The gaming industry has skyrocketed over the past decade and one mother-daughter duo want in on the multi-billion dollar industry. B’Bop and Friends, created by Grefonda Hardy and her daughter Noelle Hardy, is an educational video game that helps children with their reading and writing skills. Grefonda says she wanted black kids to be able to play the game and see themselves in the characters and their experiences. “I wanted it to be authentic,” Grefonda Hardy said. “I wanted the game to be from the African American perspective.” The game features two male and two female characters whom all have their own storylines. Each character has their own room where they can participate in games and activities that enhance players’ reading skills. B’Bop and Friends also has multiplayer games including tennis and basketball. “It was important for me to make the game for today’s child,” Grefonda Hardy said. An app developer by trade,  Grefonda Hardy designed B’Bop and Friends herself.  Since...

Roland Parrish is reportedly the second-largest Black franchisee of McDonald’s, per The Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Business Journal mentions he owns 24 locations across Dallas, TX, including at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. This was accomplished across his more than 30 years at the fast-food company. Journey To Franchising Parrish’s journey to franchising was planted while in college. Carrying his experience as an All-American in track and field, he would continue sports while attending Purdue University’s business school in 1971, the schools website mentions. He continued to fair well in sports, being named Most Valuable Player twice during his college years. He was able to translate his discipline in sports into his academics, and he received guidance from Dr. Cornell A. Bell, the former director of the school’s Business Opportunity Program (BOP), who doubled as his mentor. “I spent more time in the libraries than on the track during my time on campus,” Parrish...

No matter the debate, Sean “Jay-Z” Carter will go down as one of the most influential rappers of all time. While Carter is mainly known today for his business moves, his long-standing music catalog put him on the map. From topics about his upbringing to the cultural nuances of his community, Jay-Z is no stranger to communicating the times and providing classic bops along the way. At this stage in his career, his business acumen and his music have consistently collided. The billionaire gives listeners consistent insight into how he thinks financially and how getting to the bag is more than just a notion. One of the shining examples of this concept is on his last solo project, “4:44.” While some saw it as a response to Beyonce’s “Lemonade,” others tapped into the financial gems he dropped throughout the album. AfroTech previously reported that fellow rapper Bow Wow noted the 2017 album as a piece of financial wisdom, providing him with an improved financial mindset. But the...

Over the last few decades, the world has watched Diddy evolve. From bopping all up and through his artist’s videos to securing his spot on the billionaire’s list, Sean Combs has kept people on their toes concerning his next moves. via GIPHY And with the evolution of technology, social media has given people some insight into Diddy’s personal life. Whether it is his ever-changing bachelorhood or his passion and care as a father, the “Hello Good Morning” rapper has kept those he loves and cares for at the center. AfroTech previously reported on his status as a father, exploring the generational wealth he’s creating and the positive relationships he has with six of his children. That number has since increased to seven, with reports of a new child born sometime in November 2022. And staying true to the theme of showing his children love, Diddy recently celebrated his twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie James Combs by gifting them each a Range Rover for their 16 th birthday.

With the drop of Beyoncé’s latest album, the “Summer Renaissance” is upon us. The 16-track project gives out bops that are likely ideal for a good brunch situation, a vogue competition, and positive vibes. However, the track mentioned above from the album, “Renaissance,” highlights the Liberian American, Black-owned luxury label, Telfar. With that one mention, the already popular bag spiked in popularity, and now millions are on standby for the Aug. 5 drop of its upcoming collection.

Born Alicia Augello Cook in Manhattan, NY, Alicia Keys was raised by a single mother in the Hell’s Kitchen district of New York City. Yet, despite these inauspicious beginnings, she became one of the best-known — and best-selling — R&B artists of all time. And that career kicked off when a friend of the family gifted the young Alicia a piano. And she credits this auspicious gift with changing the trajectory of her life. “That’s why I wonder why one of my simple, silly misjudgments didn’t turn my life upside down,” she told Oprah in an exclusive interview back in 2004. “It’s like, ‘Oops’ — and your reality is completely different. I was blessed and, in a way, chosen to experience more of the world.” And, she said, her musical style evolved through the years, too. “I decided to discover the kinds of classical music that did move me—like Chopin, Satie, Beethoven, and certain Mozart songs. Mozart would play a counterpart with his left hand while using his right to mock it. It was blue,...

Laurieann Gibson is here to make the world dance! The renowned Emmy Award-nominated director, producer, author, choreographer and pop culture innovator has joined forces with Cinedigm to launch the BOP (Born Out Of Passion) Network. It will be the first multimedia streaming service offering an all-inclusive slate of global dance-related programming. “Not only is BOP a dream come true, but it is born out of passion,” said Gibson in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “BOP is all things dance. It is a new, global network streaming service, an entertainment value that has yet to be established and experienced. It is the joy that dance brings, the hope and aspirational aspect of it, the whole razzle-dazzle.” Laurieann Gibson started out as a dancer, however, throughout her career she has built superstars — from Diddy to Megan Thee Stallion to Alicia Keys and beyond. She’s even cultivated international superstars on hit reality shows like “Beyond the Spotlight,” “Dance Moms,” “Making...

Jeff Obeng may have been born in the Bronx, but his passion has allowed him to touch folks all over the world! Known for his viral skits as “Mufasa,” Obeng brings positive energy to the digital world through his kick-ass dance moves — particularly his popular “Go Mufasa” dance move that was featured in Da Baby’s music video for Grammy-nominated “Bop.” Now, he’s dancing to new heights as one of the first social media influencers to land a “legit” deal with Fortnite, according to Blerd. Obeng sat down with AfroTech to define what being an influencer means for him, how he’s managed to create authentic, feel-good videos, landing a deal with Fortnite, and more. AfroTech: The term influencer doesn’t always have a good rep but you manage to carry it so well. If you had to define this in your own words, what would they be? Mufasa: When it first came to the term influencer at first I really did not like it, but influence is the keyword when it comes to being an influencer. You can influence...