eSports
Hawks Talon GC Hosts Live Twitch Stream with Recording Artists Big $tunt and Cochise

Hawks Talon Head Coach Wesley Acuff was Joined by Both Cochise and Big $tunt as Part of the Talon Takeover Series
Hawks Talon GC, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, hosted a livestream this afternoon on the team’s official Twitch channel as part of a content series called Talon Takeover. As part of the stream, Hawks Talon’s Team Manager and Head Coach Wesley Acuff was joined by both two rappers Cochise and Big $tunt. These artists, both signed to Columbia Records, have risen to popularity in large part due to their personal success on various digital media platforms such as TikTok and SoundCloud.
“It was pretty remarkable that we were able to bring two artists to this special edition of Talon Takeover,” said Acuff. “To have both Cochise and Big $tunt join us and play some NBA 2K brought a completely different dynamic to our stream, and we are grateful for all the fans who tuned in to watch the stream.”
During the stream, the conversation with both artists revolved around their background as well as their passion for music and video games.
Rather than run away from life’s trials, tribulations, and tough times, Big $tunt confronts them head-on in his music, and even uses them as fodder for inspiration. That tenacity can be credited for his rapid rise from the small rural town of York, SC to nearly 10 million streams, 109K-plus Tik Tok creates, and a deal with Block Entertainment/Columbia Records (all before his senior year of high school). He grew up with five siblings on his mother’s side and another five siblings on his father’s side as the middle child in both. In seventh grade, he teamed up with soon-to-be regular collaborator BiG J5 and cut his teeth on the mic. By high school, they “finally got into a real studio, because there isn’t one in York’. He featured on BiG J5’s “BrandNew Remix” and dropped “Thuggin” and “on gang.” In between, he excelled on the football field, playing cornerback and wide receiver for his school team. He transferred the hustle from the field back to the studio. It shows on his breakthrough single “Capitalize Off Pain.” On the track, a skittering beat and trap bounce echo beneath his singular and surgical high-register delivery. His voice slices right through the production as the hypnotic chant captivates. After racking up 1.5 million Soundcloud plays, it exploded on TikTok with countless fan videos. As he balances hip-hop, football, and school, his grind never lets up with more music on the horizon.
Getting his name from iconic cult classic The Warriors, Cochise is making a pathway for himself while generating an organic following. The Jamaican emcee newly signed to Columbia Records takes his talent to a bigger platform with a message in mind to “I want to make people know that they can be who they want to be.” In his arsenal of fiery visuals including breakout hit “Hatchback” (10.7M video views), “Knicks”, an owe to the legendry NY team, and his recent release “Usopp”, Cochise is standing 10 toes down in his authenticity to be uniquely himself. Using his Jamaican roots, The MC/producer draws from hip-hop and dancehall sounds and blends them with rich lyrics that reference anime, film, sports, and everything in between. Meanwhile, Cochise’s delivery is dynamic, with an array of flows and vocal styles that make for an unpredictable listening experience. As his continued success blossoms, Cochise’s noble mission, with a rapidly growing fan-base rooting for his deliverance.
Last year, Hawks Talon announced the creation of the one-of-a-kind content series called Talon Takeover which features celebrities, entertainers and influencers playing various popular video games. The series welcomed Emmanuel Lawrence (also known as Manni Supreme) as the host of the series.
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video

Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 — a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the world’s top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament – watched by over 500 million fans globally – to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in verité style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters – from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins – while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,” said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the “EWC Club Championship,” an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
“A win might make the headlines — but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level — and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
eSports
Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards

