United has built a custom, native Spotify app for seatback displays, allowing passengers to log directly in to their personal accounts and stream their own libraries, playlists, and video podcasts while flying 35,000 feet in the air. The new integration is being powered by Starlink's satellite Wi-Fi, which is currently being installed throughout United's entire fleet.

The news marks a major shift in legacy in-flight entertainment. Gone are the days of stethoscope-style plastic tubes, armrest dials, and canned playlists. These older airplane systems were built on the assumption that flights had no internet, so all movies and music had to be …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The system can supposedly answer queries four times faster, with 20% fewer errors and 90% fewer tokens used.

PARIS — France’s National Assembly unanimously rejected the 2027 state budget bill Wednesday night, in a further sign that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will have a tough time getting through €43 billion in budget savings.

458 lawmakers from both Emmanuel Macron’s camp and the opposition voted against the first part of the text that deals with tax income. It had been extensively amended by various groups, resulting in a proposal no one was happy with. The second part of the text, which covers spending, was also struck down as a result. The government’s draft budget will now go directly to the Senate where it will be debated from Nov. 20.

The French lower chamber had already rejected the other leg of the 2027 budget, which covers state pensions and the health care system. It will now be discussed in the Senate.

With France’s economy stagnating, debt piling up and the risk of a financial crisis looming over the country, Lecornu’s government is under pressure to put French finances in order. It has pledged to bring down the deficit — the difference between how much the government spends and how much it brings in — to 5% of the gross domestic product next year.

Budget Minister David Amiel warned on Wednesday that, after the amendments, the version of the budget rejected that night would have brought the deficit to 5.9%.

With Lecornu lacking a majority in the lower chamber, the rejection was widely expected and increases the chances that the government will try to force the text through. As the April 2027 presidential election approaches, the government has repeatedly insisted that it aims to adopt the budget by the end of the year — something it failed to do with the two previous budgets.

The government could either use Article 49.3 of the Constitution again, a provision that allows it to bypass a parliamentary vote but exposes it to no-confidence motions. It could also adopt the budget through executive orders, an unprecedented option in France’s recent history.

X is introducing a new version of its web app that it says is much faster than before, and it's now rolling out the updated app "one country at a time" for signed-in users.

"Open a profile on X.com over a slow connection," principal engineer Yagiz Nizipli said in a blog post about the changes. "On the old web app, you'd stare at the X logo for more than 22 seconds before the first post appeared. On the new one, it shows up in 2.7." The post also goes into technical detail about how the updated app "replaces the three servers we used to run for people, search crawlers, and link previews with one."

Security researcher Jane Manchun Wong poste …

Read the full story at The Verge.

One of the basic problems of spending too much time on social media is that you are cooking your brain by reading posts from a pack of attention-seeking lunatics. If your social media of choice is the site formerly known as Twitter, and it is your main source of contact with the outside world, you may delusionally throw away nearly $500 million dollars on midterm elections, just like Elon Musk.

In particular, $47 million of that money from Musk's America PAC was aimed at defeating Texas Democrat James Talarico, who trounced Musk's preferred Senate candidate, Ken Paxton, with 55 percent of the vote. Talarico even made Musk's influence a cent …

Read the full story at The Verge.

“See you later, alligator” takes on a whole new meaning with this gator-themed console from Xbox. An homage to Florida, home to many of the behemoth creatures, the console is waiting for a lucky gamer to grab it – being mindful of the teeth, of course, which already have an Xbox controller balanced between them. 

Measuring five feet long from scaly snout to thrashing tail, the X-BITE looks so real that anyone unfamiliar with its origins could be forgiven for jumping on the phone to their local animal control. Gleaming green eyes, complete with X-shaped irises, peer out from the top of the shovel-shaped head, which is complete with two rows of bright white teeth. The Xbox controller perched between its jaws has tooth marks on it, perhaps evidence of an ill-advised fight on the part of the original owner attempting to keep it. 

In the video on the Xbox website, the X-BITE is perched on its own stand, lifting it up in the air so that its clawed feet are poised as if in mid-swim. Or mid-charge, depending on the point of view. The silhouette of an Xbox Series X is visible in its stomach, stretching the green scales into a rectangular shape, the amber glow of the power button visible even through the gator’s thick skin. 

Xbox Just Made a Giant Alligator-Shaped Series X Console, and You Can Win It for Free

Despite the fact that an alligator appeared to treat the console like an appetizer, the post on the Xbox news site makes it clear that the Xbox Series X within is entirely functional. All the player would need to do is press the button to turn it on. The alligator itself was crafted with care, designed by the same studio – John Nolan Studio – which is behind animatronics and other creatures for The Witcher. This unique console was built with a combination of 3D modeling and fabrication, along with sculpting. 

