Showing 22 results for:
unitedmasters
Popular topics
All results
Now more than ever, creatives need resources to help propel themselves to the next level. To do that, Steve Stoute’s UnitedMasters headed to Brooklyn, NY on May 5, 2022, to build a better future for creators at the fourth annual SelectCon. Programming throughout the afternoon included DJ Drama, Coodie, Hit-Boy, and Jim Jones to help emerging artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs prepare for the future. There was even a fireside chat with Stoute and Issa Rae that was fitting for a grand finale in the evening. Before a DJ line-up featuring DJ Drama, Angel + Dren, and more invaded, though, Issa Rae talked the music industry, what’s next, and more. Check it out below.
Searching for beats can be a daunting task for musicians, but this new platform aims to make it an easier process. UnitedMasters and Grammy Award-winning producer Hit-Boy have joined forces for Beat Exchange — a curated marketplace to buy and sell beats — per a press release shared with AfroTech.
UnitedMasters isn’t letting up on ensuring that independent artists secure their coins. In October 2021, the Steve Stoute-founded music distributor forged a partnership with Coinbase to be one of the first to offer artists to be paid in cryptocurrency, as previously reported by AfroTech. The duo is back once again for a new collaboration, except, this time with another project on board. According to a press release shared with AfroTech, UnitedMasters has announced its partnership with Coinbase and Chain Runners for NFTs created, sold, and promoted by the company’s artists. The limited-edition collections will mark UnitedMasters as the exclusive partner for Coinbase’s new NFT marketplace. “In the same way that United Masters gives power to artists by enabling ownership of their music, NFTs give people true ownership of their digital assets,” said Chain Runners, according to the press release. “This partnership is representative of a new wave of ways for artists to express themselves...
UnitedMasters, a startup record label and distribution company, has announced that it has reached a $550 million valuation after a new infusion of capital led by Andreessen Horowitz. In a press release, it was announced that the New York-based company raised a $50 million Series C, which they said they will be using to advance their operations overseas. What’s more, they said, their music business model is one that’s different from so-called “traditional” record labels, in that they rely on such social media platforms as TikTok to bolster their artists’ presence. In the UnitedMasters business model, artists retain the rights to their masters, and the company takes a fee for licensure and other opportunities. In this way, the company makes money from licensing, while the artist gets the backing of a company with a record label type of service behind it. Additionally, AfroTech previously reported that the company also has partnered with Coinbase to provide cryptocurrency capabilities...
As we’re living in the age of cryptocurrency, industries are keeping up with the wave, and UnitedMasters recently broke ground in the music industry. According to a press release, the Black-owned music distributer announced that its new partnership with Coinbase will allow artists to get paid in any cryptocurrency supported on the platform. The company is now one of the first to offer the service, Bloomberg reports. The goal of the partnership is to “empower independent artists by giving them transparency, equity and control over their earnings.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by UnitedMasters (@unitedmasters) “Working with Coinbase to give independent artists the ability to be paid in crypto is a natural next step for us, using technology to ensure that the economics of the music business favor the creators behind it,” UnitedMasters Founder and CEO Steve Stoute said in a press release. “As the financial sector continues to evolve and innovate, we’re committed to putting...
UnitedMasters , a Black-owned music distribution platform for independent artists, secured a $50 million investment led by Apple, VentureBeat reports. Apple leading this investment in UnitedMasters is rare, and this deal begins a new strategic partnership between the pair. UnitedMasters was founded in 2017 by former Sony Music executive Steve Stoute. The company is on a mission to democratize the music industry by developing a platform that allows emerging artist to earn money and distribute their music to other notable platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. What’s unique about UnitedMasters is that artists get to retain full ownership over their work. “Were changing an industry and giving an opportunity to independent artists,” Stoute told VentureBeat. “I’m not thinking about the Taylor Swift that exists that we all know and love. I’m thinking about the next young girl who plays a guitar and could write a song that wants to be Taylor Swift.” Stoute said he plans to use the Series...
Carol’s Daughter has been sold to an independent entrepreneur in the beauty industry. Born in her Brooklyn, NY, kitchen with just $100 in cash, Lisa Price began selling her hair and body products in 1993 from the comfort of her living room and at flea markets and craft fairs. Her brand attracted the attention of notable names such as Jada Pinkett-Smith, Erykah Badu, and Halle Berry. Carol’s Daughter gained further momentum after Price appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” which led to the company’s website crashing due to 17,000 interested buyers, Inc. reports . Two years later, Steve Stoute, CEO of UnitedMasters, joined the company as a partner, and the first Carol’s Daughter flagship store debuted in Harlem after receiving an investment from Jay-Z, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. By 2011, Price was leading a top haircare brand, and three years later, she sold the company to L’Oréal USA. Carol’s Daughter had a $27 million valuation at the time....
