Diddy and Jay Z are taking Black Excellence to a newer plight. Diddy announced during his interview with GQ Cover that he and Hov have teamed up to create an app that will help people locate Black-owned businesses.
If you are oblivious to whom Diddy and Jay Z are, let me fill you in. Diddy is a Black business owner with a net worth of $825 million dollars, and Jay, a Black business owner as well, with a net worth of $900 million. Combined they total close to $2 billion ($1.72 Bil) in net-worth. Their wealth stems from their involvement in the entertainment industry as well as in corporate America.
During Diddy’s interview, he expressed the idea came from the longstanding thought that Black people can empower themselves by building their collective wealth. The app will help tremendously achieve that goal because it will make it easier to help Black people help themselves. He then makes a point to say, “that won’t stop Black people from shopping at other places, but rather, it will help Black businesses grow.
“This is not about taking away from any other community,” he states. “We’ll still buy Gucci! But the app will make it possible for us to have an economic community. It’s about Blacks gaining economic power.”
This is role model behavior and I’m here for it! I believe that in order for a race of people to grow, they must first strengthen, invest then support one another. I remain hopeful that the development of this app will guide us in the right path needed to achieve economic power. Hopefully, this will cause a chain reaction that calls on other wealthy celebrities of color to invest in the betterment and progression of the Black race.
The name of the app has not been unveiled, nor has a specific date been released, but for the sake of Black business owners in America, I hope it comes soon.
We value your opinion over here at MEF, and would like to know your thoughts on this power move by Diddy and Jay. Do you think America is ready for African-Americans to rise in economic value, worth, and power?
