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It’s a full-circle moment for Carmelo Anthony as he finds himself back where his journey first began. In 2022, the former NBA player made his foray into the wine sector with the launch of the global wine estate brand VII(N), as AFROTECH™ previously told you. He had shown an interest in wine more than a decade ago. While playing for the New York Knicks, he drank a bottle of Petrus, which played a pivotal role in his desire to create a wine profile, but instead for daily use. “I obviously know I couldn’t drink Petrus as my go-to wine every day, but I was chasing that taste profile, and it’s impossible to find it anywhere else. You just can’t. But I had to come down to earth and start figuring out what I could drink on a daily basis. I do have a very high taste profile, I must say,” he explained, according to Haute Living. While playing in New York, Anthony also adds that he was expanding not only his palette but also his network. His time in the city cemented his need to become a more...
Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, is leveraging technology to improve the health and wellness of its players. The 3-on-3 league founded in 2023 by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has been backed by Samsung, its official technology and presenting partner. According to a press release, Samsung is providing the league with technologies such as its Galaxy S Series, Z Series smartphones, headphones (Galaxy Buds), tablets featuring Galaxy AI, monitors, and wearables (Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring). “We’re a new league,” Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell told AFROTECH™ . “There’s a lot of innovation involved. There’s a lot of unknowns involved, and we’re trying to kind of push the envelope forward and having Samsung be a part of that innovation with what they’re already doing. Obviously, it’s a pretty seamless partnership for us.” Collier’s Most-Used Technology As An Athlete Collier — who was named Unrivaled’s first MVP — said she mostly utilizes the Galaxy Ring,...
Detroit, MI, native Eminem is joining a list of individuals, such as former NBA players Grant Hill and Chris Webber, to bring a WNBA team to the city, according to Sportico. The 15-time Grammy Award-winning rapper — born Marshall Mathers — is part of a group led by Tom Gores and the Detroit Pistons. “This is an exciting opportunity to welcome the WNBA back to Detroit and bring additional investment and economic activity into the city,” Gores said previously, per AFROTECH™. “For the WNBA, this is home, and our bid represents an unprecedented opportunity for the league to come full circle and effect a long-hoped-for Detroit homecoming. No city is more prepared to embrace the team as a community asset that drives unity and common ground.” According to Sportico, the franchise would play at Little Caesars Arena, which cost $863 million to build and is home to the Pistons and Red Wings. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Michigan’s largest city had a WNBA team called the Detroit Shock from...
Serena Williams has ownership in a new sports team. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the tennis legend is an investor in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club Angel City FC, alongside her family, which includes her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian Sr., and their two daughters, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and Adira River Ohanian. According to a press release, Williams has officially joined the ownership group of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo, which is owned by Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Sports Ventures. Williams’ presence is also a full-circle moment, as she launched her career journey in Canada back in 1995. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) “I am thrilled to announce my ownership role in the first Canadian WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo,” Williams said in the press release. “This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes — I have always said that women’s sports...
Snoop Dogg is going where the money is. Snoop Dogg, who acquired Death Row Records in 2022, shared the low payout he received from streaming. After receiving 1 billion streams on Spotify, he recalls being compensated only $45,000, as AFROTECH™ previously told you. “In the streaming world, I can show you right now. They just sent me some sh-t from Spotify, where I got a billion streams, right? My publisher hit me. I said, ‘Break that down, how much money is that?’ That sh-t wasn’t even $45,000… You see what I’m saying? So it’s like…when this sh-t came out, I could tell an artist that same song that you put out traditionally that didn’t make no money, give it to me. Every time you sell it if somebody else sells it you get 10% of it,” Snoop said on the “Business Untitled” podcast. However, in response, a Spotify spokesperson said: “We can’t speak to endorsement deals for Web3 companies but…$45,000 for a billion streams? It’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generates...
