The Bag's 2023 "Legacy Edition"
"The obstacles & everything we been through were being misjudged & misunderstood..it wasn't a brick wall, it was a speed bump & I embrace it as the resistance of doing something great" ~ Nipsey Hussle
“Sit with my thoughts
I had to sit with my thoughts
My family was my motivation
Focus on the elevation, I'm attractin', not chasin'…”~ Nas “Sitting With My Thoughts”
This time of year always puts me in an introspective mood.
Maybe it’s because it’s the bottom of the 9th inning of another year or all of the long runs that come with training for another marathon.
Or maybe it’s from seeing all of the heartbreak that so many people have been experiencing.
Or possibly it’s because ESPN was recently airing Jim Valvano’s famous speech from the 1993 ESPY Awards and it makes you wonder if you’re making your days count (if you haven’t seen it, you should watch it).
Whatever it is, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about intent, impact, and legacy.
Normally, I like to dive straight into the economics of the music business, but with this drop, it’s different. I’m left pondering:
How do you measure impact?
How do you measure true influence?
How do you measure the value of inspiring others to be the best version of themselves?
This past summer, we lost several music icons.
The kind whose generosity was just as grand as their business achievements.
It’s really hard to do justice to Clarence Avant with a graphic.
His reach was as long as Wembanyama’s arms. He advised world leaders while still making time to help aspiring executives.
How do I know? Because I was one of them. (Thank you, KCW for putting us together).
Avant fought for equality. He made sure that people got what they deserved and like Frank Underwood, he knew the difference between money and power.
Best believe, Clarence had real power. He could make things move.
Similar to Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Clarence’s influence, generosity, and support can be traced back to so many.
The 2019 Netflix documentary, The Black Godfather, directed by Reginald Hudlin gave you a glimpse of who he was and the volumes of people that he touched.
He embodied “ubuntu,” which means, “I am because we are,” the same philosophy that the 2008 Boston Celtics team adopted on their way to winning the NBA Championship.
Clarence did so much groundbreaking work.
In 1967, he brokered what’s considered to be the first joint venture between an African-American artist and a major record company when songwriter/producer William “Mickey” Stevenson and MGM Records formed Venture Records.
Avant helped produce the off-Broaday play “The Reckoning,” starring Ja'Net Dubois, in 1969. Dubois would go on to star as Wilona in the groundbreaking TV sitcom Good Times. She would also write and sing the theme song for another trailblazing TV series, The Jeffersons. The song would become one of TV's most beloved theme songs.
Later, Clarence was recruited by music executive Al Bell to aid in the sale of the legendary soul music label, Stax Records, to Gulf+Western. Known as the antithesis to Motown, Stax specialized in gritty and rough-sounding soul music. Their artist roster included Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Johnnie Taylor.
As Bill Withers shared in The Black Godfather, “The person that’s responsible for your transition is the person that’s the key to changing your life.”
Clarence played a pivotal role in Bill's career by bringing him on board at Sussex Records. Bill emerged as one of the label's standout artists, with his 1971 album "Just As I Am" winning a Grammy for the hit "Ain't No Sunshine." His tracks, including "Lean on Me" and "Grandma's Hands," have been widely sampled.
In 1971, Clarence launched Avant Garde Broadcasting and then acquired KTYM (renamed KAGB) in 1973, marking it as the first African-American-owned FM station in the Los Angeles area.
After the closure of Sussex Records, Clarence founded Tabu Productions (also known as Tabu Records) in 1976. This label achieved significant success in the 1980s and early '90s, featuring artists like Kool & The Gang, The S.O.S. Band, Cherelle, and Alexander O’Neal, and benefiting from the production talents of the legendary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Avant played a key role in promoting Michael Jackson's first solo tour for his album "Bad" in 1987. This tour broke records, adding four new entries to the Guinness Book of World Records, reflecting Jackson's status as one of history's best-selling pop artists.
In 1993, when Polygram took over Motown Records, Clarence was appointed Chairman of the Board of Motown Records.
