There’s no longer a reasonable doubt that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2020/04/09/jay-z-net-worth-1-billion-in-2020/?sh=29f4c20439de">Jay-Z</a>&nbsp;is now a player in the cannabis industry.



Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s high-end cannabis brand, Monogram, launches its first products in California on Thursday with a four-strain line of craft, indoor-grown cannabis flower and joints.



The company’s flagship product is the “OG Handroll,” a 1.5-gram joint rolled by “highly trained artisans,” the company says, that use a technique Monogram developed over a year. The joint is made with small-batch flower and is supposed to burn like a premium cigar. And it retails for nearly twice as much at $50.



Monogram’s cannabis strains—named No. 88, No. 96, No. 70 and No. 01 and developed by veteran grower DeAndre “De” Watson —come in three strengths: “light,” “medium” and “heavy.”



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-49294" width="502" height="334" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.jpeg 950w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-600x400.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 502px) 100vw, 502px" /><figcaption>(Photo: PRNewFoto/Monogram)</figcaption></figure></div>



Michael Auerbach, the founder and chairman of Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company that announced a deal to acquire Jay-Z’s Monogram and California cannabis company Caliva last month, says Jay-Z is not just a front man for the brand.



“He’s a real executive, he’s not some ancillary ambassador who says something nice about us once a year,” says Auerbach. “He’s the tip of our spear who’s building out our house of brands, like he has done with Aces of Spades and D’Ussé.”



In 2019, Jay joined Caliva as its chief brand strategist, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseybartlett/2020/10/23/rapper-jay-z-launches-his-own-cannabis-brand-monogram/?sh=2f58d626180e">developed Monogram</a>. In November 2020, Auerbach’s SPAC announced a deal to acquire Caliva and Monogram, which was a joint venture between Jay-Z and Caliva, and Left Coast Ventures, which owns musician cannabis brands like Marley Natural and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2020/10/22/carlos-santana-talks-cannabis-its-all-about-consciousness-man/?sh=535b8f4f7b64">Carlos Santana’s Mirayo</a>. The new name for Auerbach’s company is “The Parent Co.” It raised $575 million when it went public on Canada’s microcap stock exchange NEO last summer. &nbsp;



The name “The Parent Co.,” which Jay came up with, might sound like a joke, but Auerbach says its serious.



“We are looking at building the first 100-year company in cannabis, and he was looking at it in the same way,” says Auerbach. “What does the first 100-year company in this industry look like? How do we create a generational company that will dominate the industry globally? And ‘The Parent Co.’ is a meta name that represents what we’re trying to do.”



The all-stock deal to acquire Jay-Z’s 50% of Monogram has not closed yet, but he is supposed to receive 5 million shares in The Parent Co. and the right to 1 million more. The Parent Co. also struck an exclusive agreement with Jay’s Roc Nation to become its cannabis brand partner. The deal, which will pay Roc Nation $25 million in stock after the transaction closes and $7.5 million each year, gives The Parent Co. access and rights to Roc Nation’s roster of artists and athletes.



Auerbach says the “pipeline of artists and athletes” under Roc Nation, including Rihanna, will play a crucial role in the development of future brands. &nbsp;&nbsp;



In addition to developing brands and business strategy, Jay will also lead the company’s social justice program. The venture fund has been seeded $10 million and the company will give 2% of its net income each year in order to invest in Black and other minority-owned cannabis business.



To be sure, this is only Jay-Z’s latest business venture. In 2019, he became the first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2019/06/03/jay-z-billionaire-worth/#c7e93173a5f0">hip-hop artist turned billionaire</a>. Jay-Z, who grew up in the Marcy housing projects in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, built a fortune thanks to his music catalog—he’s amassed 14 No. 1 albums and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/jay-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">22 Grammy awards</a>—and also owns Armand de Brignac champagne and part of D’Ussé cognac, not to mention his music streaming platform Tidal, Roc Nation and sizable stakes in companies like Uber and Robinhood.



Warren Buffett once&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-omaha-warren-buffett-jay-z-steve-forbes-summit-interview.html#254450666480">said</a>&nbsp;about Jay: “For a young person growing up, he’s the guy to learn from.”



Auerbach describes Jay succinctly: “He’s a hands-on creative genius.”



For The Parent Co., Monogram is just the first brand out of Jay-Z’s head and there’s more to come. In the world of celebrity-built brands, Auerbach says the strategy around Monogram is more Casamigos—George Clooney’s tequila company that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2017/06/21/george-clooney-is-expected-to-make-up-to-233-million-from-casamigos-tequila-sale/?sh=1ead73943ff8">Diageo bought for $1 billion</a>—and less&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katieshapiro/2020/12/09/martha-stewart-cbd-goes-coast-to-coast-with-first-national-retail-expansion/?sh=42ac0a6841cb">Martha Stewart CBD</a>.



“My preference is for celebrities to associate with brands instead of name brands after themselves. There’s no way I’d drink it if it were called ‘Casa Clooney’—people would think it’s crap, people would think it’s a gimmick,” says Auerbach. “Many people don’t know Ace of Spades is Jay-Z’s champagne company, but it’s the fastest-growing champagne company.”



As for what Jay-Z thinks about it all, in a statement, he said Monogram is here to celebrate craft cannabis.



“Cannabis has been around for thousands of years, yet it is still an industry whose legacy of skilled craftmanship is often overlooked,” said Jay. “I created Monogram to give cannabis the respect it deserves by showcasing the tremendous hard work, time and care that go into crafting a superior smoke. . . . We’re just getting started.”



-By Will Yakowicz, Forbes Staff

SOMETHING IN THE WATER – Day 2

Jay-Z’s Cannabis Brand, Monogram, Launches With $50 Hand-Rolled Joints

Some of the best looks in Beyoncé’s 2020 album, Black is King, have come from designers from the African continent. FORBES AFRICA seeks out Queen B’s top picks.



Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s brand-new new visual album Black is King that released on July 31 on Disney Plus, boasts an African touch, with many designers from the continent showcasing their work in it.



Out just a little over a year since the release of the live-action version of The Lion King where Beyoncé played the female lead, Nala, Black is King was originally filmed as a companion piece to The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack inspired by the movie, but the singer explains in a post on Instagram that the events of 2020 (specifically, the Black Lives Movement protesting police brutality in the United States) made the message in the film more relevant.



For the “passion project”, Beyoncé spent over a year filming, researching, and editing it as a love letter to celebrate the breadth and beauty of black ancestry.&nbsp;



“I believe that when black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books,” Beyoncé said in a post on Instagram.



Since its release, she has been praised for how she has celebrated people of color as a whole in Black is King through the representation of artists (like Pharrell Williams, Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyongo), background dancers, and African designers. &nbsp;



To help enrich those visuals, Beyoncé’s stylist and wardrobe curator, Zerina Akers, made sure she found the right talent who would create looks that aligned with Beyoncé’s vision.



Akers wanted to reference different traditions, cultures and tribes but with a modern touch. Although she used a majority of black designers, such as Destiney Bleu and Jerome Lamaar, the stylist also sought the artistry of African designers.&nbsp;



One of those African designers is Lafalaise Dion, based in the economic capital of Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, Abidjan, who designed the shell headpieces seen throughout Black is King.



“Although I had a big vision for [my work], and the faith that I’d be able to take it far beyond Côte D’Ivoire, I never imagined I would get to this level in such a short time,” says Dion. “I am deeply honored, to say the least.”



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-1024x1009.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-48322" width="286" height="281" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-1024x1009.jpeg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-300x296.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-768x757.jpeg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-80x80.jpeg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5-600x591.jpeg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-5.jpeg 1125w" sizes="(max-width: 286px) 100vw, 286px" /><figcaption>(Photo supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>



Known to her followers as the ‘Queen of Cowries’, Dion’s creations were closely aligned with Beyoncé’s inspiration for Black Is King: wanting black Africans to reconcile and embrace African heritage, culture, and spirituality.



