An audit into the state of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has revealed an organisation in a state of disarray - both with regard to finances and governance.
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Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Drake partners with Caffeine app to stream URL rap battles
Rapper and entrepreneur Aubrey “Drake” Graham signed a partnership with new streaming app Caffeine to live stream URL rap battles, according to uproxx.com.
Caffeine is a streaming app geared toward fans of eSports. Their exclusive partnership with Drake will allow the URL to be streamed live for free for the first time since its inception. Prior to this collaboration, URL battles were streamed live on HD pay-per-view but now even the casual fan can watch, too.
In an announcement on CNN.com, Caffeine’s founder, Ben Keighran, explained the rationale for the partnership. “Drake, if you look at his career in the last ten years, is defined as the biggest artist in the world,” he said. “This is a guy that can catch the attention of not just the entertainment world, but the gaming world as well. The first thing we’re bringing out with him is not actually a video gaming thing,” Keighran said, noting that the partnership allows Drake to “do whatever he wants.”
The Canadian native has long expressed his love for battle rapping. In 2015, Drake skipped the Grammy ceremony despite being nominated in order to attend a rap battle event called Blackout 5 in his hometown of Toronto in which his brand, OVO, was the sponsor according to blogto.com. He is also no stranger to battle rap in his own right. Throughout his illustrious career, he’s battled with rappers like Meek Mill, Tory Lanez, Pusha T, Common along subliminally responding to other rappers who took shots at him.
Last November, the actor partnered with Canopy Growth Corpo. to launch the More Life Growth Co., a fully licensed producer of cannabis, based in Toronto. More Life Growth is centered around wellness, discovery, and overall personal growth with the hope of facilitating connections and shared experiences across the globe. Drake holds a 60% ownership interest in the More Life Growth Co., with Canopy Growth retaining a 40% ownership.
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Andrew Yang disappoints supporters and withdraws from 2020 presidential race
Andrew Yang has officially ended his campaign to become president.
On Tuesday in Manchester, New Hampshire, the entrepreneur told his supporters, who came to be known as the “Yang Gang,” that the math didn’t add up to a successful run.
READ MORE: Dave Chappelle joins the ‘Yang Gang’ places his support behind Andrew Yang
“While there is great work left to be done, you know I am the math guy, and it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race,” Yang said, according to CNN. “I am not someone who wants to accept donations and support in a race that we will not win. And so, tonight I am announcing I am suspending my campaign for president.”
Yang said he ultimately decided to hang it up when he was “persuaded that the message of this campaign will not be strengthened by my staying in this race any longer.”
Still, Yang pointed out the success of his campaign in that it propelled him to outlast “over a dozen senators, governors and members of Congress to become the most exciting force in this entire race.”
“The Yang Gang has fundamentally shifted the direction of this country and transformed our politics, and we are only continuing to grow,” Yang said, reported CNN.
Yang became a presidential candidate in 2017, although few paid attention to him back then. He told CNN even his family asked “president of what” when he told them he was running. He would go on to build a devoted campaign by backing such measures as a universal basic income and the legalization of marijuana.
READ MORE: Andrew Yang calls on LeBron James to join the Yang Gang
Yang had a poor showing in Iowa, receiving just 1 percent of the vote, despite spending millions of dollars and a lot of time campaigning in the final weeks before the caucuses. His showing was also dismal in New Hampshire.
People will be sure to follow Yang’s next move to see what role, if any, he may be presented with by Democrats.
The post Andrew Yang disappoints supporters and withdraws from 2020 presidential race appeared first on TheGrio.
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Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios buys 11 TV stations for $305 million
Byron Allen, founder, and CEO of Entertainment Studios Networks (parent company of theGrio) has acquired 11 broadcast television stations from USA Television Holdings LLC and USA Television MidAmerica Holdings LLC (collectively, USA TV) for $305 million.
Allen Media Broadcasting, a division of Entertainment Studios, closed on the deal on Tuesday. This move signifies a commitment by Allen to expand his company’s broadcast holdings, reported Deadline.
READ MORE: Byron Allen’s star-studded Oscar gala raises $1.5 million for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
“Over the past six months we’ve invested nearly $500 million to acquire best-in-class, top-tier, broadcast network affiliates,” Allen said. “We plan to invest approximately $10 billion to acquire ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox television stations over the next three years with the goal of being one of the largest broadcast television groups in America.”
The move is expected to strengthen local coverage and improve the digital footprints of these local stations.
“These stations are dedicated to their local communities and this transaction will enable them to become even stronger on both their broadcast and digital platforms,” USA Television CEO Robert Prather, Jr. said according to Deadline.
