Tyrese Gibson’s life was changed for the better thanks to a Coca-Cola commercial. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Gibson garnered a lot of attention, which would spark a bidding war with 20 record labels, due to his appearance singing in a 1994 Coca-Cola commercial while a student at Locke High School in Los Angeles, CA. He learned about the commercial opportunity through his late music teacher, Reggie Andrews, who received a call that the company was hosting national auditions scouting for new talent, specifically a male between the ages of 16 and 18, Gibson explained while on the podcast “Club Shay Shay.” It would also be Andrews who took Gibson to the audition because he did not have a car and money was tight at the time. “I was broker than broke. My stomach was touching my ribs. I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have a ride,” Gibson recalled. “It was no way I was getting on the bus, especially with a transfer ’cause it was like close to downtown LA, and I was living in Watts South...

Zendaya has been building her net worth since she was a child. However, being a child star comes with its fair share of challenges, like taking care of your family financially. In 2010, Zendaya starred in Disney Channel’s TV series “Shake It Up” as Rocky Blue. After three seasons, the breakout role led Zendaya to stay within the Disney Channel franchise in TV shows and films such as “K.C. Undercover,” “Frenemies,” and “Zapped.” Building her work resume early on resulted in Zendaya co-starring in the film “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” based on Marvel Comics, and landing the leading role in HBO nextwork’s teen drama series “Euphoria,” for which she won two Emmys and one Golden Globe for her portrayal of Rue Bennett. While Zendaya has risen in stardom since her Disney Channel days, she is now beginning to further reflect on how her time as a child star impacted her. During her May 2024 cover story interview with Vogue, the 27-year-old shared how having the most income in her household at a...

In 2006, Yo Gotti released “That’s What’s Up (Intro),” and many from the rapper’s hometown of Memphis, TN, consider it a cultural anthem. The song sets up an open letter to his fans and haters, describing who he is, what he’s been through, and his current and impending impact at the time. Words in the opening lines serve as a preamble and manifest the upward trajectory of Yo Gotti’s success. “…Tha streets been beggin’, so I had to go ‘Back 2 Da Basics.’ This the intro to my life, entry to my world.” Although this mid-2000s track was an introduction of sorts, the song was not his entry point into the rap game. Born Mario Mims, Yo Gotti is a Memphis native who released his first musical work in 1996, titled “Youngsta’s On A Come Up,” under the alias Lil Yo. And a come-up was precisely what he’d experienced. Throughout his multi-decade career, Yo Gotti would release popular songs like “Rake It Up,” “I Know,” “Law,” and “Down in the DM” — working with top artists such as Nick Minaj,...

This is the age of female rappers, with new talent emerging almost daily. Ice Spice is currently one of the newest faces in the female MC landscape, and her star is steadily rising. Affectionately referred to as “The People’s Princess” the rapper is known for her curly ginger hair, slick flow and meteoric rise to the top — all within just two years of the first song she officially released. Thanks to features on tracks with iconic artists like Nicki Minaj for the 2023 record summer box office hit “ Barbie” movie, Ice Spice has gone from being a viral sensation to a recognizable name beyond the Hip-Hop community . With all that attention and near instant success, that only leaves one question — how much is Ice Spice worth? Ice Spice’s Bronx Connection Ice Spice was born Isis Naija Gaston in 2000 from the birthplace of Hip-Hop — The Bronx. She grew up in the Fordham Road neighborhood and is the oldest of five children. Her father was an underground rapper while her mother worked at a...

It’s no secret that Trevor George Smith Jr., otherwise known to the world as Busta Rhymes, is one of the most decorated artists in Hip-Hop history. However, who do we have to thank for that?

“Fast & Furious” has been around for a reason, according to Ludacris. The latest installment of the successful franchise, “Fast X,” which stars Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris, was released across U.S. theaters on May 19, 2023. Already, the action-packed film grossed an impressive $319 million worldwide, according to IndieWire. As of this writing, it reportedly ranks as the third-highest grossing box office opening worldwide for a “Fast & Furious” movie after “Fate of the Furious” ($541.9 million) and “Furious 7” ($397.6 million), according to Deadline.

From an upcoming artist or an outsider’s perspective, receiving a million-dollar deal may look like a good thing. However, this wasn’t the case for Papoose.

Mike Epps is restoring homes in his former neighborhood.