“They are artworks in a way, a material representation of dreams I had way before I started the brand. I wanted to do something that emanated from African spirituality,” she says.



Dion designed over 20 pieces for the project and had each piece made by hand in collaboration with local artisans. A dozen of those pieces feature in a song in the film: Brown Skin Girl, My Power, and Water.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“I feel very grateful&#8230; It means a lot to a young African designer like me. It’s a sort of confirmation that my art has power and that many creatives around the world connect with it,” Dion adds.</blockquote>



The pearl and cowrie statement Lagbaja headpiece created by Dion and worn by Beyoncé in her Spirit music video retails at $270.40. Dion describes this particular piece as a “celebration of women as creative, divine, mystical, protective beings”.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-1024x1012.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48320" width="318" height="315" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-1024x1012.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-300x297.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-768x759.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-80x80.jpg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-600x593.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/dion-3.jpg 1125w" sizes="(max-width: 318px) 100vw, 318px" /><figcaption>(Photo Supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>



Senegalese-born designer and founder of Dakar Fashion Week, Adama Amanda Ndiaye, wanted to make sure Beyoncé was adorned in a yellow as bright as the African sun in Brown Skin Girl.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oshun-Beyonce-Black-is-King.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48327" width="377" height="251" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oshun-Beyonce-Black-is-King.jpg 1000w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oshun-Beyonce-Black-is-King-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oshun-Beyonce-Black-is-King-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Oshun-Beyonce-Black-is-King-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px" /><figcaption>(Still from Black is King)</figcaption></figure></div>



“African fashion is for sure more out there now. As a designer and fashion entrepreneur, it’s always a pleasure to expand our brand name and vision. So being able to collaborate with an iconic superstar does help shine light on us and is uplifting,” Ndiaye says. &nbsp;



Coming from a West African country known as vibrant and colorful, Ndiaye emphasizes she wants nothing more than to “promote female entrepreneurship in Senegal and Africa”.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-1012x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48329" width="281" height="284" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-1012x1024.jpg 1012w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-296x300.jpg 296w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-80x80.jpg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-300x304.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-600x607.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SKETCH.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" /><figcaption>Sketch by Loza Maléombho (Photo Supplied) </figcaption></figure></div>



“I feel great, of course, because Beyoncé is an icon not only in the music industry but also for the fashion industry,” she says.



Also basking in the glory of the success of Black is King is Abidjan-born designer, Loza Maléombho, who designed a piece dubbed by Harper’s Bazaar as one of the best looks in the visual album.&nbsp;



The graphic, black-and-white ensemble with gold hardware worn by Beyoncé in Already (part of the film) has received much praise from social media.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“I am grateful for the visibility&#8230; It happened with a spike of sales of well over 300%, which is why gratitude is a prominent feeling overall,” Maléombho says.</blockquote>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image0.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48324" width="457" height="527" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image0.jpg 555w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image0-260x300.jpg 260w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image0-300x346.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px" /><figcaption>Jacket by Maléombho. Earrings by L’Enchanteur. (Photo Supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>



It’s not difficult to see where Beyoncé may have had her inspiration from to use Maléombho in this project, as former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, who also featured in Black is King, had worn a Prussian-blue geometric structured ensemble by Maléombho in June 2019.



“The future of my brand is going to depend on the structure of the industry in Africa overall. Because with growing sales, I need to find solutions for sourcing and production. I don’t want to produce outside of Africa,” Maléombho adds.



She remains hopeful that even with Covid-19, it has provided an opportunity for the fashion industry in Africa to grow collective and collaborative initiatives.



“We [the fashion industry] are more connected, more communicative amongst ourselves. We are engaging in more conversations to find solutions for the future of our industry,” she says. “Africa has a young labor force capacity that if directed intelligently can help propel the fashion industry in the right direction.”



Maléombho’s piece in Already was paired with jewelry pieces created by L’Enchanteur. The mastermind behind this brand are the identical twins, designers Dynasty and Soull Ogun, whose accessories were also seen in the Mood 4 Eva part of the film. Though born in Brooklyn, New York, the twins say their pieces are inspired by their Nigerian and Caribbean heritage.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1-1024x532.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48325" width="485" height="252" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1-1024x532.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1-300x156.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1-768x399.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1-600x311.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image1.jpg 1125w" sizes="(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /><figcaption>(Photo Supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>



“Our brand is a lifestyle that encompasses mysticism, science, fairy tales, and a lot of folklore. And this is inspired by our parents’ background,” Soull says. “My dad is Nigerian and his tribe is Yoruba and our mother is Caribbean from the West Indies&#8230; And we were born in Brooklyn, Flatbush. So there&#8217;s all of this mixture. And I think there&#8217;s like a little bit of folklore within that mixture for us.”



The twins created the pieces for Black is King and sent them over to Akers in 2019, unaware of when the film would come out and what pieces would be used.



The ‘unknown’ was the most exciting part of this process for the Oguns because when finally the project was released, they got to watch the final product for the first time like any viewer. The only difference was that not everyone who viewed it got to see how their jewelry was curated into multiple looks in the film.



And they are still in disbelief.



“It comes in waves for me. I was in the car the other day and a Beyoncé song came on and I was like ‘yo, there is this whole film and Beyoncé is really wearing our stuff’,” says Soull.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“When we were creating the work, I don’t think any of us anticipated the climate we would find ourselves in [the Black Lives Movement] but that being said, I think when we were creating these pieces, it feels like it was almost a foreshadowing without any of us knowing it.”</blockquote>



“With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy,” Beyoncé said.



The ode to African fashion continues, transcending borders, even in these Covid times.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="370" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48326" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image2.jpg 640w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image2-300x173.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumbnail_image2-600x347.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>Jewelry pieces by L’Enchanteur (Photo Supplied)</figcaption></figure>

Untitled-1

King And Queen: Beyoncé Takes Africa To The World

Some of the best looks in Beyoncé’s new feature film, Black is King, have come from designers from the African continent.



Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s brand-new new visual album Black is King that released on July 31 on Disney Plus, boasts an African touch, with many designers from the continent showcasing their work in it.



Out just a little over a year since the release of the live-action version of The Lion King where Beyoncé played the female lead, Nala, it was originally filmed as a companion piece to The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack, but the singer explains in a post on Instagram that the events of 2020 (specifically, the Black Lives Movement protesting police brutality in the United States) have made the message in the film more relevant.



For the “passion project”, Beyoncé spent over a year filming, researching, and editing it as a love letter to celebrate the breadth and beauty of black ancestry. &nbsp;



“I believe that when black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books,” Beyoncé says in a post on Instagram.



Since its release, she has been praised for how she celebrated people of color as a whole in her visual album through the representation of artists (like Pharrell Williams, Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyongo), background dancers, and black and African designers.



One of those African designers is Lafalaise Dion, based in the economic capital of Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, Abidjan, who designed the shell headpieces seen throughout Black is King.



“Although I had a big vision for [my work], and the faith that I’d be able to take it far beyond Côte D’Ivoire, I never imagined I would get to this level in such a short time,” says Dion.



Also basking in the glory of the recent success of the film is Abidjan-born designer, Loza Maléombho, who designed a piece dubbed by Harper’s Bazaar as one of the best looks in the visual album.&nbsp;



The graphic, black-and-white ensemble with gold hardware worn in the film has already become an iconic piece as it has received much praise from social media.



