AfroBeats - If Artists Were Like Stocks | Momentum Stock: Core Scientific, Spotify, Roblox

 

Investing In Yourself – Using Pillars to Build Your Core	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/urbanomics-pillars-path-set-for.html
Setting Budgets + Saving for Black Swans	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2013/02/personal-finance-budget-101-free-credit.html
	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2019/11/hey-henry-high-earner-not-yet-rich.html
How to Open My First Brokerage Account	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/personal-finance-101-starting.html
Diversify your Life (Mind, Body, Soul, + Investments) Use the "SEARCH" bar to see if I've written about a topic you are interested in.	Get Updates to Your Email When I Create A New Post: Use the "Subscription" feature to receive free updates to your device.

AfroBeats - Artists Compared to Stocks

I cannot tell you how proud I am of the growth of African music. I have grown up all my life listening to African music and it's amazing to see the dancefloor erupt when some of our biggest African artists and songs come on at a party. Just like when Dre and Snoop, Nas, Jay, Biggie, Mary J Blige, Mariah Carey, or Whitney Houston are played -- the room is electric. Now the world gets to experience what we've been dancing and shaking to all of our lives. The global explosion of African music across the world has been amazing and I'm telling you it's here to stay. I listen to songs in different languages, slangs, and styles and one thing is universal our music makes you want to dance. And yes, I simply call it African music -- what is this AfroBeats ting?

Well, I wanted to revisit my series that helps you learn how to invest by comparing everyday things to stocks. I always say you have to start by determining what type of investor you are as that usually dictates the types of stocks you like to trade. If you had $100,000 dollars to invest, how would you invest in your favorite African artists:

Momentum Artists: Tyla | Rema | Lojay

I like to say that momentum stocks or artists are investments in something that's buzzing. Like the initial launch of Tesla, the only people that were checking for electric vehicles were EV die-hard fans. No one, I mean no one else was interested in electric cars or let alone wanting to pre-order the damn thing. Then you saw a Tesla on the road OR you heard these hits songs in the last year, and you knew they were undeniably hit songs:

Artist: Tyla ~ Hit Song: Water [Country: South Africa]

Artist: Rema ~ Hit Song: Calm Down [Country: Nigeria]

Artist: Lojay ~ Hit Song: MonaLisa [Country: Nigeria]

Tyla and Water were arguably the biggest songs in the world in the last year. It seemed like we couldn't get enough of Tyla, Ampiano and the buzziness of "Water". She followed up with a remix with none other than Travis Scott and then came for music nerds like me when she teamed up with 2 of my favorites: Skillibeng and Gunna on "Jump". 

Rema - I was bumping "Calm Down" for a minute and the song is infectious. While playing at a backyard party, I had a guest say what is this song -- I like it. The song was so big it has 2 versions, the original which is my favorite and the remix with Selena Gomez. The funny thing is I think some fans think it's Selena's song because of the way the remix was pushed out. Don't believe me, do a search for calm down and strangely you see Selena Gomez as if it's her damn song. Collectively the 2 versions on YouTube Video are easily over 1.5 billion video views.

Lojay & Sarz - Baby corner, corner waka-waka! Yes, for those of you that don't know Creole as we call it or Pidgin in other African regions -- Lojay and Sarz are telling their baby girl to walk over the corner the rest is a sultry mix of indulging in her coca or chocolate body. The song is so big, I share it and people say I've heard and like that song but don't know what they are saying. The song was sooo big that Chris Brown jumped on the remix and the buzz is still going.

Momentum Stocks

Core Scientific (CORZ) - Per their own website "Core Scientific is one of the largest bitcoin miners and hosting solutions providers for bitcoin mining in North America." I read the company recently came out of bankruptcy in January 2024. I started sniffing around when a partner of CORZ, CoreWeave made two attempts to purchase the company. They have to have some knowledge of the operations as they signed a big AI deal in June of 2024 for CORZ hosting services, I believe. While that deal was announced, they then went for the hook up and said we'd love to buy you out. Player move but looks like they are low-balling the offer. It was similar to an African engagement I recently witnessed -- one man representing the bride-to-be's family said, "The envelope looks a little bit light...please go back". I just learned the directors of CORZ are buying the stock and that is promising for a small company with rising momentum. Are they a one hit wonder or can they survive.

