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Unless you were born yesterday, you surely have at least some awareness of iconic 20th century musician Elvis Presley. Even if the King of Rock and Roll has no place on your Spotify Wrapped , you’ve surely heard your fair share of hit songs, catchphrases and impersonations over the years. The singer, often known by his first name alone, was responsible for revolutionizing the landscape of music throughout the 1950s and beyond, enthralling millions of listeners around the globe with his hypnotic blend of provocative dance moves and infectious vocal inflections. Today, his musical stylings are obviously quite dated, though it can’t be overstated just how much Elvis Presley propelled the culture of rock and roll into the mainstream. Though the singer has been deceased for nearly half a century, his legacy still lives on to this day, largely in the form of music biopics like 2022’s Elvis and the recently released Netflix documentary Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis...
Larenz Tate isn’t looking for a money grab when pursuing acting roles in Hollywood. The “Love Jones” actor took the stage on Oct. 12 during the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow (BWTT) Financial Empowerment Summit held at Chicago, IL’s UIC Forum. The one-day event, free to attend, is designed to promote generational wealth building. “Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow is the largest financial education program of its kind. It brings together experts and leaders from businesses, community organizations, and city, state, and federal agencies to lead workshops and discussions that help Chicagoans build a more financially secure future,” Chicago’s City Treasurer Melissa Conyears Ervin said in a statement shared with AFROTECH™. Taking to the main stage, Tate, Westside Chicago’s very own, was candid about his foray into the entertainment industry, which unfolded after he moved to Los Angeles, CA, with his family to join his father, Larry, who worked in education for a number of years....
Keke Palmer is more wise with her earnings after filing for bankruptcy in her early adult years. The Illinois native, born in Harvey but raised in Robbins, entered into the industry as an actor at the tender age of 9 years old. She snagged her first role in the film “Barbershop 2: Back in Business” (2004) and was later featured in “Madea’s Family Reunion” (2006) as Nikki before landing her first lead role in “Akeelah and the Bee” (2006), reports US Weekly. For many child stars, navigating the industry is a journey, and Palmer had the backing of her parents throughout the highs and lows. They took the step of hiring a business manager when she was 12. “That has helped me immensely,” she said during the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow Financial Empowerment Summit held on Oct. 12, 2024, at the UIC Forum in Chicago, IL. Despite the guidance of a business manager, Palmer still found herself in financial troubles. When she was between 18 and 19 years old, she filed for bankruptcy. “I...
Timbaland turned down the opportunity to earn publishing from a successful song in his catalog. First released in 2006, “Apologize” was OneRepublic’s lead single that was later featured on their debut album “Dreaming Out Loud.” It was originally written and sung by the group’s frontman Ryan Tedder. OneRepublic was then approached by hit producer Timbaland to remix the song, which was later listed on his 2007 album “Shock Value.” Their collaboration was a success, reaching the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Tedder says he is grateful to Timbaland, as the remix was “a life changer.” It allowed him to purchase a home, made possible through their publishing agreement, which amounted to Timbaland waiving his portion. “The truth of the matter is when they called me about the publishing splits, I was grimacing,” he said during a recent interview on “Behind The Wall” podcast with Daniel Wall. “I was ready to just be like, ‘I’m gonna get creamed on this. They’re gonna take half...
Nat Robinson left behind a career in tech to create a label that introduced the world to MC Lyte, also known as Lana Michele Moorer. Robinson founded the Hip-Hop label First Priority Music, which materialized from an unsuccessful period in the concert promotion business and led to a more favorable outcome in the club industry. Before his entryway, he said he had worked at IBM. “I was actually an engineer for IBM,” Nat said, per Interrupted Blogs. “I outgrew them. After that, I went into the concert business. That was a disaster. From the concert business, I went into clubs. I had a very successful club called Tribeca in lower Manhattan, and after that, I got into the music.” First Priority Music was formed in 1986, per Robinson’s LinkedIn. He credits its inception to his children, Kirk “Milk Dee” Robinson, a Brooklyn, NY-born rapper inspired by the state’s Hip Hop scene, and Nathaniel Robinson Jr., who took on the nickname DJ Nat “Gizmo” Robinson. “The club and music business...
