Money management can be a learning curve for many athletes, and this was the case for Dwyane Wade. Wade was drafted to the league in 2003, which is viewed as “one of the greatest draft classes in NBA history,” the league mentions. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh were also drafted that year. Wade would make his debut with the Miami Heat as the No. 5 overall draft pick, Sports Illustrated reports. He then signed a three-year contract valued at $8.5 million, to The Palm Beach Post. For Wade, being drafted to the league allowed him to overcome the odds that were stacked against him living in the South Side of Chicago, where he would hear gun shots frequently. At one point, he was being raised by his mother who struggled with addiction and would leave him at home for periods of time, according to Business Insider. When he was 9 he eventually moved to a new neighborhood to be with his father, who had divorced his mother. “[My father] was militant,” Wade shared during an...

When Chris Paul was drafted to the league he turned down a substantial amount of money. The NBA player had been drafted in 2005 as the No. 4 draft pick by the New Orleans Hornets, Fox News reports. He was just 19 years old at the time. During an interview with Forbes, Paul mentioned he had just $151 in his bank account as a college student at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, when he entered the league. One of his earliest actions was to bring on board a financial advisor, which ultimately resulted in him receiving an upfront offer of $100,000. However, his parents interceded, leading Paul to accept nearly a quarter of the initial offer. “My financial advisor who we hired, they said they would send me $100,000 and my parents said, ‘No that’s too much,'” he told Forbes. During an appearance on “The Shop,” he elaborated further stating, “Y ou know what happened? I was at Wake in Winston. I went to the bank right up the street just so I could see what the statement looked...

The Charlotte Hornets are being led by a Black executive team. Following the selling of Michael Jordan’s stake in the team for a reported $3 billion in June 2023 to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, as previously reported by AFROTECH™, it is undergoing new changes in leadership. On March 5, 2024, Jeff Peterson was hired on as the executive vice president of basketball operations, notes the NBA. Before this role, he had been assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets. According to a press release, the team cemented a deal with Dotun Akinwale, who has worked in the NBA for 11 years as an executive, to bring him on as assistant general manager. Prior to the title, he had been promoted to vice president of player personnel for the Atlanta Hawks. On May 9, 2024, Charles Lee, who boasts a decade of experience as an NBA assistant coach joined the team as head coach, leaving the Boston Celtics. “We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,”...

A new report has revealed the list of cities across the globe where the highest number of millionaires reside . In May 2024, Henley & Partners released the “World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2024.” According to the firm’s Group Head of Private Clients Dominic Volek, seven out of the top 10 cities listed are in countries that host investment migration programs , which work to foster foreign direct investment in return for residence or citizenship rights. “You can secure the right to live, work, study, and invest in leading international wealth hubs such as New York (NY) , Singapore (Singapore) , Sydney (Australia) , Vienna (Austria) , and Dubai (UAE) via investment,” Volek said, per a press release. “Being able to relocate yourself, your family, or your business to a more favorable city or have the option to choose between multiple different cities across the world is an increasingly important aspect of international wealth and legacy planning for private clients. The more...

Nick Minaj’s latest tour is breaking records! According to Billboard, the Queens, NY, native’s “Pink Friday 2 World Tour” is the highest-grossing and bestselling rap tour by a woman in Billboard Boxscore history after reports revealed that it grossed $67 million and sold 439,000 tickets. Kicking off on March 1 in Oakland, CA, the tour’s first stop brought Minaj $2.3 million thanks to 14,000 tickets sold. The show concluded on May 13 in Oklahoma City, OK. She now joins the likes of her former label mate Drake, as well as Kendrick Lamar, Future, and a host of other rappers with high-grossing tours. Not to mention, she bumped out Doja Cat, who just five months prior had set the record with $37.3 million for “The Scarlet Tour.” With four double-headers, the “Pink Friday 2 World Tour” brought in more than $3 million for each stop in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Chicago, IL; and Toronto, Canada. Minaj’s biggest moneymaking nights were both in New York, at the Brooklyn Barclays...

Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken is heading to his home state of New Jersey. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, the former basketball-player-turned-serial- entrepreneur became a co-owner of Big Chicken in 2018 and opened the first location in Las Vegas, NV, alongside his friend Matt Silverman and agent Perry Rogers. Since, thanks in part due to its popular menu items including chicken tenders, various chicken sandwiches, crinkle-cut French fries, and mac n’ cheese, the business has proven to be a success and has adopted a franchise model. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 312 Craves (@312craves) Big Chicken signed a 20-unit development deal in partnership with H&D Group Investments to expand to Michigan in 2023, Franchise Times reports . Prior, a 50-unit deal had been signed to open storefronts in Texas, with locations already springing up in the city of Houston and nearby Richmond. It can also be found in California and on Carnival Cruise ships. View this post on...

Martin Lawrence is an iconic comedian , actor, and entertainer who truly requires no introduction. Best known for his leading roles in films such as “Big Momma’s House,” “Bad Boys,” “Open Season,” and more, Lawrence has created generational wealth through his impeccable comedic timing and hilarious comic delivery. Today, Martin Lawrence has an estimated net worth of over $110 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth . While the legendary actor’s income mostly stems from his career in film and television, he has also taken in large sums through stand-up comedy , as well as a wide array of brand deals and real estate holdings. Without any further preamble, let’s dissect Martin Lawrence’s net worth, and examine each of the main contributing factors to his wealth. Stand-Up Comedy And Early Acting Career (Photo by Monica Schipper/WireImage) Martin Lawrence was raised primarily by a single mother in the Washington, D.C. area. As a youth, he took up boxing before ultimately embarking upon...

Tracy Chapman is best known for her breakout single, “Fast Car,” which saw a huge rise in popularity in 2023 thanks to a cover by country artist Luke Combs. It was 1988 when the original song came out, one of 11 tracks on her self-titled debut LP that year. Chapman, a talented musician from childhood, released albums steadily through the late 80s and early 90s. She’s taken a few hiatuses over the years and keeps her personal life notoriously private, but after such a successful career, people want to know about Tracy Chapman’s net worth . What Is Tracy Chapman’s Net Worth? (Photo by KMazur/WireImage) The multi-talent was born in Cleveland on March 30th, 1964, where she grew up with her mother after her parents divorced. While the Chapman family didn’t have much money, Tracy’s mom fostered her love for music, starting her off with a ukelele at age three. From there, the 60-year-old has gone on to become a Grammy Award winner and proud activist, as well as an influence on creatives...

It was at the young age of 12 that Heather started to experience a variety of seemingly unrelated health issues. First joint pain, particularly in her knees, ankles and elbows. Then came the rashes on her face and back, the hair loss, the fatigue, the sensitivity to light and the difficulty breathing. These symptoms baffled her medical team and lead them to refer to her as a “mystery person.” Her symptoms were difficult and draining to manage while she spent her young adolescent years living with this mystery. It would take many years, ER visits, missed family moments, and the birth of her son before Heather finally learned exactly what was causing her mysterious symptoms. Unbeknownst to Heather and her family, her symptoms were interconnected and all stemmed from one major autoimmune disorder: lupus. “I vividly remember the day I was diagnosed,” Heather tells AfroTech. “I was in bed [at home], struggling to breathe and [I] had a red, inflamed rash on my face. Being a single mother...

Cardi B is always going to stand on business while being about her business. The “Invasion of Privacy” artist recently took to Instagram sharing that four of her songs are now in Spotify’s Billions Club. The singles listed are “Girls Like You (Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B),” “WAP (ft. Megan Thee Stallion),” “I Like It (J Balvin, Bad Bunny),” and “Taki Taki (Selena Gomez, Ozuna, Cardi B, DJ Snake),” per Essence. “Wooow I got FOUR songs that hit the billion mark on Spotify…I’m soooo excited to put out new music and reach even more milestones. Thank you sooo much everyone for listening, it really means alot to me.. I can’t wait for you to see and hear what’s next,” Cardi B wrote on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cardi B (@iamcardib) Since the release of her debut album on April 6, 2018, Cardi B has remained in high demand. The proof is in the numbers. During an interview, she shared a text conversation with Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh regarding an offer...

