Jaden Smith, the son of Hollywood icons Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith , has built his own legacy as an actor, musician, and entrepreneur. While he balked at the idea of public schooling previously, that hasn’t stopped him from making a name for himself both in his family’s industry of entertainment, and in his own business ventures. Currently, he’s using his entrepreneur’s spirit to improve the world as he sees it, painting himself as a philanthropist as well. However, as a businessman, philanthropist and actor at the young age of 26 (and while having famous parents and a just-as-famous sister ), what is Jaden Smith’s net worth? Acting Career Smith made his acting debut alongside his father in the critically acclaimed film, The Pursuit of Happyness in 2006. His role as Christopher Gardner Jr., the son of a struggling salesman, garnered widespread recognition for his acting abilities at a young age. This performance opened doors to other significant acting roles, such as the...

Duane Martin is one of those actors who disappears and reappears like a Maxwell album. You know he’s “ in the lab cookin ” and will pop out when he feels like it. On Election Day, he asked men to fight for women’s rights. Then, after not-so-subtly hinting at his presidential pick, he stepped out of the limelight again. Still, when his fans want to see him, it’s not hard to find him in Bel-Air , The New Edition Story , The Seat Filler with co-star Kelly Rowland , Deliver Us from Eva, Out All Night , Any Given Sunday and his longest-standing project as Robert James Sr. on All of Us . But while he’s playing the background right now, his fans may still wonder what is Duane Martin’s net worth? Kevin Winter/Getty Images Martin’s Ties To Will Smith Martin and rapper-actor Will Smith have been seen together on more than a few occasions. They’re not just co-stars or business partners. They’re also friends. Even in Jada Pinkett Smith ‘s book Worthy , the actress told a comical story about a...

The holiday season at the office can be a wonderful time to build camaraderie, boost morale, and share a few laughs. One simple way to bring coworkers together is by hosting a festive trivia session. These holiday-themed trivia questions can spark fun conversations, test everyone’s knowledge, and encourage friendly competition among colleagues. Why Host A Holiday Trivia Session Holiday trivia offers a lighthearted break from daily tasks and deadlines. By focusing on fun, seasonal topics, employees can relax, get to know one another, and celebrate the spirit of the holidays. This type of activity helps strengthen team bonds and can be easily incorporated into holiday parties, lunchtime gatherings, or virtual meetings. Classic Christmas Knowledge Do you know the other name typically given to eggnog? (Milk Punch) In the song  “Frosty The Snowman,” what brings Frosty to life? (A magic hat) Which country started the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree? (Germany) How many reindeer...

Spelman College graduates who were friends first and then founders seconds are taking their nail bar to new heights. Kelli M. Coleman and Anika J. Odegbo are the founders of The TEN, marketed as Detroit, MI’s first modern nail bar. The two shared a common goal of embarking on an entrepreneurial journey to build wealth, which they brought to life in 2016. “So, Anika and I are friends and Spelman sisters. We ultimately met when we found out that both of us intended to attend. We decided to room together, and the rest is history, as they say. Both Detroit natives, I grew up in Southfield, and Anika grew up in Detroit proper. We come from entrepreneurial families; we really understand the power of entrepreneurship to create generational wealth. It was always our respective goals to own businesses of our own in addition to carrying on our family’s entrepreneurial legacy. That’s sort of the origin of how we know each other, and that’s how The TEN came to be,” Coleman told the Michigan...

Inspiration can come from many sources. For Yara Shahidi , the star of “Grown-ish,” one of the many influential figures in her life is her cousin — Grammy-Award-winning rapper and entrepreneur Nas. During a recent appearance on the “Sherri” show, the actress, producer, and Harvard graduate shared Nas’ role in inspiring her to attend the Ivy League institution , according to Because Of Them We Can (BOTWC). “There’s so many artists in your family. I did not know that Nas is your cousin. And that Nas, the great, inspired you to go to Harvard ,” host Sherri Shepherd told Shahidi. The actress replied, “Yes! I think the one thing people know about him just through, even his music, is just how smart he is. And he has such a deep passion for our culture and for education. And so, the first time I got to step foot on Harvard’s campus was when he was announcing a fellowship for graduate students that were studying hip-hop.” Harvard launched the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship in 2013. Designed...

