Nicki Minaj fans, Barbz, have created an AI kingdom, Gag City, ahead of the release of the artist’s Pink Friday 2 album. The impressive pink creations have been trending across social media. Barbz turn to AI Gag City is an AI-generated kingdom created by Barbz. The pink alternative universe’s name is a wordplay for “gagged,” a slang to describe something amazing or stunning. After Nicki shared the cover art on her album – with her standing on a pink subway in a pink-tinted city – fans came up with the
Blac Chyna, who reportedly made millions per month on OnlyFans, quit earlier this year and has now announced joining the subscription-based creator platform Passes. Chyna – whose real name is Angela White – was among the highest earners on OnlyFans but quit at the time, saying it was a dead end for her, and she wanted to set an example for her two kids in the future. Unlike OnlyFans, Passes doesn’t allow nudity or sexual content. Passes Miami-based creator platform Passes was founded in 2022 by Lucy Guo, who formerly co-founded Scale
Fuse Media has turned to AI dubbing for a Spanish-language version of its FAST channel Backstage. Fuse Media is a Latino-owned, global entertainment company, leading in the creation and distribution of inclusive, purpose-driven stories and experiences for and with culturally diverse young adults. Some of the shows have won awards such as the Peabody, Emmys, Critics Choice, and Candian Screen Awards as well as their diversity awards from NAACP, Imagen, GLAAD, the Gracies, and NAMIC. The Latino-owned platform has now teamed with UK-based AI dubbing company Papercup to launch Backstage
A Black family designed the web series Gracie’s Corner to provide engaging and educational information to Black children through entertainment and music. In a recent interview with The Dig, they shared why they aren’t worried about the impact of AI and children’s education. Culturally Relevant Digital Education A report found that young Black students had increasingly reported their feelings of unwantedness in their academic spaces and the toll of energy they must exert to feel safe in these spaces. In 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
Online dating and networking app Bumble has announced it is replacing founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd with Slack’s CEO, Lidiane Jones. Bumble was designed for women to make the first move, aiming to shift old-fashioned power dynamics and encourage equality in dating. Over the years, the company has also taken a more feminist and safety-oriented stance than its counterparts by enacting policies that crack down on ghosting and the sharing of unwanted sexual photos. Meet Lidiane Jones São Paulo-born Jones grew up in a small neighborhood in Brazil. According to
Taiwanese American model Sheeren Wu has alleged that a fashion designer uploaded an AI-altered image of her to make her appear white. What Happened? Wu took to TikTok to explain the incident as Michael Costello, a designer who has worked with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Celine Dion, posted a photo of her to his Instagram. The image was from a recent LA fashion show, where she states she walked for Costello. However, Wu explained that although it was the black ballgown she walked the runway in, her face had been
Issac Hayes III’s social media platform Fanbase has announced its current equity crowdfunding round has crossed $4.50M. Fanbase Platform Fanbase, launched by Hayes, is a social media platform designed to enable Black creators to cultivate their audiences and monetize their contributions effectively. According to a 2021 study by The Influencer League involving US-based creators, the pay gap between white influencers and influencers of color is 29%. When narrowed further between white and Black influencers, the margin rises to 35%. Fanbase differentiates from other platforms that need brand partnerships or ad
Aphonzo Terrell, who was laid off from Twitter last year, confirmed that his app Spill, which gained popularity within the Black community, has recently raised a $2M extension round and had celebrity investments. The Spill App Terrell and DeVaris Brown – CEO and CTO of Spill – are both former Twitter – now known as X – employees. The two met on their first day working at Twitter after noticing they were the only Black guys on their team. However, when Elon Musk bought Twitter, Terrell was laid off from
African mobile video network StarNews Mobile has secured $3 million in pre-Series A funding to empower African content creators to connect with their fanbase and make money. Notable Black French soccer players participated in the funding round, including Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid CF, Jules Kounde from FC Barcelona, and Mike Maignan from AC Milan. Helping African creators monetize their content StarNews Mobile is a leading African media platform empowering content creators by providing opportunities to connect with their fanbase and monetize their content. It was founded in 2017 by
Global Tech Advocates (GTA) Black Women in Tech has partnered with UN Women to release the world’s first interactive historical map illustrating Black women’s untold stories and impact worldwide. GTA Black Women GTA Black Women in Tech is a not-for-profit global organization based in London, UK. They are dedicated to building bridges of opportunities in tech by enabling Black women to excel and companies to have access to Black women of talent. They recently released The Voices in the Shadow, Volume 3 – a book showcasing the journeys of more
