Singer Elle Varner on Creating in Quarantine, Starting A Label, and COVID-19’s Impact on the Music Industry
by Selena Hill

June 26, 2020

Singer Elle Varner on Creating in Quarantine, Starting A Label, and COVID-19’s Impact on the Music Industry

While much of the nation was adjusting to the global COVID-19 pandemic and living in isolation, singer and songwriter Elle Varner was creating music.

Days before New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shut down non-essential businesses and mandated New Yorkers to shelter-in-place, the 31-year-old Grammy-nominated artist purchased electronic equipment from Guitar Center.

“I bought an MPC (music production center), I bought a keyboard and a mini keyboard, a microphone, [and] some padding for my microphone. And I just was like, ‘I’m going get to work,” Varner tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Of course, that didn’t happen the way I thought it would,” she says, admitting that she sometimes got sucked into binging Netflix. However, she managed to push past procrastination and thoughts of self-doubt to create music in her most authentic voice.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles native released “Crazywild,” a song that she wrote, produced, and recorded while sheltering in her Brooklyn home. The guitar-led, mid-tempo jam is the first single from a project she calls “Quarantine Sessions.”

“I’m just proud of myself for putting it out there. The response has been incredible,” says Varner, who graduated from New York University’s elite Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. “I could have been doing this sooner, to be honest,” she says. “I trust myself now, and I’m excited to keep this going.”

Adjusting to The New Norm

This is not the first major adjustment that Varner has made in her musical career. When she released her debut album, Perfectly Imperfect, in 2012–which included the chart-topping “Only Wanna Give It To You” featuring J. Cole and the smash “Refill”–artists were signing 360 music deals and promoting CD’s.

“I was one of the last artists that got a traditional deal. This was right before streaming took over. My first album sold physical copies in store and it wasn’t even on streaming platforms.”

That album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard charts and sold over 30,000 copies in its first week. By the time Varner released her sophomore project, Ellevation, in 2019, the industry had undergone a complete overhaul. As a result, artists could no longer be successful with just talent and grit. Rather, their success was now predicated on their social media following and digital downloads.

Similar to the way technology disrupted the music business, Varner predicts that COVID-19’s effects on the industry will be “massive.” especially since many musicians depend on selling concert tickets to generate income. “For so many artists, their bread and butter is touring,” she explains. “They make pennies from streaming.”

On the other hand, the songstress points out that the pandemic has forced creatives to connect with fans in innovative ways, like the quarantine parties on Instagram Live that have allowed DJ D-Nice to reach new audiences and the “Verzus” virtual battles curated by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.

According to Varner, change is inevitable and change is good. “It’s just a time to take a step back. Everyone’s being reset. It’s happening whether you embrace it or not,” she says. “It’s up to you how you’re going to make that work. For me, it’s just about preparing and being ready when [the world] does open back up so that I can maximize that opportunity.”

music industry
Elle Varner (file)

The Business of Music

In addition to the inevitability of change, Varner’s decade-long career in the music industry has taught her business savvy. “For the first couple of years, I was like, ‘I don’t care. As long as I have money, I don’t care, I just want to shop and sing.’ That did not work out well,” she admits.

After being blocked from releasing music for five years, Varner launched her own record label, signed a distribution deal with Entertainment One, and secured complete ownership of her music.

“I started my own label, 212 Enterprises,” she says. She also applied her newfound business chops to launch a tour earlier this year. “I completely handled all the business. It was an incredible experience.”

Not only did she gain first-hand insight into business operations, she pushed herself beyond her limits.

“We’re capable of so much more than we know a lot of times. I used to say, ‘Well, I’m an artist, I just I don’t deal with that. I’m just an artist.’ No, you can be an artist and an entrepreneur and a businesswoman,” she says. “It’s new to me, but it’s been a great experience. And when I do start signing artists, I’ll have that perspective to offer them as well.”

Watch Elle Varner’s full interview on The New Norm with Selena Hill below.

 


Georgia Man Sues Valdosta Police Department For Wrongful Detainment, Civil Rights Violations
by Derek Major

June 26, 2020

Georgia Man Sues Valdosta Police Department For Wrongful Detainment, Civil Rights Violations

A Georgia man is suing the Valdosta, Georgia, police department for $700,000 after he was wrongfully detained and aggressively handled.

