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Audius Announces $5 Million Strategic Investment From Katy Perry, The Chainsmokers, Nas, Jason Derulo, Pusha T, Guy Oseary’s Sound Ventures, Electric Feel Ventures, Martin Bandier, And More
 
In a move that leaves no question as to the blockchain winner in the music space, Audius, the blockchain-enabled music platform with more than 6 million monthly users, announced a new $5 million round of strategic funding today from several of the biggest names in the music industry.
 
The capital injection partners Audius with some of the biggest names in music on and off stage. Artists including The Chainsmokers, Katy Perry, Nas, Steve Aoki, Jason Derulo, and many more join industry heavyweights like Maverick Founder Guy Oseary’s Sound Ventures, John Josephson of SESAC, and Martin Bandier, former CEO of Sony Music, to anoint Audius as the favored music platform for artists and as the music industry’s blockchain winner.
 
Some of the biggest artists in the world see the need for alternatives to the current business model. The Chainsmokers, for example, are excited to revisit the roots of their initial success, specifically the ability to share new content with fans more directly:
 
“We got our start sharing music directly with fans and so we are really aligned with the way Audius uses the blockchain to enhance the artist-fan relationship. We plan to upload the stuff we play live, which we wouldn’t typically share on traditional music platforms. It’s a purer alternative to the more polished album rollouts that we will continue to deliver. As an artist it’s empowering to share different creative choices and to test stuff out in a lower-stakes environment. Additionally, for us the role of developing a community around our music has always allowed us to grow and motivated us to take risks. Audius continues to empower the artists and their community to seek freedom in all aspects of their art as the music business hopefully shifts more in favor of the artists fueling the economy.”
 
Music has often been an early adopter of disruptive technology, and it seems blockchain will be no different. Mainstream adoption of Audius is happening in front of us, as over six million users are listening and engaging on a monthly basis. The platform, which recently announced a partnership with TikTok, is now the largest decentralized consumer product on earth and the fastest-growing streaming platform outright.
 
Grammy-winning, platinum-selling hip-hop legend Nas puts it bluntly: “I’ve known that blockchain will change the world since I invested in Coinbase five years ago and I believe it might be the most important technology to ever hit the music industry. Everyone who uploads to Audius can be an owner, you can’t say that about any other platform.”
 
Launched in late 2019, the Audius community has grown to over six million users monthly in just under two years. Artists such as Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, Russ, Diplo, Skrillex, MadeinTyo, Deadmau5, and over one hundred thousand other artists have all uploaded music to the site, which serves as a boundless creative music community rather than a competitor to traditional online music platforms. While the network has catered favorably to independent artists in the past, this news reflects Audius’ first step toward integrating with the existing industry in a cooperative and exciting way.
 
This latest investment was originated by Blockchange Ventures, an early stage blockchain venture fund. It has made over eighty investments in the space and manages over $1 billion in assets.  
 
AUDIUS STRATEGIC INVESTORS INCLUDE:
 
Katy Perry
Nas
The Chainsmokers
Jason Derulo
Pusha T
Steve Aoki
Mike Shinoda
Disclosure
Guy Oseary’s Sound Ventures
Martin Bandier
Michael Kives
Charles Goldstuck
Austin Rosen’s Electric Feel Ventures
Mark Gillespie
John Josephson
Matt Colon
Tom Windish
Victor Victor Ventures
Shivam Pandya

Songwriter, singer, and producer Ryan Leslie could teach you a thing or two about stock investment. Most people do not know that Leslie is an accomplished investor with years of experience in the industry. He was one of the earliest investors to buy Apple stocks, a decade before the company broke the trillion-dollar revenue ceiling.

The “Addicted” hit singer first invested in Apple in 2009, at a time when the company was just a shell of what it is today. His instincts and patience have seen his $100, 000 investment turn to $16 million today. However, Leslie does not take credit for his success in the Apple investment.

“I remember a conversation I had with my mentor. I said, ‘Hey look, man. I took your advice and man, $100,000 to $350,000″ said Leslie while speaking on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast.
He explains that, when his initial investment of $100, 000 turned to $350, 000, he was ready to cash out and buy his mother a gift. However, his mentor advised him otherwise and he took the advice.

” ‘You can go ahead and cash out, give something nice to your mom. We’ll shake hands and I’ll never teach you anything again. Or, you figure out a different way to give something nice to your mom and hold onto that investment and we’ll check in every single year around tax time and we’ll see what it grow to.’ ” Ryan narrated his mento’s response

According to Ryan, having a mentor is important, and using the expertise of those who know the industry is the key to success. Even though he was happy with his initial return of $350, 000, he needed the guidance of an expert to see the future.

“If it was up to me, I’m looking in the mirror and thinking, ‘Man I’m smart. I made a great investment,” he continued. “It’s given me a great return.’…… Sometimes, the lens of expertise and the lens of experience can actually provide you wings that allow you to fly further than you can fly on your own.”

Thanks to his sharp investment skills and teachable spirit, Ryan has gained vastly from a small investment. He advises those who wish to grow their wealth to listen to experts and be patient.

ALT Finance Corporation (“AltFinance”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marcus Shaw as its Chief Executive Officer. Shaw is a visionary leader with extensive experience in the technology, investment, and non-profit sectors. In his new role, he will guide AltFinance in its mission to increase diverse representation across the alternative investment industry.
Marcus Shaw

Today, Shaw will launch the application for the AltFinance Fellowship program at Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College.

The program was developed in conjunction with the four HBCUs, Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a national nonprofit working to transform our country’s leadership pipelines and close the racial wealth gap, and representatives from Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, and Oaktree Capital Management.

The AltFinance Fellowship will introduce students to investing and operations and tap into their entrepreneurial spirit—key elements of a career in the alternative investment industry.

The fellowship is open to sophomores and juniors at the four HBCUs and will provide one-on-one coaching, a career roadmap, custom curriculum, workshops and networking/relationship building, engagement with alternative investment firms, and scholarships to ease the financial burden on students.

Shaw will continue to build and implement the program as it prepares to welcome its first eligible class in Spring 2022.

As CEO, he will also work with The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to create and launch a virtual institute. The virtual institute will be launched in 2022.

“AltFinance is uniquely committed to building and expanding pathways for Black students at HBCUs toward careers in alternative investment management. We believe there is no one better suited to lead our efforts than Marcus, who brings more than twenty years of financial and non-profit experience,” said Trey Pruitt, President, ALTFinance Board of Directors.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome Marcus to AltFinance and look forward to working together to drive increased diversity in the alternatives industry.”

Shaw has spent more than 20 years as an executive in the financial industry with positions at Height Analytics, Piedmont Investor Advisors, and Banc of America Securities. Most recently, he served as chief executive at The Company Lab, a nonprofit startup accelerator supporting entrepreneurial growth in southeast Tennessee. Shaw has also led programs dedicated to innovation, equity and development of young professionals at the Montgomery TechLab and MLT.

