We’re in the midst of a moment that demands action, but what kind? That’s a question without a one-size-fits-all answer thanks, in large part, to the presence of rising COVID counts. Thankfully, something like Label Wars, a merging of gaming and music culture, now stands as an option, offering esports fans a chance to watch a massive multiplayer Call of Duty tournament for charity. Participants in the competition include many of the most massive names in electronic dance music. The event also arrives with a small army of professional gamers from Twitch in tow.
The broadcast will feature live gameplay, with secondary streams linking the webcams of each player so those who tune in don’t have to miss any trash talk between teams. Fans get the option to donate toward the fundraiser on the Label Wars website. Those who do can rest easy in the knowledge that each dime collected will be funneled into one of the most powerful change agents in the Black Lives Matter movement.
To tune in, dance music and Call of Duty fans can visit Twitch to donate and view the stream on July 24th at 3pm PST.
After the event, all funds raised will be donated to the NAACP Freedom Fund to aid in the ongoing fight against racial inequality and injustice in America. Specifically, the Freedom Fund is the essential lifeblood of the NAACP’s local initiatives. It’s how they fund all their community-based efforts to mobilize and empower Black youth in America. The end goal? To abolish the continued inequality created by a four century-long subjugation of Black people. In addition to providing social and political programs, the Freedom Fund can propel youth forward in work and life with tremendous social and political programs. It also provides the fuel that rockets graduates of the NAACP’s Act-So program into the forefront of Black society.
“It’s nearly impossible to find a song or artist in the vast universe of dance music that has not been directly influenced by some pioneering work in the Black community.” Label Wars Co-Founder Cody Harvey tells Uproxx. “By partnering with the NAACP, we hope to help raise awareness about the BLM movement and inspire others to answer the call.”
In the Label Wars inaugural event, last month, the leaderboard of players included staples from the upper echelons of music, specifically EDM. Like Borgore, Jauz, and Zeds Dead, who casually sit atop lineups at Electric Daisy Carnival and Coachella. Other virtuosos on the lineup included Oliver Heldens, Kayzo, Ganja White Night, Ghastly and more.
In the upcoming event, which will be hosted on July 24th, icons like Waka Flocka, Surfmesa, and Francis Derelle will be joining returning stars like the legendary Steve Aoki.
Of his stoke levels surrounding the competition, Steve Aoki tells Uproxx, “When I heard that COV-AID and EDM.com were getting a bunch of record labels together for a COD tourney to raise funds for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, I had to get Dim Mak involved. EDM & Gaming go hand in hand and this seemed like a great opportunity to use our platforms for a good cause. Shout-out to Waka Flocka, Kane Brown and Rated for joining team Dim Mak and throwing down with us!”
The tournament includes more than twenty teams representing a star-studded list of labels, like Astralwerks, Bite This, Buygore, Circus Records, Deadbeats, Dim Mak, Disruptor Records, Divided Souls, DPMO, Elysian, Fresh Blood, Heavyweight, Heldeep, Kursza, Mad Decent, Monstercat, Never Say Die, Protocol, Subcarbon, Thrive, and Welcome Records. In the prior competition, Team Disruptor came out the victor with the advantageous map familiarity and precision marksmanship of professional Call of Duty player, Lost Kings.
“Winning money last time for The Boys and Girls Club of America and now getting to fundraise for the NAACP is truly amazing. These are crazy times right now and it means a lot that we can help.” The inaugural Label Wars Champion, Lost Kings, tells Uproxx. “We stand with the BLM movement.”
The inclusion of pro gamer celebs from Twitch like Thinnd, Zer0, Mox and MissesMae lend legitimacy to the toughness of the competition. After all, where’s the fun in a show of shimmering jellyfish if there aren’t a few sharks in the tank? For music fans, it’s a rare opportunity to see their favorite artists in a fresh albeit familiar setting. For couch surfing gamers, it’s a way to fuel socio-political change efforts at a pivotal time in history. So far pro gamers alone are set to deliver the approximate clout of a combined twenty–five million followers in the forthcoming Label Wars event too, which plugs charity efforts like these directly into a massive and largely untapped generation of potential supporters.
In addition to levying the star power of the folks involved for such an important cause, the effort arrives at a time when the NAACP Freedom Fund is receiving more requests for help than ever. Naturally, as the call is answered and the snowballing rage against discrimination and racism in society gains momentum more people and organizations are looking to support groups like BLM and the NAACP.