The ode to African fashion continues even in these Covid times. Watch this space for more.

dion 1

King And Queen: Beyoncé Takes African Fashion To The World

Last weekend, close to 1,000 residents flocked to two middle schools in predominantly black Houston communities, waiting patiently in their cars to receive free COVID-19 testing.&nbsp;



Unlike many other cities nationwide, Houston has had free testing available to the public but “some people, definitely minorities because we are overlooked, just aren’t aware or aren’t taking it seriously,” Tina Knowles-Lawson, a Houston native herself, tells&nbsp;Forbes.



That lack of awareness in the community inspired Knowles-Lawson to create the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.beyonce.com/article/beygood-houston-covid19-mobile-testing/" target="_blank">#IDIDMYPART</a> campaign. Launched in partnership with daughter Beyoncé and her BeyGOOD initiative, the campaign encourages black and brown residents—the demographic <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.tmc.edu/news/2020/05/coronavirus-connection-a-texas-medical-center-continuing-update/" target="_blank">that’s dying at a faster rate</a> than any other in the state—to seek free COVID-19 testing. The campaign ran two testing locations on May 8 and 9, 2020, with plans to recruit celebrities in other cities to continue the initiative in the weeks and months to come.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45264" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0.jpg 960w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-600x338.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption>A #IDIDMYPART testing site. BEYGOOD/#IDIDMYPART</figcaption></figure>



“It&#8217;s associated with Beyoncé, in some way, so it’s a cool thing, you know?” says Knowles-Lawson. “And it’s working, because people are still going to testing sites.”



The testing locations kept that cool factor in mind. As volunteer medical professionals from the United Memorial Medical Center administered tests (the hospital is following up with each individual attendee), DJs spun the latest hits from Beyoncé and other artists. And on their way out, attendees were given vouchers to two of Houston’s most popular restaurants: Frenchy’s and Burns Original BBQ. “You didn’t have to get in your head about the test; it wasn’t so sterile,” says Knowles-Lawson. “It was almost like a celebration of getting tested. We wanted to take away the stigma.”



Knowles-Lawson also wanted to stress health and wellness more holistically, so other products including vitamins, grooming supplies, toilet paper, gloves and masks were also handed out, thanks in part to the campaign’s partners including Procter &amp; Gamble, Matthew 25 Ministries, supermarket chain H-E-B and TWC Logistics Trucking. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="523" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45262" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood.jpg 960w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-300x163.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-600x327.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-768x418.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption>Cars lined up at an #IDIDMYPART testing site. COURTESY OF BEYGOOD/#IDIDMYPART</figcaption></figure>



“People are getting upset when they see people with no mask on, but a lot of people just don&#8217;t have them,” says Knowles-Lawson.



That the campaign took place on Mother’s Day weekend was just a coincidence, but was still a fitting time for the mother-daughter collaboration to launch. Knowles-Lawson, who grew up impoverished in Galveston, Texas, has always sought to instill the give-back mentality in her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange. “It was five kids at home, and my sister had eight children, and they were always at our house—our little two-bedroom house,” recounts Knowles-Lawson, with a laugh. “But my mom could stretch a piece of steak. She just shared all the time. I never forgot that.” Once they were old enough, Beyoncé and Solange were continuing the family’s acts of service, spending their Sundays feeding Texas’ homeless community after church.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="539" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45263" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-3.jpg 960w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-3-300x168.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-3-600x337.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/beygood-3-768x431.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption>A sign at the #IDIDMYPART testing site. BEYGOOD/#IDIDMYPART</figcaption></figure>



Beyoncé’s also teamed up with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2020/04/25/beyonce-and-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-announce-6-million-covid-19-relief-to-support-mental-health/#6cd97cd26469">to donate $6 million</a>&nbsp;in support of mental health and wellness organizations in Houston, New York, New Orleans and Detroit.



And the #IDIDMYPART campaign isn’t limited to Houston. It’s challenging other celebrities to continue the initiative in other cities nationwide. Several have already answered the call. Tyler Perry has vowed to implement the initiative in Atlanta, Octavia Spencer aims to set up sites across Mississippi, and Cookie and Magic Johnson will lead the charge in Detroit.



“Nothing would make me happier than to see people use their platforms to get this information out,” says Knowles-Lawson. “People are getting testing who wouldn’t otherwise. We can keep the momentum going.”



&#8211; <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/briannegarrett/">Brianne Garrett</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbeswomen">ForbesWomen</a>

gettyimages-125514785-594×594

Beyoncé And Tina Knowles-Lawson Are Accelerating Coronavirus Testing In Underserved Communities—And Challenging Other Celebrities To Do The Same

The 37-year-old South African soccer midfielder says he
could move to the English city for its sense of serenity and calm.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



South Africa’s former national football player Reneilwe
‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane started playing in the streets of Soweto but his fame has
often taken him beyond the soccer pitches of South Africa.



Also a fashion entrepreneur and co-founder of the
newly-established ShaYe lounge, the veteran midfielder recounts the indelible
memories of his most recent holiday to Manchester with his wife, sports
presenter Mpho Letsholonyane.



“In the off season of 2018, I had just gotten married. I personally love Jay-Z and my wife loves Beyoncé; and they were having their On The Run 2 tour in Manchester; a major city in the northwest of England.”



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Executive Travel: Mpho Popps’ Ghana (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/travel/2019/07/25/executive-travel-mpho-popps-ghana/" target="_blank">Executive Travel: Mpho Popps’ Ghana</a>



Letsholonyane had also always wanted to go to Paris, a major
European city and global center for art, fashion, food and culture, so flew to
Manchester via the French capital. 



The newly-weds spent a few days in Paris and thereon
proceeded to Manchester for the concert, flying Air France on both sectors. 



“Funnily enough, the economy class on Air France is not as
squashed as the economy class on South African Airlines. You’d expect an
uncomfortable flight, but that wasn’t the case. There was enough room to
stretch your legs and recline your seat,” says the footballer. 



Upon landing and clearing customs, a shuttle was waiting for the two to be chauffeured through the city to their hotel. The 40-minute drive was what the 37-year-old says he enjoyed the most. It made him reflect and draw comparisons between his home country and Europe.



At the age of 23, Letsholonyane’s professional career had
kicked-started, but it was in 2008 that he joined one of South Africa’s biggest
teams, the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, for an eight-year stint. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Executive Travel: NaakMusiQ’s Dubai (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/travel/2019/07/18/executive-travel-naakmusiqs-dubai/" target="_blank">Executive Travel: NaakMusiQ’s Dubai</a>



Receiving the call to represent Bafana Bafana for the 2010
World Cup was a moment he recalls vividly.



“We were at camp, and told to check out from the hotel and go home. We were to find out from the media, like other citizens, if we had been selected to play. I remember I was in the streets and didn’t want to focus on the media because I was nervous, panicking and excited. 



 “My parents broke the news to me, but there was more cheering in my hometown and outside my parent’s home. A soccer pitch and jersey with my number and surname were painted in the streets.”



It was a moment that led to fame and more travels. He flips back to Manchester, gushing about the city’s architecture as he was equally captivated by the serenity of the city and its mild-mannered people.



“The standalone houses are the kind you see on television,
with no walls. People that side don’t seem to be worried about burglaries. It
seems like the crime rate is low. It’s quiet and it’s the quiet that I like. I
remember saying to my wife, ‘I could stay here’.”&nbsp; 



<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/travel/2019/06/04/nomzamo-mbathas-kenya/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Executive Travel: Nomzamo Mbatha’s Kenya (opens in a new tab)">Executive Travel: Nomzamo Mbatha’s Kenya</a>



Letsholonyane admits to seeking alone time to think and
ruminate. 



Ironically, for the footballer, the Beyoncé and Jay-Z
concert was in the home of a football club. 



Like all tourists, the couple traveled to Etihad Stadium,
the home of Manchester City Football Club, where the musical extravaganza was
to take place. 