“HBCUs are a valuable, yet often overlooked, part of the global talent landscape.

As alternative investments become a bigger part of the economy, we are excited to partner with leading firms to ensure HBCU students are exposed to career pathways and positioned for success in the industry,” said Shaw.

Shaw earned his MBA from Duke University, a B.S. in Mathematics from Morehouse College, and another in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech.
The selection comes after an extensive search by The Diversified Search Group.

The Jazz Tree has deep roots that were planted in New Orleans around 1895 the year that Buddy Bolden started his first band. With 126 years under its belt and a lot of branches and styles growing out of that tree, coming up with a list of the Top 10 Albums of All time is really more a matter of taste than style, but here are 10 Albums that everyone should at least have in their vinyl, CD collection, or their streaming playlist.

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue

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(featuring: trumpeter Miles Davis tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb) –  Columbia – 1959

Since its release in 1959, “Kind of Blue” with over 5 million copies sold, it has become the biggest selling jazz album of all time. It was honored on its 50th Anniversary in 2009 in Congress by John Conyers Jr. of Michigan in House Resolution 894 (HR94), reaffirming jazz as a national treasure.

It has influenced jazz, rock, and classical music, and was ranked number 12 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Beyond the statistics and the all-star lineup, the song titles alone tell you that this is going to be something special. “So What”, “Freddie Freeloader”, “Blue in Green”, “All Blues” and “Flamenco Sketches.”  Put it on and let the groove and attitude in this game-changer take to somewhere “Kind of Blue.” 

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

(John Coltrane, tenor and soprano saxophone, Jimmy Garrison  double bass, Elvin Jones drums, gong and timpani and McCoy Tyner piano) – Impulse – 1965

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This is an album you can just put on and it will take you to a special place sonically and spiritually.  Recorded in one session, “A Love Supreme” is a suite in four parts: “Acknowledgement”, Resolution”, Pursuance”, and Psalm”  the final movement which ends with what Coltrane called a “musical narrations” which he repeats along with a vocal chant sung by Coltrane accompanying himself.  

Though it never charted, by 1970 it had certified Gold with over 500,000 copies sold. If you’re not already a Coltrane fan, start by experiencing “A Love Supreme.”    

With a career that spanned 58 years, hundreds of album releases, and thousands of compositions, this 1956 live recording from the Newport Jazz Festival stands out and revitalized Ellington’s career.

After a 27-chorus solo by Paul Gonsalves on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blues, pandemonium took over and the normally sedate crowd was up dancing wildly in the aisles. 

Duke Ellington – Ellington Live At Newport

(featuring:  Duke Ellington piano, Cat Anderson trumpet, Willie Cook trumpet, Ray Nance trumpet and vocals, Clark Terry trumpet, Quentin Jackson trombone, Lawrence Brown trombone, John Sanders trombone, Britt Woodman trombone, Johnny Hodges alto saxophone, Russell Procope alto saxophone and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves tenor saxophone, Harry Carney baritone saxophone, Jimmy Hamilton clarinet, Jimmy Woode double bass, Al Lucas bass, Jimmy Garrison vocals and Sam Woodyard drums) – Columbia – 1956

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With a career that spanned 58 years, hundreds of album releases, and thousands of compositions, this 1956 live recording from the Newport Jazz Festival stands out and it revitalized Ellington’s career.

After a 27-chorus solo by Paul Gonsalves on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blues, pandemonium took over and the normally sedate crowd was up dancing wildly in the aisles.

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five

(featuring Louis Armstrong, trump and vocals, Earl Hines piano, Jimmy Strong, clarinet, Fred Robinson trombone, Mancy Carr banjo and Zutty Singleton hand cymbals. – Okeh – 1928 

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This is the album that contains the original Louis Armstrong recording of Joe “King” Oliver’s composition “West End Blues.” Armstrong’s recording made in 1928 is known as “the clarion call” that served notice that jazz had the capacity to compete with the highest order of previously known music expression.

Critic Gary Giddens wrote that tune “came to symbolize more than any other, the ascendancy of a classic American Music.  Armstrong’s unaccompanied opening cadenza on “West End Blues” is considered to be the game changer and the defining moment that ushered in later developments in all forms of American music.

 If you want to know where it all began,  add “Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five” to your collection.  

 

Herbie Hancock – Headhunters

(featuring: Herbie Hancock keyboards, Bennie Maupin tenor and soprano, saxello, bass clarinet and alto flute, Paul Jackson bass guitar, Harvey Mason Sr. drums, Bill Summers percussion, Columbia Records – 1973.

As a teenager, you could hear jazz, along with blues, soul, funk songs on Black Radio in their entirety, like the 15:45 version of “Chameleon” the jazz-funk masterpiece that is so in the pocket that it has been sampled and embraced over 45 times by artists as diverse as 2Pac, Frank Zappa, Ice Cube, Public Enemy and Biz Markie, Hancock and friends also offer an updated and funky version of his 1962 composition “Watermelon Man.” Also featured are the tunes “Sly” dedicated to Sly Stone and the jazz-fusion tune “Vein Melter.” Head Hunters became the first jazz album to sell over a million copies and you need this in your collection. 

Time Out – The Dave Brubeck Quartet

(featuring: Dave Brubeck (piano) Paul Desmond (alto saxophone), Eugene Wright  (bass), Joe Morello (drums) Columbia Records -1959

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With its odd time signatures, the unmistakable tone of Paul Desmond’s alto sax, Joe Morello’s crisp and driving drumming, and Eugene Wright holding down the bottom on bass, “Time Out” was rare in it’s day for the unusual risks Brubeck and friends took crossing racial and cultural barriers as a quartet and international barriers as composers.

From the opening track “Blue Rondo a’ la Turk to The classic “Take Five” another tune that has been sampled 34 times and covered over 85 times by everyone from King Tubby, Al Jarreau, Grover Washington Jr., Tito Puente, George Benson, Chet Atkins, Art Farmer and more. “Take Five” and some “Time Out” check out the Dave Brubeck Quartet. 

Ella and Louis –  Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong 

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(featuring: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (vocals) Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), Oscar Peterson (piano), Buddy Rich (drums) – Verve Records – 1956

The Alpha and Omega of jazz vocal styling, scatting, and swing.  Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald come together on this 11 song love affair between two friends at the top of their game performing standards by Irving Berlin, the Gershwin’s, Hoagy Carmichael, and more, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson quartet at Capitol Studios in Hollywood and released on Norman Granz’ Verve label.

It was the first of three albums that Fitzgerald and Armstrong for Verve. This album is pure joy, put it on and get ready to smile. 

Moanin’ – Art Blakey

(featuring Art Blakey (drums), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Benny Golson (tenor saxophone), Bobby Timmons (piano), Jymie Merritt (bass) – Blue Note Records – 1959

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“Moanin’” the classic jazz tune composed by pianist Bobby Timmons for this Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Album marked a homecoming to Blue Note Records and a fresh start for Art Blakey. The album also features compositions from saxophonist Benny Golson, trumpeter Lee Morgan and “The Drum Thunder Suite” a feature for Blakey, in three movements that became a staple of the Messengers book. 