Spotify (SPOT) - I believe I've written about Spotify recently and boy are they on a surge. I was too early and this artist or should I say stock is now finally stringing together a 2nd and 3rd hit song. I believe in 2021 I bought around the $260 range and saw it rise and then drop shortly after that all the way into the 70s in late 2022. I liked the first song -- as they essentially a part of a cartel. I actually get most of my music from YouTube Video and only recently Music, but the big dog is Spotify and Tidal is a small fry. Sorry real music artists, streaming is here to stay -- I just wonder if Spotify can increase the price, stave off a mutiny from artists and reign supreme. I'm now in the Green and trading actively against Spotify because the option premiums are very attractive like that coca body.

Roblox (RBLX) - Is the like the new stock on the block that I nailed just right but got nervous about when the next hit song was coming out. I listened to a good friend tell me ALL the kids play on a platform called Roblox. I have no clue what this platform is but I looked into the stock and it had a rough time after creating a buzz. Sound familiar touring artists. Like a greedy music label, I saw talent when the stock stumbled to the $25 range. I owned it for much of the last months or so. It ran up on a hit song to the 40s I got nervous a 2nd hit song wasn't coming right away and sold as they came down into the 30s. Well that was a mistake because the second song is doing nicely and the stock is back at the $43 range. I am watching this one soooo closely as I want to get back in. Maybe I'll wait to see if they have a good TMZ like scandal which knocks the stock down, pick some shares up, and then wait for the 2nd album to cause the stock to move higher again.

Disclosures: I own Core Scientific and Spotify; I owned Roblox within the last year and got out too early. Also, I'm not typically a momentum stock trader. Note from my writings -- I like Roblox after they stumbled, Core Scientific only after a label came calling, and Spotify for the lane it is in. Like Shaboozey, an African boy (Nigerian) who had to genius idea of taking a classic one hit wonder song "Tipsy" (Artist: J-Kwon) and putting a country twist on it is an artist in his own lane. The world is craving for a unique sound and not many artists can fill that void yet. He's got a lot of money to make before other artists start attempting to fuse hip-hop and country.

Next Up Growth Stocks

Invest in Your Health Pt. 1 | Prism - Esusu | Prism - Nas, KD and Coinbase

  

Investing In Yourself – Using Pillars to Build Your Core	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/urbanomics-pillars-path-set-for.html
Setting Budgets + Saving for Black Swans	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2013/02/personal-finance-budget-101-free-credit.html
	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2019/11/hey-henry-high-earner-not-yet-rich.html
How to Open My First Brokerage Account	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/personal-finance-101-starting.html
Diversify your Life (Mind, Body, Soul, + Investments) HOW TO SEARCH MY BLOG:	Get Updates to Your Email When I Create A New Post:

Also Coming Soon - a series on #HowtoInvest. People have been reaching especially after the spikes in Gamestop, AMC, and other stock to learn the basics. I self taught myself how to invest beginning at the age of roughly 18 and have never stopped. To be a good investor and ensure you are not gambling (speculating), I'll cover (hardest parts of investing in RED):

Budgeting 101 - How to Fund Ur Investments?

Why Stocks as an Investment?

What is Ur Investment Profile + Personality?

How to Pick Stocks?

When to Buy Stocks?

How to Enter My Trade?

How Many Stocks Should I Own?

When to Sell Stocks?

Am I Speculating (Gambling)?

Investing in Your Health

I miscalculated and dropped the ball on one of my most important pillars, the "Health" pillar. First is accountability, so I ultimately blame myself. I'll be honest, my calculation was I'm young...I can rip and run the mean streets of Corporate America and gracefully exit the rat race around the age of 35. I tell people in life there are always trade-offs and opportunity costs and I gambled that a former 3 sport H.S. athlete, gym rat, college recreation gym user, and even early adult life YMCA member would be able to stave off my "Corporate 15". That's my take on the Freshman 15 you gain in college. I travelled as a consultant for many years and our typical lifestyle was eating out daily and back to the hotel. Back then not every hotel had a gym and to make matters worse, we worked hard. I often traded relaxing, meditating, exercising for working, drinking, and eating out with coworkers. When I came home, I lived in a fancy apartment complex that had an indoor basketball court/gym, well populated exercise room, and an indoor movie theater. But I was rarely home. As a consultant I once got the designation of being a road warrior --- on the road for over a 100 days within the year. 