That same year at Motown Records, Clarence mentored Jheryl Busby, then president and CEO of the label. Busby revitalized Motown by signing artists like Boyz II Men, Queen Latifah, and Johnny Gill.
In 1999, Clarence was brought in by film producer and music executive George Jackson to chair Urban Box Office (UBO), a series of websites targeting audiences of color, serving as an early model for platforms like Shadow and Act, The Grio, and Hip Hop Wired. UBO was cofounded by Frank Cooper and Adam Kidron.
Through the years, the accolades and recognition have appropriately followed.
But the one thing that I would leave you with that Clarence preached, is that he would “never allow himself to understand the words ‘this is not for you or you cannot do it.’”
Something that we all need to remind ourselves of sometimes.
Rest in Peace to a gentleman, music legend, and mentor to many.
Clarence Alexander Avant (February 25, 1931 - August 13, 2023)
Another life that needs to be acknowledged is that of Robert Lee Schiffman aka Bobby Schiffman.
His father, Frank Schiffman, was the co-founder of Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1934.
Bobby took the reins as general manager in 1960 and continued in that capacity until 1976.
The Apollo Theatre was the launchpad of many careers, especially with their “Wednesday Amateur Night.”
Winners included:
Gladys Knight (watch her commentary about “breaking in” at the Apollo)
Ronnie Spector (of the Ronettes)
Bobby consistently managed a bustling schedule at the West 125th Street Theater, delivering an impressive 31 shows weekly for many years. He maintained a strong connection with the local community, always keen to understand their musical preferences. This attentive approach, despite being a white Jewish man, played a significant role in transforming the Apollo Theater into a hub of Black cultural expression.
The venue also attracted visits from notable figures in the community, such as politician Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and renowned athlete Muhammad Ali, who would often stop by for conversations.
During the late 1970’s, economic pressures forced Schiffman to sell the Apollo. He shared, “We decided we would only sell to a qualified black buyer, because we had the genuine feeling that the Apollo was so significant it belonged in the black community.”
Rest in Peace to a change agent and music legend.
Robert Lee Schiffman (February 12, 1929 - September 6, 2023)
Another legend, who was deeply loved and respected was A&M Records co-founder, Jerry Moss.
Moss’s career in music started when he was promoting “16 Candles” by The Crests.
Fast forward to 1962, Jerry co-founded A&M Records with trumpeter Herb Alpert in Alpert’s garage. The company was initially named Carnival Records but was later changed to A&M (the initials of their last names) when it was discovered that Carnival had already been taken.
The two principles started the company with an investment of $100 each and soon found success.
In 1966, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass outsold the Beatles and had four albums in the top 10 at the same time.
The company soon set up shop at Charlie Chaplin Studios on La Brea. This was their home for 30+ years.
A&M later signed another huge soft-pop act, the Carpenters, and, through deals with other labels, put out records by Cat Stevens (who now goes by the name Yusuf Islam) and Carole King, including her blockbuster 1971 LP, “Tapestry.”
More and more hits followed. A&M was home to many iconic acts through either direct signings or licensing deals. While the artist names might be lost on some, click on the links and you’ll quickly recognize the songs:
This is just a small sample size of the plethora of hits that flowed through the label.
In 1989 Alpert and Moss sold A&M Records to PolyGram, the Dutch-German conglomerate, for around $500M, remaining involved for four more years. Later they received an additional $200M from PolyGram in settlement of a lingering dispute. Rondor Music, their song publishing arm, was sold for $400M.
Moss and Alpert were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 in the non-performer category.
In addition to music, Jerry also loved horses and quite a few of his raced. His horse, Giacomo, named after Sting’s third son, was a 50-1 outsider when it won the 2005 Kentucky Derby.
In 2020, Moss and his wife Tina donated $25,000,000 to the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles, the largest single contribution ever made to the venue.