 Performing with one of his best bands, this album will have you bopping your head and tapping your feet, and possibly “Moanin’” 

Wynton Marsalis Septet – Live At The Village Vanguard

(featuring: Wynton Marsalis trumpet, Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson alto, and Sopranino saxophone, Ben Wolfe bass, Herlin Riley drums, Eric Reed Piano, Todd Williams, and Victor Goines, tenor and soprano saxophone and clarinet, and Wycliffe Gordon tromboneAlto Saxophone – Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson) – Columbia – 1999 

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I was first gifted this 7 Disc 53 song CD Box set in 2001. I had heard the Septet in formal venues in Cincinnati and  Chicago, but never in an intimate venue. Re-released in 1999, this live recording captures everything I had been missing.  You feel like you’re in the room with a Wynton Marsalis Septet in Full Swing.

From the blistering version of “Cherokee” on disc one (Monday) to “Altar Call” on disc seven (Sunday). If you’ve never heard the Wynton Marsalis Septet, this live recording at the Village Vanguard will make you want to the next time they are in your area.          

Chick Corea – “Light as a Feather”

(featuring: Chick Corea Fender Rhodes electric piano, Airto Moreira drums, Flora Purim vocals and percussion, Stanley Clarke bass and Joe Farrell flute) – Polydor Records – 1971   

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Spain” is jazz pianist and composer Chick most recognized piece, and from the album “The Light as a Feather” which received was awarded the Best Instrumental Arrangement Grammy for “Spain for Sextet and Orchestra in 2001. 

Corea features Stanley Clarke on double bass, Flora Purim on vocals, Airto Moreira on drums, and Joe Farrell on flute, soprano saxophone, and tenor saxophone, which later formed the core of the group “Return To Forever.” “Light as a Feather” begins with “You’re Everything” and ends with “Spain.” 

Best Black Country Singers

If you like the music of artists like Robert Glasper, Nicholas Payton, and Snarky Puppy who borrow generously from the Chick Corea fusion style, you’ll love “Light as a Feather.” 

I hope these 10 recordings will help you with your jazz collection.

Unlocking Perspective: Why Breaking Away is Essential for Business Growth

Recently, I had the opportunity to gain a full perspective on my business during a trip. One important lesson I learned is the necessity to break away completely. This means disconnecting from social media, limiting cell phone use, and taking the time to truly know oneself.

As the saying goes, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” Breaking away may sound unconventional, but it could be the key to saving your business. Often, we get so caught up in the daily grind that we fail to see the present and future because we’re busy trying to catch up from the past.

“You’ll be amazed at what you will see when you’re not looking.”

There are times when we become so deeply immersed in a situation that we can’t see the light. Whatever mistakes you’re making in your business right now, you may never truly realize them until you step away from it.

So, what does it mean to break away? It means taking a genuine vacation, completely disconnecting. When you’re fully immersed, you’re drowning and can’t breathe. It’s important to include regular vacations in your schedule, especially as an entrepreneur. Take time for yourself, at least once every three months, even if it’s just a couple of days.

During a recent long trip while dealing with a family crisis, I was forced to take a break from work. It turned out to be a blessing. I took an entire month off and only checked emails every four to five days.

One thing became abundantly clear while reading my emails: 99% of them were useless, offering no benefit to me. They were from people who wanted something from me without offering anything in return. In business, it’s crucial to create a win/win/win situation for yourself, your clients, and your target audience. If all three parties aren’t benefiting, it’s not worth it.

By trying to be everything to everyone, I was hindering my own growth while others were profiting from my hard work. It was time to prioritize my passion first, my target audience second, and my clients third. There’s no room for anything that upsets this balance. Here’s to breaking away and gaining a fresh perspective on business.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

First African American Elected Chair of TEDCO’s Board of Directors

Including a diverse slate of executive officers

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced today that its board of directors elected four new Executive Officers at its annual election and welcomed a number of new members. The newly appointed chair of the board is Morgan State University’s (MSU) Omar Muhammad, replacing Myra Norton, CEO of Arena Analytics. 

The newly appointed chair of the board is Morgan State University’s Omar Muhammad.

“I don’t take this opportunity for granted. Working with other board members several years ago, we were able to provide diversity by investing in entrepreneurs (African American and women) and staffing. It is an honor to take the role of chair for this innovative and driven organization,” said Omar Muhammad, chair of the board, and director of MSU’s Entrepreneurial Development and Assistance Center (EDAC). “Myra served as chair with the utmost integrity and I intend to continue the momentum in this next year. After the challenges (Global Pandemic and Racial Inequities) posed on all of us last year, we plan to find more ways to support our entrepreneurs as we navigate this new economy.”

“Omar brings many years of experience leading support for Maryland’s entrepreneurs. His service as board chair for TEDCO will be a gift both to TEDCO and to the State” said Myra Norton, former chair of the board, and CEO of Arena Analytics. “I’m looking forward to seeing this new board leadership continue building the organization for its next stage of growth in service of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Maryland.” 

TEDCO’s new elected officials include the following diverse slate: 

• Chair – Omar S. Muhammad, MSU’s EDAC 
• Vice Chair – Chung Hei Sing, Applied Derivative Research 
• Treasurer – Michael J. Howard, MJH Group 
• Secretary – Jennifer Elisseeff, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine

“There aren’t enough words available for me to express my sincere gratitude for Myra’s support and encouragement,” said Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO, TEDCO. “I felt it from our first chat during the interview process and it continues to this day and always. TEDCO and I are truly indebted to her.”

“Excited seems too small a word for how I feel about having Omar as TEDCO chair,” said LeMaile-Stovall. “His energy, passion and creativity will amplify TEDCO’s mission to new heights. And having both he and I as black men leading TEDCO at this juncture of history isn’t an accident. I can’t wait to work with him and the TEDCO Board to bring real wealth expansion and inclusion to more Marylanders.

TEDCO is managed by a 19 member Board of Directors, 14 of whom are appointed by the Governor, two appointed by the President of the Maryland Senate; and two appointed by the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates – each to staggered 4-year terms. The 19^th member is the Maryland Secretary of Commerce, who serves ex officio.  Each member appointed by the Governor is confirmed by the Senate.

TEDCO’s full board of directors are: Chair, Omar S. Muhammad, MSU; Vice Chair, Chung Hei Sing, Applied Derivative Research; Treasurer, Michael J. Howard, MJH Group; Secretary, Jennifer Elisseeff, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; John Bohanan, Cornerstone Government Affairs; Kathie Callahan Brany, FITCI; Cliff Coppersmith, Chesapeake College; Ellen Flowers-Fields, College of Southern Maryland; Matthew Lee, FASTech; Myra Norton, Arena Analytics; John Parris, Parriad, LLC; Kelly M. Schulz, Maryland Department of Commerce; Amita Shukla, Vitamita; Eben Smith, Three|E Consulting Group; Francis Smyth, Century Engineering; and Robert Wells, Miles & Stockbridge.