Then came life in the office. Being a person a color, I adopted the model of getting into the office early and staying late. I was even chastised by fellow co-workers for delaying my participation in their weekly basketball games...I didn't want the boss to think I was a slacker. So I rarely left early but I participated to manage the image of me not wanting to be a team player. My solution I joined the weekly game but came into work early so I could leave on-time to make the games even though my peers rarely changed their schedules. Back then I lived by the office, which instead of being located in the great city of Chicago was out a good ways in the suburbs. Closer to some of the swankiest and highest priced zip codes in the Chicagoland area. This was another of those secrets we deal with in Corporate America. Many office parks are near where the well heeled live and rarely reside in the our city centers and hardly ever near communities of color. To put it in perspective, we had a good swatch of our workers who commuted from Wisconsin...yep you heard me right. But head down, work hard, I'm a team player and long trips to the city on the weekends to live it up or as my pals in the United Kingdom say to get some culture. My apartment had a room  sparsely populated with a machine or two and I wasn't much of an outside walker or runner. To hit my financial goals, I made a trade-off and didn't join the big gym clubs popular in the suburbs a little over a decade ago. I used the tiny workout room in my budget apartment and drove everywhere I went...classic suburban living.  But stop, who's to blame...ME. I am big on accountability and this is a good example of trade-offs and I needed more balance. Notice one thing that I didn't deploy in my toolkit that should have been...a "MINIMUM BASELINE". In cybersecurity we use this minimum baseline to set a security standard for all of the information systems under our control and by not consistently working out and getting annual physicals --- I didn't know my own baseline. 

More to come on Investing in Your Health in Pt 2. 

How to Buy Stocks

So knowing when to sell stocks OR anything in life is arguably the hardest thing to do. When should you sell your house, stocks, car?? The second hardest question to answer is how should I find stocks to buy. So let me take you back in the day, I used learned the following things when I first got started: 

1) I read everything I could about Warren Buffett and realize to invest you need to know your investing personality. More to come on this but I often find your real life personality mirrors your investing.

High Risk/Reward personalities might like the flash of buying stocks like Ferrari (RACE), Tesla (TSLA), Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), or trading high flyers, day trading, and high risk high reward penny stocks.

Techy personalities may migrate to FAANG stocks. Facebook (FB), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX), and Alphabet (GOOG) - parent company of Google...the G in FAANG.

Corporate personalities may like Ford (F), Goldman Sachs (GS), Procter & Gamble (PG), Microsoft (MS), Caterpillar (CAT) --- companies many of my peers wanted to work for when coming out school.

Cost Conscious personalities may migrate to companies meet analytical thresholds. We call that value investing. Sometimes the names are boring but they are steady and pay a dividend (which is the equivalent of getting a stimulus check every quarter): General Electric (GE), Real Estate Companies, Oil Companies, and Utilities like electric, cable, phone, and retail companies.

Loner personalities may gravitate to companies that don't get a lot of hype, quirky, are getting bullied, etc. What comes to mind here are clothing company Skechers (SKX), weed company Tilray, and Collectors Universe (CLCT) a collectibles company that grades things like baseball cards.  Then there a bullied companies (often for good reason) which fall out of favor on Wall Street for messing up: 

Tesla - because Elon Musk was being targeted for his tweeting and 420 comments, 

Lululemon - when their stock got beat up because their CEO appeared to mock curvy women

Gamestop - attacked by short sellers

I believe most people will gravitate to one or two categories. Take me for example, I resonated with Warren Buffett and have read tons of books and articles about the man. He comes across as a cost conscious value oriented guy and that defined me -- simple, no frills, no gimmicks, give me value type of style. But I also am a contrarian and tend to go against the crowd. So when I'm not looking for value stocks, I often look for reasons why the carbon industry was so against Tesla, redemption in Lululemon (after getting rid of their CEO), Gamestop providing a need for many communities that may not always have internet to download games, Disney and other retail companies getting beat down during COVID-19 lockdowns. I like the quintessential story of the getting knocked down and getting back up. That story of opportunity was my family's story. My father and mother, hard working immigrants, came to America worked some of the least flashy jobs but got it done. My father mocked for his West African accent and Ph.D degree and being told you're overqualified. I often look to where cancel culture strikes in the stock market and I bet that if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again. 

Prism - A look at African + African American Investing

1) Esusu - A company with African co-founders makes me proud: 

Why I'm Watching: 

I like to challenge myself. When I cut the cord, I lost the ability to watch CNBC. So I challenged myself to simply listen to the broadcast on Tune-In Radio. When I heard them announce a company called Esusu, my head turned. I had heard this termed used so many times in my African community. It means to pool money together and usually each week or so the group shares the pool money with one member. So it creates the lottery feeling of getting a big payment once every "x" month once it's finally your turn to receive the payout. Well I listened to Abbey Wemimo, co-founder of Esusu, talk about how he helped to start the firm. I even reached out on LinkedIn looking to connect and as an accredited investor I hope to invest and fund companies like his in the future.

