TikTok Announces New Round of Support Black Business Accelerator Program

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In recognition of #BlackBusinessMonth this August, TikTok announced the third round of their Support Black Businesses accelerator program, which aims to elevate Black voices on TikTok by providing exclusive access to resources, advantages, and networking opportunities and is now accepting applications. The Support Black Businesses accelerator program highlights the originality, innovation, and substantive impact that Black-owned businesses bring to TikTok and other platforms.

Support Black Firms’ third cycle expands on the program’s initial debut in 2020 by offering more advantages to help Black businesses, innovators, and entrepreneurs succeed. Selected participants will gain special access to business resources and perks during the four-week virtual program. They’ll also join a group of like-minded founders and business owners to interact, encourage, educate, and inspire one another.

“The TikTok Support Black Businesses Program has had a significant impact on our business,” said Sahr, CEO of Love You Cookie and a participant in the 2021 cohort of Support Black Businesses. “Not only did the program give us national exposure, it also gave us the tools and the resources to succeed on TikTok.”

With the hashtag #BlackOwnedBusiness, TikTok will commemorate and highlight the incredible work done by Black-owned businesses on the platform throughout August.

Those Black-owned companies that match the requirements are invited to apply for the following cohort. To qualify, you must be based in the U.S., offer a product or service online, have a social media presence, and commit to attending each week’s required webinar. Early in September, finalists will be informed, and on September 12, the program will start. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.

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Kendrick Lamar and Spotify Launch New In-App Experience

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My Top 5: Kendrick Lamar Projects, a new, interactive in-app experience that allows users to choose their top 5 favorite Kendrick Lamar projects and share them on social media, was introduced by Spotify.

Kendrick Lamar’s latest album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, shot to the top of the charts shortly after its release and currently holds the record for being the most listened Hip-Hop album of 2022 on Spotify. Rap and Hip-Hop fans have maintained the discussion on social media. Now, with My Top 5: Kendrick Lamar Projects, Spotify brings this passion for the argument to the fore by enabling fans to simply arrange their favorite Kendrick projects into a shareable visual graphic.

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The feature will debut in 23 markets and be offered in 12 languages. On your mobile device, go to https://spotify.com/top5. Choose and arrange your favorites: You can select your top five projects from a list of Kendrick Lamar’s works in the experience, then drag and drop those projects into the visual display to determine the order in which they should appear. After that, tell your pals.

You can learn more about the experience here.

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Audiomack Expands International Presence with Launch of Audiomack Punjabi

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Audiomack Punjabi, a new vertical focusing on enhancing the renowned genre, introducing it to new audiences, and delivering diverse playlists spotlighting the region’s most popular modern musicians, was launched today by artist-first music streaming service Audiomack.

Punjabi will now be available alongside hip-hop, Afrobeats, Latin, Caribbean, and other popular genres on the streaming service. Punjabi Verified, 808 Pind (Village), Ishq, Party Pataka, Punjab to Canada, Punjabi Duets, and more will be added to the newly launched playlists, which will be updated regularly.

Amrit Maan, The PropheC, Himmat Sandhu, Ezu, Jasmine Sandlas & Gur Sidhu, Karan Aujla, Himanshi Khurana, and Baani Sandhu, as well as the late-great Sidhu Moose Wala, will be the initial cover stars of Audiomack’s playlists.

We are excited to officially launch the Punjabi genre on the Audiomack platform,” Audiomack co-founder and CMO David Ponte said. “These new playlists and trending section will position Punjabi artists alongside hip-hop, Afrobeats, and Latin music, rightfully giving them a share of an ever-growing pie of hungry music fans. We are confident that Audiomack’s free suite of tools, including the Creator App, Supporters, and discovery solutions, will connect this growing genre with prospective fans worldwide. Our mission is to be a catalyst for the genre’s international growth, much like our impact on Afrobeats’ popularity in the West, for years to come and share the talents of these undeniable artists with Audiomack’s users.”

The inauguration of the new vertical pays homage to the genre’s long history and legacy in India and Pakistan. It’s an opportunity for Audiomack to better serve fans around the world, educate new listeners about the Punjabi sound, and highlight the region’s cultural achievements.

“Punjabi music has been pushing into the mainstream space like Latin and AfroBeats for a minute. It’s great to see Audiomack have their ear to the ground and have the foresight to give our music the platform it deserves,” Punjabi artist Jaz Dhami said. “I feel Audiomack will help close the gap between genres even further as it’s not your typical streaming site. Globally, this is going to help link artists like never before.”

Beyond Asia, the genre is popular amongst the massive Indian diaspora across the globe.

“We are delighted to formalize the association with Audiomack, allowing our artists and the extensive catalog of Punjabi music to reach global audiences along with the other popular genres like hip-hop, Afro Beats, Latin and many more,” Believe Digital Regional Director (Believe – Artist Services, India) Shilpa Sharda said. “This collaboration will be a great addition to our existing brand relationships and an immense opportunity for our artists to build up their fan base internationally.”

More information about Audiomack Punjabi can be found here.

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Diddy Named Advisor of Hologram Startup Proto Inc.

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Diddy has joined Proto Inc., formerly PORTL, as an advisor to the holoportation firm, which operates in a variety of industries, including entertainment, education, retail, enterprise, business, marketing, fashion, and the arts. Interactive holoportation is feasible thanks to Proto’s patented state-of-the-art technology, which allows a person to “beam” in real-time when they can’t physically be there. Proto was first exposed to the singer and entrepreneur when he used the new technology to “beam” from Miami to Los Angeles to sing Happy Birthday to his son King Combs.

“Sean Combs has always been an inspiring pioneer in music and business—constantly changing the game with whatever he does,” said David Nussbaum, CEO and Founder of Proto Inc. “We were honored to bring his family together last Spring, and it became the perfect example of how Proto connects people for meaningful, emotional interactions unlike any other technology. We’re so excited to be working with him as we continue to make the future a reality now.”

Combs was also a part of TRUE Capital Management’s recent $12 million Series A financing (Coinbase, Palantir). Legendary tech investor Tim Draper (Tesla, SpaceX, Twitch), early Uber investors Jillian Manus and Mike Walsh of Structure Management, Migos’ Quavo, and dozens of retired and active pro-athletes such as Marshawn Lynch, Albert Pujols, Robert Griffin III, Luke Walton, and Breanna Stewart were among the investors in the Series A round.

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Netflix Tests Out Fees to Crack Down on Password Sharing

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Then world’s largest streaming service may soon get more (official) subscribers as Netflix announced today that it would begin a rollout to test an initiative that would crack down on illicit password-sharing.

In the past, Netflix had generally turned a blind eye to password sharing. Last spring, Netflix began implementing slightly stricter security protocols, prompting users to re-enter their login credentials, even if they had previously been logged onto a device. However, many viewers found ways to circumnavigate that measure, namely by re-entering their login and password.

This week, Netflix announced that it would be rolling out a pilot program in three markets (Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru). The new “add an extra member” feature would prompt Standard and Premium subscribers to add subsidiary accounts for up to two people they don’t live with, each with their own profile, personalized recommendations, login and password for about $2.99 USD per new account. 

In an official statement on their website, the company explained the basics of the plan as well as the rationale behind the move, saying: “We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans. While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”

However, Netflix did not provide specific details about what they categorized as a household and how household members would be identified if they were not all on the home IP address (watching at work, at the gym, while traveling, etc.). 

Netflix has not announced any plans to test any similar programs in the United States in the immediate near-term future.

As usual, social media had a lot to say about the proposed initiative.

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