This Black entrepreneur is on to something. After he says he made over $1 million in under nine hours, music artist and entrepreneur Blakk Tatted knew he had something special with his company Blakk Smoke. Courtesy of Blakk Smoke Unlike other competitors in the market, the brand offers products with real fruit, no-nicotine, and no-tobacco substances. Tatted conjured the idea because he wanted to introduce a product to Hookah lovers that didn’t include a harmful substance. “Hookah is my passion, but anybody that’s an avid hookah smoker knows the feeling that it gives you afterward. It’s just not worth it,” Tatted told AfroTech exclusively. “Being an advocate for hookah and telling people you should try, you would love it, I felt guilty because I know it’s not the best thing to introduce to people. Many people are influenced by me, so if I’m going to do something, I will hope I’m setting the best example possible. That’s when I wanted to create a healthier alternative for people.”

It’s a difficult task to go into most lounges and clubs without seeing a smoke cloud, particularly from hookah. Hookah is a tobacco product that has people in a proverbial chokehold. And while it may be one of the most popular forms of tobacco usage, others are putting their spin on tobacco products to offer a diverse experience. Take Atlanta-based rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris, who has entered the chat with Superstar Brands, to launch CIGNATURE.