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Will.i.am believes creatives will continue to stand the test of times in the midst of artificial intelligence (AI). One Step Ahead In Technology The rapper and singer-songwriter has been ahead of the curve of technology for quite some time. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, he was an early investor in Beats Electronics and even incorporated their technology in the Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow” music video 15 years ago. He reportedly made a fortune from the investment when Apple acquired Beats Electronics and Beats Music for an amount nearing $3 billion. Will.i.am’s interests in technology have only widened since then. He invested in machine learning startup Inflection AI, and through a private investment group he has invested in additional companies empowered by AI such as: Udio Anthropic OpenAi Runaway FYI (Focus Your Ideas) He is also leading change through his own company FYI (Focus Your Ideas). As AFROTECH™ previously reported it is an AI-driven collaboration platform created...
Juicy J says he has consistent revenue coming in from music sampling. The artist was a part of Hip-Hop group Three 6 Mafia, which formed in the early ’90s. BlackPast reports the original group members included Paul Duane “DJ Paul” Beauregard, Jordan Michael “Juicy J” Houston III, Lola Chantrelle “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell, Darnell “Crunchy Black” Carlton, Ricky “Lord Infamous” Dunigan, and Robert Cooper “Koopsta Knicca” Phillips. The group paved their way first in Memphis, TN, before they found success across the country in the later ’90s, ultimately selling millions of albums, mentions Genius. Among their records includes “Stay Fly,” “Doe Boy Fresh,” “Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body),” “Who Run It,” and “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” which earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006 for its feature in the film “Hustle & Flow.” Before making an imprint for innovating the Hip Hop space, it had not dawned on Juicy J to consider the business side in addition to the art form. “I...
There appears to be no limits for 2 Chainz in his quest as an entrepreneur. Krystal As AFROTECH™ previously reported the “I’m Different” artist was named the head of creative marketing for fast-food chain Krystal, a venture that pays homage to his upbringing with its sliders and shakes. The opportunity led to the launch of a series of new platforms and partnerships with the brand, such as menus, merchandising, and co-branded restaurants based in Atlanta, GA. “I can remember Krystal being a part of so many pivotal moments of my childhood and teen years,” 2 Chainz said in a statement at the time. “ Some of my best moments were made better by going to Krystal, and I’m a fan for life. I want everyone to feel that, too, and can’t wait to put Krystal in the spotlight it deserves.” Esco Restaurant & Tapas Scaling his interests in the food space, 2 Chainz has also franchised his Esco Restaurant & Tapas — created alongside his business partner Mychel “Snoop” Dillard in 2016 — with plans to...
Wu-Tang Clan’s “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” could have an earlier release date thanks to non-fungible token (NFT) collective PleasrDAO. In 2015, the legendary Hip-Hop group auctioned off only one physical copy of their seventh studio album, and former “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli reportedly bought it for $2 million, according to The New York Times. PleasrDAO then acquired the album for $4 million in 2021 from the U.S. government after Shkreli was convicted of securities fraud. Previously, Wu-Tang Clan’s sales contract with Shkreli stated that “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” was prohibited from being publicly released until Oct. 8, 2103, which was 88 years into the future. However, the album isn’t as inaccessible now. The New York Times reports that on June 13, PleasrDAO started giving listeners access to a five-minute sampler of an encrypted digital version, an NFT, for $1 in addition to fees. The collective stated it was part of an experiment and posed the question: “Do people still...
Rick Ross is auctioning off items for a good cause. According to Billboard, the rapper is teaming up with Julien’s Auctions to host Push It to the Limit: Luxury and Lifestyle, a two-day event held June 25-26 live and online with 800 items up for grabs. People mentions items such as Ross’ exclusive collection of street and contemporary art, designer wear, rare sneakers, and music memorabilia like Michael Jackson’s sealed “ONE” by Cirque du Soleil light-up glove , and more. Specific items include the Air Jordan Retro 5 “University of Michigan Fab 5” PEs (estimated value, $2,000-$3,000); Air Maxes (est. $1,000-$2,000); DJ Khaled “Father of Asahd” Air Jordans (est. $3,000-$5,000) and Virgil Abloh Off-White collaborations (est. $500-$700); Versace silk shirts (est. $500-$700); and designer sunglasses and varsity jackets (est. $200-$500); among others, per Billboard. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julien's Auctions (@juliens_auctions) What’s more, in partnership with The...
Will Smith learned a tough financial lesson early on in his career. During an episode of the podcast, “7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & Kid Mero,” Smith reflected on a peak moment in his career in 1988. Smith had won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance with DJ Jazzy Jeff for their single “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” Pop Sugar reports. Their win was even more significant because it was also the year that the Best Rap Performance category was introduced. However, that career highlight also came during a time when Smith ran into trouble for neglecting to pay his taxes. “I was like, you know the IRS gets money from everybody, they don’t like need mine, but they felt differently,” Will said on the podcast. “So, I didn’t pay taxes for the two years and won a Grammy and all that. So, they just thought they should take my stuff. So, I was a little down, and I went out to L.A. I sold everything in [Philadelphia, PA], like I was, like, broke-broke sold everything in Philly.” According...
