Rolling Loud and Levi’s announced their global partnership this year, teaming up to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop and 150 years of Levi’s iconic 501 jeans. The partnership will see a specialised Levi’s merchandise capsule at all Rolling Loud events, with Rolling Loud founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif stating in a press release, “For years, Levi’s have been the uniform for both the fans in the crowd and the artists on stage at Rolling Loud.”

They continued, “Because so many of our fans are there for the music as well as the merch, we’re excited to have one of the most influential apparel brands of all time design special clothing for each event. We’re also honored to serve as Levi’s first global partner and to celebrate history by bringing Rolling Loud events to new cities.”

The 501 Day celebration will see 4 intimate shows put on across London, Tokyo, Paris and Oakland, offering fans the chance to see iconic names in club settings. The shows will take place on the 20th May to honour the date in 1873 when Levi Strauss & Co. were granted a patent on the process of riveting trousers. Each 501 Day club show will include unique Levi’s x Rolling Loud merchandise that promises to “speak to the city and celebrate its character.”

UK fans can look forward to performances from Little Simz, whose latest album earned her a Brit Award for Best New Artist in 2022, as well as appearances from British rappers K-Trap, Unknown T and Sainte. The show will put a spotlight on UK rap and drill talent, celebrating the crossover between Levi’s and these music genres.

In the same press release, Mark Foxton, Head of Global Partnerships and Collaborations at Levi Strauss & Co., said, “As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of Levi’s historic 501 jeans, we’re thrilled to partner with Rolling Loud to support the artists, enhance the fan experience, and reflect on hip-hop’s incredible historical journey. No festival brings together more people to celebrate the culture of hip hop than Rolling Loud and no piece of fashion has been as central to hip-hop as the 501 jeans. Through exclusive merchandise and unique activations, we truly want to amplify the authentic connections at these incredible festivals and shows.” 

Rolling Loud and Levi’s partnership will continue throughout global festivals this summer, starting with Rolling Loud Rotterdam, Rolling Loud Portugal and Rolling Loud Germany, and culminating with Rolling Loud Miami, the brand’s flagship festival.

The festivals will feature a Levi’s Tailor Shop experience as well as limited edition Levi’s x Rolling Loud capsule collections, with special items also being available to purchase at on the Levi’s website.

Tickets for all 501 Day club shows can be purchased here.

Details of the 4 501 Day celebrations are below:

London, UK:

Headliner: Little Simz
Supporting: K-Trap, Unknown T, Sainte
Venue: KoKo

Paris, France:

Headliner: Headie One
Supporting: Franglish, Lujipeka
Venue: Élysée Montmartre

Tokyo, Japan:

Headliner: Lil Tecca
Supporting: Aklo, Tana, DJLEAD
Venue: Spotify O-East

Oakland, California, US:

Headliner: Kehlani
Supporting: DJ Five Venoms, more TBA
Venue: The Fox Theater

Earlier this year, Soundcloud were forced to close down two of their offices, and lay off a reported 40% of their entire staff, cutting the workforce from 420 to 250, prompting many to fear for the streaming service’s future in a major way. Soundcloud has been responsible for some of music’s biggest breakthrough acts in recent years, with the likes of Kehlani and Bryson Tiller starting their rise to success on the website.

Now, however, Bloomberg reports that the company is close to selling off huge stakes to stay in business. The investment comes from the New York-based Raine Group, a boutique bank, who have previously had ties to the likes of Vice Media and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings. If all goes well, it is though that it could be a matter of days, rather than weeks, before a deal is announced.

Although no official figure has been mentioned yet, it is thought that it is substantially more than was expected, with Soundcloud reportedly willing to settle for a substantially low offer earlier in the year. It’s remarkable to think that the streaming service was valued at $750 million dollars at it’s peak in 2014, and are looking for a figure of between $100 million (£76 million) and $250 million (£188 million) in order to stay afloat.

Despite it’s often-disastrous financial situation, big companies clearly still see value in Soundcloud, best exemplified in 2016, when Spotify were willing to drop £535 million to take the company over, before talks fell apart.