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Tierra Whack wants to normalize conversations around financial literacy. The rapper, originally known as Dizzle Dizz, has teamed up with Venmo for its financial education series, “Money Talks.” The series features a range of artists and entrepreneurs, some of whom are Whack’s peers. Kicking off its second season, Whack sat down with North Philadelphia designer and seamstress Adriana Williams, who works a 9-to-5 while scaling her lifestyle brand. “We realized, we have so much in common and we had the same struggles,” Whack, a North Philly native, told AFROTECH™. “I really was like enlightened when I was talking to my friends, when we were filming. I’m like, ‘Yo, this is crazy.’ These are friends I talk to almost like at least twice, three times a week. And then we sat in front of the camera and I’m like, ‘Yo, I never knew you were going through this. I didn’t know.’ I don’t know what it is about us, but that’s just kind of like the unspoken thing. Venmo helped us break the ice. I...
Dwayne Johnson decided to fire his agents because he saw the bigger picture. Johnson first put his name on the map as a professional wrestler, inspired by his father, Rocky Johnson, who had a legendary resume within the sport and was honored as a WWE Hall of Famer. “I think I’m going to like professional wrestling,” Johnson remembered, according to a conversation with GQ. “So we fought. [My dad] didn’t want me to get into it. And then I wound up having the career that I had. And he was proud. But he also wrestled with a lot of my success, and I know that as his son.” Johnson would later find a commonality between wrestling and acting. He revealed to GQ that he pivoted attention towards Hollywood, understanding that he could still reach the masses as an actor. “When I got into the business of Hollywood and moviemaking, it’s like, ‘Okay, well, what kind of movies do I want to make? I want to make movies that hopefully are good, that don’t suck. But also reach as many people as...
Industry veteran Taye Diggs has come a long way in the entertainment industry. In an email interview with AFROTECH™, “The Best Man” actor reminisced on his early career, sharing how he spent his first paycheck as an actor. With three decades in the industry, his first role was “Carousel” in 1994, with his big break coming four years later in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” “I remember I bought a tailored suit from the then fashion icon, Barney’s. It took me a while to switch my mindset from so-called immediate needs and wants to having more of a ‘full picture’ perspective that takes the future into consideration,” he recalled. Portfolio He acknowledges that financial management is an ongoing learning journey. However, his strengthened understanding of long-term planning has paved the way for him to step confidently into investing. “I’ll be the first person to admit I’m still learning when it comes to managing money. I’m excited to extend my finances into the real estate space. It...
Sheryl Lee Ralph is among the greats who have lived to smell their roses. Today, she is widely recognized as an actress, but her journey began at Rutgers College. She initially enrolled at just age 16, the school shared, with plans to study pre-med before discovering her true calling in the arts. “I’m an immigrants’ child,” Ralph said, according to Elle. “My mother had very big dreams for me. In her words, it was, ‘Be a doctor or a lawyer, and if you can’t be either, marry one.’” Despite her mother’s desires, Ralph would pivot towards acting. She discovered her passion for the arts while working on a school play. “I found my passion on the stage of the Little Theater on the Douglass College campus,” she said, according to an article shared by the school. Based on an article from Philadelphia magazine, when Ralph was 20 years old, she landed her big break, featuring in the 1977 film “A Piece of the Action” alongside Sidney Poitier. Two years later, she made her television debut on...
Marlon Wayans has announced the return of the “Scary Movie” franchise. This represents a significant change for the series, which was originally rooted in the Wayans family. USA Today reports that the first two films were directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, with Marlon and Shawn Wayans serving as writers and actors for some of them. According to ABC News, the original “Scary Movie” (2000) grossed over $277 million worldwide. Despite “Scary Movie” becoming a pop culture staple, the Wayans family’s involvement in the franchise fizzled out after the second film. According to AFROTECH™, Marlon Wayans claimed that The Weinstein Co. “snatched” the franchise from them after it was initially passed over by other production studios. The Wayans family reportedly learned through a publication that they would no longer be involved. “The second one they rushed us into, and by the third one, they didn’t want to pay the money, so they snatched it. We found out on Christmas that they hired somebody...
Attending an HBCU helped Lance Gross realize his dreams of becoming an actor. The Oakland, CA, native had envisioned he would establish a career in entertainment. However, his parents initially had other aspirations, encouraging him to pursue finance and business . “I went against the grain. I like to take a chance on myself. I always bet on myself,” Gross told AFROTECH™ on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Off The Yard Festival at The Bullpen in Washington, DC. There he served as an event partner for the spirit company DIAGEO, celebrating Howard University’s 100th anniversary and sharing in its mission to elevate HBCUs. “I had to do what I loved and what I loved was entertainment. And I’m a creative person, and I feel like I’m not living unless I’m creating. For me, it was a no-brainer. Now, I had some convincing to do with my parents, and also I was on a full track and field scholarship, so I had to convince my coach as well. But, I’m from Oakland, CA, so I’m gonna make it work. We know...