“We were told to use the train; luckily, it was a
five-minute walk to the station. We got there but the people around us showed
us what to do and where to go. We got off at a station, only to find out we had
to wait for another train and it was packed. Then I started thinking about the
hassle of getting into the stadium,” he says.



Letsholonyane and his wife dribbled their way through busy subways in Manchester to watch their favorite musicians on stage.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“Getting to Etihad Stadium was a pain-free experience. We got there early and people were idling outside. We went straight in and got seats in the front. There was no opening act, just the artists’ music playing. </blockquote>



Then the lights went dimmer and dimmer. 



“It was time, we were about 10 meters away, and we saw them
closely. Then it started raining. You’d think people would run for cover but
no, people were just enjoying themselves. It was two and half hours of Beyoncé
and Jay-Z and an experience never to be forgotten,” he says.



It was well after 1AM when the couple reached their hotel.
“There was nothing that made us uncomfortable about walking the streets of
Manchester at night. It felt like day.” 



The night ended with rain, rounding off a day so different
from playing under the hot African sun in the soccer fields of South Africa.

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Executive Travel: Reneilwe Letsholonyane’s Manchester

What happens when one of Africa’s global comedians meets an African global recording artist? African greatness, that’s what. Burna boy was interviewed on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, making it a proud moment for Africans world wide.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



South African born comedian Trevor Noah hosted Nigeria’s singer and song writer, Burna Boy on The Daily Show on Tuesday night.



Born Damini Ogulu, Burna Boy spoke about his recipe for Afro-fusion
music, performing at Coachella and producing his album African Giant.



In a video released showing behind the scenes footage, Trevor Noah
expressed his love for Nigeria.



“That’s the one thing I’ve always loved about Nigeria; it’s the love of
Nigeria from Nigeria. If every African could have that, ‘we love our thing’,”
Trevor refers to the zeal Nigeria has about their talent.



While at the show Burna Boy performed a medley of songs Ye and &nbsp;Anybody.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Watch my brother <a href="https://twitter.com/Trevornoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Trevornoah</a> and I on the daily show tonight @ 11pm EDT <a href="https://t.co/n1GFX5CeUJ">pic.twitter.com/n1GFX5CeUJ</a>&mdash; Burna Boy (@burnaboy) <a href="https://twitter.com/burnaboy/status/1161448269492494336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Burna Boy who is one of this year’s <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/30-under-30/2019/07/01/30under30-creatives-category-2019/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Forbes Africa 30 under 30 (opens in a new tab)">Forbes Africa 30 under 30</a> list makers made waves recently after releasing his much anticipated album earlier this year.



The album was released in July and includes hit songs like African Giant, Dangote, Spiritiual, and international
artists like Jeremih, Future, Damian Marley and Jorja Smith.



In the album categorized as afrobeats has some Fela Kuti influences, he
asserts himself as an African and conveys the message of how Africa should not
be marginalized.



“I am an AFRICAN GIANT and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means,” he wrote on Instagram.



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="2010 all over again: a musical extravaganza to honor Nelson Mandela (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/arts/2019/02/11/2010-all-over-again-a-musical-extravaganza-to-honor-nelson-mandela/" target="_blank">2010 all over again: a musical extravaganza to honor Nelson Mandela</a>



The album was released a month after he won the BET Award for the Best
International Act at the end of June.



Already garnering thousands of listeners and viewers on platforms such
as YouTube and Apple Music, Burna Boy has teamed up with Spotify to launch Burna Bank.



Inspired by the artwork for the African Giant album, Burna Bank is, “the
installation features a unique ATM which will be dispensing custom, collectible
bills designed by Sajjad Musa. 



Each bill is inspired by Burna’s Nigerian roots, and his quest to call
out corruption and the disproportionate distribution of wealth.”



The Burna Bank is an ATM that distributes these notes and launches this
week making him one of the first African musicians to have his own currency.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Peak <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AfricanGiant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AfricanGiant</a> levels: having your own currency 🔥. Check out <a href="https://twitter.com/burnaboy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BurnaBoy</a>’s ATM this week in NYC and RSVP to the launch right here: <a href="https://t.co/zkOJNWfIRr">https://t.co/zkOJNWfIRr</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BurnaBank?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BurnaBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/uaJCJgotjI">pic.twitter.com/uaJCJgotjI</a>&mdash; Spotify (@Spotify) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spotify/status/1161046142924328961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Another one of his wins this year was recording a song with Grammy award
winner Beyoncé, in a single titled Ja Ara
E as part of her The Lion King:The King
Album.



Burna Boy continues to prove he is a force to be reckoned with as an
African giant and continues to put the continent on the map.

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Burna Boy’s The African Giant Debuts On The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

“Got that dinero on my mind,” Beyoncé and Jay-Z wrote on the third track of their surprise album&nbsp;Everything is Love, which came out last June.&nbsp;A year later, it’s clear that the couple wasn’t just taking poetic license: With Jay-Z’s<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2019/06/03/jay-z-billionaire-worth/#12477d163a5f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;newly minted</a>&nbsp;status as a billionaire and Beyoncé’s place on<a href="https://www.forbes.com/self-made-women/list/#tab:overall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Forbes’ richest self-made women list</a>, the music moguls are one of America’s wealthiest couples.



It’s been a banner year for the married couple, whose combined net worth now totals an estimated $1.4 billion. Jay-Z, whose steadily growing portfolio of businesses includes liquor, art, real estate and stakes in companies like Uber, is the first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire. 



Meanwhile Beyoncé , whose fortune increased to an estimated $400 million from $355 million last year thanks to continued touring and an album release, ranks No. 51 on Forbes 2019 list of America’s most successful self-made women (up two places from last year).



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2019/06/05/from-beyonce-knowles-carter-to-kim-kardashian-west-americas-richest-self-made-women-under-40/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="From Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to Kim Kardashian West, America’s Richest Self-Made Women Under 40 (opens in a new tab)">From Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to Kim Kardashian West, America’s Richest Self-Made Women Under 40</a>



Their combined net worth of $1.4 billion makes the music moguls one of the 10 most successful husband-and-wife teams in the country, and certainly the most recognizable. &nbsp;Unlike many other couples who founded businesses together, they both struck it rich with complementary but separate businesses. Beyoncé’s wealth comes mostly from earnings from touring, music sales and merchandise. 



Her husband, on the other hand, amassed most of his wealth from his ownership of Armand de Brignac champagne, investments, his cognac partnership with Bacardi and his own music career, among other sources. Both Beyoncé and Jay-Z have stakes in music streaming service Tidal.



Other entrepreneurial husband-and-wife teams might not be as famous, but their businesses are well known. Do Won and Jin Sook Chang came from South Korea in 1981 in search of better opportunities. “At the time [people in] South Korea weren’t living as well,” Do Won told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gracechung/2016/10/05/exclusive-interview-with-one-of-americas-most-successful-immigrants-forever-21s-do-won-chang/#b1bfeea42ab0" target="_blank">in 2016</a>. 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Artist, Icon, Billionaire: How Jay-Z Created His $1 Billion Fortune (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/billionaires/2019/06/03/artist-icon-billionaire-how-jay-z-created-his-1-billion-fortune/" target="_blank">Artist, Icon, Billionaire: How Jay-Z Created His $1 Billion Fortune</a>



He worked three jobs as a dishwasher, gas station attendant and office cleaner while she worked in a hair salon. They saved up and in 1984 opened a clothing store. Today they co-own and run Forever 21, a clothing empire with over 815 stores &nbsp;and $4 billion in sales. Their combined net worth is $3 billion.



