Where Are They Now: 7 Powerful Business Leaders Who Changed the Game

Karl Kani

Born Carl Williams, Kani is president and CEO of the clothing brand Karl Kani, which launched in 1989 when he was 26. In his first year of chasing after his dream, the company made a whopping $43 million in sales.

The innovator and entrepreneur was the first African American to launch a hip-hop fashion brand. People magazine named him one of the 100 richest black Americans in 1996, earning him the nickname “King of Black.” He also goes by the moniker ‘The Originator,” paving the road for and inspiring other entrepreneurs in urban fashion. Today, he is still producing hip-hop-inspired clothing and his brand is as big as ever.