Cordell Broadus seems to be on the move like his father Snoop Dogg. For his latest move in the space, the Web3 and crypto entrepreneur is working to support emerging artists on the Tezos blockchain through a $1 million fund — the Champ Medici Arts Fund — in partnership with the Tezos Foundation.
Dec 1, 2022
Ari Lennox has applied “Pressure” since she stepped foot in the industry. Yet, it came at a cost that has proven to pay off.
Oct 3, 2022
LimeWire is back for good. LimeWire_is_back_for_good.mp3 #LimeWire returns in full power, with high-profile #NFT drops from the world’s best-selling artists. Don’t miss out on all exclusive drops. Register now: https://t.co/4Vf39XgF7w #digitalcollectibles #web3 pic.twitter.com/pGI4oF7dur — LimeWire (@limewire) July 7, 2022
Jul 15, 2022
Snoop Dogg has plans to take Death Row Records to the next level. As AfroTech previously reported, the rapper is now a label owner. And, we must say he is not taking the role lightly as he recently announced Death Row Records would become the first label in the metaverse. Plus, that’s not all the rapper has in store. During a recent Drink Champs interview, Snoop Dogg revealed he will be attempting to give Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music a run for their money by launching a streaming platform and app for Death Row Records. “First thing I did was snatch all the music off those platforms traditionally known to people, because those platforms don’t pay,” Snoop Dogg said. “And those platforms get millions and millions and millions of streams and nobody gets paid other than the record labels, so what I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform which is something similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. It’ll be a Death Row app, and then the music, in the meantime, will live...
Apr 19, 2022
When it comes to ice cream, not only is it important that the delicious treat is packed with flavor, but it’s an added bonus when the designs that make up the packaging are full of flavor, too! Last year, graphic artist Jade Purple Brown worked with Häagen-Dazs during their Tastemakers program. The goal was to help the brand find its footing across platforms like Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jade Purple Brown (@jadepurplebrown) At the time, she worked alongside the team to launch #ThatsDazs, an initiative used to bring more visibility to underrepresented communities and the work of creatives who dream big much like the Brooklyn artist. This year, her role has elevated. As the popular ice cream brand prepares to launch its new national collection of ice cream starting today (April 19), Jade is now behind the designs for the “City Sweets” collection — ice cream that’s inspired by renowned street foods like soft pretzels, waffles, churros, and more.
Apr 19, 2022
A banger just dropped in the crypto world. Snoop Dogg has announced his next move, a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) mixtape in collaboration with Wiz Khalifa. “Dropped a mixtape w/ @wizkhalifa on tha blockchain tonite! Probably Nothing… #An8th,” Snoop Dogg wrote on Twitter. Dropped a mixtape w/ @wizkhalifa on tha blockchain tonite! Probably Nothing… #An8th ▶️ https://t.co/ogylEHmHbi pic.twitter.com/ye1Ei2uYA8 — Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) March 24, 2022 Titled Ape Drops 03 : An 8th, the mixtape features eights tracks with star-studded appearances from Daz Dillinger, Xzibit, Juicy Jay, and Mr. Cap, according to the company website. The mixtape theme is inspired by ApeCoin (APE) and Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), AllHipHop reports. Ape Drops 03 : An 8th features nearly 8,000 NFTs priced between 12 APE to 15 APE or $165 to $210 based on the current exchange rate, Coingape reports. Interested holders can listen to each track before securing it through BAYC’s APE token. The mixtape will only be...
Mar 25, 2022
We will be enjoying more tunes from artists thanks to TikTok’s newest platform SoundOn. The “all-in-one platform for marketing and distribution” will showcase the talents of rising artists by broadening their influence. SoundOn will allow artists to upload music directly through TikTok, Resso, CapCut, and streaming giants such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora, among others. “New artists and musical creators are a vibrant community within TikTok and SoundOn is designed to support them as they take the first steps in their career,” Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music at TikTok said, according to a press release. “Our SoundOn teams will guide creators on their journey to the big stage and bring the expertise and power of TikTok to life for the artist. We’re incredibly excited about how this will surface and propel new talent and how SoundOn will contribute to an increasingly diverse and growing global music industry.”
Mar 10, 2022
Nakia Booker’s introduction into the art world began as a young child learning different mediums of art from her grandfather. Decades later, the Southern University and A&M College graduate has returned to her roots through her brainchild The Black Artivism Capsule. The curated collection is now a home for 26 creatives to share their realities with the world through a Black lens. Featured artists include Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne, Ashley Nesmith, Khalid Thompson, and the late Crystal Kirk. The spread will feature the Black experience through all its facets such as civil unrest, health crises, and snapshots of a more hopeful future. “The place where I was at this time when all this was going on — I was feeling upset, angry, frustrated, like everybody else. This project I started during the pandemic gave me hope and joy because it is timeless. It captures the past, present, and future so when you look at it you’ll be reminded of where we used to be and where we are now,” Booker...
Feb 28, 2022
Quality Control (QC) is making moves. In a new partnership, Variety reports that SoundCloud will join forces with Solid Foundation, “the management and creative services arm of QC Media Holdings.” As a part of the partnership, too, Quality Control Media Holdings — founded by Quality Control Music founders Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas — have also made an investment in SoundCloud. “Coach K and P are two of the most influential voices in music, having identified, developed and grown some of the most successful hip-hop acts of our time,” said Eliah Seton, president of SoundCloud, according to Variety. “With this deal, we’re bringing together SoundCloud, the largest A&R source on the planet, with the creative genius of Coach and P.” Quality Control will work alongside Soundcloud to invest in rising artists and help propel their careers by providing them with what they need to thrive. “With our years of ear-to-the-street skills coupled with SoundCloud’s endless stream of...
Feb 22, 2022
Artists in New York can finally expect financial relief. Business Insider reports artists in the Big Apple will receive monthly stipends ranging from $1,000 to $2,400 over 18 months. Creatives Rebuild New York — launched by Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander in 2021 — are spearheading the effort to combat the difficulties of navigating the pandemic in one of the world’s most expensive cities. The program will distribute $125 million in funding with $115 million of it coming from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. “Funding in the arts and cultural sector has long prioritized support for organizations rather than for individual artists,” said Jamie Hand, the Director of Strategic Impact and Narrative Change at Creatives Rebuild New York, according to Business Insider. “CRNY aspires to build longer-term, replicable funding structures for artists that can be sustained outside the context of emergency relief.” The funding is long overdue as artists have suffered greatly. The...
Feb 17, 2022
Years ago, a space exploration documentary was watched by a young and curious mind. The experience proved to be life-changing and would instill purpose into Mary Spio, who would eventually become a space engineer. Her heart longed to one day walk on the moon and with the help of an Oculus headset, her dream came true. Now, Spio has become a huge contributor to the shift in innovation and technologies within the movie industry and beyond. She wants to imprint hope and purpose into the next generation of changemakers by making virtual reality accessible globally. “I always go back to this documentary that had me thinking about what if and then led to me creating industry-changing technologies today that have already impacted the lives of so many and multiple generations thereafter. I just want to make these technologies more accessible,” Spio said exclusively to AfroTech.
Feb 9, 2022
A new entertainment group is here, and it’s “the first group ever to be born on TikTok,” thanks to Simon Fuller. Fuller, the creative mind behind hit series “American Idol,” housed auditions using TikTok last fall. Fuller created the popular hashtag #NextInMusic to find the next rising stars , and now the anticipation is over. Three singers and four dancers have been chosen and will become Future X, Variety reports. “The Future X combines everything that is exciting about contemporary young artists: authenticity, confidence, empowerment and a unique balance between extraordinary dancers and iconic singers,” said Fuller, according to Variety.
Jan 27, 2022
Akon is merging the world of crypto with the music scene, announcing that his next album will be sold as a non-fungible token (NFT) , Esquire reports. “Throughout my career, I have always believed that artists never really got their fair share of the profits for the work they produced and people listen to,” Akon told Esquire. “So with the idea of owning a piece of digital art, via an NFT, it allows the creator to benefit more and actually get more of the pie.” While his plans further affirm cryptocurrency’s ability to allow artists to maximize earnings from their content, it appears profit is not the only interest to Akon as he cites the NFT drop will allow for transparency and access to information from album buyers. “ My next album is going to be an NFT album. With that, I’ll be able to monetize it from the day it drops on every platform that exists. What that means is that it opens the door to full transparency where your music is being played, who’s playing it, where they’re...
Jan 13, 2022
Nia Asemota is the product of what it looks like to defy societal norms. Coming from a Puerto Rican and Nigerian household, actively pursuing the computer science path didn’t seem possible to her adolescent self. The notion to pursue becoming either a doctor, lawyer, or engineer is commonly instilled in traditional Nigerian homes. Along with the societal pressure, Black women are widely underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). At the time, the intersection of both worlds widened the gap of who the aspiring computer scientist could look up to as she set out on the challenging road ahead. Thankfully, her initial doubts were dispelled after joining her first Black Girls CODE workshop in high school.
Dec 15, 2021
The Toronto Raptors are creating a promising future for emerging BIPOC artists under their Welcome Toronto Creators program. In partnership with Drake’s OVO, the program supports three emerging artists between the ages of 16 and 29 who exemplify “the multicultural DNA of the city of Toronto,” according to the Raptors’ website. Finalists will have an opportunity to receive mentorship and networking opportunities with the Raptors’ resources. In addition to these perks, the chosen artists will be designated to one “Welcome Toronto” game and their art and journey will be featured during the NBA broadcast and across the Raptors’ social media platforms.
Dec 1, 2021