Another couple, the Cherngs, found success together through food. Andrew Cherng opened a Chinese restaurant with his father in 1973. His wife Peggy, who had a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and held positions at 3M and the U.S. Navy,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/peggy-cherng/?list=self-made-women#66ed56262c04" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gave it all up</a>&nbsp;to help her husband expand the one restaurant into a Chinese fast-food chain. That chain, Panda Express, along with several other fast casual chains the couple owns stakes in, have brought the Cherngs’ combined net worth to $3.4 billion.



Sometimes the strength of a husband-wife partnership comes from their ability to support one another. This was the<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.forbesindia.com/article/cross-border/the-ozmens-galactic-gamble/50973/1" target="_blank">&nbsp;case</a>&nbsp;for Eren Ozmen and her husband Fatih, the president and CEO team behind aerospace giant Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC). 



READ MORE | <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="How Rihanna Created A $600 Million Fortune—And Became The World’s Richest Female Musician (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2019/06/04/how-rihanna-created-a-600-million-fortune-and-became-the-worlds-richest-female-musician/" target="_blank">How Rihanna Created A $600 Million Fortune—And Became The World’s Richest Female Musician</a>



Before they were a couple, Fatih encouraged Eren to pursue an M.B.A. (the couple originally met at Ankara University in Turkey before separately immigrating to the U.S.). 



Once they were married, Eren put her business school training to good use by helping automate the financial reports at Fatih&#8217;s employer, a then-struggling SNC. Eventually, the couple decided to buy the company and took the business from the verge of bankruptcy to a top military contractor.



While building a vast fortune is rare for couples running businesses together, it has been a winning formula for some women: Nearly one fourth of those on&nbsp;Forbes’ 2019 self-made women list achieved their fortunes through businesses they cofounded with their husbands (though some now are widows or have since divorced).



Below are the 10 wealthiest self-made husband and wife teams in the nation:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Tom &amp; Judy Love</h4>



Net worth:&nbsp;$5.9 Billion



Tom and Judy Love leased their first gas station in Watonga, Oklahoma, with a $5,000 loan from Tom’s parents. Now Love’s Travel Stops &amp; Country Stores has more than 430 locations in 41 states.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/949970772/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" alt="LACMA 2018 Collectors Committee Gala"/><figcaption>Stewart and Lynda Resnick cofounded The Wonderful Company, which owns Fiji Water and mandarin Halos.&nbsp;STEFANIE KEENAN/GETTY IMAGES FOR LACMA</figcaption></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. &nbsp;Lynda &amp; Stewart Resnick</h4>



Net worth:&nbsp;$5.6 Billion



The couple are the force behind snack and drink conglomerate the Wonderful Co., known for Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice, Halos mandarin oranges and Fiji water. The couple is also known for philanthropy, giving millions of dollars to educational causes and earning the #29 spot on Forbes&#8217;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/top-givers/#7d030d4566ff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">list&nbsp;</a>of top givers.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/488125078/960x0.jpg?cropX1=200&amp;cropX2=1800&amp;cropY1=166&amp;cropY2=1500" alt="Diane Von Furstenberg - Front Row - Spring 2016 New York Fashion Week"/><figcaption>Barry Diller (left) and Diane von Furstenberg run their own businesses in separate industries.DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES</figcaption></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Diane von Furstenberg &amp; Barry Diller</h4>



Net worth: $4 billion



Diller is founder, senior executive and chairman at internet and media conglomerate IAC,. His wife Von Furstenberg is the designer and founder of the eponymous fashion label. Diller owns one third of DVF, while Von Furstenberg and her two children from a previous marriage own the rest. &nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5cfad39534a5c4000847c924/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" alt="The Cherngs At Panda Express"/><figcaption>Peggy and Andrew Cherng own and run $3.5 billion (sales) Chinese fast-food chain Panda Express. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)GETTY</figcaption></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">4. Peggy &amp; Andrew Cherng</h4>



Net Worth:&nbsp;$3.4



In addition to fast-food chain Panda Express, the Cherngs also own stakes in Urbane Cafe, Just Salad, Uncle Tetsu, Pieology and Ippudo.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">5. Jin Sook &amp; Do Won Chang</h4>



Net Worth:&nbsp;$3 billion



The Changs’ clothing retailing business is all in the family—the couple’s nieces work at the company as do their daughters, who launched Forever 21’s beauty brand Riley Rose.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/42328010/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" alt="PENCE SPACE SYMPOSIUM"/><figcaption>U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (center) joins Sierra Nevada co-founders Eren and Fatih Ozmen at the 34th Space Symposium.&nbsp;MATHEW STAVER/© 2018 BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP</figcaption></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">6. Eren &amp; Fatih Ozmen</h4>



Net Worth:&nbsp;$2.8 billion



The Ozmens built their defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp. through a series of some 20 acquisitions. Describing their strategy, Eren told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesdigitalcovers/2018/07/11/meet-the-unknown-immigrant-billionaire-betting-her-fortune-to-take-on-musk-in-space/#6fac017c5f0d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forbes&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;last year: &nbsp;“Our guys go hunting, and they bring me this giant bear and say, ‘Now you do the skinning and clean it up.’ ”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">7.Neerja Sethi &amp; Bharat Desai</h4>



Net worth:&nbsp;$2.4 billion



Sethi and Desai cofounded IT consulting and outsourcing firm Syntel out of their Troy, Michigan, apartment in 1980. In October 2018, French IT company Atos SE bought Syntel for $3.4 billion.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">8. Weili Dai &amp; Sehat Sutardja</h4>



Net Worth:&nbsp;$2 billion



The couple headed semiconductor company Marvell Technology for 11 years until they were forced out as a result of an internal accounting investigation in 2016. Neither was found guilty of any fraudulent activity. The couple has diversified their investments into real estate and technology.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">9. Kit Crawford &amp; Gary Erickson</h4>



Net Worth:&nbsp;$1.8 billion



The couple behind Clif Bar met at Erickson’s bakery, where Crawford was working part-time. They each have a 40% stake in the company.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">10. Beyoncé &amp; Jay-Z</h4>



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net Worth:&nbsp;$1.4 billion



The musicians have shown distinct business savvy, giving users of Tidal, the music streaming service the couple partially owns, exclusive access to their albums.



-Catherine Perloff; Forbes Staff

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Beyoncé And Jay-Z’s Combined Billion-Dollar Fortune Makes Them One Of The Richest Self-Made Couples

Nelson Mandela’s centenary brought together headline-grabbing A-listers and pledges of over $7 billion towards pressing global issues. Though for some, it didn’t end well.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



It was exactly 10 years ago when Australian humanitarian
Hugh Evans, along with his friend Simon Moss, launched the Global Poverty
Project, committing to end extreme poverty by 2030.



That dream launched Global Citizen, and with that, an
eponymous festival in 2012.



“Over 5.65 million actions led to 58 commitments and
announcements worth $7,096,996,725, set to affect the lives of 137,368,628
people,” summed up the Global Citizen Festival, held in December 2018 for the
first time in South Africa, hosted at the FNB Stadium, in the historic township
of Soweto, in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s centenary.



On a hot Sunday afternoon that also saw looming rain clouds,
thousands wearing straw hats and shades, trooped into the stadium, some
arriving as early as 5AM for what was billed a mega concert. 



Presidents, delegates, CEOs, activists, musicians and more
gathered for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100.



Among them, a galaxy of international and local celebrities
such as Beyoncé, Trevor Noah, Oprah Winfrey, Naomi Campbell, Usher, Danai
Gurira, Bonang Matheba, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tyler Perry, Pharrell Williams, Bob
Geldof, Ed Sheeran, and dignitaries such as South African President Cyril
Ramaphosa, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina J. Mohammed,
Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana,
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, former South African First Lady Graca Machel
and many more were all gathered for the one-day spectacle. 



