Hip Hop – An African American Culture That Birthed Several Black Entrepreneurs

Once upon a time in Black Entrepreneur History was born a musical art form, culture and style like no other on the globe called Hip Hop, and that art form was founded by and shaped by African Americans (Black Americans) as part of their culture. From the late 1960s with Pigmeat Markham and his hit Here Comes the Judge in 1968 that was a forerunner to what is known as rap music today to when it hit mainstream in the mid 1970s and beyond, that African American art form, style and culture called Hip Hop has created several Black Entrepreneurs and artists known as the pioneers who added something special to the genre – Disco King Mario, Coke La Rock, Kool DJ Dee, DJ Kool Herc, Lovebug Starski, who created the name Hip Hop, DJ Pete Jones and more who were underground and unknown because it was a regular part of African American music culture prior to its reveal to the masses.

Out of Hip Hop, which was foundationally used to bring awareness, education and a new way of expression and fun from an unheard generation of Black people, has born a wave of new African American Entrepreneurs in the way of hip hop fashion, hip hop/rap music and even hip hop television.

Below are some of the Black Hip Hop Entrepreneurs that made and are making history today along with a few of their ventures.

• Jay-Z – Rocawear, Roc Nation and 40/40 Club founder
• 50 Cent – G-Unit Records and Clothing Company founder
• Snoop Dogg – Broadus Foods, Leafs by Snoop, Death Row Records (post Suge Knight ownership)
• Pharrell Williams – Billionaires Boys Club co-founder
• Master P – P Miller Enterprises, Better Black Entertainment
• Russell Simmons – Def Jam Recordings Co-Founder, Phat Farm founder
• Dr. Dre – Aftermath Entertainment Founder, Beats Electronics Founder
• Diddy – Bad Boy Records
• Flavor Flav – Flavor Flav Chicken & Ribs Restaurant

The list is much longer than this selection, but the message is solid – hip hop has produced a whole new line of music and businesses that have gone global.

What can all Black entrepreneurs learn from the creation of hip hop? Never despise small beginnings! Hip Hop started in the streets of Black America before anyone ever knew about the sound and culture, and now Hip Hop rules, not only in television, with shows such as Love and Hip Hop, but in movies as well being the top choice for background theme music, and this choice has carried over into sports.

Each person listed above started from the bottom, and each one had faith that they could and would and they placed action behind it and did it! That’s one of the best lessons to gain from hip hop culture – it’s a grind, and when you put your mind to it, it will pay off in time.