Tracy McGrady has long aspired to team ownership, and now that he’s secured a stake in the NFL, he’s dedicated to increasing representation in the league. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the basketball icon was announced as a minority owner of the Buffalo Bills in December 2024. He joins his former Toronto Raptors teammate and fellow Florida native, Vince Carter, as part of a group of 10 limited partners, which also includes soccer star Jozy Altidore. This marks the first time the Bills, owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, have expanded their ownership group. “I’ve always wanted to be an owner of a franchise and really didn’t care whether it’s the NBA, a soccer league, whether it’s in the NFL,” McGrady explained in an exclusive interview with AFROTECH™ held at a private reception that was hosted by Diverse Representation and William Morris Endeavor (WME) on Saturday, Dec. 8 to honor Black professionals in sports. Kevell Byrd McGrady also reveals the backstory behind becoming a minority...
MYAVANA is bringing its hair care technology to Africa. Candace Victoria Mitchell is the mastermind behind the company, which launched with a $1,000 investment and a vision to ensure improved hair health for Black women, as AFROTECH™ previously told you. “Originally, my ‘why’ was really to provide a more personalized approach for people to really be seen and heard in the beauty industry,” Mitchell said in an interview with AFROTECH™. “Because, at the time, there were not many products catered to women of color or textured hair. And it just felt like it was just a huge oversight, and we were just kinda out there figuring it out on YouTube. I feel that hair is deeply connected to our purpose and identity, especially in Black culture. So my ‘why’ was just deeply rooted in people understanding who they are and also having the technology that could cater to our personalized journeys.” Technologies released include MYAVANA HairAI, which provides a detailed hair analysis followed by...
Kevin Durant is looking to secure a WNBA team in the city where he played before being drafted into the NBA. The basketball star played at the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 for one year. ESPN reports that during his short time there, he became the Big 12 Player of the Year and earned a Naismith Trophy, the first time in history that a freshman won the award. His talents led him to the NBA in 2007. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics — which no longer exist — in the first round as the second overall pick and secured a four-year rookie contract valued at $19.5 million, per Spotrac. Durant has gone on to become one of the league’s best players and secured two championship rings with the Golden State Warriors after a decade in the league. Now, Durant could be returning to his roots through team ownership. According to USA Today, sources involved in the process named him in a group looking to bid for a WNBA team in Austin, TX. The group also includes former Milwaukee Bucks...
Issa Rae proudly represents her home state as a powerhouse actress, producer, and entrepreneur. The Los Angeles, CA, native, well known for her rise from “ Awkward Black Girl” to “Insecure” continues to stretch herself in new ways. “ One of Them Days,” featuring SZA and Keke Palme r, made its way to the big screen in 2025, marking Rae’s first feature film released under her production company, Hoorae. According to Variety and Collider, the film made $22.2 million after its first two weekends, including the extended Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) Just a few months earlier, Rae made a new dent in the hospitality space, opening Somerville in South Los Angeles, a restaurant offering a “progressive American dining experience.” This marked her second food and drinks venture, as she had expanded Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen to the city in 2023, per Forbes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) Rae has...
A group of HBCU students were awarded during the week of Super Bowl LIX for their innovative pitch in sports technology. Diverse Representation, a company focused on increasing the number of Black agents, attorneys, managers, and publicists across sports, hosted its inaugural HBCU Sports Business Pitch Competition in New Orleans, LA, in partnership with the talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, during Super Bowl LIX week. According to information shared with AFROTECH™, the competition was launched to provide local HBCU student entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch sports-related concepts for a chance to receive funding and connect with decision-makers in the industry. “When I initially launched Diverse Representation, I’ve always been very, very clear about what our mission is: to help Black professionals in the sports and entertainment industry,” Diverse Representation Founder Jaia Thomas told AFROTECH™. “Not minorities, not people of color—Black...
