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Beyoncé Knowles may be a superstar, but she understands she’s not above losing. In a video on YouTube labeled “Self-Titled: Part 2. Imperfection,” the Houston-born singer admitted she didn’t have measured expectations around losing at the start of her career. Before Destiny’s Child, Knowles was part of Girl’s Tyme. When Knowles was nine years old, the group performed on a show called “Star Search.” She admitted in the video that, at the time, her dream was to win the show and land a record deal; losing was never an option. “At the time, you don’t realize that you can actually work super hard and give everything you have and lose. It was the best message for me,” she expressed in the video. “The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you’re never too good to lose. You’re never too big to lose. You’re never too smart to lose. It happens. And it happens when it needs to happen, and you have to embrace those things,” Beyoncé added. Beyoncé learned to become resilient, and is now the most...
IShowSpeed hit a major milestone for his 21st birthday. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, IShowSpeed, born Darren Jason Watkins Jr., caught the streaming bug while in high school, and he never looked back, even amid pushback from his mother after his first stream went viral with 30,000 views. “My sophomore year, I kind of gave up on school. I kind of gave up on everything that I had in my old life and just put everything on my stream. I streamed every day. I didn’t care about nothing else except YouTube streaming,” IShowSpeed said on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast with Shannon Sharpe. By the time he was 16, he had already become a millionaire, per AFROTECH™. Forbes reported that IShowSpeed’s streams started primarily around him playing video games such as “NBA 2K,” and in 2023, he took his streams worldwide, beginning in Europe and then Southeast Asia. In Indonesia alone, he made history during a single livestream, garnering 1 million concurrent viewers, the outlet noted. “When I...
Megan Thee Stallion opened her first location as a Popeyes franchisee. The Houston-born rapper has pursued ownership across various ventures. As an artist, she secured full ownership of her master recordings and publishing through her 2024 Warner Music Group deal, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. As an entrepreneur, she is now a Popeyes franchisee. “Popeyes’ one-of-a-kind partnership with Megan Thee Stallion goes well beyond the average marketing collaboration. We are unifying two pop culture icons, and Megan’s innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial vision is at the core of everything we’re doing,” Sami Siddiqui, president of Popeyes Americas, said in a news release. “We are thrilled to welcome Megan to the Popeyes franchisee family and look forward to working closely with her over many years as she begins her journey as a restaurateur,” he added. Megan Thee Stallion’s first Popeyes location is now officially open in South Beach, Miami. It is located at 1427 Washington Avenue,...
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore has turned down the NFL draft to remain in college. Fortune reports he has decided to remain another year at the University of Oregon. He was projected to be the No. 2 draft pick. In 2025, No. 2 pick Travis Hunter secured a $46.7 million deal to play four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fortune reports that this year’s earnings are projected to increase. Why He Turned Down The Pros “This year, I’ve had many great throws, many great plays, but at the end of the day I feel I can still learn so much more,” Moore said in an interview with ESPN on Wednesday. “As a kid, since I was 4 years old, I’ve dreamed about being in the NFL — but this team, we’ve been through a lot, a lot of people are returning, so we’ve got some exciting things to come this year. I’m excited to keep pushing my team.” Moore’s decision prevents him from earning an NFL salary. However, Moore is still doing well for himself as a result of name, image, and likeness deals,...
Stripe , a global financial infrastructure platform that enables businesses to accept online and in-person payments, has entered into a partnership with Crypto.com, according to a Jan. 6, 2026, news release. Under the agreement, Crypto.com Pay will become a checkout option for millions of Stripe-powered merchants, while Crypto.com will use Stripe’s payment-acquiring services for card purchases. “Increasing everyday accessibility to and utility of cryptocurrencies for consumers and merchants is central to our vision at Crypto.com,” Joe Anzures, Crypto.com’s general manager for the Americas and EVP of payments, said in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Stripe, a recognized leader in digital payments, to collectively catalyze a new era for crypto-enabled commerce.” Crypto.com operates a comprehensive cryptocurrency platform that includes an app, exchange, and wallet for buying, selling, trading, and earning digital assets , serving more than 150 million users in 90...
A new year brings new goals and resolutions — and for many, the question: “When can you file taxes in 2026?” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not yet announced the official start date for 2025 tax returns, but past years suggest that the 2026 filing season will likely begin during the last full week of January. According to The Economic Times, this year’s filing season comes amid heightened financial pressures, including inflation, elevated interest rates, global uncertainty, and tariffs. However, these factors won’t directly affect filing deadlines. Preparation Is Key Regardless of when the filing season begins, taxpayers can get a head start by collecting their documents to avoid delays and errors. The most important documents to collect early are W-2 forms, which employers and financial institutions must send to employees by Jan. 31, 2026, per The Economic Times. Freelancers and independent contractors will need Form 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC, which report various types of...
Tax season is here, and that could mean bigger refunds for many Americans after significant changes in the 2025 federal tax rules. But the season may also bring delays and confusion. According to USA Today, households will need to navigate new deductions for tip income, overtime pay, car loan interest, and the senior tax break for those 65 and older — along with unexpected restrictions. Many changes come from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, which includes new tax breaks retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025. “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill will unleash the full potential of the U.S. economy. It locks in permanent, pro-growth tax cuts for families, workers, and job creators,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said of the bill. “The bill also enacts No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and new tax cuts for seniors. The OBBB will strengthen important programs for those who need them most and save taxpayer dollars by cutting waste, fraud, and...