Here are the stations covered by the USA TV deal:
- WAAY, WAAY-D2 (ABC, ION) — Huntsville, Decatur, and Florence, Alabama
- WFFT (Fox) — Ft. Wayne, Indiana
- KEZI, KEZI-D2, KEZI-D3 (ABC, ION, METV) — Eugene, Oregon
- KNVN*, KNVN-DT2*, KHSL, KHSL-D2, KHSL-D5 (NBC, Telemundo, CBS, CW, Ion) — Chico and Redding, California
- WTVA, WLOV*, WTVA-D2 (NBC, Fox, ABC) — Columbus, Tupelo and West Point, Missouri
- KDRV, KDRV-D2 (ABC, antenna TV) — Medford and Klamath Falls, Oregon
- KIMT, KIMT-D2, KIMT-D3 (CBS, MyTV, Ion) — Rochester, Minnesota, Mason City, Iowa, and Austin, Minnesota
- WTHI, WTHI-D2, WTHI-D3 (CBS, Fox, MyTV, CW) — Terre Haute, Indiana
- WLFI, WLFI-D2, WLFI-D3 (CBS, CW, Ion) — Lafayette, Indiana
* operated through joint sales and services agreement
In 2015, Allen sued Comcast for discrimination, maintaining that the country’s largest cable company refused to pick up Entertainment Studios’ channels because of race. Comcast countered essentially that Allen must demonstrate that race was the only reason behind their decision. He sued under Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a post-Civil War statute that allowed “all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States” to have the same right to uphold contracts “as is enjoyed by white citizens.”
READ MORE: Byron Allen arrives in Washington to take on Supreme Court
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that Allen’s claims were plausible. Last April, Comcast filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court following the judgment. Over the summer, the Trump DOJ filed an amicus brief with the court in support of Comcast.
The racial discrimination case was heard by the Supreme Court in November 2019 and according to Reuters, has an expected ruling that should be made by the end of June 2020.
The post Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios buys 11 TV stations for $305 million appeared first on TheGrio.
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6 Negotiating Tactics for Fast Growth-Minded Businesses
In business, it would be difficult if not impossible to achieve a notable measure of success without having inked a significant number of agreements with other parties—most appreciably with conflicts inherent in the process having been pleasingly overcome for all involved. Whether negotiating a sale with an existing customer or prospective new account, contracts with vendors, deals with company and industry stakeholders, a M&A situation, the salary of a new hire or any other employee negotiating is a fundamental driver of a company’s prosperity.
The better company personnel are at negotiating, the more successful it will be. It’s that simple. Of course, negotiation is a learned skill that one must first master and then continue to hone—one involving psychological intuition, emotional control, cognitive agility, and even creativity combined with practical and tactical skill.
So important is this function and the dynamic the outcome establishes, the nonprofit public policy research organization The Brookings Institution offers a “Negotiation: Strategies for Results” course helping people learn, among other things, how to “enhance the quality and logic of negotiation agreements; and, as a result, increase the likelihood of true consensus.”
The institute’s approach of leaning on logic as a key driver in facilitating desired outcomes—and experiencing that “winning” vis a vis an outcome of genuine unanimity—intrigued me. So often, fast track companies, in particular, have a “win at all costs” mentality, and one might pontificate that a fast track might be even faster should the mindset shift to curating equitable “win-wins,” instead. However, no matter the balance of the proverbial scale relative to who realized the better end of the deal, negotiation prowess is nothing short of mission-critical when it comes to realizing successful agreements—for fast-growth companies in particular and certainly for other business who aspire to uptick gains on a fast track.
With this understanding, I reached out to senior-level international negotiation consultant Ruth Shlossman for some fresh tips on how fast trackers, in particular, can facilitate strategic agreements more effortlessly and efficiently. And deliver Shlossman did, which was no surprise given her lofty pedigree in the negotiation space, perhaps best exemplified by her newly-released title “Negotiate with Ease”—a book billed as one “guaranteed” to help readers negotiate successfully.
Through that exchange, Shlossman kindly offered up these six key negotiation truths and strategies that, she asserts, can significantly help propel fast growth-minded businesses.
1. Facts over emotions: Negotiate based on actualities
While it seems elementary, this idea is worth a foundational mention as a shocking number of professionals approach the negotiation table wildly underprepared. Before entering into any negotiation, you need to know your facts and be ready, willing and able to present them well. For example, if you are negotiating about a trade, you should know your costs including engineer services, raw material fluctuations, delivery options, consignment costs and currency concerns. Identify the core issues and how they will affect the various outcome of the bargain. Before reaching an agreement, make sure you understand what it constitutes and the value it brings to you. Failure to understand what you are agreeing to, from every viewpoint, can result in a costly concession that you may never have an opportunity to change.