Omar S. Muhammad is an entrepreneurship ecosystem builder working with entrepreneurs, small businesses, corporations and government entities. Currently serving as the director and EN-TRE-PRE-NEUR for the EDAC at MSU. He has been actively involved in entrepreneurship since the age of 12, served as a vice president for a non-profit organization where he operated a $4 million small business loan fund within Baltimore’s Empowerment Zone, provided small business counseling and entrepreneurial training for women and other budding and existing entrepreneurs. He served as a business columnist for a national business newspaper and a business radio talk show host for 22 years on National Public Radio. Omar is the board chair for TEDCO and serves on other committees to further build entrepreneurship ecosystems. Omar holds a Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland and a Bachelors of Science from Morgan State University.

Chung Hei Sing is currently the CEO of Applied Derivative Research, an impact-oriented research platform leveraging technology to preserve and grow wealth in a way that positively impacts society. Passionate about impact, he is an advisor to AARP, an aging-focused nonprofit and board member to Corporate Esports Association, an esports for charity and HR-solutions focused organization. Previously, he served in a vice president capacity for a hedge fund and COO for a fintech blockchain organization. Prior to that, he deployed his multi-disciplinary investment and business experience across industries and asset classes to support the growth of various multi-million-, multi-billion-dollar investment firms and their portfolio companies. Chung is a graduate of George Washington University and Harvard Business School.

Michael J. Howard is a private investor, strategic advisor, board member and philanthropist. He is the founding member of the MJH Group, a private investment and management consulting firm. For more than 20 years, Michael has been able to translate his corporate vision and proprietary investment strategy into consistent economic returns and operational efficiencies for the firm and its clients. He was an early investor in several technology companies with successful exits. In addition, Michael was named by a national publication as one of the top private investors in early-stage technology companies. Prior to forming the MJH Group, Michael had a distinguished professional career with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance. Michael is a Certified Public Accountant who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Morgan State University.

Jennifer Elisseeff is the Morton Goldberg Professor and director of the Translational Tissue Engineering Center at Wilmer Eye Institute and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at JHU. In 2004, Elisseeff cofounded Cartilix, Inc, a startup that translated adhesive and biomaterial technologies for treating orthopedic disease, acquired by Biomet Inc in 2009. Also in that year, she founded Aegeria Soft Tissue, a startup focused on soft tissue regeneration and wound healing. She is a member of the National Academy of Inventors (and advises a number of biotech companies around the country). She received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D. in medical engineering from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. In 2018, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine.

Former Delegate John L. Bohanan, Jr. joined Cornerstone Government Affairs in October 2015. He served on the staff of U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for 22 years, and as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for St. Mary’s County from 1999 until 2015. During this time, he served on the Appropriations Committee, chairman of the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee, member of the Capital Budget Subcommittee, and chairman of the Spending Affordability Committee. For 21 years, John was principally responsible for interfacing with the Congressional District’s two largest military installations – Patuxent River Naval Air Station and Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center. John began his career on Capitol Hill and later became a senior staff member with Tracor Applied Sciences before opening an office as a project analyst and operations manager with SFA, Inc. His affiliations include: St. Mary’s County Historical Society; Historic Sotterley, Inc.; the Judith P. Hoyer Blue Ribbon Commission on the Financing of Early Child Care and Education; the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland; and the St. Mary’s County Juvenile Drug Court Team.

Kathie Callahan Brady is a passionate advocate for the start-up community because of its transformative impact on the lives of founders and team members as they, in turn, shape society’s future. As president and CEO of Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI) since 2016, Frederick’s first and largest incubator/accelerator, Kathie reenergized the organization, growing its client base by nearly 300% to 70 members in 2021. An entrepreneur and teacher, Kathie founded four successful companies in various industries and has over 30 years’ executive-level experience in IT, real estate and business development, which she draws upon to help others achieve success. 

Clifford P. Coppersmithis in his fourth year as the president of Chesapeake College where he focuses on the mission to provide liberal arts transfer and workforce training programs for the region. Born in the West Indies, Cliff grew up in Western New York and began his college education at Jamestown Community College. A military veteran, he earned degrees at St. Bonaventure University and Oklahoma State University. He was also an intelligence officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. Cliff began his higher education career teaching history and anthropology at the College of Eastern Utah. He was later an administrator at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Before joining Chesapeake, he was dean and CEO at City College at Montana State University in Billings.

Ellen Flowers-Fields serves as associate vice president for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at the College of Southern Maryland. She oversees all areas of the non-credit economic and community development programming including the Center for Trades and Energy Training, Maryland Center for Environmental Training, the Workforce Center, the SBDC, the Non-Profit Institute, the Transportation Center and adult basic education. Ellen has over 25 years of experience in workforce development and human capital management. Her diverse background includes supporting entrepreneurship and small business development efforts, acquisition, project management and implementation of various federal, state and local programs that address community economic development needs. Throughout her career she has acquired and managed over $100 million in support of various economic and community development initiatives. Her affiliations include: Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland Executive Board Member; National Association of Workforce Development Professionals Member; and the Maryland Economic Development Association Member.

Matthew Lee began his career designing optical data links for ground-based radar and circuits that serviced training devices at the Army Research Laboratory. As an electronics engineer, Matthew managed custom hybrid products in the Patriot Missile System used during Operation Desert Storm. He founded FASTech Inc, based in Rockville, Md., in 1990. FASTech offers a wide range of services including custom application and database design, network engineering and desktop support, web technologies, digital audiovisual technologies, and cybersecurity. He received his master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University.  His affiliations include: KoBE Government Contracting Alliance President; Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Board; U.S. International Development Center President; Acting board member and commissioner, Baltimore Changwon (South Korea) Sister City Committee; County-wide Recreation and Parks Advisory Board; and the Maryland Cybersecurity Council.  

Myra Norton is the president & CEO of Arena, a technology company that helps organizations vitalize, stabilize, and diversify their workforces to improve organizational performance and impact. Previously, she was the CEO of Community Analytics, an analyst at Northrop Grumman, a professor in Mathematics and Statistics at Temple University, Towson University, and the US Naval Academy, and an Administrator in the College of Science & Technology at Temple University. She serves as Immediate Past Chair on the Executive Committee of TEDCO. Norton earned a BS in Math Education from the University of Alabama and earned an MA in Mathematics and an MS in Statistics at Temple University.

John C. Parris is co-founder and managing partner at Parraid, LLC, a St. Mary’s County, Maryland product engineering company focused on telemetry data and mission-critical communication solutions.  Prior to Parraid, John was co-founder and CEO for Smartronix, Inc., which grew from a 3-person startup to a $650M global IT and engineering solutions provider before being recapitalized by New York City-based OceanSound Partners in December 2019. Specializing in Cloud Computing and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Smartronix was a multi-year leader in Gartner’s magic quadrant for global cloud transformation services and provided ISR support services for US Combatant Command clients on five continents.  He is a 1986 graduate of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.  

