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Breakr continues to find new ways to improve the creator economy. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the platform was created by Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alums and brothers Anthony and Ameer Brown to ensure artists can connect with brands and agencies and establish creative campaigns they are compensated for. With an early focus on music, Breakr partnered with BMG and Sony Music and built a roster of clients that included Ye (formerly Kanye West), Young Thug, Megan Thee Stallion, Rick Ross, Future, and Gunna. Additionally, Nas is involved not only as an artist on the platform but also as an investor. He participated in a $4.2 million seed round led by Slow Ventures in 2021. Breakr has expanded its scope beyond the music industry, adding partners such as Hershey, Billboard, Celsius, Samsung, and UMG, information shared with AFROTECH™ notes. In 2022, 30,000 creators had onboarded onto its platform. In 2025, that number has more than doubled, reaching a community...
As American social media users brace for the Jan. 19 TikTok ban , thousands have begun searching for alternative apps to satiate their doom scrolling fix. While many American-based tech CEO’s such as Mark Zuckerberg had hoped that the TikTok ban would encourage users to flock to other short-form video players such as Instagram or YouTube Shorts, it seems that the masses have stumbled onto an unknown gem called Xiaohongshu instead. The app, which translates to RedNote in English, is owned by a Shanghai-based company known as Xingyin Information Technology, and touts itself as a lifestyle, social networking and e-commerce service . Given that RedNote primarily serves a Chinese audience, it defaults to Mandarin upon download, and exposes new users to an audience of hundreds of millions of overseas subscribers. The sudden influx of so-called “TikTok refugees” has caused RedNote to skyrocket in popularity, taking it to the number one position among the free apps chart on both the Apple...
Whoopi Goldberg is investing in the culture. Variety reports the EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards) has become an equity investor in Blkfam, a family-focused streaming platform that “entertains, educates and celebrates Black American family-friendly content.” Larry Adams, founder of the streaming service, pushed forward with the venture after seeing “a ton of R-rated content” from popular streaming services when looking for Black programming for his family. “Black culture and content is so often stereotyped, siloed or written off, so I wanted to create a platform where my kids and I can be entertained without having to face those same daily biases,” Adams told Variety. “By curating authentic content — proven through data and AI — primarily from Black storytellers, we’ve built a service reflecting true inclusion and diversity, where Black parents and children especially can feel holistically represented.” In 2023, Adams reached out to Goldberg to gauge her interest in...
Whether you are a Gen Z’er, Millennial, Gen X’er or Boomer, you have probably seen Daymond John on TV. Elder Millennials, Gen X’ers and Boomers probably remember John from the iconic FUBU brand launched with famed spokespeople like LL Cool J during the 90s. Meanwhile, younger Millennials and Gen Z members may only know him as one of the main angel investors on the hit ABC reality show, “ Shark Tank .” Wherever one remembers him from, Daymond John has become a fixture in the investor circuit and a strong example of Black Excellence fueled by entrepreneurship. From working behind the scenes when Hip-Hop expanded beyond the music industry to becoming the face of helping small business owners skyrocket to success through shrewd business deals, he has proven his business acumen time and again. Which leaves just one question — how much is Daymond John Worth? Daymond John’s Early Life Like many people in and around Hip-Hop during the early years, Daymond John is from New York — Brooklyn to...
Sometimes you unknowingly walk into your purpose, which seemed to be a common theme for some on the main stage of the Samsung Galaxy Creator Collective 2023. The multi-day event took place March 21-22, gathering diverse content creators from all over to support them along their journeys of turning their passion into profit with 40 hours of programming. From #TeamGalaxy’s Jaden Smith and Harry Hudson speaking on maintaining your authenticity as a creator to keynote speaker Marques Brownlee, or MKBHD, sharing insight into his journey, there was something valuable for everyone to take away — whether you were an aspiring creator looking to get in the game or already established your footing. Creators like Brownlee — who happens to be the latter — appear to make it look easy, but people may not be aware of the years he’s put in to build his platform making tech videos.
Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become popular in the Hip-Hop community. Throughout 2021, AfroTech shared reports on Timbaland, Lil Baby, and Future being fans of the collection. Recently, a few artists have invested in Yuga Labs — the Web3 firm behind Bored Ape. Snoop Dogg, Timbaland, and Gunna were a part of a $450 million seed funding round — led by a16z crypto — according to Music Business Worldwide. Other investors included Animoca Brands, The Sandbox, LionTree, Sound Ventures, Thrive Capital, FTX, MoonPay, Samsung, and more. The funding reportedly brought Yuga Labs’ valuation to $4 billion. “Yuga Labs has quickly become a web3 culture, gaming, and entertainment empire,” said Chris Lyons, general partner at a16z crypto, in a press release. “Mainstream adoption in web3 is accelerating at lightning speed, and Yuga is at the forefront of merging culture and innovation for everyone to enter the metaverse. We’re thrilled to invest in this brilliant team and...
Imagine getting paid just for using your phone? Now you don’t have to with ZmBIZI’s new device. The Z2 is the next evolution in smartphone technology, which allows users to be rewarded in the form of ZmBIZI Coins for using partnering applications, shopping, sharing, and searching on the device. When a user has garnered enough data on their smartphone they can redeem their funds. Each ZmBIZI Coin is valued at $0.01 USD and once users reach $20, the funds will be funneled to the MBZ digital Visa Card, where they can enjoy their earnings freely. “Just being able to look at your phone and get paid is not what is happening today. What is happening today is you are looking at your phone three to 400 times a day, but Apple, Samsung, and everyone else is not giving anything back to you and they have no intention to,” Alpesh Pate, Co-founder of ZmBIZI, told AfroTech. He continued: “What we have created is a device that empowers people to become better than what they are today. We put power...
Pivoting has become a common theme for the working class since the health crisis hit last March. Many professionals found themselves tapping into their unique skills to make career changes, and arguably every leadership team quickly pivoted business models to continue serving customers. But pivoting can be two-fold. Some pivot because they see an opportunity for change, while others may be forced to — depending on the industry they work in. Either way, product management guru Kimberley Holloway embraces the art of pivoting, and she gathered some strategies. And, if you’re looking to make career changes the right way , she will expand on this topic during AfroTech 2021. Secure a ticket to the conference today. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AfroTech (@afro.tech) Holloway’s resume spans a decade of experience. She’s worked in product management at big-name companies, including The Home Depot, Delta Air Lines, Samsung and NortonLifeLock. “Pivoting is not easy, but...
For over a decade, seasoned journalist Roland Martin has voraciously served daily news to the Black community on #RolandMartinUnfiltered, and he’s ready to take things to new heights with his next venture. Since its inception, the daily news show has “generated nearly 509 million views and more than 1.5 billion minutes watched,” a press release states. Now, Martin realizes that there is a need to provide the Black community with content driven by their concerns. With that said, the award-winning journalist has recently announced the debut of the Black Star Network on the third anniversary of #RolandMartinUnfiltered. “We’ve proven over the last three years that Black women, men and children desire culturally relevant content from a Black-owned media company. We have traveled all over the country covering a variety of big news stories, and Black Star Network will allow us to further expand our footprint,” Martin said in a press release. The network features an array of Black news and...
Forbes has announced its inaugural CEO Next list — which spotlights 50 business leaders and executives who are “using innovation, technology, creativity and culture to reimagine and reinvent their roles” at their respective companies. Among the honorees are 11 Black business executives who are getting their fair shine as innovators of the business world revolutionizing the structure of the industry and on the course of making history. Check out this year’s notable leaders to learn more about their companies and achievements. Bozoma Saint John Photo Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images Position: CMO Company: Netflix Over the last two decades, Bozoma Saint John has proven herself to be a marketing powerhouse for some of the most popular consumer brands today — including Uber, Apple Music, PepsiCo, Endeavor and now Netflix. As chief marketing officer (CMO), she helps the company stand out from competition like Disney and Amazon to name a few, while driving engagement to bring great stories...