2) The Coinbase Remix - How African-American Rappers and Athletes are Diversifying 

Why I'm Reading: 

For those of us that follow the markets, we were BLOWN away by the opening day value of Coinbase a digital exchange where you can buy, sell, and securely store cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. They became a public company recently and for us regular folk that is similar to baby being born. They were a private company and once they became public the baby popped out and but this baby was valued @ roughly $100 Billion dollars. So I know that many investors were dancing because they cashed in big time. Some of those investors I was proud to say were African-Americans like rapper Nas (Nasir Jones) who you all know I have in my Top 5 rappers of all time and National Basketball player Kevin Durant. Nas reported earned a $100 Million payout from this investment word on the street is KD cleaned up big time as well. I am happy to see these entertainers diversifying their investments...you will not rap and play ball forever. Very proud of these young brothers.

Nas and Kevin Durant Invest in Coinbase

King's Disease ---- DraftKings | ROKU | Gold

So, can I breathe? Can I walk? Can I speak? Can I talk?

Can I floss without you wanting me outlined in chalk?

Family gossiping, pocket watching him

Jealousy keeps blossoming, ain't let it box me in (King)

'Cause you are not a king if you can't come out a thing

That you got yourself in, claiming nobody helping

The stupidest part of Africa produced Blacks that started algebra

Proof, facts, imagine if you knew that as a child, bruh

Nostalgia, how I remembеr things

Remember crowns, remember, kings

They want your reign to cease (King)

You a king, you will be next to me, doing your own king shit, most definitely

We're so "Say less when I speak", y'all estrogen speak

Respected by kings only, address me as chief

Invested in things only a vet would

Only lames front on kings, that's expected from creeps

You mad at my brothas and any woman with interest in me

Artist: NAS  Song: King's Disease

Can I floss without you wanting me outlined in Chalk

My next post is about the King's Disease. I like to post rap lyrics because the world has gotten so literal. The art of communication is to read between the lines and the ability to understand people, cultures, and society is lost if we lose the art of reading people - their words, actions, and body movements. The internet has taken all the guess work outta that when I can I just re-send an article/post/clip or even a meme and then I allow you to guess or interpret what I mean without simply sitting down and communicating with you directly. I interview people for work and it's amazing how many reads I get from a voice, a look, or a person's body movement toward the questions I am asking. So again I wonder if the Internet is a form of King's Disease. A luxury that masses want but oddly everything everyone posts (breathe / walk / speak / talk) is captured and scrutinized -- even worse it's often canceled immediately - "Can I floss without you wanting me outlined in Chalk"?

'Cause you are not a king if you can't come out a thing; That you got yourself in, claiming nobody helping

I am very independent and having children you learn very quickly that there is something innate in us as human beings in wanting to do things ourselves. My daughters, just shortly after turning 1, all of a sudden don't want you to feed them. They want to feed, walk, and do everything for themselves. But as we get older or sometimes as our confidence breaks we find ourselves blindly walking into situations that may not be healthy financially, physically, mentally, or spiritually. We all go through it --- racking up debt, late nights drinking, abusive relationships, and even challenging the need for spirituality in our lives. For a child, all it takes is those two or three times of not being able to get food in your mouth to start crying and asking for help. But as we get older, we learn this thing called denial and often we DO NOT seek transformation from within until we've hit rock bottom.  Notice, I listed my 4 Pillars above and  challenge myself, especially during the roughest parts of my day, week, month, year, life to revisit those pillars for support. I try to do more which oddly is like doing LESS --  MORE meditation, sleep, exercise, reading, praying, seeking counsel to right myself and my core. I do this to get myself out of tough situations and to make sound informed decisions so that I pivot out of bad situations and decisions. Also, I find during these moments, seeking counsel is humbling because I do not have all the answers. This is the cure to King's Disease instead of blaming or claiming nobody's helping. Competing with each other is self-defeating, but that's why we teach "competition" so much in our society. If we work together and take on the systemic injustices in the system, imagine that --- real change --- that's our competition.