Kelly M. Schulz is the secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, with experience working in the government, private sector and as a small business owner. She is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates and previously served as the secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor. At Labor, she managed an agency with nearly 2,000 employees and an operating budget of more than $375 million. While representing Frederick County in the Maryland House of Delegates, she served on the Economic Matters Committee with a special interest in legislation relating to financial institutions, economic development, labor and employment, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation. Secretary Schulz obtained her Associates degree from Monroe Community College and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hood College.

Amita Shuklais an innovator, entrepreneur, and writer passionate about helping minds unlock their potential. She is the founder and CEO of Vitamita, which focuses on developing transformative ideas for human well-being, and the author of Enduring Edge: Transforming How We Think, Create and Change. Amita regularly advises individuals, teams, and organizations and delivers talks and workshops to diverse audiences. Previously, she spent close to nine years at the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA) where she evaluated and invested in healthcare innovations. Before NEA, she helped found and lead several startups. Amita serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Johns Hopkins and previously served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the university’s School of Medicine. Amita was first appointed to the TEDCO board in 2010 and is currently its longest-serving member. She holds a BA in biochemistry from Harvard, an MBA from Stanford, and 10 patents.

Eben Smith is president of Three E Consulting Group with two decades of business management experience in both the public and private sector with key emphasis in supplier diversity, strategic sourcing, economic development, community engagement and contracting and procurement. Over the last 20 years he has worked closely with other regional, state and local leaders to create jobs, grow the economy and create capacity in the minority business community. His firm has provided consulting services on some of the biggest projects in the Washington metropolitan region including MGM National Harbor, The Clean Water Partnership P3, PSEG Keys Energy Center, Prince George’s County P3 for School Construction and the I-495 and I-270 P3 Program.

Francis X. Smyth has served as the CEO and president for Century Engineering, Inc. since December 1996, on numerous charitable boards and is a past chairman of TEDCO. Beginning his career by founding and growing a mid-Atlantic regional document storage company to one of the largest in the country, he orchestrated a sale to Iron Mountain Records Management. Continuing with Iron Mountain as a senior executive charged with growth through acquisition, Francis successfully transitioned to acquire his own company, Century Engineering, when Iron Mountain went public. Guiding Century from a 90 person company to over 600 professionals offering services throughout six states, Century is now a partnership of key personnel building for the future. Francis graduated Princeton University with a bachelor’s degree in history, Loyola University Sellinger School of Business with an MBA and was awarded the 2007 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for business services in Maryland.

Robert Wells is a principal attorney at Miles & Stockbridge.  He focuses his legal work on healthcare regulatory and corporate matters, advising clients on a broad array of complex legal and operational matters, including corporate compliance and complex regulatory issues. His entire career has focused on counseling leaders and executives to help organizations achieve their business goals and objectives.  Robert has served on the governing bodies of educational institutions, including West Virginia University and Indian Creek School School in Crownsville, Md. and has been selected for inclusion by Best Lawyers in America© and recognized as a leading lawyer for healthcare by Chambers USA©. 

About TEDCO 
TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

Reaching out to share a brand new episode of “Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing,” hosted by Bob Pittman, Chairman, and CEO of iHeartMedia. In this week’s episode, Pittman speaks with Ben Horowitz, the co-founder and general partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

In this incredibly insightful episode, Ben discusses hip-hops influence on his career and management style; what the best entrepreneurs have in common; how company culture should adapt and doesn’t need to be rigid, and so much more. I hope you can share this episode with your readers/ include them in any podcast roundups/newsletters you have coming up in the near future. See below for an episode overview and the podcast embed widget.

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What do start-up founders and hip-hop artists have in common? According to Ben Horowitz: a lot! Since his teenage years, Ben has been inspired by hip hop artists’ ability to create something from nothing– and he took that guiding ethos with him to Silicon Valley. So even when industry giants shrugged off what would become the internet as we know it, Ben always saw it for what it could be… and in his roles at Netscape and Opsware, Ben actualized it. Learn how at his VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, Ben is helping entrepreneurs actualize their big ideas. Plus, Bob and Ben travel in time to look at the future of some of today’s biggest topics: remote work, video streaming platforms, biotech, and, of course, audio.

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The 10 Black-Owned Banks In the US

Banks have played an important role when it comes to the facilitation of the American dream.

Although no black-owned banks existed in the US before 1888, they have caught on with the additional services they offer.

The black-owned banks give their customers the chance to access resources they need financially speaking as well as the opportunity to invest in not only their community’s well-fare but also in their financial health.

Another key factor is that black-owned banks play a key role in the fight against racism in modern times. We will look at the black-owned banks as well as the owners in the US.

The importance of black-owned banks.

To be able to comprehend the importance of black-owned banks fully, one should be able to understand the overall roles that banks play in one’s financial life. These include;

• Checking accounts. This is a provision that ensures that the customers’ funds have safe storage and it is usually in exchange for some fee that is agreed upon. With that, banks are also giving loans to both institutions as well as individuals to suit whatever needs they may have.
• Mortgages. This is yet another important role banks play. Mortgages are issued when one is dealing with real estate or maybe looking into making purchases that concern real estate.

Other than these functions, there are other functions that black-owned banks do, such as launching programs that are aimed to help the individuals who can hardly access those services if left without help. Most banks do not agree to give out loans to individuals whose income is below a certain bracket. What makes this worse is that the color of their skin also plays a role. There is still hate crime highly associated with black people.

The black-owned banks, in this case, act as their saving grace. They are, in most cases, willing to accept loan applications from individuals who have been turned away by other banks due to several factors. Looking past risks and all factors put into it, black-owned banks can find a way to help the less advantaged black people.

Black-owned banks also usually focus on small businesses as well as start-ups, black people who want to be homebuyers, and non-profits. Since 2018, all the black-owned banks have become community banks. This means that they are institutions that dedicate their services to supporting the economies of their respective communities.

Even in the most difficult times, the black-owned banks have been seen to stand strong by their customers. An example of this is when there was a financial crisis in 2007 and 2008 and a drop in mortgage lending by 69%, yet in terms of the black-owned banks, their borrowers increased by 57%.

These black bank owners, as well as their banks, play a vital role in society in ways such as offering alternatives for residents who have been affected by discrimination from other banking institutions. They also provide opportunities for the low as well as the mid-income earners to be able to access loans to better their lives. The impact they have on society at large is very much admired and should be appreciated.

OneUnited Bank – https://www.oneunited.com

Who is the OneUnited Bank?

OneUnited Bank is the largest black-owned bank in the United States of America. It is a Massachusetts-chartered trust company with its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The bank is not only registered by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation).

Still, it is also certified as a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) by the United States Department of Treasury. The bank has its mission as creating an institution that can garner people’s spending power such that it can be channeled back into the community. It also boasts of focusing on both money as well as technology in playing their part in terms of the reduction of the racial wealth gap.