The future is bright for top high school prospect Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa Jr. The No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025, AJ Dybantsa has already caught the attention of NBA great Kevin Durant , who is impressed by his skill set and has no doubt he will one day be drafted into the NBA. “I got to know him two summers ago between his sophomore and junior year in high school. He came to work out with us. I was impressed by his size and fluidity as a player, his ballhandling. He was shooting jump shots well. He’s got the body type to become a pro in this league for 20 years. It is good to be around him. He has a lot of energy, too,” Durant told Andscape. While there appears to be a foreseeable path towards the pros, Dybantsa will first be taking his talents to college. According to The Athletic, he has committed to Brigham Young University (BYU) located in Provo, UT. He also is the school’s first 5-star recruit, notes KUTV 2 News in Salt Lake City. View this post on Instagram A post shared by...

Taking into consideration its network of entrepreneurs, T.D. Jakes Enterprises has launched an accessible marketplace. In 2023, the social impact holding company set out to support underrepresented entrepreneurs by addressing a critical gap. Despite the efforts of stakeholders driving meaningful change, there were no centralized systems or platforms to provide comprehensive resources. This need inspired the launch of the Good Soil Movement in April 2023. “What we didn’t find was one centralized space where entrepreneurs can not only network but actually get access to capital, access to back office support, legal help, accounting support, business plan development, understanding where they fall on the capital continuum… So out of that, we created Good Soil,” Michael Phillips, chief operations officer of T.D. Jakes Enterprises, told AFROTECH™. Nourysh Good Soil has set an ambitious goal: to empower 1 million small business owners to generate $1 million in revenue each. To advance this...

A Black-owned pharmacy has opened in Toledo, OH. After seeing health disparities within communities during his residency with Kroger, pharmacist Anthony Pattin was driven to provide better access to underserved citizens. At the time, Pattin had already completed an undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical sciences and a PharmD from the University of Toledo, Toledo Blade reports. “One of my first projects was looking at African-Americans’ perceptions of vaccines,” he told the outlet. “I learned a lot. One thing is, not everyone feels the same way. I had a group of people who wanted vaccines but said ‘As a matter of fact, when I go to the pharmacy, they don’t offer it,’ and that’s how I found out that there are some pharmacies, even in their community, that didn’t offer that service. So that was a disparity — that you were saying that maybe they don’t want the service, but they don’t have it available.” While Pattin took note, the idea for a pharmacy was catalyzed by an elderly neighbor...

Being in the right place at the right time paid off for Jade C. Williams. Williams, a product leader, says the technology sector found her. A proud Howard University alumna with a bachelor’s degree in economics, she originally aspired to become a business owner and CEO. However, her career took an unexpected turn when Deloitte, a consulting firm, reached out to her. In 2014, she joined the company as a business technology analyst and, within two years, earned a promotion to product management consultant. “That was my first exposure into tech and I did more tech advisory work on the business side for Deloitte. So that was the entry point to me for me doing product management and product advisory work across like Fortune 100 companies in the federal government,” she said during an interview with AFROTECH™. Williams earned two additional promotions before leaving after six years. Her following job opportunities would result from attending and being present at the AFROTECH™ Conference....

Kwame Christian leverages his expertise to inspire and equip professionals with the tools to succeed. Christian’s journey can be traced back to Tiffin, OH, where he was raised as a first-generation Caribbean American, often standing out as the only Black student in his classes. A defining moment in sixth grade shaped his path: being rejected and ostracized by peers on the playground. This experience ignited a deep desire for connection and acceptance. By high school, he channeled that drive into leadership, rising to become the captain of both the basketball and tennis teams. Reflecting on his journey in an interview with AFROTECH™, Christian admitted he adopted a “people pleaser” mentality, often prioritizing others’ approval over his authentic self. “I wasn’t my authentic self in many ways,” he said. “I still had really great connections, but when it came to difficult situations and difficult conversations, I would always agree, even if I disagreed, I wouldn’t speak up if I didn’t...

Several salon owners have been awarded a grant from Beyoncé. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the singer’s BeyGood foundation, in collaboration with her newly launched haircare line, Cécred, established a $500,000 annual fund. The initiative supports hairstylists in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; and New Jersey who meet specified criteria: They must be licensed for at least two years; have been in business for a minimum of one year; lease or own a suite, booth, or chair; and face financial hardship, according to the foundation’s website. Additionally, the fund includes a $10,000 scholarship opportunity for five cosmetology schools in the aforementioned markets. “Fostering talent, promoting professionalism, and supporting entrepreneurship within the hair industry is deeply important to us,” BeyGood commented on its website. “That’s why we’re partnering with Cécred to create the Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund, which celebrates the influence professional stylists have...

Despite releasing three albums, Common found himself struggling to sustain his music career. The rapper’s career took off in Chicago, IL, in the ’90s. He released three albums during this decade: “Can I Borrow a Dollar?” (1992); “Resurrection” (1994); and “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” (1997). Common explains that his first album received limited attention and credits his second album with putting him on the radar of some of the industry’s greats. “I remember Biggie doing one of those promos for me, being like ‘Yo this I wish this kid was from Brooklyn.’ I remember seeing Nas, and he was like ‘Keep doing your thing,” Common recalled on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast hosted by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings. The rapper also opened up about the challenges he faced in the music industry early in his career, which caused him to question whether it was a sustainable path. “It was hard being in Chicago and trying to get even signed or get heard… I still wasn’t planted in the industry. I...

Seasoned tech executive Omar Johnson is leveraging his experience to revolutionize how brands market themselves. Raised in Brooklyn, NY, Johnson’s exposure to technology was initially limited to video games and consumer electronics. However, his inquisitiveness grew and ultimately helped him secure roles with major tech giants. “A lot of my curiosity was sort of like self-driven,” he told AFROTECH™ in an interview. Tech Journey Johnson’s interests also lay in marketing, leading him to earn an MBA from Emory University in 2004. Following a brief stint at Campbell Soup Company as an associate brand manager, he transitioned to roles with brands such as Coca-Cola and Nike. At the latter, he began as an assistant brand manager before being promoted to content manager of advising and innovation, which remained his focus. “Find the most important things that the company is betting on for the future and work on those things,” Johnson explained. “I always had that sort of lean when I was at...

Despite earning millions, Lil Baby did not pay taxes for his first two years in the music industry. The Atlanta, GA-born rapper, known for chart-topping hits like “Drip Too Hard” and “We Paid,” appeared on the “A Safe Place Podcast,” hosted by Yachty, and discussed the financial learning curve. While he acknowledged having some understanding of investing and saving, he was unaware of the importance of taxes when he first entered the industry. His debut album, released in 2018 under Quality Control Music, marked the beginning of his rise to stardom. “I done got over $100 million from labels and deals. Not one time nobody still haven’t told me how to pay my taxes. Nobody even never told me pay my taxes,” Lil Baby explained on the podcast. “I always knew from growing up, like from being around, I heard people have tax problems, people don’t pay their taxes. I was doing it so wrong, my first tax bills was so high ’cause I was on some hustling sh-t like saving all my money. The more...

NBA star Jimmy Butler has brewed his love for coffee into a storefront in Miami, FL’s Design District. After teasing the concept for some time, the Miami Heat star officially opened his first BigFace Coffee shop on Dec. 5, 2024, according to Axios. The café boasts a chic interior design, a selection of merchandise including hats and jerseys, and an outdoor courtyard featuring ample seating. “This is a dream of mine,” Butler said at the grand opening, CBS News reported . “I get to come in here, chill out, meet people, vibe out, and become friends. Coffee is life. It’s how I start my mornings, watching my daughter play while I enjoy a cappuccino. For me, that’s the quintessential coffee experience.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by La Marzocco USA (@lamarzocco.usa)   Besides Butler, other basketball figures at the grand opening included Carmelo Anthony , Heat center Kevin Love, and former NBA guard Brandon Jennings, according to Axios. DJ Khaled and French footballer...