13 Grammy Award winning Hip-hop, R&B, funk and pop artist Pharrell Williams just released a new single featuring Jay-Z and an accompanying music video titled “Entrepreneur” on the Columbia Records label, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The video features and spotlights the achievements of dozens of black men and women entrepreneurs around the world. Williams states, “In assembling this project, I asked some of the most qualified people I know in every field—from Angela Davis to Tyler, the Creator, to Representative, Barbara Lee, to talk with us, and with one another, about the way forward. I wanted to convey a vision of a future filled with the artists, creators and entrepreneurs who can fulfill the promise of this country’s principles.”
In addition to the song and video release, Williams just wrapped up a TIME magazine project entitled The New American Revolution in which he curated a series of essays and interviews getting perspectives from Kenya Barris, Imara Jones, Naomi Osaka, Tyler, the Creator, and other black leaders.
The video introduces over a dozen black entrepreneurs and spotlights their achievements, visually stating through title cards:
- 20 schools in TyAnthony Davis’s district performed in the bottom 5% statewide, so he founded Vox Collegiate Junior High to change that.
- Vincent and Arlene Williams started Honey’s Kettle 20 years ago. Their children helped them expand since then.
- At 23, Iddris Sandu has already written algorithms for Snapchat, Uber and Instagram. This year, he’s writing a few new ones for himself.
- Beatrice Dixon faced backlash after connecting her all natural feminine product line Honey Pot’s success to the success of other black girls. Critics should try her products. They are non toxic.
- Arthell and Darnell Isom created the first black-owned anime studio in Japan.
- Issa Rae began her career filming a low-budget web series all over South Los Angeles.
- There were no skate shops in the hood until Neighbors Skateshop moved in.
- Alrick Augustine literally runs the city and pays you to do the same.
- Chace Infinite took money he made in the music industry and brought Harun Coffee Shop in his community.
- 86 investors told Denise Woodard of Partake Cookies, “No.” Except Jay-Z
- Chef Alisa’s vegan soul food at My Two Cents is the best. Just ask Obama.
- Angela Richardson turned her homemade cleaning goods into a full retail line.
- Black women are three-to-four-times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. Debbie Allen’s childbirth experience in a hospital led her to question the whole process. So she created a safe space for women to give birth in the comfort of their own homes as CEO of Tribe Midwifery.
- The CEO of Miss Bennett Fitness
- The CEO of Black & Mobile
- The CEO of Trill Paws Dog Accessories
- The CEO of Third Vault Yarns, London
At 2:24 the video takes a 15-second moment of silence for Nipsey Hussle, the late rapper, activist and entrepreneur whose 35th birthday would have been celebrated this month. Snoop Dogg also released to video tribute to Hussle this month.
In 2019, Jay-Z planned to headline Woodstock 50, but then dropped after the venue changed. Later, the festival was canceled.
Williams has recently made news as his duo The Neptunes have recently teamed up with Deadmau5 to create the single “Pomegranate” due to be released on Deadmau5’s upcoming album. In other related news, Williams is working full-time with The Neptunes in 2020 and has recently teamed up with other artists including Miley Cyrus, blink-182, Lil Uzi Vert, Brandy, Ray J, Snoh Aalegra and G-Eazy.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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