Artists including Drake, Rihanna, The Weeknd, and Kendrick Lamar are returning to TikTok, as the platform has reached a new agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG). UMG had recently begun pulling its music from TikTok after their old contract expired, and the two companies couldn’t reach an agreement in new negotiations. What Does The New Partnership Mean? The joint agreement aims to mark a new era of collaboration, built on a shared commitment to help UMG’s artists and songwriters achieve their creative and commercial potential. They are also working together to realize new monetization opportunities utilizing
FKA Twigs has been developing an AI-powered version of herself, designed to interact with fans and journalists online. The British singer testified before Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property on Tuesday, calling for regulation to protect artists. AI Twigs: Revolutionizing Artist-Fan Engagement FKA Twigs recently announced the creation of her deepfake, a digital persona aptly named “AI Twigs.” “In the past year, I have developed my own deepfake version of myself that is not only trained in my personality but also can use my exact tone of voice to speak
A high school athletic director in Baltimore has been accused of using AI to impersonate a principal on an audio recording that included racist and  antisemitic comments, authorities said on Thursday. The principal was placed on leave and had police outside his home after he received hate-filled messages and death threats over the fake recoridng. What Happened? Dazhon Darien, a 31-year-old high school athletic director in Maryland, reportedly created the AI audio recording to retaliate against Pikesville High School’s principal Eric Eisworth. Eisworth was investigating Darien over allegations that he
Brand new Techish! This week, host Michael continues his conversation with former Radio 1Xtra DJ Reece Parkinson. Listen on Spotify or Apple podcast also. Watch On YouTube: Missed part one of Michael’s chat with Reece? Catch up here.
Venita Cooper and Vincent Sanders have created an AI-powered sneaker resale price-prediction startup – Arbit. According to their website, Arbit is the only price prediction model designed to empower sneaker buyers to get fair prices in the resell market. They collect real-time prices from trusted sites, providing pricing insights and trend analysis that allows users to shop prices on one app. Arbit’s Journey Cooper’s passion for sneaker culture began in 2019 when she opened Silhouette Sneakers and Art in Tulsa, which attracted attention from Brian Brackeen in 2021. After more than four years in the business, Cooper announced
Gran Coramino Tequila, the premium tequila brand co-founded by Kevin Hart and Juan Domingo Beckmann, has disbursed over $1 million in grants to Black and Latine entrepreneurs across the United States to date. The Coramino Fund Since its inception in 2022, Gran Coramino has dedicated a portion of its sales to the betterment of underrepresented business owners, committing $1 from every bottle sold to this cause. The Coramino Fund, established in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), has now dispersed over $1 million in grants. This funding has reached over 100
Online resources business Hello Alice recently announced its Series C funding round closure despite facing a controversial class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges their partnership with Progressive Insurance to offer grants specifically to Black-owned businesses was racially discriminatory. Hello Alice’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion In October 2023, Hello Alice found itself at the center of a legal battle when America First Legal, Mitchell Law PLLC, and Ashbrook Byrne Kresge LLC filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. This was due to the company’s initiative, which provided $25,000 in grants to 10 Black-owned businesses in
Primary Venture Partners has partnered with over 25 leading New York-based venture firms and startups to introduce the Factor Fellowship. This program will tackle the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) challenges head-on by connecting the city’s VC-backed startups with top talent from underrepresented groups. Addressing Diversity in Venture Capital and Startups The data on diversity within the venture capital and startup landscape shows that only about 13% of venture capital decision-makers are women. Funding for Black founders also declined in 2023, failing to reach the $1 billion mark for the first time since 2016.
Campus, an community college startup that connects students with top-tier professors from universities such as UCLA, Princeton, and NYU, has raised a $23 million Series A extension round. The community college startup In American higher education, community colleges serve as gateways for students aiming to transfer to four-year universities. However, only 16% of these students achieve a bachelor’s degree within six years. Campus operates on a model that rethinks the approach to college education. It is reportedly the first fully accredited, nationally focused community college built on a network of adjunct professors
Brand new Techish! This week, host Michael Berhane sits down with former Radio 1Xtra DJ Reece Parkinson. Listen on Spotify or Apple podcast also. Watch On YouTube:
