What does it mean to own your masters?
Until you own your own, you can’t be free - JAY-Z, I Got The Keys
We all know how important it is for artists to own and control their art. But, let me not bury the lead here, owning your masters is bigger than music. Individually, to own your masters, you must first know your gifts and the intrinsic value thereof.
As Black people, the same is true. We cannot continue to be content with producing the number one streamed music genre in the world and owning so little of it. Neither can we continue to be ok with representing 70% of the players in any league, while owning effectively none of it.
Sheena Allen sums it up in our interview. Owning your masters simply means taking control of the things you create. For the remainder of the article, I will decode JAY-Z’s verse on Entrepreneur further illustrating why you should own your masters.
Racist images in media affect our self-perception
Uh, lies told to you, through YouTube and Hulu/Shows with no hues that look like you do
No more evidence is needed beyond what would become one of the biggest propaganda machines in modern history, The Birth of a Nation. Much of the bigotry and racism we experience today was perpetuated by images of Black Americans portrayed in this seminal movie.
While Ryan Coogler has proven how profitable creating “for us, by us” content can be, Tyler Perry being next in a growing line of Black billionaires is an example of what happens when you own said content. Byron Allen further illustrates this point on The Breakfast Club last October recounting being asked directly by a white man why “ownership was so important”.
Black buying power is disproportionate with black business success rates
Black Twitter, what’s that? When Jack gets paid, do you? For every one Gucci, support two FUBUs
While Black buying power is now over $1T, again according to Forbes, the COVID-19 Crisis has wiped out almost half of Black businesses. This speaks directly to how undercapitalized and underpatronized Black businesses really are.
When we consider the tremendous marketing power so-called Black Twitter provides, particularly for non-Black businesses, it’s a wonder why that same power isn’t used to promote Black businesses daily. If Black businesses receive less earned media, less investment, less patronage, how can we reasonably expect the same success rates?
We have to do better by each other. Even more to the point of this bar, listen to what happened to Sheena Allen when Twitter discovered her app TwitBooth.
Black people should practice the 7 principles of Kwanzaa year-round
Sippin’ Crip-a-Cola consumer and an owner, uh/Til we all vertically integrated from the floor up
We don’t need to wait until December to celebrate the 7 principles of Kwanzaa, especially not Ujamaa, which means cooperative economics. Essentially, JAY-Z is merging traditional business jargon, i.e. vertical integration, which means to connect and control the entire value chain of your business, with cooperative economics, a business concept more Black people should follow.
The bottom line of this bar is leveraging cooperative economics to vertically integrate Black businesses so we can own and control the products and services we produce and consume. This is the essence of what it means to own your masters.
Increasing economic opportunities is one of the primary solutions for gang violence prevention
D’Usse pourer, sip Ace ‘til I throw up/Like gang signs ‘cept I bang mines for both ya
We all know the Black-on-Black crime myth is a racist dog whistle used to justify police violence. That said, what’s going on in Chicago and many other impoverished Black communities is tragic. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, OJJDP, cites, in its Comprehensive Gang Model, increased economic opportunities as one of its top solutions for gang violence prevention.
Keeping with the previous motif, in the White Gang Privilege episode of his Netflix show Trigger Warning, Killer Mike preempts any future jealousy-motivated gang violence by bringing members of the Bloods in on the Crip-a-Cola deal.
Because JAY-Z is already in the beverage business, he makes the perfect partner for both gangs. He also makes it clear that his business ventures are mechanisms for activism and social justice. This represents both Ujima, which means collective responsibility, and Umoja, which means unity. Basically, Hov did that so hopefully you won’t have to go through that.
Do corporations really support the Black Lives Matter movement
Serial entrepreneur, we own our own/Stop sittin’ around waitin’ for folks to throw you a bone
Now that the news cycle has moved on from George Floyd, we have to ask ourselves if corporations truly are committed to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. My personal opinion is the efforts so far are mostly for marketing purposes during an already COVID-restricted economy.
So what? Regardless of how genuine corporations are, our problems persist. Hov is reminding us that ownership is first and foremost about taking responsibility for your situation. This represents yet another principle of Kwanzaa, Kujichaguila, which means self-determination. You will never truly own your masters until you accept the difference between fault and responsibility. Will Smith breaks it down perfectly in this clip.
There is no shame in going from employee to entrepreneur
If you can’t buy the building, at least stock the shelf/Then keep on stackin’ ‘til you stockin’ for yourself, uh
Purpose Driven Entrepreneurship is when we apply our natural gifts and learned abilities to a business that is unique to us, affirms us, and pays us. In many cases, it’s at work where you hone your skills and network to start said business. Doing so in service to our community is called Nia, which means purpose.
Did you know 86% of full-time entrepreneurs started their businesses for one or more of these five reasons, according to Small Business Trends:
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Ready to be his/her own boss (26%)
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Wanted to pursue his/her own passion (23%)
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The opportunity presented itself (19%)
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Dissatisfied with corporate America (12%)
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Laid off or outsourced (6%)
Furthermore, because Black entrepreneurs are notoriously underfunded and wealth gaps make it less likely to raise significant capital from friends and family, that “good paying job” your parents sent you to school to get will most likely be your first investor.
Creativity has never been our problem. From selling parties to pay the rent to street financing for studio time, we always find a way. Methodically graduating from employee to entrepreneur is no different and should be celebrated. Doing what we can, however we can, represents the Kwanzaa principle, Kuumba, which means creativity. Black people are creation.
Black Americans must escape the minority mindset and connect the African diaspora
See, everything you place after Black/Is too small a term to completely describe the act/Black nation, Black builder, Black entrepreneur/You in the presence of Black Excellence and I’m on the board
I couldn’t agree more. We are the original people and our contributions to the global community are immeasurable. Alkebulan, i.e. African, people pre-date the term Black. We are bigger than the word itself, its limitations, and the American borders. We are neither minorities nor people of color.
Entrepreneurship is a faith journey, by definition. Furthermore, successful Black entrepreneurship in America is akin to believing in miracles. At some point, by faith, owning our masters will include reconnecting the African diaspora on the basis of opportunities for ownership. In Kwanzaa, that is called Imani, which means faith - in our community. #ownyourmasters