Snoop Dogg was one of Reddit’s earliest investors. The social news website and forum was created in 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian while they were college students at the University of Virginia. Their idea was supported through startup incubator Y Combinator, which gave them access to $12,000 in funding for their vision to build “the front page of the Internet,” The Street reports. The company would grow as users were able to create a slew of subreddits that encompass a range of topics. Six years from Reddit’s inception, it became a major player in the social media sphere, boasting 35 million visitors and 2.8 billion pageviews, Ohanian wrote in Fast Company. In 2014, the company attracted the support of Snoop Dogg, who participated in a $50 million seed round led by Sam Altman, now OpenAI co-founder and CEO. “I worked my way in. You understand me? I didn’t mean to tell everybody, but I’m a part of Reddit too,” Snoop Dogg said in a 2017 interview for “GGN News.” The...
YouTube Music serves as a music service that supplies tunes, but more importantly, sheds light on the artists and their stories. In 2021, Director of Black Music & Culture Tuma Basa professed to AfroTech that the platform’s mission is to continue connecting the dots and being a sort of institutional memory for the culture. In an influential team effort, Artist Partnerships Lead Brittany Lewis and Global Music Strategist Lead Mahlet Seyoum are heavily involved in supporting artists.
Eric Thomas, better known as ET, is globally recognized as one of the most influential motivational speakers. Aside from inspiring the masses through his videos, which have amassed millions of views, the leader’s messages are shared in his time of also being a critically acclaimed author, world-renowned speaker, educator, and “The Hip Hop Preacher.” While being widely known for leading people to transform into their most successful selves, ET has taken a piece of his own advice by leveling up on his online outreach with his new platform, The ETVerse.
Is Yo Gotti trying to put more artists on game? Following the 64th annual Grammy Awards, it appears rapper Yo Gotti was left with some food for thought. The “Rake It Up” rapper took to Instagram revealing he wants to help other artists get the recognition they deserve, through the expansion of Collective Music Group (CMG). It appears a management division is already in the works. “I just left the Grammys and I figured something out,” Yo Gotti said to his nearly six million followers on Instagram. “I ain’t see enough of the artists we worked with or artists I feel like should be a part of this shit whether it be performing or winning awards… Long story short, I came up with a new idea — a new hustle — From now on, I’m finna start managing artists. It’s a lot of people I think should be at the Grammy’s and other sh*! too. I want to start with two or three artists.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yo Gotti (@yogotti)
Is a new Young Money on the way? It may be with Nicki Minaj’s next venture. She’s dominated the rap industry for over a decade, so it’s only right that the rapper embarks on her next journey. After being in the business of influencing female rappers that have followed her pinkprint, Nicki is creating her own artist roster. In an interview with Joe Budden, she revealed that she’s building her own record label and management company, according to Variety. Just as the legendary 2000s to 2010s Hip-Hop era that came out out of Lil Wayne signing her and Drake to Young Money Entertainment, Nicki is carving a new executive path that will bring new buzzing talent for today’s industry. “I am creating my own management company,” she shared with Budden, according to Variety. “I’m also doing my record company. I have a couple of artists that I will start the record company with. I’ll speak on that closer to album time.” There’s no set in stone date yet for Nicki’s upcoming fifth studio album, so...
21 Savage is now a tech investor. According to TechCrunch, the rapper has invested in the seed round of Sound.xyz, a platform that aims to help artists get money through (non-fungible tokes) NFTs. The seed funding round totaled $5 million in capital influx. “Sound.xyz is a new startup looking to help recording artists monetize their community through NFTs, as the startup looks to build out a suite of tools designed to bring musicians into the so-called ‘web3’ fold,” reports the outlet. “The startup released its first product earlier this month, Listening Parties, which enable artists to sell NFTs tagged to the release of new songs.” While he’s on board with the new startup’s mission, 21 Savage investing in a tech business isn’t surprising. In 2018, the rapper said he was through with blowing his money on things like jewelry and cars. Instead, he said, he wanted to invest in things that help his long-term bottom line, including real estate and startups. Just one year later, Rolling...
TIDAL is finishing what it started when it comes to better supporting artists, and they’re adding more plans too. On Nov. 16, the streaming service announced a free tier for the first time, exclusive to U.S. -based listeners, The Verge reports. Subscribers will have free access to TIDAL’s 80 million song catalog and their entire playlist selection with limited interruptions. The platform will be using the interruptions to educate consumers on the music industry. TIDAL HiFi has also been upgraded, which is now split into two separate plans. The standard paid plan offers high-fidelity audio and offline listening with new features including TIDAL Connect and My Activity, for $9.99 a month. TIDAL HiFi Plus — the new third plan — is a $19.99 a month subscription that will have the “best-in-class immersive sound formats,” including Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Audio tracks, according to the company. The company’s latest evolution doesn’t just stop at subscribers’ satisfaction, but will also...
More celebrities are getting into the non-fungible Token ( NFT) game and Quincy Jones is among the latest in the music industry to come forward and back a newly-launched NFT music platform that’s reshaping the fan experience. According to Variety, OneOf — co-founded by Lin Dai, Joshua James, and Adam Fell — announced that in addition to the music mogul’s investment, other musicians supporting its platform include Doja Cat, H.E.R., John Legend, the estate of Whitney Houston, TLC and many more. All of these artists supporting the platform are gearing up to release their own upcoming collections of green-friendly non-fungible tokens to give their fans access to new exclusive content. “I cannot wait to release my first Juicy Drops collection,” Doja Cat said in a statement reported by Variety. “However, I want to be mindful of environmental concerns and accessibility to all of my fans before we go live. Happy to now be working with OneOf, who is addressing both of these issues.” Similar...