For anyone interested in combining their love for gaming with a perennial conversation starter, Xbox is offering the Xbox Series X-BITE for free, as part of an online contest. Here’s the catch (no pun intended) – there’s only one. Interested gamers have three options to enter, though, including X, Instagram, or TikTok. 

Whatever social media platform they choose, the directions are simple. After making sure to follow the @XBOX account, just share the sweepstakes post. Don’t forget to add the #XbiteSweepstakes hashtag to the post before it goes live. 

It’s also important to note that the winner has 48 hours to claim their prize. “Miss the window,” according to the Xbox post, “and this gator makes a clean getaway.” 

Built to play. Not to pet. Enter for a chance win!

Follow and repost with #XbiteSweepstakes for a chance to win the one-of-a-kind playable XBOX Series X-BITE.

No Purchase Necessary. US/DC/PR 18+. Ends on 11/10/26. Rules: https://t.co/tngcGpYvRR pic.twitter.com/rmumLc3rAH

— XBOX (@XBOX) November 3, 2026

The post Xbox Is Giving Away a Free Giant Alligator-Shaped Series X Console. Here’s How to Win It. appeared first on VICE.

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I revealed yesterday that the new Xbox Nano controller supports a Wi-Fi connection directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and now Microsoft is making it official today. Two new Xbox previews will let players try out using a phone as a controller on smart TVs, as well as cloud connect on the Xbox Nano to connect directly to cloud servers.

"Instead of a Bluetooth connection to your TV, cloud connect uses your Wi-Fi to connect directly to the cloud server running your game," says the Xbox team. "That can help reduce input latency, so gameplay may feel more responsive."

Players in the US will be able to preview the new cloud connect option for the Xbo …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Members of the European Parliament are concerned that fundamental rights could suffer under plans to expand the mandate of EU border agency Frontex.

Last week, Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner presented plans for a sweeping overhaul of Frontex that would put it in charge of everything from strategic planning and pooling resources for cost-efficient returns to reintegration support — and also allow it to help non-EU countries with deportations from their territory.

On Wednesday, Brunner addressed MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee about those plans.

While member state authorities would still take decisions on returns, the EU border agency will become “responsible for return-related support from the beginning to the end, from A to Z,” Brunner said.

Under the Commission plan, Frontex could also help deport people from EU countries to hubs in countries outside the bloc, and from those hubs to third countries, the commissioner confirmed.

Centrist and left-leaning lawmakers said they were worried that the expanded mandate and scope would come with larger fundamental rights pitfalls.

“How will we guarantee that Frontex will comply with EU law while they have to obey the laws of third countries, where there is a completely different legal framework in place?” the Greens’ Tineke Strik, a Dutch MEP, asked the commissioner. “I really think that this modality will clearly lead to the risk of more fundamental rights violations,” she added.

Socialists and Democrats MEP Murielle Laurent, from France, asked: “To what extent can Europe externalize its migration policy while also externalizing its human rights defense policy?” She warned that “a more powerful EU agency is also an agency that should have more careful oversight.”

Brunner insisted that Frontex already has to meet firm fundamental rights obligations, and that those remain in place under the Commission’s plans.

Frontex would only assist non-EU countries in returns under an international agreement that lays out fundamental rights safeguards, he said. The Parliament would have to sign off on any such agreement, he added.

Halo Infinite is offering players a surprising content update that may tempt some gamers back into the most recent installment in the franchise for some exciting action.

Halo Infinite Adds 10 Maps This Week

Things have been quiet on the Halo Infinite beat for quite a while, but the game isn’t dead yet. A surprise update arrived this week and delivers 10 new multiplayer maps to the game.

All 10 new maps were part of the Halo Fest Forge Contest that took place earlier this year, and they’ve specifically been added to a Halo Fest Showcase playlist.

Here is a full list of all the new maps players can access after downloading the latest update:

• Abundance
• Bits and Pieces
• Cascade
• Eulogy
• Hierarch
• Sanctum
• Shade’s Promise
• Sluff
• Sojourn
• Unconveyed

Players can dive into CTF: Arena, King of the Hill: Arena, Oddball: Arena and Slayer: Arena modes if they want to see any of the new maps in action.

Xbox hasn’t announced the next official installment in the Halo franchise yet, but the reorganization did move development of the next project to Activision, which will be responsible for producing the next mainline game for the franchise.

The remaining Halo Studios team has been scaled down and the remaining members are now responsible for community support and multiplayer maintenance on existing games like Halo Infinite.