The Daily Show anchor and host of the event, Noah said:
“This is 2010 all over again,” referring to the euphoria in South Africa when
the country hosted the FIFA World Cup that year.



“Everybody is here in Mzansi to celebrate the work of Nelson
Mandela,” he added.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="407" height="544" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global6.png" alt="" class="wp-image-39091" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global6.png 407w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global6-300x401.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global6-224x300.png 224w" sizes="(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" /><figcaption>Trevor Noah at the Neslon Mandela Global Citizen Festival. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>



More than 75,000 people were in attendance at the stadium.



On stage, dignitaries committed actions taken to end extreme
poverty, achieve gender equality, and ensure food security, education and
global health.



“Everyone is a global citizen and how you want to take
action in helping others using your voice, reaching out to a representative and
holding rallies, coming together, uniting to make a change is wonderful.
Everybody has a voice now today,” model and activist Campbell who was on stage
told FORBES AFRICA on the sidelines.



&nbsp;“To have a 20-year
with the great man, President Nelson Mandela, is something I will treasure for the rest of my life and it’s an honor to be here and see everyone come together, and to see the young generation understand what this man Mandela stood for, what he sacrificed and what he wanted to achieve. And we are still trying to achieve what he wanted to, which is to eradicate poverty by 2030,” added Campbell. 



Nigerian musician Femi Kuti, son of the legendary Fela Kuti,
who performed and got the crowds dancing, told FORBES AFRICA some of the issues
he holds close to his heart are equality, poverty and the importance of
accountability by all leaders worldwide. 



“Every citizen must take responsibility for tackling these
problems,” he said. 



“My father is a really good example of this, Bob Marley is a
good example of this. If musicians did not talk about such issues, we would
probably be naïve.”



One of Nigeria’s best-selling musicians, D’banj, agreed.



He performed his hit song, Oliver Twist, wearing his
hallmark dark shades, a pair of metallic gold pants and jacket.



“Before I went on stage, I was so glad that this is Africa,
I have performed everywhere in the world but this is my home, and my people are
here,” he told FORBES AFRICA.



&nbsp;“Getting out here and
seeing my generation, the next generation, the millennials, and everyone coming
out, I am just so humbled. I can just say that, from here, the future is going
to be bright because the message of us stars coming together will leave a
mark.” 



The Nigerian artiste is not new to the Global Citizen scene.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="923" height="613" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-39092" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global2.png 923w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global2-300x199.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global2-600x398.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global2-768x510.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 923px) 100vw, 923px" /><figcaption> Beyoncé performs at the Neslon Mandela Global Citizen Festival. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure>



In 2015, he performed alongside Usher, Mary J Blige and
Will.i.am at the Global Citizen Earth Day in Washington D.C in the United
States.



“Global Citizen coming to Africa meant a lot for me… Because
after we leave here, we are going to leave a mark that is going to awaken them
and everybody is going to want to challenge our leaders to give us the right
change,” he said. 



Back on stage, the host Noah addressed the crowds about why
Africa should indeed be celebrated.



“When it comes to resources, Africa is the richest place on
earth,” he said.



“We have more booty than any other continent on the planet.
Men and women&#8230; The point is, Africa has a lot of natural wealth. But what’s
crazy is that even with all this wealth, 40% of all children across the continent
are stunted due to lack of access to food. Tonight, we are calling on African
leaders to commit three percent of their countries’ budgets to nutrition by
2020.”



All through the concert, the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals were unraveled. 



The now former president of the World Bank, Dr Jim Yong Kim,
said it was important to contribute to issues related to health because, “the
crisis is much bigger”. As a result, the World Bank Group invested an
additional $1 million to health and education. 



Other celebrities and global leaders not present made their
own pledges through pre-recorded videos screened at the event.



Businessman and philanthropist Richard Branson pledged a
$105 million joint commitment to end the world’s leading cause of preventable
blindness. Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced an investment of
$4 billion made at the G7 Summit towards education for vulnerable women and
girls globally.



Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela
Merkel, pledged €63 million ($72.2 million) to Global Citizen over the next
three years.



From a South African perspective, the Motsepe Foundation, a
hosting and presenting partner of Global Citizen, committed more than $104.4
million towards education, economic inclusion and equality of women and girls,
as well as the current debate on land reform in South Africa. Entrepreneurs
Patrice Motsepe and his wife Precious received a rapturous applause when they
appeared on stage. 



President Ramaphosa committed R2 billion ($144 million) for
youth in South Africa, and announced the government’s intention to spend R60
billion ($4.3 billion) to provide free access to schools for poor children in
South Africa.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="928" height="609" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-39093" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global3.png 928w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global3-300x197.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global3-600x394.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global3-768x504.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px" /><figcaption> Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the Neslon Mandela Global Citizen Festival. Picture: Supplied </figcaption></figure>



But with all the pledges announced, the biggest question
remained, what next? 



The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, who
was in attendance, weighed in on this.



“What I’d really like to see is we coming up with an
integrated action plan so that it is not just raising the money but we
absolutely identify how is this money going to be utilized and how we can work
together better to support one another and to make sure that it is more likely
that these issues will be delivered,” she told FORBES AFRICA.



“What I hope will come out of this is concrete action which
will make a difference to the lives of the people who are so desperately
thirsting for change.”



At the end of the day, what the 75,000-plus in the stadium
had really come for was the culminating act by Beyoncé, one of the world’s
highest-paid musicians listed on FORBES. 



In one of the outfits on stage, Beyoncé wore a sequined body
suit, thigh-high boots, and a dramatic cape that paid tribute to Africa’s 54
countries. It was designed by Mary Katrantzou, who said in an Instagram post:
“Her coat has the 54 countries of Africa mapped out and on each country there
is a different embroidery representing its diversity.” Beyoncé also wore a
colorful beaded mini-dress with an elaborate back-piece, which according to her
mother Tina Lawson, featured “one hundred thousand African beads”.



Some of the other designers the artiste wore during the
visit included South African designers Enhle Mbali Maphumulo of Manual Rossa
Apparel, Rich Mnisi, MmusoMaxwell, Senegalese designer Adama Ndiaye’s label
Adama Paris, Sarah Diouf’s line Tongoro Studio and Ivorian label Yhebe Design.



Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z brought Africa to its feet to
their tunes for the first time. It was a breath-taking, epic production which
saw them perform hit songs like Halo, Perfect, Bonnie &amp; Clyde, Formation
and Forever Young.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="853" height="596" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-39094" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global5.png 853w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global5-300x210.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global5-600x419.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Global5-768x537.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px" /><figcaption> Naomi Campbell at the Neslon Mandela Global Citizen Festival. Picture: Supplied </figcaption></figure>



But despite the success of the Global Citizen Festival, it
was a chaotic end to a beautiful night for some.



While heads of state and celebrities were escorted back from
the concert venue, some festival-goers were left stranded in gridlocked traffic
at midnight to face attacks by criminals.



Many took to social media to explain how they were mugged at
gunpoint and were victims to violence. 



One of the attendees, 23-year-old Kayleen Morgan, who
witnessed the attacks, told us: “What was upsetting was for something like this
to happen at an event organized on such a huge scale. People’s experiences were
not taken seriously&#8230;” 



A month after these unfortunate incidents, some suspects
have been arrested and investigations continue. 



It was a night Beyoncé stole, and a night some
audience-goers will never forget, for being stolen from.