The founders of Eastside Golf continue to build on their momentum in the golf apparel space while staying true to their roots. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Morehouse College graduates Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper founded the brand without a fashion background in 2019 after working full-time in corporate America. The company boasts products such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, pants, shoes, and accessories including bags, all tailored towards men and women. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eastside Golf (@eastsidegolf) Beyond the product offerings, the founders have continued to pave their own way through their mission that centers moving the sport forward among the youth and non-golfers while increasing diversity in a predominantly white sport. Their vision has led to an increase in support as they scaled their annual revenue from $100,000 in their first year to $4 million in 2023. They kicked off 2024 with a $3.4 million raise led by EP Golf Ventures, and the...
Elise Smith is helping to create better outcomes for diverse employees. She is the co-founder and CEO of Praxis Labs, an “immersive practice-based platform that drives inclusive, engaged, and higher-performing teams,” a press release mentioned. The platform offers has assisted companies including Google, Uber, and ServiceNow to help achieve benchmarks that boost engagement and lead to retention, enhance company culture, and increase equity and inclusion. “For me, it’s how do we use technology to help us become even better humans, to help us be able to give feedback across differences, to navigate difficult conversations, to provide performance feedback and expectations with accountability and care in a way that actually serves us all better, that creates more value for everyone, doesn’t cause harm,” she told AFROTECH™. “We’re seeing our workplaces need that more than ever.” To date, Praxis Labs has raised $23 million, per digitalundivided. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Praxis...
Steve Stoute forged his own lane in the music industry, rising to the cream of the crop. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Stoute worked as a former Sony Music Entertainment executive serving as its president for urban music between 1990 and 1999. He worked alongside some of today’s industry giants including Mariah Carey, Will Smith, and Nas. However, Stoute would soon be convinced to venture further into the industry covering his own terrain when working on the “Men In Black” soundtrack with actor and rapper Will Smith. He was there when Smith’s single from the movie skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the star a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1997, according to Pop Sugar. At that time, Stoute also learned of the amount of dollars that existed in advertising when he found out a small agency representing Ray Ban sunglasses profited from increased sales of the shades after Smith wore them in a well-known scene of the movie. After Stoute had...
Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s pickleball team has three new investors. Boardroom reports that Drake, Michael B. Jordan, and Steve Stoute have become co-owners in Thirty Five Ventures’ (35V’s) Brooklyn Aces.
What would the music industry be without Black music? Or rather, what would it be without Black women ? Across eras in music, Black women — especially those more behind the scenes — have been the glue that holds things down. We love to sing along with our favorite artists. However, credit also needs to be rightfully given to the songwriters, producers, and composers who are a key reason why we blast our favorite tracks on YouTube, streaming platforms, and beyond. From infectious hooks to a catchy bass, it’s all a part of the formula to a smash record. Take a look at some of our favorite Black women behind the charts — who majority also have successful careers as artists — that AfroTech has our radar on.
Lil Baby is joining the chorus of celebrities, athletes, and other high-end power players who prefer getting paid in cryptocurrency over cash. A recent Instagram video revealed the rapper talking about the value of the Web3 Metaverse, and on the video, he also spoke about wanting to get paid in cryptocurrency. “Metaverse,” he said in the recording. “I stay in the Metaverse from now on. I don’t even want no more cash.” You can check out the video below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NFT (@nft) Lil Baby joins the likes of rapper Meek Mill in the chorus of those who want to get paid in cryptocurrency. As AfroTech previously reported, more music distributors are offering artists payment in cryptocurrency, and Meek Mill wants to join in after claims of poor business dealings with his label, Atlantic Records, through Maybach Music Group. Meek Mill aims to follow in the footsteps of Atlanta rapper Money Man, who announced he’d be receiving his album advance — $1,002,912...
Two days ago, I minted my first NFT. I’ve been increasingly enamored with the idea of both, collecting digital art, and the concept and implications of smart contracts over this past year. After doing a ton of research over the last couple of months, I decided I wasn’t going to really learn by sitting on the sidelines, I needed to get in. Either I was going to buy some NFTs, or I was going to make some. I could even do both! What kept me apprehensive about buying NFTs was the hype surrounding some of the ones we’ve all probably heard of, CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club . While learning, I found it difficult to decipher signal from noise as I both explored what I wanted to invest in, and learned how to actually buy something I wanted. I knew the Punks and Apes had value, but they were also tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure. There were cool things I found in price ranges I didn’t mind investing in, but being a newbie, I didn’t feel comfortable yet...