After re-declaring Black History Month as “Black Future Month” via Instagram on Feb. 1, Kanye “Ye” West debuted “The Future Brunch” on Sunday — the first step in his mission to make his declaration a sustainable movement instead of a social media moment.
Co-hosted by Hollywood Unlocked owner Jason Lee, the brunch brought together a think tank of 50 Black journalists and media executives, which you can watch on Ye’s Facebook page at 1 p.m. ET on March 1.
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“This is the future,” Ye said in his opening remarks to the group, gathered together inside a skylight-lit warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. “There is no looking backward, only forward.”
After screening a short video underscoring his introductory comments, a town hall discussion ensued to pinpoint and discuss vital ways to further amplify Black voices and the Black culture narrative. Moderated by Lee and Michelle Mitchell, strategic communities program manager, media partnerships at Meta, the insightful conversation centered on various topics and issues: Black equity and ownership, elevating the culture/eliminating cancel culture, redefining and humanizing Black voices in media and storytelling, ensuring a brighter future for the next generation and the metaverse.
“Me and Virgil [Abloh] believed in Black design,” Ye noted, invoking the name of the late Louis Vuitton designer. “Now we need to invest in Black media.”
Added Lee, “Today’s conversation with all of the most powerful Black people in media and Ye was a moment that will define an unstoppable movement.”
Among the invited guests were BET exec. vp, specials, music programming & music strategy Connie Orlando; Fox Soul head of programming James DuBose; Amazon Studios senior creative film executive Amber Rasberry; Spotify creative director, head of urban music Carl Chery; and Vibe staff writer DeMicia Inman, as well as journalists from Billboard, Essence, Ebony, The New York Times, Forbes and InStyle. Joining midway through the conversation was surprise guest, NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Following the brunch, the first Sunday Service with the media in attendance was performed. The guests were also given approval to record the service, which opened and closed with a heavenly take on the Ye classic “Through the Wire.”
“It’s not about me, it’s about us,” said Ye as the brunch and town hall wound to a close. “They can’t tell us what to say. We’re too powerful. Let’s put esteem and money back in our communities … Let the church say amen.”