Leadership at Xbox is trying to develop games for the tentpole franchises more frequently, so it will be very interesting to see how long it takes for Activision to get a Halo title off the ground and how different that project might look from the previous games in the series.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Halo news and updates.

Halo Infinite is available now on PC and Xbox Series consoles.

The post Halo Infinite Gets A Big Content Update Five Years After Its Launch appeared first on VICE.

According to the internet, everything is a red flag now, from slow texters to grown men who own exactly one towel.

Some of these are personal preferences, and others are easily solved with a trip to Target. But there’s a big difference between dating someone with a few irritating habits and dating someone who makes you question yourself, your friendships, or whether you can trust them. Therapists and relationship researchers have identified some warning signs that point to bigger issues with respect, honesty, and control. Here are seven to watch for.

1. Everything Happens Way Too Fast

Two weeks into dating someone, you’re still figuring out if you even like their friends. They’re already making plans for your first anniversary. That much enthusiasm can be flattering, but when the affection comes with pressure to commit, you could be dealing with love bombing.

A University of Arkansas study of 484 college students associated love-bombing behaviors with narcissistic tendencies, insecure attachment, and lower self-esteem. There’s nothing wrong with getting excited about someone new, but it’s concerning when all that affection comes with pressure to commit before you’re ready.

2. You’re Always the Butt of the Joke

A little teasing is normal. But when someone regularly makes fun of your appearance, career, or intelligence in front of other people, then tells you to lighten up when you get upset, it’s hard to see what’s so funny. Psychologist John Gottman’s research identified contempt, including mockery and ridicule, as one of the strongest predictors of divorce among married couples.

3. They Use Silence Against You

There’s nothing wrong with needing some space after an argument. Sometimes you need a few hours before you can talk without saying something you’ll regret. But ignoring your partner for days until they give in or apologize is another matter. 

Gottman calls withdrawing from conflict stonewalling, though it can also happen when someone feels overwhelmed, with no intention of punishing their partner.

4. Every Ex Was Apparently Crazy

One terrible ex? Understandable. Five terrible exes, all supposedly responsible for everything that went wrong? You have to wonder if this person has ever admitted to making a mistake. Relationships are rarely that one-sided, and someone who can’t acknowledge their own mistakes might have a hard time admitting when they’ve hurt you, too.

5. Your Friends Barely See You Anymore

Your partner gets irritated whenever you make plans without them, and seeing your friends starts coming with an argument you don’t feel like having. You find yourself turning down invitations just to avoid another fight. Isolation from friends and family is a recognized warning sign of controlling or abusive behavior, especially when your partner is the reason those relationships are suffering.

6. You’re Starting to Question Your Own Memory

It’s normal for two people to remember an argument differently. But when your partner repeatedly insists something never happened, denies saying things you distinctly remember, or accuses you of imagining everything, you can start questioning your own memory. If they’re deliberately trying to make you doubt yourself, that could be gaslighting.

7. They’re Awful to Service Workers

A guy can spend the entire date being charming, but the second he snaps at a server over something stupid, that charm goes right out the window. There’s no excuse for treating someone like crap because they’re bringing you dinner. And if he’s comfortable being that rude to a stranger right in front of you, imagine how he handles things when he’s pissed off at someone he knows.

So What Now?

People screw up in relationships. They say stupid things, lose their tempers, and make mistakes. But if you’ve had the same conversation about the same hurtful behavior 15 times and nothing has changed, there’s only so much you can blame on a bad day.

Therapist Adrienne Michelle told Cosmopolitan that positive qualities don’t excuse behavior involving control, dishonesty, or disrespect. If you’re frightened of your partner or feel controlled, the National Domestic Violence Hotline offers confidential support at 800-799-7233.

As for the guy with one towel, he can probably stay. Somebody just needs to take him shopping.

The post 7 Major Red Flags in a Relationship You Should Never Ignore, According to Experts appeared first on VICE.

There’s something attractive about a guy who barely uses social media. A guy who has absolutely no online presence, though? That’s how you end up on a true crime podcast.

A new survey from ReverseLookup asked 8,800 women across the U.S., U.K., EU, and Latin America about men they’d recently dated or flirted with online. Sixty-seven percent preferred guys who hardly post on social media over the ones documenting every meal, workout, and minor inconvenience.

But there’s a difference between a man who stays off Instagram and one who seems to have materialized out of nowhere.

When researchers showed women dating profiles with different levels of online activity, 72% felt comfortable meeting a guy with an old or mostly private account that had some boring, normal history. That fell to 49% for men with highly active public profiles and just 38% for those with virtually no online presence outside the dating app.

