Black Artist Incubator
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2024
AFRO AI: MVP Program
2023
LEARN FROM BLACK INDUSTRY LEADING EXPERTS HOW TO INCORPORATE AI & AR TOOLS
INTO YOUR PRODUCT CREATION TOOLBOX
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
In this exhilarating and transformative 8-week cohort, participants are presented with a plethora of thrilling opportunities. It all kicks off on September 21st with a dynamic lesson and a captivating small challenge that will set the stage on fire. But that’s just the beginning!
In October, participants can virtually immerse themselves in a series of enlightening and absolutely free courses, each designed to supercharge their skills and creativity.
Here’s the real jackpot: aspiring innovators can apply to become part of the prestigious AFRO AI Demo Day, with a chance to secure a groundbreaking $10,000 grant that could fuel their dreams. Exciting, right?
To make sure you don’t miss out on any of these electrifying experiences, we’ve provided the links below for you to RSVP for the kickoff, enroll in the virtual courses, check your eligibility for the grant, and complete the video release form. The journey to your future begins here!
In October, participants can virtually immerse themselves in a series of enlightening and absolutely free courses, each designed to supercharge their skills and creativity.
Here’s the real jackpot: aspiring innovators can apply to become part of the prestigious AFRO AI Demo Day, with a chance to secure a groundbreaking $10,000 grant that could fuel their dreams. Exciting, right?
To make sure you don’t miss out on any of these electrifying experiences, we’ve provided the links below for you to RSVP for the kickoff, enroll in the virtual courses, check your eligibility for the grant, and complete the video release form. The journey to your future begins here!
RSVP HERE
*PARTICIPANTS MUST SIGN A PHOTO AND VIDEO WAIVER
COURSE TOPICS
- Automate Social Media Posting
- Create Album Art and Video
- Clone Yourself
- Best AI Tools for Musicians
- Prompt Fundamentals
- ChatGPT
- MidJourney
- Dall-E 2
- RunwayML
- Generative AI
- Text-to-Audio
- Text-To-Video
- Audio-to-Audio
IMPORTANT DATES
- September 21st, 6:30-9:00pm: AFRO AI KICK OFF EVENT (in person at HiiiWAV headquarters in Oakland)
- October 3rd, 6:30-8:00pm: Course 1 (virtual)
- October 10th, 6:30-8:00pm: Course 2 (virtual)
- October 19th, 6:30-8:00pm: Course 3 (virtual)
- October 24th, 6:30-8:00pm: Course 4 (virtual)
- November 10th, 5:30-9:00pm: Demo Day
All in-person events include Live Performances, DJs, and refreshments
GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS
DON ALLEN III
Meet Don Allen III, a visionary XR and AI futurist known as the "Bob Ross" of the Metaverse, seamlessly blending art and technology. He's graced TED 2023, MIT, and Cannes Lions stages, while collaborating with tech giants like Meta and OpenAI, all while advocating for balanced holistic living and empowered creativity.
LANCE COLEMAN
Lance Coleman is a cutting-edge AI expert and technologist renowned for his innovative contributions to digital strategy projects. Lance has cultivated a diverse portfolio that blends technology and entertainment, most notably collaborating with industry legends like Lil Wayne, Common, The Roots, G-Eazy and Lil B. His work employs advanced A.I software, data , and creative analytics to elevate digital campaigns, audience engagement, and brand development. As Fuze The MC, Lance also boasts a successful music career, featuring a unique blend of rap and soul that’s gained a devoted following. Whether in the world of AI or the recording studio, Lance’s innovative spirit continues to push the boundaries, making him a true pioneer at the intersection of technology and culture.
BENIN SAFFO
Shaping the future of VR is Benin Saffo's mission as a Chief Marketing Officer at Black Product Managers Network, and Ex-Senior Product Manager at Meta. Prior to this role, Benin held a Senior Product Manager position at IBM in New York City for four years.