According to the Essence.com, the federal suit was filed last Friday by Antonio Arnelo Smith, who alleges Valdosta police officers detained and injured him during an encounter in February that ended up being a case of mistaken identity.


The lawsuit names Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson, members of the Valdosta City Council, Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan, three Valdosta patrolmen, and one police sergeant as defendants.

During the encounter Smith says he was thrown to the ground and cuffed because authorities believed he was a suspect in a panhandling case. Body camera footage of the encounter shows the incident began peacefully: a Black officer told Smith someone reported suspicious activity in the area. Smith told the officer he was visiting a Western Union inside a Walgreens because his sister was going to send him money.

As Smith gives the officer his ID and explains why he’s in the area, Valdosta Police Sgt. Billy Wheeler walks up to Smith, restrains him in a “bear hug,” and within seconds of telling him to put his hands behind his back, slams him to the ground.

As the officer cuffs Smith, confusion arises as other officers wonder why Smith is being detained. Wheeler, who then admits approaching the scene and detaining Smith without asking any questions, admits he thought Smith was a suspect who had a warrant. The Black officer then tells Wheeler he is not that man.

“It’s two different people,” the patrolman says. “That’s why I was trying to figure out if I had missed something when you told him to put his hands behind his back.”

The city of Valdosta released a statement Monday: “The City of Valdosta and the Valdosta Police Department takes [sic] any report of any injury to a citizen seriously. Although there was no complaint filed with VPD, once the shift supervisor was notified, it prompted the review process of the incident by the officer’s supervisor, patrol bureau commander, Internal Affairs Division and chief of police.”

Americans today are overwhelmingly in support of police reform. Police departments, however, have continued to fight claims of brutality and racism, even though it continues to show up in the news.

Earlier this week, three North Carolina officers were fired after recordings of them using the N-word and threatening the lives of African Americans were discovered.

by Dana Givens

June 26, 2020

LeBron James Receives $100 Million Investment To Build Media Empire

LeBron James is known as one of the greatest NBA players of his time but he is also interested in expanding his empire and legacy beyond the world of basketball. His most recent projects center around producing content in television and film. Now, it has been announced that the NBA Legend will be receiving a huge investment to continue to build out his media empire.

James and business partner Maverick Carter have raised $100 million to expand their brand, SpringHill, into an extensive media conglomerate. The company will include multiple divisions including an athlete empowerment media and consumer product company called Uninterrupted, a culture brand agency called the Robot Company, and a production company. The large investment is being led by Guggenheim Investments, UC Investments, SISTER, and SC.Holdings.


“I’ve always wanted to use the platform of basketball to empower those around me. Now I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to build a company that empowers creators, consumers, and everything it touches,” said James in a press release according to Front Office Sports.

“The SpringHill Company defines empowerment. You see it in the team we’ve built, the stories we tell, and the community our work will serve.”

 

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Incredibly proud of today’s announcement! We started building this company almost five years ago and while I love every project we do and every story we tell…I’m most proud of our team and the message we are sending. Over 100 employees with 64% people of color and are 40% female in an industry that averages 25% (we will get to 50%). Our leadership team is a reflection of our entire organization. I want to thank everyone at The Springhill Company for believing in our vision! We closed this deal in March and I knew our work was going to keep getting more and more necessary. Let’s continue empowering others and striving for change and greatness. Some not pictured but surely not missing! We Are A Monster Team! 🚀👑

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by Alisa Gumbs

June 26, 2020

Miami Law Firm Provides Free Legal Help for Black Startups in Hospitality

As part of the current national movement toward racial equality, a Miami law firm is using its expertise to provide pro bono legal help to Black entrepreneurs.

AXS LAW Group, a full-service boutique law firm located in the Wynwood arts district of Miami, has created a new program to help Black-owned startups in the restaurant/hospitality industry overcome the barriers to entry.

“The time and expertise required to turn a concept and a dream into an actual restaurant can be insurmountable hurdles for many would-be entrepreneurs. These challenges are often magnified for Black entrepreneurs looking to step into the hospitality industry for the first time,” the firm states on its website.