The stupidest part of Africa produced Blacks that started algebra; Proof, facts, imagine if you knew that as a child, bruh

My cancel culture vultures will take aim at Nas for using the term stupidest. But if you read between the lines he is bringing awareness to the advanced, highly civilized accomplishments of early African societies. The fact that Africa is the birthplace of forming civilized societies living together, developing math, and methods of communication. This is clear...you just need to open a book or be taught in school. I remember planning my trip to Africa and my then girlfriend asked me about safaris and jungles?? I didn't blame her but elementary, middle, high school, and college had failed her, us and our society. I knew since a child that safaris were more common to Sub-Sahara Africa, and other parts of Africa had deserts, and hills, mountains, waterfalls, and forests. The funniest thing is my mother's two story home in Western Africa is bigger than any home I lived in until I bought my duplex condo unit in 2010 at the ripe old age of 30. Proof, facts - my mother's crib in Africa was bigger than anything I lived in in America until I reached the age of 30. I wonder if an inadequate education that doesn't focus of contextualizing historical and factual information is King's Disease.  I used to travel to London often for work and remember an interesting interaction I had at a bar in the Picadilly Circus area in the West End of London. My co-workers and I easily stood out and our version of English clearly marked us as Americans. I am also sure it was our love for khakis and polos, which clearly are NOT in the British dress code. The men are often well-dressed during the work week and suits and ties are still the norm, even for the gent I witnessed riding a bike to work in a suit.  But back to the bar --- this woman from the BBC was chatting me up at the bar and inquired what plans I had for the weekend. So I asked what bars and restaurants should I visit and got a curt response of what "CULTURE" would I be taking in. I didn't understand exactly what she was talking about so I said what do you me. CULTURE, she said what CULTURE are you taking in. She proceeded to school me on the importance of knowing history, different cultures, and art. Something I almost never hear AT A BAR in America. In London, ALL of the museums are FREE. So I went to the Tate Britain, The British Museum, Imperial War Museum, Windsor Castle, and others to soak in CULTURE. I saw artefacts from all over the war dating centuries back...but it also opened my eyes that to the victor goes the spoils. There were items clearly belonging to African and Asian cultures of important value and they were in a British museum. What if America made all our museums free, I wonder if the awareness and appreciation for a global world would increase. Thank you to my friends in the UK, for a moment, I was suffering from King's Disease.

Stocks Fit for a King

Draftkings Inc  NASDAQ: DKNG  - I entered this stock after I learned legend, icon, and NBA greatest of all time Michael Jordan toon an equity stake in DraftKings.  He will become a special adviser to the sports betting and fantasy sports company and maybe read my posts about the unleashing of sports gambling on America. Recognize what's coming - states are drowning in debt and will want to dip into this revenue pot along with Marijuana legalization as they usually embrace quick fixes to solve problems. Don't believe me, look at my bet on Ceasars Entertainment, they were bought out by PENN National Gaming (PENN) for a nice profit.

Roku Inc  NASDAQ: ROKU - Roku is my COVID-19 investment play. It aligns with my larger theme of cutting the cable. America's appetite for staying open and not addressing this disease head on means people with be home streaming the hell out of this service. I wrote earlier this year about cutting off my cable service...sorry Comcast and we don't miss it for a moment. Roku is a day trader's dream because it is a more volatile than a teenager in HBO's hit series Euphoria. I place a HUGE bet on ROKU and each week I trade against it for additional income. The worst is these income producing bets cause me to have to sell my base position early. The upside, is currently during the entire COVID summer I've been collecting 100s of dollars a week of income as the stock moves up in trades that might take the stock off my hands (i.e., like a pending trade offer for my best player). Like Jay said the industry is shady and needs to be taken over --- so I'm coming for the crown. King shit Nas

Gold - I wrote just a few posts ago that this rally in the stock market is artificial. The Federal Reserve is single-handedly propping up the markets and has printed over $7 Trillion dollars to stave off foreclosures, companies closing, and high unemployment. They deserve to be applauded and certain politicians probably deserve to lose their job as real people are hurting. The only problem is this analogy: The Federal Reserve is akin to your family using a credit card to stay afloat - to pay the mortgage, food, car, and school bills. Eventually the credit card company will cut off the credit and/or ask you to pay it back. In governments, paying off debt usually means services are cut - government workers - post office, city transportation, trash and sanitation. It also means tax hikes in the future. Hikes in the future means inflation will be in our future --- assets that are not in dollars is the bet to protect your dollar. Gold, Silver, and yes even Bitcoin might be the play to diversify this historic helicopter money printing effort.  I didn't even mention, that UNTIL there is cure or bold steps taken LIKE A BUBBLE to stop the disease from spreading ---- people will continue hurting and the Federal Reserve may have to PRINT MONEY until things improve. Yes I own Novagold, Warren Buffet owns Barrick Gold, IAU is an ETF as everyone is winning now but there is always a cold winter. 