Target will soon have to pay millions to its workers. Here’s who will qualify. Newsweek reports that in November 2022, former employee Krystal Sadler filed a lawsuit, also on behalf of “other similarly situated hourly employees,” alleging that Target violated the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law and the New Jersey Wage Payment Law. Sadler worked at one of the named warehouses in the lawsuit, Logan, as a non-exempt hourly worker from Sept. 8, 2022, to Nov. 22, 2022. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed they were not paid for all hours worked, including time spent traveling to their assigned departments to clock in and out, sometimes across long distances. It also stated they were not paid for all hours spent on mandatory security screenings. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that the plaintiffs had to complete these unpaid work-related activities before and after shifts. “In this day and age, there is no technological barrier to paying plaintiffs and other employees for such time....
Paul Pierce balled out with his first check in the NBA. Getting Drafted The California native was drafted in 1998 by the Boston Celtics, where he would later win his first and only championship ring in 2008. He signed a four-year deal valued at $6.3 million, which amounted to an average salary of $1.6 million annually, per Spotrac. Splurging First Check Pierce said his first check in the NBA amounted to $1 million during his rookie year. However, most of it was gone within the blink of an eye. “When I got drafted No. 10, my check for the year was $1 million,” Pierce said on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast. “We had a lockout (a pause in pay during league negotiations), so cut that in half. So then $500,000, right? Taxes. Cut that in half. So really all I had was about like [$200,000].” Shannon Sharpe, the podcast’s host, interjected about having to pay an agent, which would lower Pierce’s cut further. “Yep. So knock that down,” Pierce said in response. “I needed me an apartment to rent,...
Angel Reese admitted that the WNBA doesn’t pay her bills, yet her efforts beyond the court place her among the highest-paid in women’s sports. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Reese comes from humble beginnings. She shared that she “used to be broke” and would clock in to work at Smashburger before going to practice in high school. Then the name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy, which went into effect in 2021, allowed Reese to find financial security. She secured deals with brands such as Coach, Wingstop, McDonald’s, Raising Cane’s, and Reebok. She transitioned to the pros, signing with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky as the seventh overall pick in 2024. According to Spotrac, she is under a four-year contract worth $324,383, with a base salary of $74,909. In a 2024 live, she admitted her league salary doesn’t cover her bills. “The WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally,” she said in a 2024 live. Partnerships Reese’s business moves off the...
Anthony Joshua, one of the highest-paid boxers in the world, is returning to the ring with Jake Paul. Jake vs. Joshua Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix announced Anthony Joshua — the two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist — will face Jake Paul at the Kaseya Center in Miami, FL, on Friday, Dec. 19, a release shared with AFROTECH™ states. There will be three eight-minute rounds fought in 10 oz gloves, BBC reports. The preliminary card starts at 4:45 p.m. ET/1:45 p.m. with the main card at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on Netflix. The live matchup can be viewed on Netflix’s Tudum and Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) YouTube Channel. Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of MVP, said regarding the match, “From legendary champions to world-class broadcasters, this group reflects the standard we’ve set for Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day. Together with Netflix, we’re building a fight week and fight night experience that feels truly historic, and this team is central to bringing that vision to...
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has turned down Paramount’s $108 billion bid. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Netflix agreed to acquire Warner Bros in a deal with a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion (equity value of $72.0 billion). The boards of directors for both Warner Bros and Netflix are in favor of the deal. Netflix states the agreement would position it to define the “ next century of storytelling.” “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come,” President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., David Zaslav, commented in a Dec. 5 press release. Days later, Paramount entered the race for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., making a rival bid of $30.00 per share, for an overall enterprise value of $108.4 billion, per a separate AFROTECH™ article....
A newly founded AI startup is making waves in the tech world with one of the largest seed rounds in recent memory. According to Bloomberg, Unconventional AI, launched just two months ago by former Databricks AI lead Naveen Rao, secured $475 million in seed funding at a $4.5 billion valuation to develop a new generation of energy-efficient computers designed specifically for artificial intelligence. The funding round was co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Lux Capital, DCVC, Databricks, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, per Bloomberg. Rao also invested $10 million of his own funds on the same terms as other investors. The company is exploring a larger funding goal of up to $1 billion, according to TechCrunch. Bloomberg notes that Unconventional AI draws inspiration from biology, where living systems must operate within strict energy limits yet achieve high efficiency. Rao highlighted the human brain as an example, noting it can perform...
Paramount has placed an all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD). As AFROTECH™ previously reported, WBD had reached an agreement with Netflix to be acquired for a total enterprise value of $82.7 billion ( equity value of $72.0 billion). The deal would include Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO, but not Discovery or its cable networks such as CNN and TNT, per NBC News. The deal was approved unanimously by both companies’ board of directors. However, for the acquisition to be finalized, it would require approval from the Justice Department’s antitrust division and, likely, the European Commission and other governments globally, notes NBC News. President Donald Trump has shared his thoughts on the matter, per the outlet, stating, “Well, that’s got to go through a process, and we’ll see what happens. They have a very big market share. When they have Warner Bros., that share goes up a lot.” Paramount has now also placed a bid to purchase WBD. According...
A major technology foundation is distributing funding to nonprofit organizations across the United States this year. According to a press release, the OpenAI Foundation announced $40.5 million in unrestricted grants to 208 nonprofits across the country. The awards support organizations working in AI literacy and public understanding, community innovation, and economic opportunity. Some of the grantees include STEM From Dance, which partners with schools, community centers, and youth programs to integrate dance and AI education for young girls of color across several states. Digital NEST in California is a workforce development nonprofit helping youth in agricultural communities gain career skills, mentorship, training, and paid work experience to thrive in the digital economy. 3 Dots Downtown, a community arts center in Pennsylvania, offers programs and workshops focused on AI literacy, art, and professional development. And Amigos Together for Kids in Florida supports parents and...