Antonio Brown worked at six barbershops and decided to open his own storefront. ABC Action News reports he is the founder of Central Station Barbershop and Grooming in St. Petersburg, FL. The decision to open his own shop was driven by a desire to have ownership and forge a legacy. “Seeing the things that were impacting our community, I understood the importance of ownership and entrepreneurship and different things like that,” he reflected, according to ABC Action News. “So, I wanted to step out on my own and build my own reputation and my own barbershop my way.” For nine years Central Station Barbershop and Grooming has been making its mark in the community through services that include haircuts, beard trims, hot shaves, and facials for men and women. “We have a safe space here,” Brown told the outlet. “This is a place where a barber and a client have an opportunity to have one-on-one time.” The business is also attached to a higher calling. Per the business’ website, children can...
Thanks to her mother’s advice, track-and-field athlete and Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell felt comfortable taking on NIL opportunities. In 2021, college athletes were permitted to profit from their name, image, and likeness for the first time due to an NCAA rule change, the New York Times reports. Russell, a University of Kentucky student-athlete at the time, was in disbelief. She recently expressed that it had been the status quo for athletes not to receive compensation. “When I was able to see that NIL was an opportunity that I could take advantage of, I didn’t know that it was real at first,” she mentioned during an interview on “The It Girls” podcast. “I didn’t know this was something that was in the making for so long because everyone, it was always like an ongoing, ‘Oh, no. Athletes shouldn’t get paid. Athletes should get paid.’ It was always a back-and-forth battle. So when the law actually got passed, I really didn’t believe it.” After further research, Russell was...
Jay-Z wants to reclaim the body of work that started it all. TMZ reports Jay-Z’s legal team has sounded the alarm that in 2031 the rapper-turned-billionaire will obtain full rights to “Reasonable Doubt,” his debut album released in 1996. Per the outlet, these rights would have reverted back to Jay-Z 35 years after the release as part of the business deal either way. This announcement follows the news of an impending sale of Damon Dash’s 33% share in Roc-A-Fella Records, which is set to hit the auction block sometime on Aug. 29, 2024. Its listing at auction was set in motion earlier this year to cover the more than $800,000 judgement amount Dame Dash owed in a past copyright infringement and defamation of character lawsuit related to the making of the movie “Dear Frank.” As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, Josh Webber, director of “Dear Frank” filed the lawsuit in 2019, claiming Dame Dash was trying to make the movie on his own after being fired as director himself. More recently,...
A Black-owned development group has acquired the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. According to a report by SFist, the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG) has acquired full ownership of the property after a purchase was finalized with its previous owners. Half of the Oakland Coliseum had been previously owned by Alameda County while the City of Oakland maintained the other half. The A’s, an Oakland MLB team purchased Alameda County’s stake in 2019 with the intention of trying to stay in the city. However, the franchise is planning to transition to Las Vegas, NV, and was looking to sell. Already, the City of Oakland sold its shares to the AASEG earlier in 2024. Now, the A’s organization has also agreed to sell its half to the group for a reported $125 million, SFist reports. The deal will additionally include the Oakland Arena and the land that exists between the two entities. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the African American Sports &...
MC Lyte wrote her first single at 12 and later became a pioneer in Hip Hop. The Brooklyn, NY, rapper, born Lana Michele Moorer, would bet on herself early on and auditioned for First Priority Records, in front of its signees Kirk “Milk Dee” Robinson and Nat “Gizmo” Robinson, as the label, ran by Nat Robinson, were looking to sign a female artist. With the permission of her mother at the time, she went to the audition, which was held in a basement. “Here I am going to this guy’s basement in Brooklyn. It could have ended so many different ways. However, I laid the first rendition of ‘I Cram to Understand U’ down on there,” she said in an interview with “The Breakfast Club” podcast. Ultimately, MC Lyte’s talents led to her signing to the label in 1986, per Blackpast. She reveals she was given a $5,000 advance, which was spent to purchase a vehicle. “I got an advance, which was $5,000, and I took that $5,000 and I put it on my Jetta, the whole thing like ‘Yeah that’s all I need is a...