“This is a time for our firm, our city, and our nation to open our hearts and our minds, to listen to the voices being raised in protest, and to respond with action! We stand in solidarity with the Black community and we are excited to use our platform to help make a change.”

Through the AXS LAW Roadmap Initiative, the firm will offer chosen clients pro bono legal help on a case by case basis, including quarterly follow-ups to assess ongoing legal needs.

It will start accepting applications from entrepreneurs across the country on July 1st, and a committee will select clients based on “financial need, business plan, prior experience, communities served” and other factors.

The legal services, such as obtaining an EIN in order to set up a bank account, negotiating a lease, and drafting confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, are part of a package that includes:

  • Entity formation and initial organization documents
  • Lease review and consultation
  • Intellectual property structuring and trademark filing
  • Shareholder/partnership agreements

“The AXS LAW family, like so many others around the world, have been deeply saddened by the heinous killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and so many other Black Americans,” said Michelle White, attorney at AXS LAW Group, in a press release.

“As a firm we are committed to fight systemic racism and to support a community that has always supported us. We are working to make changes within Miami and the country at large, and from that introspection, the AXS LAW Roadmap Initiative was born.”

To receive information about the AXS LAW Roadmap Initiative or to submit an application, contact them at roadmap@axslawgroup.com.

by Derek Major

June 26, 2020

Citi Announces Titi Cole as New Head of Global Operations and Fraud Prevention

Citi has brought on a former Wells Fargo executive as the new leader of its Global Operations and Fraud Prevention team Thursday.

Titi Cole, a 27-year industry veteran with a breadth of consumer banking and finance experience, joins Citi from Wells Fargo, where she served as executive vice president and head of operations. Cole has more than 25 years of experience in risk management, credit underwriting, management consulting, and a bevy of other financial areas.

Jane Fraser, president of Citi and CEO of Global Consumer Banking, says she’s proud to have Cole join the Citi team: “I am thrilled to welcome Titi Cole to Citi. We are excited to have her breadth of industry experience and results-driven leadership heading our Global Operations and Fraud Prevention.”

“Titi is a dynamic, results-driven leader and 27-year industry veteran with a breadth of consumer banking and operations experience across products, lending and customer-centric transformation,” Fraser said in a Citi memo. “Importantly, Titi is a skilled people leader with a track record of developing and leading high performing teams.”

Cole has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and an M.B.A.
from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Cole will start at the position on Aug. 17. Working under Cole at Citi will be regional global consumer bank operations leaders Rob Strub, Kumar Ramachandran, and Beatriz Ruiz. The global team, consisting of Maggie Thomason, Michael Steinbach, Jill Parris, and Andy Stromsness will also work under Cole at Citi.

Cole was named one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America in 2020 by Savoy Magazine and one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate America by Black Enterprise in 2019.

Before working at Wells Fargo, Cole worked at Bank of America for five years as the senior vice president of executive payment solutions, executive retail products, and executive retail products and underwriting.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 26, 2020

Over 300 Black Hollywood Artists and Executives Demand Change With New Initiative ‘Hollywood 4 Black Lives’

With all the recent strife over the mistreatment of Blacks, specifically in Hollywood and in entertainment in general, several hundred artists have banded together to form Hollywood 4 Black Lives, according to Variety.

More than 300 Black artists and executives have signed a formal letter released to Variety stating particular demands to the Hollywood hierarchy. Written by Kendrick Sampson (Insecure, Miss Juneteenth) in collaboration with Tessa Thompson and Black Lives Matter co-founders Patrisse Cullors and Melina Abdullah, the letter addresses issues specific to Black artists in Hollywood.

For the complete list of Black executives and artists who signed the letter and to view all the demands, see it in full at Hollywood 4 Black Lives. You can read the text of the letter below:

To our allies in Hollywood,

Hollywood has a privilege as a creative industry to imagine and create. We have significant influence over culture and politics. We have the ability to use our influence to imagine and create a better world. Yet, historically and currently, Hollywood encourages the epidemic of police violence and culture of anti-Blackness.

