Kanye West

Tadao Ando: The Urban Guerrilla 

Husband and wife Jay Z and Beyoncé recently purchased a beachfront mansion in Malibu for $200 million, and it currently stands as California’s most expensive home ever sold.

The property spans 30,000 square feet, and the structure itself is made of almost entirely concrete – one of the most expensive construction materials currently on the market. And guess what? This home was designed by an architect with no college degree and no formal education in architecture.

It was designed by the self-proclaimed “urban guerrilla” aka the samurai architect: Tadao Ando. 

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Steven Victor: Discovering Breakout Artists for Def Jam

Steven Victor sees the music industry as more than just a numbers game. In the world of Spotify streams and YouTube views, he needs to see the artist as more than just their statistics. As Def Jam’s executive vice president and head of A&R (Artists and Repertoire), Victor is always on the lookout for new talent. He oversees a staff of 20 people responsible for A&R. Together, they’re in charge of the task of finding each new breakout artist the label signs.

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Chika the Rapper: Gap-Toothed Goddess

Comfortable in her own skin. Her flaws are purposely revealed on camera for the world to see, and her presentation includes no obvious filters.

I instantly noticed natural black hair with no real formation; pretty dark skin with an occasional trace of acne here and there, no body briefer or any direct restraint to make this black woman appear to be smaller and “in tact.” Instead you get a raw, authentic Nigerian-American woman who looks like someone you may know personally. The self-image that she displays is awe-inspiring, and conveys a message that she has all creative control.

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Heron Preston: Saving the Planet One Jacket at a Time

The name Heron Preston lends itself to creativity. The name doesn’t exactly scream stockbroker, construction worker, or accountant; instead, it recalls inspired vocations, like fashion, art, or music. Initially, he was known as Heron Johnson, but then the fashion designer started his first clothing line in high school and switched his last name to Preston, as he believed it sounded more “regal.”

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