Jim Reynolds is leading a vegan beverage brand that generates millions and is backed by notable athletes. Reynolds’ journey as a founder began in 1997. He had already spent several years on Wall Street before deciding to launch Loop Capital, a full-service investment bank, brokerage, and advisory firm that assists corporate, governmental, and institutional clients, according to its LinkedIn page. Inc. magazine reports that it is the largest Black-owned investment bank globally. Various deals have landed on the bank’s table, including one surrounding Coco5, a hydration beverage company. Its products are made with balanced sugars and no artificial dyes or flavors. They are also vegan, gluten-free, caffeine-free, and non-GMO. Inc. reports that as a health-conscious person Reynolds had already developed a taste for coconut water by the ’90, and heard about the company in 2011. He would go on to invest in Coco5 in 2015 and join its board. Over the next decade, Reynolds attracted the...
Engineering was once foreign to Logan Hickox but is now integral to his daily work at Nike. During an interview with Fast Company, he shared that while sports had been a significant part of his upbringing, engineering was not. His interest in the field was sparked when he noticed flyers at his school promoting a meeting for students interested in robotics. “You have the notion that engineers might be of the nerdier type, or maybe they’re not athletic, or they’re not into theater, or whatever it might be,” he said to the outlet. “And especially as a Black man myself, not having seen that representation before, that was something that I was definitely apprehensive about at first. Being able to really push outside of my comfort zone and being able to see it’s not just one mold that people fit, that was something that was super eye-opening to me.” Hickox attended the University of Florida in 2016 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering five years later, his LinkedIn...
Janet Jackson is returning to the stage for another Las Vegas, NV, residency, bringing her timeless talent back to Sin City once again! The artist captivated fans in 2019 during her Metamorphosis residency at Las Vegas’s Park Theater. According to Billboard, Jackson sold over 4,000 tickets per night, with a total of 76,813 tickets sold, generating $13 million in earnings. More than five years following the successful tenure, fans will be able to sing along to more of Jackson’s hits in light of her second residency, which kickstarted at Resorts World Theatre on Dec. 30, 2024, with a sold-out crowd, notes KSNV. “So excited to be back in Las Vegas with the new residency starting December 30th of this year, and moving into the new year 2025. Please join us. We cannot wait to perform for you. We cannot wait to see you. See you soon,” Jackson told fans on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Janet Jackson (@janetjackson) According to Vibe News, Bobby Reynolds, senior...
Khabane “Khaby” Lame chose to give back to his family as one of his first acts of success. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Lame was once a factory worker in Chivasso, Italy, barely earning enough to make ends meet. He also worked several other jobs, driven by his commitment to support his family. “Before TikTok , I was working in a factory. I had a lot of different jobs,” he told People. “I was helping support my family — three little brothers, one older brother, and my parents. Then my world changed completely. It’s a whole different life now.” Lame’s circumstances took a dramatic turn for the better, all thanks to social media. What began as a simple hobby — silently reacting to memes and viral videos — quickly evolved into a life-changing platform for his unique, wordless humor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khabane Lame (@khaby00) Lame would soon find social media stardom, amassing 162.4 million followers and 2.5 billion likes on TikTok alone, along with an...
Vince Carter says he leaned on fellow NBA player Grant Hill when he was pursuing team ownership. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Hill is the owner of several teams. He has a minority stake in the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Orlando City (Soccer Club), Orlando Pride ( National Women’s Soccer League) , and Baltimore Orioles ( MLB) . Therefore, when it came time for Carter to act on his desire for team ownership, Hill was top of mind. “Grant’s been in a situation where he’s a good friend for a long time and right there in Atlanta (GA). So, my neighbor, ” Carter told Front Office Sports. “He was, in that entire process, somebody that I leaned on, that we talked to because he’s good friends with T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) as well. So we talked to him from the beginning of this process on what we were looking for, what they were looking for, how to go about it and just kind of just listening. He’s like that big brother that I’ve been through a lot with. What better guy than him to ask?” In December...