Global4

2010 all over again: a musical extravaganza to honor Nelson Mandela

Shonda Rhimes may have defined Thursday night television, but she&#8217;s now dictating the medium&#8217;s future. When the&nbsp;Grey&#8217;s Anatomy&nbsp;creator signed a nine figure, four-year deal with Netflix last year, she cemented her place&nbsp;at the forefront of entertainment&#8217;s digital future-and pioneered Netflix&#8217;s handsome producer paydays.
Rhimes, who created and executive produced ABC hits including&nbsp;Scandaland&nbsp;How To Get Away with Murder, is now developing eight shows for the streaming service through her production outfit ShondaLand.
&#8220;We are powerful women and when we say we have power, what we are really saying is that we deserve to have power. We deserve whatever good thing it is that we are getting,&#8221; said&nbsp;Rhimes at&nbsp;Elle&nbsp;magazine’s 25th annual Women in Hollywood celebration.
<blockquote>Demanding what you deserve can feel like a radical act.</blockquote>
Worth an estimated $135 million, Rhimes is the wealthiest female showrunner&#8211;the person who oversees writing and production of each TV episode-in&nbsp;Hollywood. She has said that her deal, which&nbsp;reportedly&nbsp;includes a base salary of $150 million with incentives that could bump it much higher, is bigger than the $300 million secured by Ryan Murphy.
Rhimes is just one of the world&#8217;s most powerful women in media and entertainment effecting change and impacting her industry with groundbreaking deals and inclusive storytelling. Take Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who has&nbsp;helped pioneer&nbsp;Star Wars&#8216; most inclusive casting yet.&nbsp;Under Kennedy&#8217;s stewardship, Kelly Marie Tran became the first woman of color to have a lead role in the multi-billion dollar franchise, playing Rose Tico in 2017&#8217;s&nbsp;The Last Jedi.
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Across the lot, Dana Walden has seen her power grow in the studio landscape. Following Disney&#8217;s $71.3 billion acquisition of the majority of&nbsp;21st Century Fox, the former chair and CEO of Fox Television Group will also head up 20th Century Fox TV, ABC Studios, the Freeform network, ABC-owned TV stations, ABC Entertainment and several other divisions.
Walden believes more women need to be in decision-making roles at every level. &#8220;There must be women in the highest ranks of every organization, and meaningful female representation on every corporate board,&#8221; Walden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2017/11/01/15-most-powerful-women-in-entertainment-and-media-2017-effecting-change-tackling-sexual-harassment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2017/11/01/15-most-powerful-women-in-entertainment-and-media-2017-effecting-change-tackling-sexual-harassment/">told Forbes last year</a>.
<blockquote>Our recruiting and our training has to be oriented to ensure that we’re identifying and nurturing future generations of female leaders.</blockquote>
Entertainment&#8217;s most powerful&nbsp;span Hollywood, music and publishing. As each segment continues to deal with the fallout of the #MeToo movement, women have taken action. Anna Wintour, who continues to control&nbsp;Vogue,&nbsp;suspended photographers Bruce Weber and Mario Testino amid sexual misconduct charges and set a code of conduct for models and photographers.
Wintour teamed up with music power woman Beyoncé for the September issue of&nbsp;Vogue; she was given creative control over her cover photo and leveraged that power to hire the first African American photographer to shoot the cover in the magazine&#8217;s&nbsp; 126-year history. Another first for Beyoncé: In 2018, she became the first black woman to headline Coachella.
Here&#8217;s the full list of Media and Entertainment power women:
1. Oprah Winfrey, Media mogul
2. Shari Redstone, Vice Chair, CBS &amp; Viacom
3. Bonnie Hammer, Chair, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment
4. Donna Langley,&nbsp; Chair, Universal Pictures
5. Anna Wintour, Artistic Director, Conde Nast
6. Beyoncé, Singer
7. Dana Walden, Chairman, Disney TV Studios and ABC Entertainment
8. Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian
9. Taylor Swift, Singer
10. Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief, The Economist
11. Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm
12. Shonda Rhimes, Showrunner
13. Arianna Huffington, Founder &amp; CEO, Thrive Global
14. Serena Williams, Tennis player
15. Shobhana Bhartia, Chair, HT&nbsp;Media
16. Priyanka Chopra,&nbsp;Actress
&#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga-track="contrib block byline">Natalie Robehmed</a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga-track="contrib block byline">:</a>&nbsp;I&#8217;m an associate editor at Forbes covering media and entertainment, with a focus on the movie business. For the magazine, I&#8217;ve written cover stories on&nbsp;
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READ MORE |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/life/2018/01/09/chef-cooked-beyonce-paris/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Chef Who Cooked For Beyoncé In Paris</a>
READ MORE |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/cover-story/2017/11/03/lessons-ideas-100-greatest-living-minds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lessons And Ideas By The 100 Greatest Living Business Minds</a>
READ MORE |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/life/2017/09/27/worlds-highest-paid-tv-actresses-2017-sofia-vergara-leads-41-5-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.forbesafrica.com/life/2017/09/27/worlds-highest-paid-tv-actresses-2017-sofia-vergara-leads-41-5-million/</a>
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2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival – Weekend 1 – Day 2

From Beyonce To Shonda Rhimes, The Most Powerful Women In Entertainment 2018

FORBES AFRICA is slightly early for the interview and photoshoot at the SA Culinary Club in Bryanston, Johannesburg. The owner tells us the chef is running a bit late and, also, that he didn’t take him seriously when he walked in one day wearing shorts asking to cook for them.
He finally arrives in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers looking young and far from the fat chef one would expect. He is short and slim and has cooked for everyone, from Jay-Z to the president of Nigeria.
As we begin our conversation, he jokes that every article on him starts in Soweto; a vibrant township south of Johannesburg where he was born and bred. He grew up in different parts of South Africa, going to different schools, but in his early teenage years he knew he loved the kitchen.
Chef Wandile Mabaso, South Africa’s French cuisine ambassador, cooked his first meal for his family at the age of 14. His father didn’t understand, nor approve, of him being a chef because at the time it wasn’t a job for black people. The misnomer faded and Mabaso started traveling; exploring and making money cooking.
“After high school I went to a hotel school; did a hotel degree. I found myself a job on a small private cruise ship in the Mediterranean. So I spent a lot of time in Italy, around Scandinavia, Barcelona, Monaco,” he recalls.
It was Mabaso’s first time outside of South Africa and he didn’t know what to expect, but he was in his early 20s and very excited. On his return, Mabaso furthered his studies and went for a culinary degree where he was offered a job in the United States while studying. He didn’t look back and went straight to Miami, where he spent 18 months and from there headed to New York, where he was trained in classical French cuisine. He has worked for many famous French chefs and was mentored by the world-famous Chef Olivier Reginensi.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2016/10/01/man-knows-billionaires-eat-lunch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: The Man Who Knows What Billionaires Eat For Lunch</a>
Mabaso was more eager and passionate than the rest of the class when cooking; trying new things was his ideology. He stood out and was handpicked over the other chefs who were more shy, unsure or scared.
“I worked at Daniel, I worked at Le Bernardin, which are all two-star, three-star Michelin restaurants, at least top 20 in the world. I worked in a whole lot of high-end places in Manhattan, probably all these restaurants are at least in the top 50 in the world,” he says.
<div id="attachment_34938" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34938" class=" wp-image-34938" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Chef-Wandile-Mabaso-1-e1515483290853-300x200.jpg" alt="Chef Wandile Mabaso Beyonce Paris" width="500" height="333" />Chef Wandile Mabaso (Photo by Motlabana Monnakgotla)</div>
When he cooks, it’s professional; it’s rare for him to cook the same dish again. His training made him creative.
He has cooked for Jay-Z, Beyoncé, presidents and NBA stars in Paris.
“People are fascinated by cooking for celebrities, for me it means nothing, in a sense we’re all people, whether you a celebrity or a guy helping park cars. Chances are people like Beyoncé just like fried chicken and the average guy has a better palate than Jay-Z. It doesn’t mean cooking for Jay-Z is the ultimate person to cook for. I’m not about showing off,” says Mabaso with a straight face.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2017/08/04/pots-pans-passion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: Pots, Pans And Passion</a>
There’s a culture of collecting knives among chefs in New York. Before Mabaso left the Big Apple for Paris, he was gifted with a Misono knife (handcrafted Japanese chef&#8217;s knives), by Chef Reginensi, engraved with his name. The knife is worth $420.52 and he treasures it.
In 2017, Mabaso was in partnership with <a href="https://carrolboyes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carrol Boyes</a>; a renowned cutlery and crockery artist and designer. He served all his food on Carrol Boyes plates on a sold-out tour he took across South Africa.
“I would have a class where I would invite junior chefs or students and show cooking techniques. From there I’d choose one, two or three kids to come work with me for the dinner. At the end we put out a bursary where I choose two from the whole tour to go work in Paris at a three-star Michelin restaurant,” he says.
The tour ended in Cape Town and two learners will be undergoing French speaking lessons for three months with the French Institute of South Africa and the French Embassy before leaving, and will be funded by Mabaso and other chefs in France.
Next, Mabaso will be collaborating with a South African artist on a cutlery and crockery range. The artist will work on the plate and Mabaso will serve on it in 2018.
“It’s art and food combined.”
Mabaso was out of the country for nine years and missed traditional South African food. Tripe is one of his favorite childhood memories and he says he prefers street food over haute cuisine. He doesn’t like Johannesburg’s central business district because there is “no sanitation, no cleanliness and you can’t cook like that,” he says.
“The best I have experienced is a falafel in Paris, it’s just this place man. They sell shawarmas for 10 euros but there’s always a line, sometimes about 800 meters long, every day, and it&#8217;s Algerian guys doing it in Paris.”
Mabaso started in Soweto, traveled and cooked for VIPs globally. Now he’s back in South Africa, sharing his skills with younger chefs, and hopes to have long queues outside his restaurant one day.

