Be sure to check out our previous posts: BHM: Brands and Founders and BHM: Leaders on and off the Field.
Travis Scott
From music, to fashion, the key to Travis Scott’s success is his ability to take artistic risks. Since solidifying himself as one of the biggest musicians in the world with his 2019 album Astroworld, he’s also conquered the worlds of street and high fashion through a series of pitch-perfect collaborations. His partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand has made him a sneaker icon. He’s also worked with Helmut Lang, Saint Laurent, Fortnite, Cactus Plant Flea Market, General Mills, Nerf, and Evisu. But it was his massive collaboration with McDonald’s that rocketed Scott to global dominance. And if anyone asks, “Just say Cactus Jack sent you.”
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Hebru Brantley
Born and raised in Chicago, Hebru Brantley is one of the most prominent figures in the current American contemporary art landscape. His unique Afro-Futuristic approach to comic-book style illustration and graffiti shares his own experiences of African American and urban life in America. Brantley’s Fly Boy character, a key figure in his work, is a representation of black joy and empowerment that is underrepresented in the art world. With the help of Fly Boy, Brantley has transcended beyond mediums of paint and sculpture and has branched into consumer goods. Collaborations with Jordan, adidas, Spalding, BE@RBRICK, and BAPE have broadened Brantley’s audience, spreading his messages to new communities.
Issa Rae
Issa Rae first shot to fame with her widely popular and award-winning YouTube show The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl. The web show spawned a memoir in 2015 and helped lead to her breakout HBO show Insecure in 2016. Inspired by her YouTube series, Insecure broke stereotypes by authentically representing the everyday lives of young Black people. This year marks the final season of Insecure, but Issa is staying busy with a record label, a coffee shop, and a blossoming movie career.
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Pharrell Williams
Pop-culture wouldn’t be what it is today without Pharrell Williams. His influence on music, fashion, and art has changed the way people think, express themselves, and create, all for the better. Among his many accolades are Grammy awards, successful streetwear labels, Chanel collaborations, his own line with adidas, and most importantly, his ongoing push to promote peace and love.
Aleali May
The Los Angeles native got her start working for Don C and Virgil Abloh’s RSVP Gallery in Chicago in the early 2010s. Aleali May burst onto the global scene in 2017 when she became the second woman to design a Jordan and the first woman to design a unisex Jordan with her Jordan 1 Retro High Aleali May Shadow. She teamed up with Jordan Brand again in 2018, dropping the Jordan 1 Retro High Aleali May Court Lux (W), and in 2019 she reworked the Jordan 6 in millennial pink with her Jordan 6 Retro Aleali May (W). And it looks like she’ll bless 2021 with another high fashion take on a Jordan, with the Jordan 1 High CMFT Aleali May (W).
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Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay has quickly become one of the most respected and celebrated American filmmakers of the last decade. The Oscar-nominated director has worked tirelessly to champion Black voices and experiences in mainstream American film. Her many directorial credits include Selma, the Netflix documentary 13th, and A Wrinkle in Time. Her films have earned her several awards and nominations. Among her many accolades, she became the first Black woman ever to have her film nominated for the Best Picture at the 2014 Oscars, for Selma. Additionally, DuVernay has been an outspoken critic of the systematic lack of diversity within the Academy Awards. DuVernay has several upcoming projects, including a Netflix mini-series that will center around Colin Kaepernick’s story.
Joe Freshgoods
When it comes to designers, Joe Freshgoods is in a lane of his own. The Chicago-native lets his hometown fuel his creativity. Through his Midwest influence, he was able to cultivate his Don’t Be Mad brand, start-up his own store Fat Tiger Workshop in the heart of the windy city, and collaborate with some top brands such as Nike, Converse, New Balance, and adidas. Despite his continuous rise in hype culture, Joe unapologetically never loses sight of who he is and his purpose for design. In a 2019 interview with Complex, Joe states, “My narrative is growing up and being from Chicago, making it in Chicago, and then making things in Chicago.”
Check out our Personal Space with Joe Freshgoods from 2019 below.
Jerry Lawson
There is a good chance modern gaming would not exist without the innovative technical contributions of Jerry Lawson. Lawson played a key role in creating the first-ever home videogame console that used cartridges. Lawson’s work was important, as cartridge games were used in major consoles including the SNES and Nintendo 64, and continue to be used in modern gaming with the Nintendo Switch’s game cartridges. In 2018, the International Game Developers Association honored Lawson by establishing the “Jerry A. Lawson Award for Achievement in Game Development,” given to individuals from underrepresented communities who have significantly impacted the gaming industry.
Marquise Brownlee
Marquise Brownlee is one of the most trusted sources of electronics news on YouTube. Known as MKBHD, viewers can always rely on Brownlee to post reviews, speculation, and much more about smartphones, laptops, headphones, gaming consoles, and even cars. MKBHD is long established in the game. He launched his channel in 2009, amassing 13.6 million subscribers and over 2.4 billion views since then. Outside of operating his YouTube channel, Brownlee is also a professional ultimate Frisbee player on the New York Empire. He has also taken his content creation talents and tech knowledge to the podcast realm, starting Waveform, which releases new episodes biweekly.