When asked about meeting Jerry, Sting offered:
“Jerry very quickly became a family friend rather than a record executive. But if I’m asked why I think they were so successful as a record company, I would say Jerry was, not to my knowledge, a cutthroat businessman, he was a gentleman first.
He was a friend. He was a mentor. He was a confidante. And I think his success was based on those very human qualities, rather than being some kind of shark.”
His partner, Herb Alpert shared:
“I never met a nicer, honest, sensitive, smart and talented man than my partner Jerry Moss.”
It’s pretty rare for a music executive to be spoken about so highly by the artists he signed and the person he started his business with decades after their relationship started. The music he brought to the forefront has been and will continue to be the soundtrack for many lives to come.
Rest in Peace to a gentleman, music legend, and mentor to many.
Jerome Sheldon Moss (May 8, 1935 - August 16, 2023)
When you look at the accomplishments that Clarence, Bobby, and Jerry had during their lives, it’s truly astonishing. I could harp about the big business deals they did but what truly impresses me about them are the countless lives they impacted.
They spent their time empowering others. They inspired people. They let their actions speak for them.
Their demonstration was A1, just like Nipsey Hussle’s.
“True devotion on the bluest ocean, cruisin'
My cultural influence even rival Lucien
I'm integrated vertically, y'all n*—as blew it
They tell me, "Hussle, dumb it down, you might confuse 'em"~ Nipsey Hussle “Victory Lap”
One of the highlights of my year has been to work with Nipsey’s team to help organize a group of 60+ runners to participate in the 2024 LA Marathon running on behalf of the Neighborhood Nip Foundation whose mission is to support underprivileged kids in Hussle’s local Los Angeles community.
Nipsey continues to inspire so many, not just through his music but also through all of the initiatives that he was doing outside of the booth.
His reach is global. We’re proud to have runners like Toni, Perry (check out Nipsey’s elements to success on the third slide from 2007), and Diop represent our team. Nip inspired them, and in turn, they hope to inspire others. (If you want to support our efforts to continue Nipsey’s legacy, hit the link).
Hussle’s interviews and the stories about him are a cheat code to life.
You can tap in with him on a wide variety of subjects and get an elevated point of view:
Hussle made the most of his time. The visions that he had which didn’t become actualized before his passing are being executed by his team now.
His influence can’t be measured.
It’s bigger than streaming numbers.
This is more important than money.
This is that inspiration to make people want to become the best version of themselves.
This is Nipsey Hussle’s legacy.
Rest in Peace to an activist, legend, and inspiration to many.
You’re missed daily.
Ermias Asghedom (August 15, 1985 - March 31, 2019)
One of the things that I always loved about Hussle was that he was such a sponge for knowledge and he would emulate the best moves that he absorbed from other people.
Like so many people over the past three decades, he was influenced by the blueprint that Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem “Biggs” Burke created.
While their predecessors such as Russell Simmons and Andre Harrell were also diverse in their business interests, the blueprint that the Roc-A-Fella Records co-founders crafted is the one that has been most closely imitated by those that followed.
They treated their artists as brands and leveraged their lifestyle to sell products that they would create. Why build up other people’s businesses with your influence when you can create your own?
They were savvy and had the grit and the tenacity to take matters into their own hands.
The visual above is just a small sample of what each of these moguls would go on to build in different business verticals through the years.
However, their contributions extend much further than products and services.
(pictured above - some of the success stories amongst many that came from the ROC)
So many people came from the house that Burke, Carter, and Dash built and have gone on to do great things in music, fashion, entertainment, and beyond.
They gave and continue to give people opportunities.
A lot of the folks who worked at their early companies had no prior experience in the fields in which they were working. That didn’t stop the label founders from empowering these folks and believing in them.
Shari Bryant is a perfect example of this. From intern at Roc-A-Fella Records at age 15, to Co-President at Roc Nation the label. She was given a chance and she put her head down and did the work.
Shari has helped tons of artists execute their visions over the past 25 years.
Ms. Bryant brought to market some of our favorite albums. Regardless of her official title through the years, her involvement in the projects she undertakes is always a key factor in their success.