Stay blessed, stay safe, get your URB own

If I Ruled the World, Imagine That

Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassin'

Imagine going to court with no trial

Lifestyle cruising blue behind my waters

No welfare supporters, more conscious of the way we raise our daughters

Days are shorter, nights are colder

Feeling like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra

The world's hot my son got not

Evidently, it's elementary, they want us all gone eventually

Artist(s): Nas ft. Lauryn Hill       Song: If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) 

I'd free all my sons.... and with the loss of Breonna Taylor I feel like I need to free my daughters too. In the land of the "free" and the home of the brave it's irreprehensible that history continues to repeat itself. Why does history repeat well let's ask Trevor Noah. He reminded us that what is happening is not a failure of the system, rather the system work as it's intended. Every movie depicts the home of the brave as one big melting pot, yet when I moved to Chicago I found quite the opposite. I received coded messages even about where to live. They went like this: "Whatever you do don't live on the South Side or the West Side. Being new to the city, I heeded this warning and didn't even include the South or West sides of Chicago in my search for my first apartment. After a few years, I eventually learned this coded message was telling me to stay away from the predominantly African-American sides of town. So when the time came buy my first crib, I put every wish list item that EVERY person (white, latino, AA) told me they dreamed about having in a home in Chicago and then of course I considered my shoestring budget...and guess where it took me...to the Southside -- Lake Shore Drive to be exact. My humble abode is in Hyde Park, hence why I was given the nickname The Oracle of Hyde Park by close friends. Remember when I invest, I am a contrarian --- I listen to mainstream America (the man) and then simply do the opposite. I was always told get city views, have a roof deck, live by the Lake, a garage (if you're lucky), and you can't afford no more than 2 bedrooms (so I went w/ 4 bedrooms, 3 baths in a duplex penthouse). That was true in Lincoln Park but in Hyde Park I found a gem right off the lake by firing two real estate agents and going at my search alone through the aide of a technology startup at the time called Redfin, that "took the bias" from the agents outta my search. Even though gentrification is coming slowly to my hood, I ain't selling because like Nas said "Evidently it's elementary, they want us all gone eventually". So my job is to hold the fort down, teach others how to unplug from the Matrix and join me as in owning assets, shunning the materialist crap that doesn't increase in value, and create a legacy that you can begin to pass down...so hopefully each generation to follow start on an equal footing. 

 

If I ruled the world and everything in it, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X would be my co-Presidents. I never bought into the stereotypical viewpoints that pitted them as polar opposites when in actually they were fighting for the same things. They fought for the equality of African-Americans using different methods but with the same goal in mind. That goal was to free all my sons...and daughters: Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Philando Castille, Laquan McDonald, Breonna Taylor, Amadou Diallo, George Floyd.... from the tyranny of oppression and systemic racism that has continued be it 400 years, 40 years, or even 4 months ago. So I am simply telling people to try a new method, the only language a capitalist nation speaks in --- and that is in owning assets. Using the 4 Pillars, the poor working class can strengthen themselves for the battle ahead. We double down on the basics educational principles of S L A M + (Science, Legal, Arts, Math, +) I shared a few posts ago and build institutions that fight for our best interests. We incentive more people of color to be lawyers, doctors, police, accountants, technology, teachers, clergy, judges and most importantly political professionals that go to battle with one broad goal. A goal that will truly allow our communities to invest ourselves, our neighborhoods, and our family's future. People keep calling these officials in office dumb, when in actuality their plan is working as intended. If you go back and look at the history, the deaths, and the treatment of black people in this country, one might come to a conclusion that these tactics are telling you...you're not wanted or appreciated here. I've made that point on many occasions (again a contrarian viewpoint) and I wonder if it's because I know my roots, have seen a different homeland, traveled the world, speak different languages, and more importantly know the legacy of true kings and queens. I was surprised to hear someone else speak this truth, a musician I listen to often from Nigeria, Burna Boy. He echoed some things I've said for quite awhile:

Source: The Guardian - Burna Boy Interview

"The only way we can move forward is if we all know that Africa is our home and make sure our home is a place that is respected"

“I’d like to use this opportunity to say that some time around 1835, there was a mission to turn Africa into a dominated nation,” “Now is the time to overturn that, and go back to the royalty that we were, because, in order for black lives to matter, Africa must matter.”