The way that Hollywood and mainstream media have contributed to the criminalization of Black people, the misrepresentation of the legal system, and the glorification of police corruption and violence have had dire consequences on Black lives. This includes stories that demonize our mental health as violent. People use these stories to justify the killings of Black people like Deborah Danner, who was murdered by NYPD Sgt. Hugh Barry. It also includes the perpetuation of transphobic stories that people use to justify the murder of Tony McDade in Florida, Nina Pop in Missouri, Dominique Fells in Philadelphia, and Riah Milton in Ohio. We must end the exaltation of officers and agents that are brutal and act outside of the law as heroes. These portrayals encourage cops like Derek Chauvin, the murderer of George Floyd.

The lack of a true commitment to inclusion and institutional support has only reinforced Hollywood’s legacy of white supremacy. This is not only in storytelling. It is cultural and systemic in Hollywood. Our agencies, which often serve as industry gatekeepers, don’t recruit, retain or support Black agents. Our unions don’t consider or defend our specific, intersectional struggles. Unions are even worse for our below-the-line crew, especially for Black women. Hollywood studios and production companies that exploit and profit from our stories rarely have any senior-level Black executives with greenlighting power.

Even with the recent successes of Black-led and produced films and television, myths of limited international sales and lack of universality of Black-led stories are used to reduce our content to smaller budgets and inadequate marketing campaigns. White people make up the smallest racial demographic globally, yet their stories are seen as internationally universal. When we do get the rare chance to tell our stories, our development, production, distribution, and marketing processes are often marred, filtered, and manipulated by the white gaze.

Due to Hollywood’s immense influence over politics and culture, all of the racism, discrimination and glass ceilings Black people in Hollywood experience on a regular basis have direct implications on Black lives everywhere.

Every time a Black executive or assistant is passed over for a promotion, or the marketing or production budget for another Black led film is limited, or when Black agents aren’t supported, Black writers are shut out, outnumbered or diminished, Black hair stylists are neglected, Black grips, gaffers, and camera assistants and operators are shut out of below the line unions—EVERY SINGLE TIME—this gives us less control over our narratives, continues the legacy of white supremacy’s influence over our stories and makes Black people in Hollywood and all over America less safe.

By allowing white people to control and oppress the narratives that affirm Black lives, Hollywood has directly and indirectly inflicted harm and oppression onto our communities. Because Hollywood has been a huge part of the problem, we demand it be a part of the solution. We, as Black people, bring immense, immeasurable cultural and economic value to the industry. We are also suffering from the oppression perpetuated by this industry. We have every right to demand this change.

We demand better. Prove that Black Lives Matter to Hollywood by taking bold moves to affirm, defend and invest in Black lives. Follow the examples of the Minneapolis School District, Denver Public Schools, the University of Minnesota and many other institutions in divesting from the policing system and investing in Black community.

by Derek Major

June 26, 2020

House Passes Sweeping Police Reform Bill

The House of Representatives passed a sweeping police reform bill, one month after the killing of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests.

According to Politico, the bill, drafted by the Congressional Black Caucus, will crackdown on excessive force by police, ban chokeholds, enforce national transparency standards, and push accountability for officer misconduct with a national database to track offenses.

The bill passed by a vote of 263-181. Every Democrat in the House voted in favor of the bill, while just three Republicans backed the bill. Will Hurd (R-Texas), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.).

Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) called the passing of the act a huge step forward in the fight for equality.

“Today’s bipartisan House passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a big step forward in our march toward achieving the ideal of equal justice under law,” Harris said in a released statement. “This legislation is an opportunity for Congress to meet the American people’s demands by specifically addressing the problem of police brutality and holding officers accountable for misconduct.”

The bill passed a day after Senate Democrats blocked a GOP-led police reform bill that would require additional disclosures about the use of force, codify reporting requirements on the use of “no-knock warrants,” and provide incentives for chokehold bans. The bill would also make lynching a federal crime. Senate Democrats considered the bill “flawed” and a non-starter.

However, the House bill has no chance of becoming law as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would not take up the package in the Senate and President Trump said he’d veto the bill, ensuring the issues won’t be addressed until at least next year.