That’s part of the reason why artists, executives, and people in general love her.
She makes sure that doing the work and getting the best out of her team is the top priority.
But that’s also true for a lot of other people who came from Roc-A-Fella Records, Rocawear, or the other companies that these three masterminds built.
They helped kickstart the careers of many prominent executives.
How can you not be inspired by the journey of Ryan Press?
Or Wayno?
Or Latrice Burnette?
Or Nicole Jackson?
Or Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua and Gee Roberson, who together and separately have been behind some of the biggest artists and producers in music for the past 25 years.
Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Just Blaze, Young Jeezy, G-Eazy, Lil Nas X, Trippie Redd, Ice Spice, T.I., Benny the Butcher…the list goes on and on.
Between their various entities such as Hip-Hop Since 1978, Blueprint Group, Agency 78, Seneca Village, etc, or their work as executives, they’ve impacted so many artists and producers all while staying behind the scenes.
Observing the success of numerous ex-ROC executives years later really highlights the influential culture originating from 17 John Street and subsequently from 825 8th Avenue. This environment played a significant role in elevating these individuals to elite levels in their fields.
The setting you choose to immerse yourself in greatly influences your personal development. By being in the company of individuals who are intelligent, driven, and resolute, you're more likely to adopt these traits as well.
Just look at Paypal.
Paypal had about 220 employees pre-IPO. Collectively, they are referred to as the Paypal Mafia and they’ve created at least 8 post-Paypal unicorns (companies worth over $1B ).
Youtube - (valued at approximately $30B in 2023, co-founded by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, Jawed Karim)
LinkedIn - (acquired for $26.2B by Microsoft in 2016, co-founded by Reid Hoffman)
Yelp - (valued at approximately $3B in 2023, co-founded by Russel Simmons & Jeremy Stoppelman)
Yammer - (acquired by Microsoft for $1.2B in 2012, co-founded by David Sacks & Adam Pisoni)
Palantir - (valued at approximately $37.5B, co-founded by Alex Karp, Joe Lonsdale, Peter Thiel, Stephen Cohen, Nathan Gettings)
Tesla - (valued at approximately $764B in 2023, co-founded by Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning, Ian Wright, Elon Musk, J.B. Straubel)
SpaceX - (valued at approximately $150B+, co-founded by Elon Musk, Tom Mueller)
Affirm - (valued at approximately $13B, co-founded by Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz, Alex Rampell)
(Check out these comments from David Sacks back in 2014 on why employees from Paypal have produced more unicorns than employees from Google, a company that was 100x its size at the time of his comments.)
The influence of the PayPal Mafia extends beyond these companies, as they have been integral in shaping the overall Silicon Valley startup ecosystem. Their entrepreneurial ventures have left a significant mark on the tech industry, demonstrating a remarkable ability to innovate and succeed in various domains.
The influence of the folks that came from Roc-A-Fella has had a similar impact. They’ve discovered and nurtured the best musical talent, built successful businesses, and created opportunities for the next generation of artists and executives. Their effect on the music ecosystem is significant.
So when we talk about legacy and impact, Shawn Carter, Kareem Burke, and Damon Dash have plenty to be proud of. They’ve changed the lives of a lot of people with inspiration, opportunities, education, leadership, and philanthropy.
“Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Legacy
Black excellence baby, you gon' let 'em see…” ~ Jay-Z “Legacy”
While there is no shortage of press about Jay-Z, I feel a topic that doesn’t get covered enough is the work that he and his team are doing through his Shawn Carter Foundation.
The contributions and leadership of Shawn Carter and Dr. Gloria Carter, along with executive team members Dania Diaz and Alonda Duvall, are making a significant impact through the valuable resources they provide.
For twenty years, they’ve been bridging the opportunity gap that exists across the education system. So what does that mean?
College scholarships for underprivileged youth, study abroad opportunities, community support, HBCU bus tours, fellowship programming, and much more.
