions, partially because those events are prime real estate for brand partnerships. “One thing that a lot of brands don’t really get to see is how you can put butts in seats, or how you can get people off the couch or actually into a store or an experience,” Sam Golbach of Sam and Colby told Digiday. “So, not only will we be able to provide an experience to the fan, we also get to showcase the Sam and Colby fandom.”
Platform headlines
YouTube’s co-founder has thoughts about Shorts. Tech exec Steve Chen is always good for a juicy soundbite, and he delivered another one on the subject of his former company’s new format. He doesn’t think that videos featuring “addictive eyeballs” are healthy for his children, and he was them to have diverse media diets. “Just shorter form content equates to shorter attention spans,” he said.
Elon Musk is maybe, kinda, sorta still trying to bring back Vine. The Chief Twit has teased a potential Vine revival ever since he acquired the defunct platform’s assets by purchasing parent company X. Now Musk says he’s bringing back Vine “in AI form,” and as per usual, no one seems to be sure what that means or how it will impact human creators.
Can Roblox get you a hot date? The sandbox platform’s CEO thinks that Roblox worlds can serve as antidotes for the “loneliness epidemic” that currently plagues younger generations. This isn’t the first time a major platform has been positioned as a potential dating app, but much like the average Tinder connection, these plans always seem to flame out before long.
The internet is a strange place
If you don’t want to find love on Roblox, you can try the U.S. Open instead. With a YouTube series called Game, Set, Matchmaker, the United States Tennis Association is turning one of the sport’s four majors into a meeting ground for lonely singles. It’s a nice idea, but after watching Challengers, I’m not sure if tennis and romance is a good mix.
Chili’s sold out of boots made from the leather of its restaurant booths. Sing it with me now: I want my seat back, seat back, seat back, I want my seat back, seat back seat back…Chhhiiillllliiii’s, seat back boots!
ChatGPT is now smart enough to complete a CAPTCHA. The singularity will be here before you can say “Turing test.”