The Chef Who Cooked For Beyoncé In Paris

South African designer Gavin Rajah was studying law at the University of Cape Town, with an interest in medical law, when he felt the need to keep busy and earn some extra money. His father owned a clothing store, so he began selling clothes to his friends and classmates. This led to restyling students’ formal dresses and eventually finding someone nearby to manufacture his own designs.
Rajah found law too depressing and chose to ditch it so he could find something more creative. Fashion seemed like the natural step forward, but his father had one piece of advice: ‘Fashion is a very difficult business and you don’t want to get into this business’.
Instead of pursuing his dream, Rajah’s second act, a marketing degree, served him well. With his keen sense of business, he started an events company that did so well it caught the attention of South African-based and listed Naspers, a multinational media company. Naspers bought 60% of the business in 2005 but the relationship went sour, leaving Rajah no choice but to leave the business and take his name with him. His old clients followed.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2752" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/1310_MBFWA_SDR_4381_RAJAH-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />
With fashion in his blood, Rajah soon made his way back, with an arsenal of business and marketing knowledge. He describes his business expansion plan as conservative, owed to the fact that it has all been self-funded. Not coming from a strictly creative background, Rajah sees things from a more objective perspective. He feels that artists often get lost on the creative side, that creativity gives way to commerciality.
Rajah was the first African to receive an invite to participate at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Paris. Other fashion houses were calling him for invites to the show. He had to face the stereotypes that people had about Africa. They were expecting garments made from shweshwe &#8211; a sotho print &#8211; and porcupine quills. Rajah has nothing against the use of African prints, but feels that they can be made contemporary by sending them to a graphic designer and having them reinterpreted.
The designer is also the founder of the Cape Town and Durban fashion weeks, as well as the Cape Town Flower Show.
Taking on a role as a mentor, Rajah raised money and worked with Precious Moloi-Motsepe’s Africa Fashion International (AFI) business to take four designers &#8211; Thula Sindi, Craig Native, Thabani Mavundla and David Tlale &#8211; to showcase overseas, in 2007. Rajah felt that black designers in South Africa were not getting international exposure. Understanding the boundaries involved in breaking into the international scene, he wanted the showcase to give them that exposure. People told him he was throwing the designers to the wolves but he wanted to prove them wrong. Rajah says there is a high level of mutual respect in the international fashion industry. Sindi and Native still call him for business advice.
Rajah believes that AFI and Moloi-Motsepe are great, giving designers an amazing platform. He also believes the designers themselves hold the key to success.
His inspiration comes from books, music, theater and traveling. Each season is different. Rajah’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa collection in October was inspired by a visit to the Tower of London and books on the legend of King Arthur. Each collection takes around two months to complete, this has improved with time and experience since he no longer doubts himself.
When the ideas come in, he makes quick sketches, refines them and, once he’s done, he involves the rest of the team. A lot of changes happen when they have completed the mock designs, and even more once the collection is complete. Rajah does not ignore the need to pay attention to trends, without necessarily following every single one.
According to him, fashion is about creating a brand and that takes a lot of money. Your brand needs to evolve, meaning you need to make sure it’s marketable, relevant and contemporary. Rajah uses the same approach in his events company that he uses in his designs, designing everything from the lighting and sound to table clothes and food.
He feels that since the events industry, like fashion, is not regulated, you have to work harder to entrench your name in people’s minds and prove yourself. His strategy is to be conceptual, innovative, understand his market and exceed expectations.
Last year was good for Rajah. He was named as one of the 150 designers to watch around the world in the January issue of the Italian edition of Vogue, he was also named South African Tourism designer of the year.
“We chose him for his role as a strong champion of South African design. He’s established himself as an entrepreneur in the world of fashion and has been instrumental in profiling South African designs. His work has helped establish South Africa globally as a fantastic lifestyle, culture and heritage destination,” says the chief executive officer of South African Tourism, Thulani Nzima.
“People don’t understand the work that designers do. An architect might build one house a year, or two. A designer puts six to eight collections out every year and every one has to be commercially successful,” says Rajah.
According to Rajah, South Africa is behind when it comes to recognizing the fashion business, particularly financial institutions.
Rajah’s fashion business is entirely supported by international clients. Celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé and Cameron Diaz have worn his creations, while Gavin Rajah Concept (GRC) clients range from brides looking to make their wedding day unforgettable, to corporates like Nike, Jaguar and Sun International.
“You can’t believe your own hype. The minute you start believing it, it’s a problem. The minute you don’t start selling clothes, it’s a problem.”
Last year, GRC won the Event Producer of the Year award at the Event Solutions Spotlight Awards. It was also nominated for the Corporate Event Planner of the Year, Event Company of the Year and Creative Director of the Year awards. The team was also nominated for three more awards this year in Las Vegas, in the United States, and won Event Producer of the Year at the end of March.
Being named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2007 is undoubtedly Rajah’s career highlight, as he is very passionate about championing people who don’t have a voice. He often wakes up at night shocked by all he has created and the number of people dependent on him. He is blessed enough to love what he does. Now that he is older, it’s about running a business and he is at the stage where he can take small risks.
At this year’s Design Indaba, the Gavin Rajah exhibit was a bathroom setting. It was his interpretation of the dirtiness of the fashion industry.
“It’s a dirty business and we’ve got to learn to change it.”
Rajah says things like drugs and sex happen in bathrooms. The mirrored perspex he used in his exhibition was hinting at the narcissism prevalent in the fashion world.
“Fashion has become so obsessive, so decadent, so hyped up and people behave so badly.”
His pebble dress from the Spring/Summer 2013 couture collection was made from foiled leather pieces molded into pebble shapes and won him the Design Indaba’s Most Beautiful Object In South Africa competition.
The king of glamorous couture also partnered with retail chain Legit, under the Edcon Group, to design a ready-to-wear collection for the mainstream market.
Rajah has not looked back since opting to sell beautiful clothes. He creates dreams rather than false hope.

Tag: Beyonce

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