iOne Digital Creative Class
The Creative Class Honoree: Flo Milli
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Flo Milli The Grind: Rapper Find Her: @flomilli It’s been a big year for rapper Flo Milli. The 20 year old released her debut project, Ho Why Is You Here with the support of raps current queens. On the day of her debut, timelines went wild. Forget all the tropes held about women in hip hop or even about musicians whose first exposure is through social media. Flo Milli is here to flip them all. Maybe it was the fast-paced beats she chose, or her catchy hooks, but in 2019 Flo Milli’s “Beef FloMix” and “In The Party” were TikTok’s newest viral sounds. In both, the rapper brought the confidence, the wit, and the brazenness. In her freshman project, Flo Milli keeps the same formula. The 12 single project includes her two viral hits and a col...
The Creative Class Honoree: Carl Chery
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Carl Chery The Grind: Creative Director, Head of Urban Music Find Him: @carlchery Carl Cherry knows music. He knows who is talented, what a hit sounds like and who’s up next before most people even know an artist exists. It’s why Apple Music hired him as Head of Curation, and why Spotify snatched him up and hired him as Head of Urban. Carl’s ear for Hip Hop and R&B in particular, is enviable. At Spotify, part of his job is curating Rap Caviar, a highly coveted playlist for artists and music fans alike. Thanks to Chery, who has described the playlist as “aspirational”, RC isn’t just a party, it’s a career changer. While most people in the industry rely on titles and places of employment to get them ahead, Chery is different. If you take a look at hi...
Hip Hop Wired: iOne Digital’s Creative Class 2020
Source: iOne Digital / other Creativity must be encouraged, harnessed and celebrated—always. This year, each of Hip-Hop Wired’s picks for iOne Digital’s Creative Class all have one thing in common: They’ve actively pushed culture forward. These leaders have each carved out careers dedicated to impacting lives by innovating and charging ahead in their respective fields. The 2020 honorees include Dr. Sunyatta Amen, founder of wellness brand Calabash Tea & Tonic; rappers Flo Milli, Substantial, and Guapdad 4000 and Spotify executive Carl Chery. Despite a tumultuous year, each has managed to continue being a light for many during dark times. Find out more about Hip Hop Wired’s honorees here. Source: iOne Digital / other Source: iOne Digital / other Source: iOne Digital / other Source...
The Creative Class Honoree: Substantial
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Substantial The Grind: Rapper, educator and entrepreneur Find Him: @substantialmusic Substantial is both thoughtful and intentional with his words, two hallmarks of a champion rapper and wordsmith, and a credit to his name. What he says carries weight, and aligns with him being tapped as an instructor at Omega School, and business mentor in the company he owns with his wife, Substantial Art and Music. His journey in the music industry has largely been shaped from learning the inner workings of the business, valuing checks over clout and legacy building over instant gratification—evidenced by the fact that he owns over 90% of his catalog. His latest release, Dirty Sneakers, has made inroads on the charts and adds to his impressive body of work, which bo...
The Creative Class Honoree: Guapdad 4000
Source: iOne Digital / other Honoree: Guapdad 4000 The Grind: Rapper Find Him: @guapdad4000 Guapdad 4000’s debut album, Dior Deposits, is a much needed break in what some call a monotonous time in music. Of Black and Filipino decent, he credits both of his grandmothers for passing down their unshakable work ethic, confidence and boldness—the latter evidenced by his decision to share past mental health challenges. While most pick a lane and stay there, Guapdad finds comfort in duality, saying “you can still be confident in actions and sad about things in general”. Building a lifestyle brand is important to the rapper and designer, who aspired to be integrated into the lives of fans in a meaningful way. If this season of Guapdad’s life could be described in a word, it would be evolving...