Esports Charts, a Ukraine-born analytics company that aggregates real-time viewership insights about esports, has won the Esports Innovation Award at the EsportsNext Industry Awards, hosted by the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) in Dallas, US.
The Esports Innovation Award recognizes an organization or individual that has introduced groundbreaking technology, services, or strategies significantly advancing the esports industry.
Esports Charts was honored for its scalable analytics platform, which provides comprehensive tournament and viewership statistics across more than 25 livestreaming services — helping stakeholders from publishers and teams to fans make smarter, data-driven decisions.
“Winning the Innovation Award from ESTA is an important milestone for us as a leading esports analytics service in the world. Also, we’re especially proud to represent Ukraine-born innovation on an international stage.
“From day one, our mission has been to bring clarity and transparency to the world of esports data. And this recognition from the industry is both an honor and a motivation to keep raising the bar.
“Thank you to our incredible team and partners, who believed in us from the start. This award is a shared success — and we’re just getting started,” Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts.
eSports
TEAM VITALITY WINS INTEL EXTREME MASTERS DALLAS 2025

Today, leading esports club Team Vitality was crowned champions at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Dallas 2025, held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre. Most Valuable Player (MVP) Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut guided the team to an imperious victory in Texas, delivering standout performances throughout the tournament, particularly in the Grand Final against MOUZ. With this victory, Team Vitality is crowned the champions of IEM Dallas 2025, bouncing back from a narrow 2-1 defeat in the 2024 tournament, where they finished as runners-up.
ANOTHER TROPHY LIFTED IN TEAM VITALITY’S LEGENDARY RUN
The powerhouse lineup of Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire, Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, Shahar ‘flameZ’ Shushan, William ‘mezii’ Merriman, and Robin ‘ropz’ Kool all shone on the server, defeating several top-tier clubs, with “ZywOo” being named as the tournament’s MVP.
Kicking off their run in Group A, Team Vitality’s first match saw an impressive 2-0 win over South American side Legacy, showcasing their strength on both Inferno and Dust 2. The Upper Bracket Semifinals presented a closer challenge against GamerLegion, yet Team Vitality held firm and secured another 2-0 victory.
In the Upper Bracket Final, the French powerhouse faced Mongolian org, The MongolZ. The series began with a 13-10 Team Vitality victory on Inferno, but the MongolZ answered back with a 13-7 win on Nuke. However, the Bees levelled the series back on Mirage, where flameZ delivered a standout performance, leading them to a 13-11 victory. This victory continued Team Vitality’s 28-game win streak and secured their spot in the Playoffs Semi-finals.
The Semi-Final saw a rematch of the IEM Melbourne 2025 Grand Final, as the Bees faced off against Team Falcons. Dust II went the way of Team Vitality, with a commanding 13-7 win. However, the opposition roared back to take Train 13-6, setting up a grandstand final round on Inferno. Here, Team Vitality rallied together and managed to see off their rivals in close fashion, winning 13-11 to set up the Grand Final against MOUZ.
Team Vitality kicked off the Grand Final with a stunning comeback victory on Dust II, winning 13-11 from being 8-11 down. The Bees continued their early form into Mirage, asserting their dominance early to take a 13-9 win. The French club finished the 3-0 sweep on Inferno, taking a 13-8 win to secure the victory.
TEAM VITALITY EXTENDS THEIR REIGN IN COMPETITIVE CS2
The 2025 IEM Dallas title marks the club’s sixth Counter-Strike tournament win of the year. By defeating MOUZ at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre, Team Vitality extends their historic streak – a triumph made even more meaningful by taking place in Dallas, a city deeply rooted in Counter-Strike’s competitive legacy.
Fabien Devide, President of Team Vitality, said: “I’m extremely proud of our CS team for securing yet another major title with this IEM Dallas victory. Team Vitality continues to showcase the strength and excellence of French esports organisations on the global stage, and we have no intention of slowing down anytime soon.”
With the IEM Dallas title under their belt, Team Vitality have established their status as the team to beat for the remainder of the 2025 competitive calendar. Their unstoppable run will continue at the BLAST Austin Major next month, followed by IEM Cologne in July, where the team will look to continue winning trophies. By winning IEM Dallas, Team Vitality has already taken the first step in securing back-to-back ESL Grand Slams, a feat never before achieved by any other esports club.
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