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....
Druski is investing in his dreams. Druski, born Drew Desbordes in Columbia, MD, began his journey by posting skits on Instagram under the handle druski2funny. The comedian’s social presence has continued to rise. 2020 served as a pivotal year, with his skits generating 1.5 million views and catching the attention of celebrity figures such as Jack Harlow, Odell Beckham Jr., and Drake, making a cameo in the rapper’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” (2020) video, Complex reports. On Instagram alone, Druski’s following has grown to 8.2 million. Additionally, his comedic footprint has led to a net worth exceeding $1 million as of 2023. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, the feat is a result of ventures including live shows, tours, and partnerships with companies including teampixel, RGG Studio and SEGA, and PrizePicks. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DRUSKI (@druski) Despite his success, being a comedian was not initially a goal post for Druski until he found himself depressed as a...
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...
Tyler James Williams will be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. The trajectory of Williams’ career as an actor, which began when he was 4 years old, has reached new heights due to his role as Gregory Eddie on the ABC hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” created by Quinta Brunson. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Quinta Brunson (@quintab) Williams’ character centers a first-grade teacher in an underfunded, public school in Philadelphia, PA. According to NPR, he worked closely with Brunson to workshop the character. “I think from the minute we got on the phone about it, Gregory became a collaborative effort,” he explained to the outlet. “We very quickly had a conversation about the importance of showing an active Black male struggling with and attempting to do a really good job in raising the next generation, because those are the men I grew up with, and those are the men that she grew up with.” Williams later added, “I love that his story isn’t rooted in some sense of...
50 Cent faced some growing pains when launching his series “Power.” While speaking on the podcast “Earn Your Leisure,” he notes a time when there was a clear division between television and film production. When he was looking to introduce “Power,” he felt there was major pushback. “A ctors that were successful on TV, the film actors wouldn’t go near them, like they would stay away from it because they felt like it was a higher grade of quality, that they wanted to stay with more cachet with you being a movie star than you being a television star,” he recalled. “Now we’re producing premium projects that allow Forest Whitaker and “Godfather of Harlem.” You see Academy-Award-winning actors choosing television ’cause it builds a consistency, and they can pay out the money that keeps the talent happy with staying there, but you do need to know with ‘P ower’ everybody told me no. I pitched that show to all of the networks, and they were like ‘No,’ and I wanted to make the project so...
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...
Beyoncé is taking her talents to the spirits industry! The “Cowboy Carter” songstress continues to defy industry standards while paying homage to her Southern roots. This time, she’s introducing her line of American whisky alongside Moët Hennessy, which falls under the French luxury goods giant LVMH. In a press release shared with AFROTECH™, the brand revealed that SirDavis has been in the making for years, offering an “unexpected take” on whisky through its “ bespoke recipe,” unusual maturation process, and distinct taste profile, influenced by Japanese and Scottish styles. Beyoncé debuted the beverage i n a post shared to Instagram, with the comment “Davis in my bones” alongside emojis of whisky glasses. According to Forbes, the whisky industry is the same one that made her husband, Jay-Z, a billionaire. The Houston, TX, native may very well join the billionaire ranks herself with an estimated net worth of $760 million. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beyoncé...
Although in no rush to become a billionaire, 50 Cent is following Tyler Perry’s blueprint. Both entrepreneurs have their own studios, which house their current and future projects and create jobs that benefit the surrounding communities and beyond. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Perry, a self-made billionaire, relied on his earnings to fund a 330-acre studio in Atlanta, GA, which opened its doors in 2008. “That’s why ‘Sistas,’ ‘The Oval,’ ‘Ruthless,’ and ‘Zatima’ — soon to come — All these shows on BET are doing so well, because I had us,” Perry said during Invest Fest 2023. “So, I haven’t been in a position where I’ve had to use private equity or money like that.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tyler Perry Studios (@tylerperrystudios) Today, Tyler Perry Studios grants him greater creative freedoms through its built-in features that include 12 sound stages — available to rent — and various staged sets such as baseball fields, a chapel, a bank, a county jail, a...
R&B sensation Eric Bellinger isn’t afraid of artificial intelligence (AI) and the role it’s taking within the music industry. Instead, he’s embracing how it can enhance his work as an artist. As one of the first artists to appear on Hooky, a music startup specializing in artist-first solutions in voice AI, Bellinger is allowing creators to experiment with their songs using his AI voice model. “If you aren’t afraid of it, it could be your best friend,” he told AFROTECH™ about AI technology. “But I think if you’re afraid and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to lose my job,’ it’s different in other fields. But for music, I definitely think it could be beneficial as a tool. I use it in all my sessions in different ways — whether it’s coming up with an idea for artwork, titles, or something else. There are so many different platforms, and I personally take advantage of all of them.” No stranger to using technology like social media to connect with his fans, affectionately known as the...