Take time to understand the other person or company as much as possible. Also understand the issue that you will be negotiating, and what each of the parties expects. For instance, if you are conferring to buy a new building, several issues are worth considering. The length of time the property has been on sale, the number of buildings on sale in the area and the possibility of zoning changes. As you think of such issues, you will identify which can serve as leverage to gain the most out of the agreement.
2. Make a trade with every concession
From the start, you should consider and include every possibility of the negotiated agreement. Think about each various facet of the deal up front and consider the risks of making costly concessions related to any or all. One method that is used in the Chinese culture is where negotiations are conducted with a long-term mind-set. You need to consider factors like the ten-year plan of the other company and what would happen if technology changes or demand doubles. Think of what would happen in case of raw material shortages or if the company gets acquired by another. Considering such “what if” scenarios can save you in terms of money, time and the stress of negotiating.
It’s also prudent to look for any clues about the other person’s underlying interest, which will better enable you to negotiate on what matters to that person. For instance, timing may be the most important factor for the other party when you are considering a merger and acquisition. Perhaps upfront costs may be their deciding factor when entering into an investment. For you to be a solid negotiator, you need to take the approach of a detective and seek to identify the interests of the other party to parlay.
3. Avoid being transactional—see the bigger picture
After identifying the core issues in a negotiation, develop the best possible outcome—optimally equitably for all involved. Also known as the Best Agreement to Make (BAM), this should be your opening offer. At the same time, think about your target, possible final offer and what you may use as a “Plan B.” Consider the various possible negotiation’s outcomes, including potential future problems related to each. A successful result is one that’s pegged on the identification and even anticipation of potential problems, allowing you to take a stance that benefits you the most.
4. Align with stakeholder interests
In any negotiation, it’s imperative to identify your company’s true interest and negotiate to align that strategic interest with deal terms. When negotiating with new clients or suppliers, the stakes of a fast track company are usually higher. How a negotiated agreement begins determines the way forward, even for the decades to come. Since it is often more difficult to change an agreement than to create one, it is also important to start on a high note. The moment you erroneously say “yes” in a negotiation, keep in mind it can be both costly and painful to turn that “yes” to a “no” or back down later on. So, proffer affirmations judiciously.
The most important thing for your company could be a longer contract, joint PR, training, a new way of tracking orders or teaming up to improve engineering services. Whatever the interests are, ensure you are speaking on behalf of your company’s stakeholders. This could include members of the marketing team, engineering services, accounts payables, operation or the core leadership team. Think of the hidden costs in the terms being negotiated to avoid entering into an agreement that will end up being costly in the long run.
5. Don’t open fair, open assertively
The importance of having perfect information cannot be overemphasized. Your opening offer can only be deemed credible if it’s based on adequate information and facts. Many experts believe that negotiators who open assertively, though NOT aggressively, end up with the best deal. Also, when negotiating with a party you’ve done so with previously, approach each deal individually and with a beginner’s mind—no matter how similar they may be. Don’t start where your previous negotiations ended. Several things may have changed; policies, goals or the nature of the product all may be impacted.
When you are opening your negotiations, you should start with the BAM, which is to say the most assertive offer. While some people open at their target or goal, this is usually a huge mistake. Unlike BAM, the target lacks the flexibility needed in negotiations. By starting with the BAM, you will be opening assertively and with the ability to “give” by making strategic concessions. A good way of developing your BAM is considering the core issues and possible changes, including the various favorable options, potential changes in pricing when a new supplier emerges or effects of possible shifts in technology.
6. Embrace conflict and discomfort
As you start your negotiations for a fast-growth company (or with that mindset), think about your BAM—that all-important opening position or offer. Ensure that the core issues you bring forth are adaptable based on concessions offered and taken. The most important thing is to be prepared for changes and be willing and able to act accordingly. For example, your counterpart may make an unreasonable counteroffer. The appropriate approach is to avoid responding with a counteroffer as this will actually give theirs credibility. Instead, ask them to explain why they are asking something that seems unreasonable to you. Also, however uncomfortable it may be for everyone, take your time to respond appropriately—and calmly—to conflict in pursuit of better outcomes.
Time is an enemy of fast-growth company negotiations. You will most likely be pressured to get the deal done in the shortest time possible. The trick is taking your time and avoid succumbing to such pressures while still being sensitive to timing issues. Explain to your stakeholders the importance of a well-negotiated agreement and the favorable bottom line impacts that can be realized by taking the appropriate amount of time to deliberate and navigate the deal. Do your utmost to remain in control of the negotiation timeline and agenda. Most importantly, be proactive in the negotiations rather than reactive.
Fast trackers would do well to read, and perhaps re-read, these tips from Shlossman slowly—but implement them quickly—to negotiate more confidently, skillfully and shrewdly and, in turn, realize (and sustain) rapid advancement of your own.