To quote Nas at the end of If I Ruled the World, "I'd Open Every Cell in Attica Send em to Africa". I agree with Burna Boy that to truly move forward, African-Americans must first remember they are Africans. My trip back home to Sierra Leone was the most amazing experience that I've ever felt. Noticed the world felt - I was surrounded by the energy of belonging as soon as I stepped off the plane. Your talk, dress, style, swag, names, face, dance....to see and feel the source of it all was truly profound. It gave me a new set of armor as I came back home to the US and engaged in corporate meetings, business negotiations, or dealt with people who want you to feel less than or worse place a knee on your neck. If you're not working towards having options --- the option to walk away from that job, negotiation, negative energy...then you may be consumed by it. 

This week, I made another stride in my side hustle being truly my main hustle. I signed my first corporate supplier agreement. I'll post about this moment another time but it was painful as every step of the way I was dealing with negotiations that tried to take advantage of me, my value, my legacy that I'm building for my kids. I know when I'm being shortchanged, we all do and I held out...and got almost everything I've asked for. Now my new mission is to deliver on this agreement and show them what "WE" can do and I'm bring a whole lot of people that look like me along for the ride. This will be the final trade I share for awhile as I hunker down for what I believe will be turbulence in the American economy beginning in the 4th Quarter. School starts, flu season, a hunt for a vaccine, and a grid-locked political system that acknowledges record amounts of people are unemployed, with back-due rent, and agitated because they can't go back to their normal consuming lifestyle they've been sold --- are all a recipe for the unknown. One thing I've learned from analyzing the corporate world is they like "certainty"...and when the future is uncertain I think Volatility comes. There are many haters in life but I know my worth, so I don't spend time entertaining their BS. I write so the world can see and invest because my trades are my journal documenting exactly what I was thinking. I knew last year uncertainty was coming so I purchased literally just that a VOLATILITY fund that protects your portfolio when the fear sets into the economy, the markets, and people. It's not about the money, it's about making educated clear minded decisions about the future using very good clues from today. 

In November, I felt something wasn't right and I started to best against the markets, economy, etc. It resulted in the fastest and the largest gain I easily ever experienced in my life when COVID hit in March. See here: I was up roughly $29K after it was all said and done!!!

Notice I purchased those shares in November 2019 (see above). Nov, Dec, January I began to doubt if my thesis was correct: The market was over extended, one economic shock would send it cratering. noting had happened for 3 months and doubt sank in like it does when someone doesn't know where they came from. So on January 27th I purchased a hedge giving in to that doubt (see below). This hedge would allow me to walk away with a nice payday ($3K) but IF I was right about my thesis...I would be kicking myself for a long time to come. 

Well, guess what I should have never doubted myself. I was right about volatility in a major way and my shares ended up being worth roughly $29K in just a few months. I was locked in at that nice payout I spoke about above ($3K). For most of March, until my hedge ended, I kicked myself as I watched my hedge closeout --- meaning I gave the other $26K in profits back to someone else.

At the end of the day, $3K in profit is still a game changer for this poor boy from the hood. All $29K would have been one for the record books. But Nas and Burna Boy, I'm just getting started and the goal is to bring our people with me for the ride. Because If I Ruled the World...Sky's the Limit.  For those that think I'm playing, you better get out of the way.

Higher -- Investing, Learning, Purpose

Investing In Yourself – Using Pillars to Build Your Core	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/urbanomics-pillars-path-set-for.html
Setting Budgets + Saving for Black Swans	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2013/02/personal-finance-budget-101-free-credit.html
	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2019/11/hey-henry-high-earner-not-yet-rich.html
How to Open My First Brokerage Account	https://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2015/04/personal-finance-101-starting.html
Diversify your Life (Mind, Body, Soul, + Investments)	Search My Blog

Higher

I am writing this post with a heavy heart but also with a continued sense of purpose.  The last few days and weeks have been filled with stories of growing concerns for the coronavirus, the tragic death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and 7 others in a helicopter crash, and the many tributes at this year's Grammys Award for those we have recently lost -- including Prince and the young brotha Nipsey Hussle.

If there has ever been any doubt as to why I write this blog I hope to clearly shine a light on that today.  My mission is to be free, have optionality, and create long lasting memories of my family, friends, and community that will be cherished for a life time.  With a laser focused work ethic like the legendary Kobe Bryant, I believe this is achievable by building a strong core.  A core built on pillars that will provide you and your future generations a feeling of social awareness and economic security.