Their summer gala, raised $20M to continue these initiatives.
Another person who needs to be mentioned when it comes to inspiring and educating is Ryan Leslie.
Check out this speech from when he was 15.
R is speaking about living a life of fulfillment.
Leslie is talking about how you uplift your community.
This 15-year-old is preaching about reaching your potential no matter what your obstacles are. Are you kidding me?
But Ryan’s always been unique. Also at age 15, he got 1600 on his SATs.
R Les went on to graduate from Harvard at 19.
From there, he could have been doing anything, but he pursued music.
As a music producer, Ryan’s first placement was for Beyoncé on the Bad Boys II Soundtrack with the song “Keep Giving Your Love To Me.”
From there he signed, wrote, and produced an album for his girlfriend at the time, Casandra Ventura aka Cassie.
He was ahead of his time and helped her blow up utilizing social media.
The go-to platform that he used in 2005 was Myspace.
The pioneer knew that social media was the future and also started using Youtube to share his creative process. The videos are legendary, check out a few:
In between shooting these in-studio videos, Ryan was responding to cold messages on all social media platforms from his fans. Here is a peek at our original exchange on Facebook. Take note of how he values his fans.
R Les put out two albums in the major label system. The second of which, “Transition” was Grammy-nominated. But our exchange above was a foreshadowing of what was to come.
Ryan knew that he could build a stronger relationship with his fans if he served them directly and in turn, he would be less dependent on intermediaries and the economics would be more favorable.
This was the origin of his SMS platform, SuperPhone.
Utilizing smartphone technology, the musical prodigy generated $1.8M off of 15,000 fans with his next release. The complete inverse of a traditional record deal.
An introduction from Tristan Walker led to a meeting with a16z’s Ben Horowitz and Chris Lyons.
They saw the vision and Ben offered to help by investing in Ryan’s personal CRM. This money could be used to turn it into a real business that would help thousands of artists with the same problem.
A myriad of Silicon Valley investors followed Ben and soon there were Superphone campaigns for 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and Nipsey Hussle amongst others.
The best usage of the product came from Leslie himself though. Ryan rolled out a New Year’s Eve Party in Vienna, Austria that netted him over 40,000 Euros all by giving out his phone # and communicating directly with his supporters.
While creating music and empowering creators is still a passion (his new single “Run It Back” is available now), R Les is equally exuberant about financial literacy.
His platform, WealthPlan is providing people with the knowledge to make better investment decisions.
One of the things that I appreciate about Ryan is that even though he’s always been a step ahead, he’ll slow down to make sure that he’s bringing people with him.
His passion and energy are contagious, just ask Usher who took a few moments at his Las Vegas residency to celebrate Mr. Leslie.
Teaching and empowering others, now that’s a real legacy.
A lot of people talk the talk, but few walk the walk. There’s been plenty of conversation about funding BIPOC-led companies, but still, most of those dollars go to white males.
Ben Horowitz is the exception.
He subscribes to the philosophy that what you do is who you are and he’s never been afraid to lead by example.
So, it came as no surprise to me when Ben and a16z general partner, Chris Lyons launched the Cultural Leadership Fund in 2018.
Their mission was clear:
Connect the greatest cultural leaders in the world to the best new technology companies
Enable more young African Americans to enter the technology industry
Even with great success, the a16z team continues to push this mission forward.
CLF has raised several subsequent funds, CLF II and CLF III all while addressing the gaps in access and equity for Black communities in technology.
Another gap that became apparent to Ben and his wife, Felicia, is that the pioneering artists who significantly influenced the arts and culture scene of early Hip-Hop were not properly recognized for their contributions.
Before I get into that though, you need to know a little about Felicia Horowitz.
Felicia is a whirlwind of positive energy. She’s the straw that stirs the drink in every room that she enters and her heart is enormous.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and people were stranded and dying without food and water.
Guess who immediately filled up a U-Haul and drove down from California stocked with replenishments?
It’s 6 am and there is a line of hungry homeless people at Glide Church in San Francisco.