As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist. As a prolific branding and marketplace trends pundit, Merilee spotlights noteworthy industry innovators, change makers, movers and shakers. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events across all categories. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
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Lecrae: ‘I Want to Restore the View the Black Community Has of Itself’
Lecrae Devaughn Moore is a Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist, best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and co-owner and president of Reach Records. His 2014 album, Anomaly, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the first album to top both the Billboard 200 and the Gospel Charts simultaneously. He has sold more than 3 million copies and been nominated for five Grammy Awards, including a win for Best Gospel Album. He also received 15 Dove Awards, one Billboard Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award, and a BET Hip-Hop Nomination.
In an exclusive interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the artist and businessman opened up about his new projects and entrepreneurship.
BE: What is the most important thing you are working on now?
Moore: With conversation rising about the number of teens committing suicide and the heightened conversations around mental health awareness and suicide prevention, this is the perfect time for my ninth album, Restoration. I’m also writing another book, I Am Restored, due out later this year. A follow-up to my first book, Unashamed, I Am Restored, chronicles how I’ve navigated the highs and lows of success and celebrity and shares how coming into faith has helped to restore, transform, and define who I am as a man, father, community activist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
Can you tell us a little more about your new album, Restoration?
For Restoration, I’ve gotten to work with a lot of major artists. I’m excited to put out some healing music. I want people to know that you’re never too messed up for a restoration. Second divorce, prison sentence, it doesn’t matter. There’s always hope, healing, and restoration available if you seek it.
Restoration seems to be a big theme for you. What have you done and/or doing in terms of ‘Restoration?‘
I want to restore the view the black community has of itself. We can change the narrative, empower the disenfranchised, and close wealth gaps. We can restore the dignity that was stripped from us. We can lean on God to restore our sense of purpose and worth. I am partnered on several projects to restore Atlanta’s English Avenue, an area known for its rampant drug trafficking and violent crime statistics. I’m also an active member of the Board of Advisory for Peace Academy, the first school in the English Avenue area to be opened in more than 20 years.
Does the distinction of performing gospel separate you from other rappers or does it put you in line with other rappers who only perform secular music?
The distinction is very important to those who want to neatly place the artist in boxes, but for me, it’s about being authentic to who I am. Jay-Z is who he is for hip hop as Kirk Franklin is the same for Gospel. But I live in between those two worlds. I’m passionate about my faith and the art of rap.
Gospel has exploded more into the mainstream lately. Do you see more converts in the near future? Does it affect the way you do business and/or music knowing that trend has translated into someone like Kanye West making a big splash?
It’s not as foreign because we are multi-dimensional as people. But I think having more artists converting makes what I’ve been doing all along more palatable. People are more accepting and therefore can benefit from the healing that the music provides. My music is like therapy; it’s restorative. Once you’ve been exposed, then you have a choice to benefit from the restoration my music offers.
You evidently have many hustles as a successful businessman. Would you like to talk about some of the ‘outside work’ you do when you’re not recording and performing music?
Besides running my own label, Reach Records, I’m part of a startup fund in Atlanta called Collab Capital, which focuses on innovative black-owned businesses. I’m a co-owner of a music tech company called MXD (getmxd.com) which is innovating how independent music is made. I have a production company called 3 Strand Films which is producing a lot of great content this year. I’m also a part-owner in a major film studio, so film is very important to me. I’m working on my real estate acumen and partnering in Atlanta with some great developers and agents like Erika Brown & Associates.
You’ve been a successful artist for years, but, more importantly, you’ve been a successful business as well. Which do you feel carries more weight with you and why?
Obviously, the business acumen makes all the difference, but you also need common sense and to be street smart as well. If you don’t understand the fundamentals of business, you won’t thrive as long as an artist.
Why is it important to you to handle your own business and in terms of you collaborating with other entities that spark your interest?
I had to learn so much on my own. I didn’t go to business school or have a mentor teach me any of these things so collaborating has been my college. Kobe Bryant was an amazing athlete, but he was also an example to us all that we can do amazing things if we take the time to learn.
What advice would you give someone who wants to take on the mantle of entrepreneurship?
LEARN LEARN LEARN. Listen to podcasts, take classes, read books. The only way to become an authority is to first submit to an authority. Learn from experts so you don’t make unnecessary mistakes. Some lessons you don’t have to live to learn. Also, numbers NEVER lie. Take the time to calculate the cost of things and the cost analysis. Don’t just scatter seeds everywhere hoping they grow. Take time to research ideas and see why it may or may not work. Last, pray. I pray about everything. People Plan but God executes.
What’s next in the future for Lecrae the businessman? Is there anything you’d like to reveal to the audience so we can prepare for it?
There is so much on the horizon. I’m literally just getting started. Stay tuned!
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