The history of OneUnited Bank

Previously known as unity Bank & Trust Company, this bank was founded in 1968 in the neighborhood of Boston, which is currently known as Nubian Square, to lend to homeowners and local businesses exclusively, thereby revitalizing the area. The bank failed after nine years of operations, which gave birth to the Bank of Boston Commerce.

In the 1990s, the FDIC placed the bank under a cease-and-desist order. The leaders of the bank, including the current chairman, were able to get a significant capital infusion. Over several years, the bank acquired three other banks that were African-American-owned and were headed for failure.

Boston Bank of Commerce became the first interstate black-owned bank in America after it acquired the People’s National Bank of Commerce. The bank merged with Founders National Bank of Los Angeles in 2001 and rebranded to OneUnited Bank.

Who is on the board of OneUnited Bank?

Kevin Cohee is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer as well as the owner of OneUnited bank. He spearheaded the black movement of the bank after the issue of police brutality in 2016. The Vice-Chairman is John L. Sims. Teri Williams is the President and the Chief Operating Officer. Other board members are Deloris Pettis, Richard D. Carr, Leander J. Foley, George A. Russell Jr., and Leon Wilson.

Greenwood Bank – https://bankgreenwood.com

Who are the Greenwood Bank?

Greenwood is a black-owned financial institution that offers modern banking for the culture in Atlanta, Georgia. The bank was first announced in October 2020 and already had five hundred thousand prospective members by January the following year. It was set to open in early 2021, but the bank’s services got delayed due to the unexpectedly high demand.

It was then scheduled to commence its operations in July that year, with public access expected to begin in 2022. The bank offers its banking services and debit card using a partnership with Coastal Community Bank.

The history of Greenwood Bank

Greenwood Bank was founded by Andrew Young, who is the former mayor of Atlanta; Ryan Glover, who is a media executive; and Michael Render, also known as Killer Mike, a rapper-activist. The bank was started with three million dollars from private investors to address the shortage of banking services for people of color and the general representation of these people in the traditional banks.

The name is inspired by the community of Greenwood, which Gurley founded in the early 1900s to build a place where black people could prosper. The community thrived up until 1921, when there was the Tusla massacre that robbed the residents of all their hard work as well as their lives.

Who is on the board?

Ryan Glover is the founder and chairman of the Greenwood Bank. He has over twenty years of experience in the delivery of products that have their main focus on the African-American community. Michael Render, ‘Killer Mike’, is the bank’s co-founder and is a businessman, activist, songwriter, actor, and rapper. Amb. Andrew Young is the other co-founder and board member who is the mayor of Atlanta, a US congressman, an activist as well as an ambassador.

The Alamerica bank – https://www.alamericabank.com

The bank was set up by the area leaders of Birmingham, who had identified that there was a need by both customers and businesses for more personalized banking services.

The bank came to life officially in 2000, on the 28^th of January. Since then, it was finally able to achieve its profitability operationally after six months. Since then, it has grown to become one of the strongest institutions Birmingham has.

The Alamerica bank has its owners as the board of directors, who include Mike Weaver as the chairman, Lawrence Tate as the CEO and president, Matthew Morris, and Jacqueline Anderson Smith.

City First Bank – https://cityfirstbank.com

The black-owned bank has its foundation in Los Angeles and was founded as a bank that was to be community-focused in 1946.

Since then, it has been able to achieve a single office that deals in loan production and three branches that are more traditional banks. It is one of the remaining black-oriented banks, with its headquarters in Dallas.

The bank has its CEO and president Wayne- Kent A, and the chairman of the directors’ board Vigil Roberts.

The Brookland Federal Credit Union – https://www.brooklandfcu.org

The Brookland Federal Credit Union is found in the West of Columbia in the United States. It is part of the intermediation industry of depository credit. The institution was founded in 1999 and is currently led by Ronald Cooley.

Carver federal savings bank – https://www.carverbank.com

Carver was founded in 1948 through the leadership of M. Moran Weston. Joseph E. Davis was the co-founder. It has been stated as the largest financial institution that is black-owned in the US. It has a holding company, that is Carver Bancorp, inc. The current CEO of the Carver Federal Savings bank is Michael T. Pugh, who has been the president since 2015, 1^st of January.

In the starting stages, it had purposes such as helping the homeowners who were people of color to secure mortgages, providing training of black people to allow them to work in other banks, and even hiring leaders to be, for example, T. Greene.

Carver State Bank – https://www.carverstatebank.com

Carver state bank is a financial institution that is black-operated and has been up since 1927. The bank operates in Georgia. The foundation of the bank was in 1927 on the 23^rd of February. The founder was Louis B. It was originally known as Georgia Savings and Realty Corp. The name was permanently changed in 1962 when it started issuing checking accounts to Carver State Bank. The bank has its name from George Washington Carver.

The current president of the bank is Robert E James, with its Vice President being Deborah C Mcintosh, among other officials who facilitate its smooth operation.

Citizens Bank – https://www.citizensbank.com/HomePage.aspx

Citizens bank started as a savings bank (one-cent) in Tennessee.

The institution changed its name in 1920 to Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Co. It has branches in both Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee. Its main office is in Tennessee. 

The services that the bank offers include loans for both personal and business needs and banking options also for both personal and business needs, such as savings as well as checkings and also credit cards.

Citizens trust bank

Citizens Trust Bank was founded in 1921.

This was by five colored businessmen. Since then, the bank has managed to get the title of being certified federally as well as to be one of the biggest financial institutions that are African American-owned in the whole nation. The bank boasts of assets that accumulate to over 388 million dollars.

Citizens Bank has its mission which is to empower not only their customers but their customers’ families as well for them to be able to succeed. Owing to this, the bank was able to launch an educational program that was free in 2015. The sole purpose of the program was to educate the young adults on the issues of managing money and budgeting, as well as the tools that one needs for them to be able to not only acquire as well as build but also be able to sustain their generated wealth. 

Cynthia Day is the current president and the CEO of the Citizens Trust Bank.

Columbia Savings and loans – https://www.columbiasavingsandloans.com

Columbia Savings and Loans is a financial institution that is black-owned and has one location, which is in Wisconsin (Milwaukee).

Wilbur Halyard and Ardie founded the bank. The main reason for the start-up was the fact that they wanted to establish a way that Milwaukee’s community, which was African American, could be able to access mortgage loans.

 The institution gives church loans, home loans as well as any personal loans one may need. Because Columbia Savings and Loan does not have the option of accessing it from an app on the phone, if one is interested in getting services from them, they are required to work with the branch directly.

George Gary is the current president of Columbia savings and loans.

Commonwealth National Bank – https://www.ecommonwealthbank.com

The commonwealth national bank was founded in 1976.

It is one of the remaining black-owned businesses in the country. A financial institution is a commercial institution that is nationally fully serviced and chartered.  It has its main branch in Mobile. It is majorly based in Alabama.