Guess who is in the kitchen getting ready to serve breakfast to them?
Your BBQ restaurant burns down and you need help getting back on your feet.
Guess who is planning the fundraiser and calling her network to support?
Felicia Horowitz, that’s who.
To get a glimpse into just how soulful and deep she is, read this excerpt from her 2019 interview with Anh Minh Le from the Nob Hill Gazette where Felicia is asked about the clothing that she is wearing for their photoshoot:
“Cotton remains a strong symbolic representation of when my ancestors were enslaved. Later, in the 1930s, my great-uncle, Roy, was kidnapped, shackled and forced to pick cotton at gunpoint. This horrible episode went on for half of his life, as they kept Uncle Roy locked in a barn during the night only to force him to pick cotton at gunpoint during the day. Finally, Uncle Roy dug his way out of the barn one night and made it home safely. You can imagine the fear that ran through my family for decades, knowing that could have been any of us.
From this backdrop and knowledge, as a young girl when I heard someone use the N-word, I always felt embarrassed and small. They didn’t even have to be talking about me. I felt dehumanized like my Uncle Roy being forced to pick cotton. But then starting in the late ’80s, some great young artists began to transform that word. They dropped the ‘er’ and added an ‘a’ and made it something to be proud of rather than embarrassed by.
Since hip-hop took the power back, nobody can make me feel small with that word or any word. That’s why I wanted to sprinkle myself in cotton and dress in the corresponding colonial-style outfit for the photo shoot. I wanted to remix cotton and change its meaning the way those brave artists changed the N-word.”
A true 1 of 1.
Now that you have the context on who Ben and Felicia Horowitz are let’s get back to the topic at hand.
With the help of Nas, Steve Stoute, Michelle Ebanks, Anthony Saleh, Quincy Jones III, Fab 5 Freddy, and Ralph McDaniels, the Horowitzs launched the Paid In Full Foundation which aims to acknowledge these pioneers through their grant-making program, by both honoring the people who built Hip-Hop and enabling them to pursue their creative and intellectual pursuits for the benefit of society.
At their inaugural gala last month in Las Vegas, they honored Rakim and Scarface with their Hip-Hop Grandmaster Award, which includes a $500k grant for each of them. Both of these artists have had a tremendous impact on Hip-Hop and culture.
Rakim aka The God MC aka The R aka The 18th Letter is one of the greatest MCs of all time. Partnering with DJ Eric B., the duo dropped four albums:
Paid In Full (1987)
Follow The Leader (1988)
Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em (1990)
Don’t Sweat the Technique (1992)
Coming out of Wyandanch, New York on Long Island, Rakim is credited with pioneering the use of internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhymes.
He mixed intricately crafted lyrics with clever word choices and metaphors long before it became common.
Following a parting of ways with DJ Eric B., The R released 3 solo albums:
The 18th Letter (1997)
The Master (1999)
The Seventh Seal (2009)
As Jay-Z shared, Rakim gave listeners the jewel of all jewels when he rapped:
“Constant elevation causes expansion…” ~ Rakim from Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Know You Got Soul”
The 18th Letter also got his flowers from Jay-Z in person for paving the roads for the wordsmiths who followed.
There’s also a rapper out of Houston who paved a lot of roads.
Brad Jordan, known professionally as Scarface, is not just a rapper; he's a storyteller, an influencer, and a legend in the hip-hop community. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Scarface's journey in music began in the heart of the South Acres neighborhood, a place that shaped his perspectives and lyricism.
Scarface's entrance into the hip-hop scene was transformative. Joining the Geto Boys in 1989, he quickly became a standout member. His debut solo album, "Mr. Scarface Is Back," released in 1991, set the tone for a career that would be marked by raw, unfiltered narratives about life, struggle, and survival.
Jordan’s albums, especially "The Diary" and "The Fix," received critical acclaim not just for their lyrical prowess but also for their honest depiction of inner-city life.