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a new business venture to add to his ever-growing portfolio. According to Boardroom, the three-time Super Bowl champion is taking his love for coffee to higher heights as a lead investor for Throne Sport Coffee, a ready-to-drink coffee beverage company that was launched Thursday (May 16). Putting his money where his mouth is, not only did Mahomes attend a nice chunk of developmental and departmental meetings for the company, but he also had samples of the coffee sent to his home every two to four weeks in 2023 to ensure that he was able to help the Throne Sport family create a “tasty, healthy beverage with mass appeal to compete in a crowded market.” “There were a lot of samples sent and the season worked out well,” Mahomes said. “We won the Super Bowl, so it must have worked. We’ve come up with a great product, and I think people will really enjoy them throughout the entire day, not be jittery, and not be sluggish after the coffee...

In the vibrant tapestry of Black American culture, a concept emerges that celebrates certain movies as “Blassics.” This term, a fusion of ‘Black’ and ‘Classics,’ is a testament to the unique stories of Black Americans and their experiences brought to life through films starring Black actors. These films, often featuring familiar faces like Angela Bassett, Nia Long, and Taye Diggs, are not just movies but cultural milestones. They have left an indelible mark on the industry and include films like “Waiting to Exhale, “Friday,” “School Daze,” and “The Best Man,” resonating deeply with the culture’s shared experiences and heritage. Of those listed, Diggs may be most recently known for his appearance on the CW’s “All American,” portraying former NFL player and high school football coach Billy Baker. However, his career has roots much deeper than the teenage-themed drama series. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) Diggs, a native of Rochester, NY,...

A resolution has been reached for a song that was removed from Kanye West’s “Vultures 1” album. Per Rolling Stone, “Good (Don’t Die)” had been pulled from streaming platforms Spotify and Apple as it allegedly infringed on the rights of Donna Summer. Her estate claimed the song was created through a “blatant theft” of her single “I Feel Love” and had filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in February 2024. “In the face of this rejection, defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission,” the lawsuit said, according to Rolling Stone. The outlet also stated: “The filing accused the songwriters of re-recording ‘almost verbatim’ the most ‘memorable portions’ of Summer’s song, using the material as the hook for their own song, and releasing their infringing track ‘knowing they had tried and failed to secure legal permission.’” Furthermore, the official Donna Summer account had shared in its Instagram Story on Feb. 10 that...

The work and pioneering done by Black Americans has historically gone unrecognized across many areas/fields, including science. Black Americans make up 12% of the US population and have experienced the most disadvantages and setbacks in education than any other group in the country. For this reason, it is believed that there are not many Black scientists or Black people in STEM of note; however, this is not true historically nor in the present day. The work of Black scientists has led to discoveries that have changed our understanding in areas including health, space travel, public safety and more. Many of these Black scientists faced the added challenge of navigating racism, discrimination and segregation, on top of the challenging work they accomplished . These individuals defied all doubt, prejudice and other obstacles in their way to make ground breaking discoveries that help us learn more about the world and prove how vital Black scientists’ contributions in STEM are. Here are...

21 Savage is a chart-topping rapper known for his ability to flip murderous street lyrics into enjoyable club bangers. The artist, who was born in London before immigrating to Atlanta, Georgia in his youth, has amassed millions of fans in the brief time since he came on the scene, and has been listed among the world’s highest-paid rappers at numerous points in his career. Today, 21 Savage holds an estimated $16 million in net worth according to Celebrity Net Worth . While these figures are quite impressive, Savage has made it clear that he still has plenty of room to grow as an exciting young artist. While most of this money comes from music streams and sold-out shows, Savage has also invested into a wide array of other financial endeavors, such as real estate and merch deals. Let’s take a moment to examine 21 Savage’s net worth, and dissect the many factors which contribute to his growing wealth. Early Life & Career Beginnings (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Live Nation)...