Still, House Democrats considered the passage of their bill an important message in a time where the outrage over treatment of African Americans by police has only grown since the protests started. Since the death of Floyd, other incidents of police brutality and racism have become the biggest subject in the country outside the coronavirus pandemic.

Many cities across the country have begun to re-imagine their police force, cutting budgets and reallocating resources to social issues. The Minneapolis City Council amended its city charter which stated there has to be a police department. The amendment changes it to “a department of community safety and violence prevention” that will take “a holistic, public-health-oriented approach.”

The council says the amendment is the opening salvo to defunding the force and replacing it.

The New York City Council is fighting with Mayor Bill de Blasio as it wants to cut $1 billion from the NYPD’s budget. De Blasio has called for cuts to the police budget but hasn’t said how much.

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said the passing of the bill shows Americans, and not just African Americans, want changes in the way police operate.

“This legislation represents the only way forward. If we’ve learned anything from these past weeks, it’s that the American people are demanding systemic change,” Johnson said in a released statement. “We need bold, transformative action to rethink policing and re-imagine public safety in our communities.”

by Dana Givens

June 26, 2020

Atlanta Teen Raises $160K for Black Businesses Damaged In Protests

Since the protests over the viral video of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, many cities across the country, and even around the world, have experienced rioting and looting after police confrontations and after protests are done. One teenager in Atlanta decided to help out local black business owners impacted by these events.

Seventeen-year-old CJ Pearson is the founder of Last Hope USA, an organization and initiative that supports Black-owned businesses that have been adversely affected by recent events. According to WSBTV, Pearson handed a $10,000 check to the owners of Wilbourn Sisters Designs, a local fashion boutique that had been badly damaged during the protest over racial injustice.


Janice Wilbourn, an owner of Wilbourn Sisters Designs, was overwhelmed with emotion by Pearson’s generous gift. “We’re so excited,” Wilbourn told WSBTV. “We’re truly grateful.” She went on to say she plans on expanding her store to do more than sell clothes; providing sewing lessons and producing face masks in response to COVID-19. 

“We’ll be teaching here,” she said. “It will be more of a learning center.”

With the help of the Georgia Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, Pearson has managed to raise $160,000 to help stores rebuild.

“Let’s show that Black Lives Matter by supporting these Black-owned businesses that were adversely affected by these recent events, and not intentionally,” Pearson said to WSBTV.

Pearson was motivated to take real-world action in light of the recent events rather than just participate on social media. “I think it’s so important to put actions behind our words,” said Pearson. “Posting a black screen isn’t enough. We need to go do something.”

 

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Conservatives don’t just say black lives matter. We show they do.

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by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 26, 2020

The NBA and Players Meet to Determine Action on Social Justice Issues

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have announced that together they are working toward addressing the social justice issues that have been engulfing the country since the death of George Floyd according to both organizations.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum, NBA Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Oris Stuart, and other league officials met with NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts, NBPA President Chris Paul, NBPA First Vice President Andre Iguodala, and several players to further speak about how the league and the players will effectively respond to the current social justice issues in our country.

“The issues of systemic racism and police brutality in our country need to end,” said Paul in a written statement. “As a union of NBA players and as a league, it is our job to use our collective platform to both put a spotlight on those issues and work to effect change. As players, we have taken a leadership role when it comes to using our voices and implementing practical solutions, but there is much work ahead both in Orlando and long-term to continue the momentum and bring about real, long-lasting change to our society.”

The NBA and NBPA are both committing to find tangible and sustainable ways to address racial inequality across the country. The collective group is trying to find ways to combat systemic racism and promote social justice. Increasing Black representation across the NBA and its teams and ensuring greater inclusion of Black-owned and operated businesses across NBA business activities is part of the plan as well as forming an NBA foundation to expand educational and economic development opportunities across the Black community.

“The league and the players are uniquely positioned to have a direct impact on combating systemic racism in our country, and we are committed to collective action to build a more equal and just society,” said Silver. “A shared goal of our season restart will be to use our platform in Orlando to bring attention to these important issues of social justice. We look forward to engaging in ongoing conversations with the players and their Association about our joint league-wide initiative and thank Michele, Chris, and the other players for their leadership toward creating meaningful, long-term change.”

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