It doesn’t matter if it’s 1994 and you’re hearing “I Seen a Man Die” for the first time, or you’re catching him on Tiny Desk almost thirty years later, Brad makes you feel every word that he raps. His ability to take the events that are happening in his life and have his listeners capture the exact emotions that he’s feeling is truly unique. Watch Guru tell the backstory of “This Can’t Be Life” and then listen to his verse.
DMX made sure to let him know how he felt about his music and many artists like Ludacris have acknowledged him as being one of the greatest rappers of all time.
It was only fitting that another legend was on stage at the Paid In Full Foundation’s gala praising Scarface. That legend is O’Shea Jackson Sr. aka Ice Cube.
“Look where my stocks at, you study my process
N*—as is crawfish, Me? I'm a Loch Ness
Whenever I drop that, they feelin' like Pac back
Hussle in Crenshaw is like O'Shea in a Sox Hat…” ~Nipsey Hussle “Only A Case”
Maybe I should start with how Mr. Jackson has done it all.
Rapper
Music Producer
TV + Film Producer
Actor
Director
Founder
He’s sold millions of records, produced and starred in both blockbusters and iconic films like “Boyz n the Hood,” “Friday,” and “Barbershop,” directed an episode of 30 for 30, and has an IMDB page full of credits that’s a mile long.
More importantly, he’s had a continued commitment to social justice. His lyrics often tackle issues of racism, police brutality, and social inequality, making him a voice for change. This activism has earned him both respect and controversy, but it has always underscored his commitment to speaking truth to power.
Cube’s legacy is defined not just by his achievements in music and film but also by his unwavering commitment to authenticity and social commentary.
And that authenticity led him to create the Big 3 with his partner, entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The 3-on-3 basketball league consists of 12 teams whose rosters include former NBA stars and international players.
Coaches include Dr. J, George Gervin, and Nancy Lieberman. The commissioner is Clyde “The Glide” Drexler.
Cube has created something that not only is a delight for fans craving hoops in the summer but he’s provided a win-win opportunity for everyone involved. The older legends get to stay close to the game while getting paid to be a part of it, the younger legends get to keep playing the game they love in a competitive environment, and the fans get to see some exciting basketball from players that they might otherwise have not seen.
So it’s great that The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Ice Cube have partnered to create the inaugural Ice Cube Impact Award.
From the announcement, Mr. Jackson shared:
"The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Award named in my honor is truly remarkable, and words alone can't express my gratitude for this recognition from such a prestigious organization. Having an award bearing my name only intensifies my commitment to advancing inclusivity and equal opportunity in sports, alongside my unwavering dedication to community activism.”
No one is shocked that this award will only intensify his commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
Someone who was mentioned earlier in this drop but needs a more in-depth look is Frank Cooper.
Frank is a rare breed.
Most brands and celebrity partnerships are strictly transactional but not the partnerships that Frank does.
Frank’s partnerships stem from a place of authenticity.
He takes the time to understand the artists he’s approaching. He understands the brands he’s representing. He understands the goals of the products that are being created and marketed.
He becomes the conduit of the shared values, experiences, and views between all three.
That’s a real unlock and that unlock has led to tremendous success no matter where he’s working.
That success has included groundbreaking partnerships with major talent like Beyoncé, music and entertainment platform Influence Media Partners, and music hub United Masters.
Frank is currently the CMO at VISA, so it’s no surprise to see VISA partnering and supporting The Boardroom, United Masters’ Selectcon, and the Paid In Full Foundation’s Gala because these are the platforms that are educating and recognizing the right topics and people which is what Mr. Cooper’s legacy has and will continue to be.
Covering these change agents who have lived and/or are living extraordinary lives is a reminder for all of us to make the most of our days and make sure that the things we are spending our time on are important and have a real impact. The kind of impact that lasts longer than our time above ground.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday season and as Nipsey Hussle would say, I’ll be in touch “top of the top.”
The marathon continues. Build your legacy. See you in 2024. 🏁 🏁 🏁