More banks are below …

• GN Bank (HQ: Illinois) Website
• Liberty Bank and Trust Company (HQ: Louisiana) Website
• First Independence Bank (HQ: Michigan) Website
• Mechanics & Farmers Bank (HQ: North Carolina) Website
• First Security Bank and Trust Company (HQ: Oklahoma) Website
• United Bank of Philadelphia (HQ: Pennsylvania) Website
• OPTUS Bank (HQ: South Carolina) Website
• Unity National Bank of Houston (HQ: Texas) Website
• Industrial Bank (HQ: Washington DC) Website

I will not deny one of the things I really love about Los Angeles is waking up each and every day to extremely bright sunshine it is an amazing feeling to get out of bed and know that the weather is going to be amazing.

I dreamed of living in LA as a kid growing up in Buffalo, New York a far cry from Los Angeles and a culture shock upon arriving.

In 1979, I talked my high school teacher’s aide named Debbie into bringing the drama class to Los Angeles for a trip. We were the first class at the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts. One great thing about Buffalo is the school system there today. Debbie had lived in LA and had moved back to Buffalo, we could not understand why she did that but if I remember correctly she had to take care of an ailing parent.

I’ve been here since 1990

I remember when I first got here, people were telling me LA was no joke, and either you succeeded quickly or you would end up returning wherever you came from. Over the years, I’ve seen that happen repeatedly. Today while many things are the same in LA as they were 30 years ago, things have also drastically changed.

One thing remains the same the lure of LA for people, especially young people to come here and make it big. It’s possible and I’ve seen it happen however there are certain things that you also have to consider besides that may or may not make you want to reconsider.

Los Angeles has always been the capital of show business but that has drastically changed over the last 10 years markets like Atlanta are exploding especially for Black talent as to where a lot of black movies black TV shows and even regular movies are being made. In addition, small towns and midsize towns have become more charming and affordable to LA people who can now do a lot of work from home thanks to technology.

While you have your eye on LA, LA has its eye on talent nationwide, including YouTube channels, podcasts, and more. You are ALWAYS in the driver’s seat when LA comes to you vs the other way around.

If you must come to Los Angeles I want to give you a few tips that are absolutely necessary to survive in this town.

Be prepared first and foremost.

LA is a beautiful place if you can get around a LOT of homeless people and traffic like you’ve never seen before those two things alone make a lot of people leave (150,000) in 2020 but if that doesn’t stop you…

LA TAKES A LOT OF MONEY: Get your inheritance from your parents and grandparents now.

LA is extremely expensive from rent to food to restaurants to gas to utilities you’re going to spend a lot of money in order to wake up to great sunshine each and every morning.

It seems that the middle class is gradually disappearing from the number 2 market and you are either homeless or willing to pay $1 million for a very basic house at this point. So make sure you come with as much money as you can.

Lack of Black Culture

For a city as big as LA the Black population is less than 10% Black it’s a majority Hispanic and White so if you come from a place where you love backyard barbecues and old-school music and black nightclubs you’re probably going to be very disappointed.

That’s not to say that these places don’t exist but you have to drive into the certain parts of town to get to them. Seem easy? Please see the next paragraph about driving in LA.

Traffic, Like You’ve NEVER Seen!!

You literally and I mean literally may have to book a hotel room if you’re driving across town at almost any given time in Los Angeles.

Your chances of getting back in a reasonable amount of time are very slim not only if you run into the rush hours but also for most of the day and even well into the night.

You have absolutely never seen traffic like traffic in Los Angeles. It makes you tired and makes you frustrated and it pisses you off so if you don’t mind sitting in traffic for extremely long periods of time welcome to LA.

I have literally known people who left LA JUST because of the traffic.

Renting an Apartment

Be prepared to provide any and everything to prove your creditworthiness to get an apartment in Los Angeles the average price for a one bedroom on the lower end it’s gonna be about $2100 on the high end can be anywhere from 5000+ per month.

There is no guarantee that $2100 is not going to come with a lot of problems. NEVER rent on the first floor, always get the highest floor possible. Landlords are seemingly very lenient on people with several kids moving into one-bedroom apartments above you and it can be a nightmare.

Note that if you like the sun … MOST apartment complexes will show you the hardest to rent places FIRST, usually dark during the day, on the first floor and undesireable there’s a good chance they may even tell you that’s all they have, be willing to leave and watch more apartments magically appear. If they don’t keep walking. Remember you have to live there for the next year.

The best deals are in the valley of LA which at one time wasn’t too far but when you consider traffic it’s actually pretty far now to get into mid-city or Hollywood and other areas.

The other great thing about The Valley is less traffic restrictions and signs. If you park anywhere in LA you are going to either pay a meter or the tow company to pick up your car. The signs are so confusing you would be better off paying for parking in a lot.

In addition, the city has been known to put signs up at night with twist ties that were not there when you parked and you may return to see that your car has been towed.

Los Angeles has become a Hub of Smaller Cities

Be prepared to spend a lot of time wherever you live because of traffic it’s a necessity if you have appointments or other things on the other side of the city or you want to go to the beach or have activities you have to plan well ahead I’m talking days maybe even weeks.

Make sure you live near grocery stores, gyms etc.

It is amazing that 150,000 left the city last year but it seems even more crowded I would surmise that comes from the fact that many people are a 3, 4 and five deep in an apartment and they all have cars instead of one person having the apartment and one car this is what’s causing the traffic problem in LA.

Finding Friends

This really hasn’t changed much since I first got to Los Angeles 30 years ago The late Luther Vandross once told me the best way to survive in LA is a find a small group of friends and do everything with that group.

He was absolutely right if you’re in the business as in entertainment you’ll find very few friends and a lot of competition … be prepared.

Unfortunately, whenever a place is competitive people tend to shy away from friendships and more on their craft.

You may spend a lot of time alone as you get used to Los Angeles but eventually, you’ll find your place and space. I’ve known many people who come to LA as very nice people who ended up very hard. LA can change you.

Buying a Home

You will be shocked when you see what you will get for what is becoming more and more the average price of home at $1 million.

A similar house in any other market would easily be half the price or even less. $1 million is not gonna buy you a whole lot of house in Los Angeles.

If at some point you want to get out of renting and buying a home is a better idea just know LA has some of the most expensive real estate in the country.

Gyms

There is absolutely no shortage of Gyms in Los Angeles there’s almost one on every corner. In a place where looking good is paramount you will certainly have enough options to join the gym. You will also see a lot of people working out in the small parks around the city and there are many classes dedicated to Fitness at various Storefronts

Celebrities

You are very likely to see any number of celebrities at any given time during the day especially in places like Starbucks. You will see anybody from huge rock stars to reality stars but they never stay, they get in line, get their coffee and leave.

Most people ignore them but if you freak out and make a big fuss over them you will be completely out of place and make a fool of yourself.

Say hello and move on. Most of them don’t trust many people so they are often distant.

