Kevin Johnson’s food venture is rapidly growing. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the former NBA player who made headlines for becoming the first Black mayor of Sacramento, CA, is the founder of a restaurant venture named Fixins Soul Kitchen. He opened the first location in that very city, which is also his hometown, in 2019, notes Eater Detroit. “I grew up in Oak Park, so that was the poor part of the city of Sacramento, and like every city around the country, it was the underserved community,” Johnson told Eater. “I wanted to do our first Fixins in that neighborhood to prove that we could be successful in the neighborhood I grew up in.” Fixins Soul Kitchen has expanded and now has four locations in the following areas: Sacramento, CA (Oak Park) Los Angeles, CA (LA Live) Tulsa, OK (Black Wall Street) Detroit, MI (Paradise Valley) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fixins Soul Kitchen (@fixinssoulkitchen) The restaurant’s menu items were inspired by various soul food...

When people make it to a certain point of their lives and obtain a specific level of success, like clockwork, distant cousins, estranged friends, and former associates all show up out of nowhere. When this happens, the phrase “you weren’t with me shooting in the gym” usually enters the chat. Well, Allen Iverson must’ve had a community center-sized gym full of people while he was working his way to the top because, according to reports, many folks wanted a piece of the NBA legend’s success. When you think of legendary point guards in the NBA, Allen Iverson comes to mind. From his iconic braids to his athletic prowess, AI is a cultural icon on and off the court. Born June 7, 1975, Allen Ezail Iverson was drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He would spend 14 seasons in the NBA, appearing in eight NBA playoffs, and end his career with 26.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. With great athletic ability, on-court performances yield big...

Lil Durk initially got a cult following back in 2013, when he dropped his “Signed to the Streets” mixtape series. The Chicago native would eventually earn a record deal from Def Jam Records — before realizing that he needed to not only step out on his own, but diversify his business investments. Recently, in an interview with AfroTech, OTF’s manager Ola Ali explained why it was important for its labels’ artists — including Lil Durk, himself — to diversify their investments, and specifically start investing in the gaming industry. “I believe during the pandemic people paid attention to opportunities they might have overlooked before the shutdown. I know I did, and the gaming/streaming arena was one of them,” he tells AfroTech. “Pre-pandemic I don’t think I had the chance to play a video game in the last 15 years. I had no interest, and definitely didn’t have the time, but sitting at home every day brought about a new way for one to entertain themselves. This led to not only our team...

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation has a hand in nearly every industry these days, and now it’s casting its net even wider with the future of esports. Roc Nation Sports has partnered up with the Gaming Community Network (GCN) — which is also part of GameSquare Esports Inc. — to create global gaming solutions for star-studded athletes and expand their presence in esports, a press release reports. The multi-year partnership intends to build on a collaboration that will develop “authentic bespoke athlete-centric strategies” for athletes — including esports tournaments, gaming content production, live streaming events as well as ​​offer content syndication across the GCN Network, which hosts 85-plus gaming and esports-centric websites. “Partnering with Roc Nation Sports continues our growth of building GameSquare into an esports powerhouse,” said GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna in a statement. “With our recent acquisitions of Complexity and Cut+Sew/Zoned and adding Paradigm Sports to our advisory board, we...

Shonda Rhimes and Netflix are doubling down on their business relationship and expanding their scope beyond the TV realm. According to Variety, the two entities — who officially inked their deal back in 2017 — have agreed upon new terms under their extended partnership to exclusively produce, stream and distribute future gaming, virtual reality content, live events and merchandise, in addition to feature films. “When Ted and I decided to break the traditional network TV business model to move Shondaland to Netflix, we were both taking a leap into the unknown,” Rhimes shared in a statement. “Today, Shondaland at Netflix is creatively thriving, profitable as an asset and engaging audiences around the world with stories that fearlessly challenge viewers and keep them highly entertained all at once. Ted, Bela and the entire team at Netflix have been tremendous partners during every step of the process, supporting my creative vision and showing a continued dedication to the innovation...

This black history month, Google Earth has an innovative way of helping you learn more about how African Americans have contributed to the U.S. Google Earth’s “The Journey Of Us” is a virtual experience curated by the Schomburg Center and Howard University to weave Black history with modern technology. The Schomburg Center is located in the heart of Harlem and archives pictures, prints, and artifacts relevant to Black culture. Founded during the Harlem Renaissance, the Schomburg continues to sponsor programs, initiatives, and events that elevate and educate on Black history through the year. The tour covers the evolution of dance, technology, business, education, entertainment, and civil rights through the African American lens. Companies like Oculus and Google have increasingly used their products to educate people about black history. Last month, a virtual reality documentary focused on the historical Green Book and Ben’s Chili Bowl debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. The film,...