British firm Kano started off making computers for kids, before moving into music-tech in 2021 with the Donda Stem Player. A partnership with Kanye West, the $200 device came preloaded with his ‘Donda’ album, and enabled fans to remix the music by playing with its stems and adding effects.
However, a year and a half later that partnership isn’t looking as appealing following West’s recent run of anti-semitic interviews. The Verge and Fast Company have both reported on how Kano is dealing with the fallout, which in a nutshell is to move forwards with Stem as a brand without West’s involvement.
There’s a $1,000 Stem Projector which beams video at your wall, but also two new Stem Players with a new musical partner: Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah. Due to ship in February, they will include a monthly subscription with “access to music, mini documentaries, meetups with the rapper, and an exclusive concert”.
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