Klarna, the popular pay-in-four app, has announced that rapper A$AP Rocky has joined the company as an investor and CEO for a day. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the New York rapper, real name Rakim Mayers, will also join the company’s GiveOne sustainability initiative. His participation in this program involves pledging 1 percent of his initial Klarna investment to impactful planet health projects focusing on climate and biodiversity. His chosen project is the Miti Alliance in Kenya and its founder Michael Waiyaki. According to the organization’s official website, the Miti Alliance — which began in 2018 — has a mission to replant indigenous trees in water catchment areas. The organization has had the impact of planting more than 10,000 trees since its inception. “Klarna is a company that looks ahead and challenges the status quo, which makes partnering with them so appealing to me,” said A$AP Rocky in the press release announcement. “I’m excited to begin...
Upsie, a consumer warranty startup led by Clarence Bethea, has raised $18.2 million in a Series A round led by True Ventures, according to a press release. The St. Paul, MN-based startup’s mission is to provide affordable and reliable warranties for electronic devices. Other notable Venture Capital (VC) firms and angel investors also participated in the round, including Concrete Rose VC, Avanta Ventures (CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer), Kapor Capital, Samsung Next, Massive, Backstage Capital, Awesome People Ventures, Imagination Capital, Uncommon VC, Marc Belton, Daren Cotter (Founder and CEO of InboxDollars), George Azih (Founder and CEO of LeaseQuery), Richard Parsons, and several others. Upsie was born out of frustration with the expensive warranties consumers are often offered with their electronic device purchases. “Oftentimes when you walk into that big box store, they’re charging you so much money. They’re charging as high as 900% more than they should,” Bethea explained...
These days, pursuing a career in tech is not just aspirational — it’s a way of life. But for Black professionals in tech, approaching those aspirations looks a little different. With rampant underrepresentation at every level, it can be difficult for Black professionals to find access points into the tech industry, much less a means to build a long-term career. And let’s be honest, the numbers behind those disparities bear out . Traditionally, the tech world hasn’t been encouraging to people of color looking to break those barriers. However, more tech companies are holding themselves accountable by creating fresh initiatives to create a path forward for Black and brown professionals , especially those looking to make long-term career moves. Facebook is one of the companies making that happen, and there’s never been a better time to launch a career there. Though it can seem intimidating for tech hopefuls looking to join the ranks, it isn’t impossible. And recently, the social media...
LeBron James often makes history on and off the court. Most recently, he became the first player to win Finals MVP for three different franchises. Earlier this year, Forbes listed James as the fifth highest-paid athlete of 2020 in the world. James has spent 17 years playing in the NBA with an average $40 million annual salary, according to Celebrity Net Worth . In 2018, he signed a four-year $153 million contract with the LA Lakers. He has the highest endorsement portfolio of any player in the league, making $60 million in endorsements alone from Nike to Samsung and McDonald’s, according to Forbes . James’ $480 million net worth — according to Celebrity Net Worth — is also comprised of investments made outside of the league. In 2012, James invested $1 million into Blaze Pizza which has now become a large chain restaurant and has grown into a $35 million investment, as reported by Sportscasting. Another major money move James made was investing in Beats by Dre headphones. In 2008, he...
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are masters at making power moves when negotiating business deals. According to Forbes , the power couple’s combined net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion. In the age of technology, streaming, and digital downloads, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have not only been able to adapt to the way the world buys music, but they’ve also skillfully used their influence to create lucrative business deals. Their business savvy speaks volumes and their net worth is proof. Here are some points behind some of the duo’s business deals: Don’t Overlook Second Best Jay-Z has a thing for partnering with companies that are extremely well-known, but don’t quite hold the number one position in their respective fields. For example, in 2003, Jay-Z made history with a Reebok deal. His signature shoe, the “S. Cater,” collection ended up being the fastest-selling shoe in Reebok history. He also promoted his autobiography, “Decode,” via Bing in 2010. Then in 2013, Jay-Z released his 12th studio album,...