Making Connections

In all honesty truly successful people in Los Angeles do not meet at Starbucks but you will see a hell of a lot of people having conversations about the scripts they have written agents they have etc.

Auditions they have been on etc. Most of the people you will run into who are spending a lot of time in Starbucks are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Successful people in LA do a better job of being below the radar than those trying to make it. It makes sense, they have nothing to prove and nobody to impress.

Culture shock

One of the things that you’ll see immediately when you come to LA when you meet people is they will ask you what you do? This may seem rude but they are deciding if they want to have anything to do with you. If you tell them you are new in town and trying to get on, they may shun you. As I said earlier it’s very competitive.

You can survive in LA if you remain laser-focused on your goal and make sure you use your time wisely. There will always be time to hang out with friends and drinking but honing your craft is paramount if you want to succeed. And of course, a little luck goes a long way. Be in the right place at the right time.

Good luck

Dl Hughley is an amazing media figure who stands on his own two feet and doesnt back down. He speaks from the heart and at times has pissed people off and also made others rally around his points but the best thing about DL is that he does not allow himself to be a conformist or to portray a “dumbed down” black radio host on the air.

He speaks his mind and he expertly does it with a hint of comedy. He is a modern day Dick Gregory. Here are a few times DL said what what on his mind to the delight of some and dismay of others.

DL Hughley Gets into Heated Debate with Megyn Kelly over Police Shootings

Despite his position in radio, comedy, television, and film, DL Hughley never hesitates to speak his mind.

He truly tells it like it is, which is why he garners so much respect among his peers, fans, and followers.Hughley made an appearance on Fox News’ Kelly Files to discuss the recent police shootings and promote his new book, “Black Man, White House.”

DL was speaking on the unfortunate death of Philando Castile but he became visibly upset when he learned Mark Fuhrman was also invited on the Fox News show to comment on police shootings. Everyone should recall Mark Fuhrman as he was convicted of perjury after denying the use of the word “Ni&&er” in the infamous 1995 O.J. murder Simpson trial.

We all know how Fuhrman impacted the trial but but back to the lecture at hand.Hughley and Kelly went back and forth, talking over one another as they discussed the Mike Brown case as well but the gloves came off when DL just told it like it was.

“The only place racism doesn’t exist is Fox News and the police department,” Hughley sarcastically said.

“That’s absolutely true.””That’s insulting,”  Kelly said. “You just insulted millions of people watching this channel.””And I’m insulted by the things I hear on this network, so we’re even,” DL replied.

“I could care less about insulting people that insult me on a daily basis.”The conversation continued from there as Megyn Kelly was able to deescalate the debate by finding some common ground to focus on. Don’t take our word for it, check out the clip below.

DL Hughley Has Similar Story as Black Couple Who Used White Friend for Better Home Appraisal

Racism is woven into the fabric of the United States. In almost every way possible, Black people are faced with challenges unlike any other when we are just trying to exist.

A Black couple had to literally use their White friend to pose as the homeowner of their home to get a better appraisal. What was the result?

A 500K difference. DL Hughley posted the story via his IG and stated in the caption that a similar thing happened to him as well in the past. Can we live?

 

 

 

 

 

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DL Hughley on Breonna Taylor: Grand Juries Meet in Private … and so do Grand Dragons

D.L. is truly the next generation Dick Gregory but D.L. always finds a way to bring humor into the mix. Here he talks about the Breonna Taylor decision not to charge the officers involved and he makes some harsh points.

DL Hughley Says He Tried to Tell Us About Terry Crews

In the last few days, actor Terry Crews has been criticized by several people for the following tweet, “If you are a child of God, you are my brother and sister. I have family of every race, creed and ideology,” the “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” actor tweeted early Tuesday. “We must ensure #blacklivesmatter doesn’t morph into #blacklivesbetter.”

Everyone from Amanda Seales, who recently hosted the 2020 BET Awards, to Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King has addressed Crew’s tweet basically expressing their disappoint in his take on the Black Lives Matter movement.

While they approached Terry Crews in that manner, leave it up to DL Hughley, who is still resting after passing out on stage due to exhaustion, to chime in as only he can.

As most of us know, he and Terry Crews have a bit of history after DL questioned the way Crews handled his sexual assault claim about a Hollywood executive who groped him.

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I’m not one for “I told you so”, BUT DAMMIT I TOLD Y’ALL!!???????????? This Covis got me weary, somebody come get this damn phone???????????? #TeamDL #PettyPendergrass #PettyRiley #PettyRuxpin #PettyRoosevelt #TerryCrews #itoldyou #covid19 #coronavirus #truecolors

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DL Hughley Says Hes Never Slept with a White Woman, Even his Mistresses Were Black (video)

DL is promoting his book and says that the death rate for white people is highter than the birth rate for the first time.

DL Hughley Says it’s Surprising that Prince is Gone and Bobby Brown is Still Alive

As usual the whitty and thought-provoking DL Hughley makes some interesting points on this VLADTV interview.

DL Hughley Says Michael Jackson and R. Kelly were Horrible Babysitters (video)

D.L is at it once again blending comedy with tragedy and making several great points on the Wendy Williams show recently. He was also there to promote his new show on TV One.

dl-hughley-states-the-most-dangerous-place-for-black-people-to-live-is-in-white-peoples-imagination

DL Hughley States The Most Dangerous Place for Black People to LIve is in White People’s Imagination

“If they saw a black person, they would devalue a home.”

In this episode on the #GEDSection, DL Hughley talks about the devaluation of assets in black neighborhoods. Hughley talks about how there is a notion of when people of color would move into a neighborhood, the property value would drop.

Not because things would happen but because of the white people’s perception of people of color. He also discusses his own experience with trying to sell a home but was given an estimate that was lower than the property was worth. You can watch the episode down below.

DL Hughley on Recent Police Shooting: “Taking a Black Life is Like Wild Game Hunting”

DL Hughley Show speaks on Recent Racially Profiled Police Shooting of Jemel Roberson in Chicago

DL Hughley discusses how law enforcement and the media can often overreach authority when it comes to the lives of black people.

He talks about the security guard, Jemel Roberson, who was shot and killed by police while trying to detain a suspect at a bar outside of Chicago recently waiting for the police to arrive.

When an officer spotted Roberson with his gun pointed at the subject the officer opened fire on the security guard and killed him.

Hughley compares the situation to the recent mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, CA where a gunman walked into a club killed 13 patrons including a sheriff who was the first responder to the shooting. Watch the video below.

DL Hughley says if Kim Kardashian Can Visit Trump and Free a Black Woman, Black Preachers Should’ve Done More

Hughley is just too merch, to MERCH. DL Hughley is truly using his gift on the mic. We’re a little late on this but here it is. DL Hughley is actually going to church on the audience here and letting Pastor John Gray have it for saying he did the visit as God’s work.

Hughley says How do you have an audience in front of the king (Trump) and not address children being deported, the unfairness of the judicial system, etc. See video