So the guy posting gym selfies every morning isn’t doing himself any favors. According to the survey, a mostly abandoned Facebook page with birthday messages from his aunt and a profile picture from 2019 is a better look.

Women Are Paying Attention to This One Thing Before Agreeing to a Date

A dating profile only tells you so much, and some women aren’t taking a stranger’s word for it. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed had searched for a man online before meeting him. His name, phone number, photos, and job were all fair game. For 41%, a lack of verifiable information had been enough to delay or reconsider a date.

ReverseLookup, for the record, is a people-search company that benefits when people investigate strangers online. Its survey also focused specifically on women who’d recently interacted with men through online dating, so these findings don’t necessarily reflect what women everywhere want.

The results did reveal an interesting contradiction. Sixty percent of respondents wanted less of their own information searchable online, yet nearly half of those women were uncomfortable dating someone who was equally difficult to find.

It’s understandable, though. A woman knows why she’s keeping her own life private. She doesn’t know why a stranger has no photos, no old accounts, and nothing that confirms the details he’s given her.

Of course, having an online presence doesn’t mean someone is trustworthy. There are creeps with perfectly respectable LinkedIn profiles, too. But when you’re meeting a stranger, you work with whatever information you can find.

The post Men Who Do Less of This Have Better Luck Dating, According to a New Survey appeared first on VICE.

November is officially here and Xbox is ready to share the additions that are coming to Xbox Game Pass early this month with the latest wave of titles.

Every Title in Xbox Game Pass November Drop

The next big wave of Xbox Game Pass additions has officially been revealed and, although it’s a long list, there aren’t as many blockbusters, day ones, or exclusives to make the first November wave terribly exciting.

Sports fans may be happy to find Football Manager 27 on the list and there are a few titles that had previously been limited to Ultimate subscribers that are making their way to the Premium tier, as well.

Warhammer Survivors could be an interesting addition and the 1.0 release of Void/Breaker could potentially appeal to fans of roguelites.

Here is the full list of additions…

• Football Manager 27 (PC)
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Pit of Goblin (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC)
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 4
  • Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Void/Breaker (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 4
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Firefighting Simulator: Ignite (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass
• MySims Cozy Bundle (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 5
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Football Manager 2027 Console (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Warhammer Survivors (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Tanuki: Pon’s Summer (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 10
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Hope in the City (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 11
  • Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Thronefall (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 11
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – November 12
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Aphelion (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – November 17
  • Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Paw Patrol: Dino World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – November 17
  • Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Additionally, Game Pass Essential subscribers will find the following additional titles in the Essentials library beginning November 15:

• Banjo Kazooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Tooie (Cloud and Console)
• Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Cloud and Console)
• Gears of War: Judgement (Cloud and Console)
• Halo: Spartan Assault (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Perfect Dark (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata (Cloud and Console)
• Viva Piñata: TIP (Cloud and Console)

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Xbox Game Pass news and updates.

The post Xbox Game Pass Reveals Huge List of Titles Arriving in Early November appeared first on VICE.

Netflix's TV app is getting a new "AI Discover" tab where the company will show experimental, AI-powered features to help you find new shows and movies to watch.

The first of these experiments surfaces content based around themes, like "Something Light," "Family Movie Night," or "Quick Watches." When you pick a theme, Netflix will show you recommendations that match it. If you don't like a recommendation, you can tell that to Netflix, and the app will remember it.

The company says that AI Discover is powered by "a new intelligence layer we've been building that responds to what members tell us in real time and keeps learning."

AI Discover …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Microsoft is about to launch its new Xbox Nano controller tomorrow, and the tiny device has a little secret. The Nano can connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming over Wi-Fi to improve latency. It's a feature Microsoft hasn't officially announced yet, but one I've been anticipating since the Xbox Nano leaked earlier this year.

The Nano will be able to connect directly to Microsoft's cloud servers to reduce latency, much like how Google's Stadia controllers used to work. This new cloud connect feature for the Nano is being privately tested on the new Xbox Cloud Gaming website, and it will require you to pair the controller over Wi-Fi to Microso …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Even though I knew Microsoft's new Xbox Nano controller was tiny, I still gasped when I unboxed it a few days ago. The compact controller is small enough to slip into a pocket unnoticed, and it has been designed specifically for younger people, or for anyone with smaller hands.

I'm not young, but I do have small hands, and I've been surprised at how comfortable the Nano is during gaming sessions. At just over 5 inches long, almost everything on this controller has been shrunk down somehow. The ABXY buttons are ever so slightly smaller than a regular Xbox controller, and the thumbsticks feel like miniature versions. Microsoft hasn't changed …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The first experimental feature under the tab will allow users to get recommendations based on what they're currently in the mood for.