AARON WADE
Creative technologist at Google Creative Lab with background in computer science, psychology, linguistics, and music. I draw on all these disciplines in order to build things that connect people with each other and with the world. Strong focus on large language models (LLMs) and other generative AI technologies.
special celebrity JUDGE
LUPE FIASCO
Lupe Fiasco, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop artist/producer, and MIT Visiting Scholar. He first became known to the mainstream hip-hop community when he appeared on Kanye West’s album Late Registration on the track “Touch the Sky.”
sponsored by
DEMO DAY FEATURED ARTISTS
GOOROO
GooRoo promotes Black artists in technological roles, fostering representation and inspiration in the Black community. Additionally, it integrates its resources into music education in schools. Emphasizing not just consumption but production of AI technology, GooRoo serves as a pathway for this cultural shift. GooRoo, combined with Metaverse technology, envisions a future where music collaboration and creation is global and seamless. Artists will soon project themselves virtually, recording in real-time using advanced computing and avatars.
BLACK DADDY: THE EXPERIENCE
Over 11 years, Black Daddy members have forged strong professional bonds, collaborating in music, film, and even sharing a GRAMMY© win.
"Black Daddy: The Movie" boasts 25+ accolades and led to Oakland designating June 19th as "Black Daddy Day" in 2022. Their "Black Daddy: The Experience" has seen consistent success, selling out venues like The Battery in San Francisco and Yoshi's Oakland. They've amassed over 15,000 fans across various platforms. Through their work, Black Daddy fosters healing in the black community, promoting meaningful dialogue and community activism.
The F.U.N. Manifesto
The F.U.N. Manifesto/Ayo and The Aquarian Mind have crafted a sustainable online ecosystem driven by music, art, culture, and stories. Their platform leverages these elements to make sustainability both accessible and compelling. They present vital information and access to innovative ideas, products, and culturally relevant services. Their mission focuses on bolstering small Black-owned businesses, including artists. This initiative aims to address unemployment by redirecting community buying power towards truly sustainable ventures.
CHOICE SCORES
Brothers Kev Choice and Tony Vic, under the name Choice Scores, have always collaborated. Kev produced music for Tony during his early rap days, while Tony has long served as Kev's video director and content creator. Their vision is to empower the black community, offering artists resources to innovate, expand their sound, and hone their musical talents.
WORTH.AI
RyanNicole is an award winning multi-hyphenate creative, Rainin Fellow, & Oakland native, focused on bring equity to Black creatives with her latest creation, Worth.Ai
Worth.ai is a groundbreaking rate calculator designed to empower artists and creatives by accurately pricing their skills, talent, and experiences. Worth.ai aims to bring transparency to a traditionally opaque industry, benefiting both the creatives
and those who book them.
GOLD HIVE
A creative studio providing tools for artists to engage more intimately with their fans and for listeners to earn rewards for streaming artists music.
Gold Hive focuses on deepening the artist-fan bond and offers incentives for music streaming. Embracing Web3 technology, they envision a revolutionary music experience that emphasizes private royalty distributions and rewards for dedicated fans.
STUDIO X
Since meeting in 2021, Karina and MJ have collaborated under "The Rollout by Studio X". Karina founded Studio X Recording in the spring of 2021, and MJ joined shortly after its inception.
Since then, the studio has not only catered to hundreds of artists but has also launched an artist development program and hosted various live music events. Their vision centers on fostering unity within the black music community in the Bay Area and offering affordable, professional services for black recording artists.
PROGRAM MENTORS AND PRESENTERS
BOSKO KANTE
Bosko Kante, is an award-winning music producer, inventor, tech founder, and artist advocate, who contributed to Grammy-winning albums and invented the patented ElectroSpit ESX-1 mobile talkbox, now used by #1 DJ David Guetta and Stevie Wonder. In 2020, Bosko Kante founded the nonprofit HiiiWAV: The Black Creative Incubator in Oakland, where he serves as President and Executive Director, guiding the organization's vision, connecting emerging talent with industry leaders, and mentoring underrepresented creators to harness technology for their art and innovative business models while promoting social impact and community wealth.
MILES DOTSON
Miles is a prominent startup leader, product manager, author, and entrepreneur with a track record of over 20 companies. He holds an Audio Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Miami and conducted research at the University of Rochester through National Science Foundation funding. His career has seen him lead technology development, create innovation frameworks for Private Equity-managed firms, and now, he concentrates on crafting sustainable ecosystems for technology creation through new ventures, innovative funding models, corporate innovation engagement, and applied R&D.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
8-Week Immersive Training
Learn from Black legends
Chance to win $10K grant
RSVP HERE
SPONSORS AND PARTNERSHIPS
