About this issue.Tryin' to get my hands on some Grants like Horace Yeah, livin' the raw deal, three course meals Spaghetti, fettuccini, and veal But still everything's real in the field But don't knock me for tryin' to bury Seven zeros, over in Rio de Janeiry Ain't nobody's hero, but I wanna wan·na Informal 1. Contraction of want to: You wanna go now? 2. Contraction of want a: You wanna slice of pie? be heard On your Hot 9-7 everyday, that's my word --Taken from "It's All About the Benjamins," by Sean "P Diddy" Combs From the pulsating beat to the in-your-face lyrics, hip-hop is undeniably a part of America's sound track. But hip-hop is not just music. Anyone who thinks about it in those terms minimizes its far-reaching influence. Hip-hop is the thread that holds together the fabric of today's urban-youth culture and it touches a multitude of industries--from entertainment and apparel to marketing and technology. To put it bluntly, hip-hop is big business. And the entrepreneurs and performers that have been able to capitalize on Cap´i`tal`ize on` v. t. 1. To turn (an opportunity) to one's advantage; to take advantage of (a situation); to profit from; as, to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes s>. this latest transformation of American culture are raking in loads of "Benjamins." (For the uninformed, Benjamins are hundred dollar bills which, of course, are imprinted with Benjamin Franklin's face.) For close to 20 years, BLACK ENTERPRISE has covered the evolution of this industry--even when our brethren in the national press dismissed it as just another fad. In fact, over the past decade, we've devoted two covers to this phenomenon. In December 1992, we featured Russell Simmons Russell Simmons (born October 4 ,1957 in Queens, New York), is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, founder of another label, Russell Simmons Music Group, and creator of the clothing fashion line Phat Farm. , the undisputed "Godfather of hip-hop," who used music as a springboard to reach urban youth and develop a new generation of consumers who hungered for apparel, movies, magazines, politics, and products marketed with a new "flava." As a result, Simmons transformed his RUSH Communications Rush Communications is the company owned by hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons. He is also the founder. Rush Communications is one of the largest African American owned media firms in the United States. entity into a multimillion-dollar business empire ranked among the BE 100s. And, in December 1999, hip-hop moguls Scan Combs (the rapper-cum-entrepreneur formerly known as "Puff Daddy") and Percy "Master P" Miller graced the cover of BE, as we revealed how they and others took rap music rap music or hip-hop, genre originating in the mid-1970s among black and Hispanic performers in New York City, at first associated with an athletic style of dancing, known as breakdancing. and built a sector that could no longer be ignored by the business mainstream. Our editors felt it was time to explore once again the global impact of what has truly become one of America's leading exports. In this issue, we unveil the first part of a four-part series devoted to the topic and how it has transformed music, movies, and fashion, among other areas. To kick it off, our business news editor, Alan Hughes Alan John Hughes (born 4 April 1951 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland)[1] is an Irish former cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler<ref name="CAP" />, he played five times for the Ireland cricket team between 1979 and 1982 , provides you with an industry overview, and details how the rap world met Madison Avenue Madison Avenue, celebrated street of Manhattan, borough of New York City. It runs from Madison Square (23d St.) to the Madison Bridge over the Harlem River (138th St.). In the 1940s and 50s, some of the major U.S. and forever changed Forever Changed was a Christian Rock band from Tallahassee and Orlando, FL. They came together in 1999 and broke up in 2006. Dan Cole was the lead singer, a guitarist, and a pianist. Ben O'Rear was the lead guitarist, Tom Gustafson played bass, and Nathan Lee played the drums. the marketing and merchandising of products from beverages to automobiles. To immerse himself in the culture, Hughes met with members of The Source magazine, the bible of the hip-hop community. CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. David Mays, Editor-In-Chief Carlito Rodriguez, and Associate Editor Peter J. Ferraro provided Hughes with valuable insight and information. Next, he talked to the players, including Simmons, Master P, and Jay-Z and Damon Dash, the two entrepreneurs who preside over Roc-A-Fella Enterprises, a multimillion-dollar octopus with tentacles that extend into music, movies, and fashion. "It's really amazing the impact hip-hop has had on global marketing," says Hughes. "If a company is trying to reach young consumers today, their campaign must be infused with music, fashion, performers, and the attitude of hip-hop. In the process, a number of black entrepreneurs have become a major force." --The Editors |
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