Bethesda is officially confirming today that the next Elder Scrolls game will be called The Elder Scrolls VI Sentinel. The confirmation came in a less than 10-minute video celebrating 40 years of Bethesda game studios.

It's been more than eight years since Bethesda officially announced the existence of the sixth game in its Elder Scrolls series, and studio chief Todd Howard made the announcement today and called it the "perfect time" to fully name the game.

Bethesda isn't sharing any more details on The Elder Scrolls VI Sentinel today, though. The Xbox Wire press release on the name is literally just a picture of the logo.

I reported in …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Former Xbox COO and Minecraft executive Helen Chiang has responded to reports about her departure from Microsoft, disputing claims that she was fired for violating company policy. In a public statement, the executive pushed back on speculation about her exit and raised concerns about how her situation was handled.

Former Xbox COO Helen Chiang Disputes Policy Violation Claim

Following her recent departure from Microsoft, Helen Chiang has responded to claims that Xbox fired her in a post on LinkedIn titled “Clarity is Kindness.” The former Xbox chief operating officer directly challenged the claim that a policy violation led to her exit of the company.

“There has been some speculation about my abrupt departure from Microsoft, including claims that I was ‘fired for a policy violation’. That’s not accurate and while I won’t turn this into a play-by-play, silence should not be mistaken for agreement. What has been said about my departure, and what has been left unsaid, has created a picture of me that I hardly recognize. It’s important to me to set the record straight.”

For context, Eurogamer previously reported that a source familiar with the situation alleged Chiang had been dismissed over policy violations. However, the outlet explicitly stated that it had not independently verified that allegation. The claim was subsequently covered by other publications, including Windows Central.

In her response, the former Minecraft executive specifically denied leaking confidential information or leaving to work for a competitor. She also denied engaging in discrimination, bullying, harassment, insider trading, embezzlement, or other fraudulent activity.

“I stand by my record: both the results I delivered and the way I have treated people throughout my career. I won’t let speculation define my character or erase that record,” she wrote.

Helen Chiang Says She Intended to Stay at Xbox

According to Chiang, she had wanted to continue her career at Xbox. Addressing speculation that she had left for another company, the former executive emphasized her connection to the business.

“You don’t spend two decades somewhere without developing a deep loyalty to the people, teams, and businesses you’ve helped build. XBOX was never just another stop in my career. My end game was always to keep building here.”

Chiang also rejected suggestions that she had left because she was passed over for a larger role. She said she had not actively pursued greater responsibilities and had been promoted into the COO position in July without requesting it.

“I went where the company believed I was needed and where I could have the greatest impact. I did not ask for my most recent role, either and was promoted into it in July,” she explained. Her departure came just months after that promotion. Before becoming Xbox’s first chief operating officer, Chiang had spent more than two decades at Microsoft, with her previous responsibilities including leadership of Mojang and the Minecraft business.

While Chiang did not disclose the specific reason for her exit, she questioned whether standards of fairness and accountability had been applied consistently in her case. “I have serious concerns about how they were applied in my case, and I believe those concerns deserve to be taken seriously,” she wrote.

For now, the circumstances surrounding her departure remain unresolved publicly. Her statement disputes the reported policy violation explanation, but does not provide a full account of what happened. After thanking those who had contacted her with support, Chiang closed with a final message: “This is not how I ever imagined my story here would end. And it is not the whole story.”

The post Former Xbox and Minecraft Executive Responds to Reports She Was Fired by Microsoft appeared first on VICE.

Xbox's former chief operating officer, Helen Chiang, suddenly left Microsoft less than two weeks ago after being promoted into the role in July. I wrote in my Notepad newsletter last week that it seemed very weird for Chiang to suddenly depart Microsoft after 21 years with a surprisingly short memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Now, Chiang says she has "serious concerns" about how she was treated.

In a lengthy LinkedIn post - entitled "Clarity is Kindness," a reference to Sharma's WSJ profile - Chiang doesn't dispute that she was fired, but she doesn't say why she was let go. Eurogamer reported last month that Chiang had been "terminated for p …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix today announced a multiyear deal with the YouTuber, comedian, and influencer Druski, and he'll create original content "exclusively" for the streaming service. The announcement is the latest in Netflix's efforts to bring creators onto the platform, having previously landed deals with YouTubers including Mark Rober, Ms. Rachel, and Good Mythical Morning.

Druski's first show coming to Netflix is Collect & Praise, a semi-scripted comedy series where Druski plays a megachurch pastor, and it will debut on December 1st. It will be the first of "several original projects" planned by Druski and his production company, 4LIFERS Entertainment, …

Read the full story at The Verge.