After losing my remarkable father in 2019, I still wake up everyday with a continued sense of purpose of not letting his hard work go in vain.  How can I slack off when I have a Spiritual belief that we were put here for a reason (first pillar). If I told you of the obstacles my parents had to overcome just make it to America from Africa you would understand where my determination comes from. I think Nipsey Hussle said it best in 'Higher': "Pops turned 75, he proud what we done; In one generation he came from Africa young" (I changed the age from 60 to 75 in this lyric b/c we almost lost my father when he @ 74 when doctors told us to say goodbye -- but how grand his recovery was and magical seeing him celebrate his 75th)

He and my mom's instilled in us a Kobe Bryant like work ethic when it came to being Mentally strong, my second pillar. Kobe was the ultimate competitor -- he was often described as having ice in his veins.  I was mesmerized by Kobe because I had seen that look before...in my father when it came to education. Occasionally sharing experiences of being discriminated against (even after receiving his PhD magna cum laude, and being questioned in interviews as to how he did he do that; or being told a foreigner would never be a tenured professor), he told us the great equalizer in life is your mind. So it was no shock that one year, I received all 'A's' and stumbled with 1 'B' and I was punished more than my siblings who had NOT even met that mark.  It was a less than gentle reminder that we can't waste the moment, the opportunity to go higher..  John Legend from Higher: "Oh, Lord Can you feel it?  My shoes are scrapin' the sky   I'm so high  We keep goin' higher" 

A strong physical core (3rd Pillar) is always a part of the competitive formula for taking your game higher. Besides the insurmountable chores we were given as kids, my father always found time for us to play and enjoy. The sprints in the yard, the dedication to build a basketball goal in the back yard, and the countless sporting events he drove me to was admirable considering I was a 3 sport athlete in my large high school (HS). In one fail swoop, my father taught me real strength and a need for balance when he took on my legendary HS basketball coach.  No one ever questioned the man who was recently inducted in the HS basketball Hall of Fame and has our HS gymnasium already named after him...and he's still alive. However, my African father did that one summer day.  Being a 3 sport athlete, I am constantly practicing and playing all year. Then in the summer, we were not so SUBTLY reminded of the importance of participating in the optional summer basketball league (where they tracked attendance).  I had never been so afraid in my life when my dad went up to the school and told my soon to be Hall of Fame coach, that his African son had reached 14 and had to have a job.  To me it was like watching David take on Goliath, but for the first time at a young age I saw a person of color showing me a path of optionality.  When your mind is free and strong, you don't buy into the mindset that sports is your only ticket in life. My father was reminding me of the need for balance and that I had responsibilities to my mission...my family and my future.  Strangely after that summer, I didn't experience a drop off (like one would expect)...I went to summer basketball when I could fit it in after work, I still outworked everyone by doing drills at home, and the next summer guess what: my coach offered me a summer job, imagine that he helped me reach my goals and his. Not only was I empowered with options in my life but I was stronger physically:

• Graduated HS Male Athlete of the Year
• Football All-State (Academic)
• 3 Sport Athlete (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
• Recruited to play at the college ranks
• Honor Roll + National Honor Society

Finally, my fourth pillar is Financial. If you're not living in a bubble, we live in a capitalist society. I watched my parents struggle but scrape together the basic building blocks to provide a better life for themselves and their kids. By living within their means, they were able to pay off a very small home (3 bedroom, 1 bath home accommodating 6 people) by working multiple jobs.  They ushered 4 kids off to college and assisted immediate family who relocated from Africa. How does this make the financial pillar? By living within their means and focusing on education, they had 4 kids who paid all that hard work forward. We assisted my parents financially which allowed my mother to retire early, my parent to fix our small home (when needed), and to work a little less harder in their golden years. My future path to economic security is slightly different. Like Kobe, I've been taught to compete at the highest level and diversify my future so I'm less reliant on one boss, one company, or one downturn deciding my fate.  61% of Americans said they don't have $1000 dollars to cover an emergency situation. I am saddened by this stat.

This blog is a road map if you're believe in a path of social awareness and economic security. But please come with your mamba mentality! If my father could achieve a PhD, why should we stop learning. Currently I have a Bachelor's degree and two industry accredited certifications in my field which are like master's degrees because they require extensive testing and re-certifications (studying for my 3rd).  If my heroes can learn the stock market and write books, I can at least pick them up and read. Since I was 18, I made it a personal mission to learn the stock market (it looked important) and understand how to invest my income so that it could become Capital for me. Many of the people I know don't have any capital or investments that make them income outside of their core job. My mission is to ensure we are on a path that doesn't rely on a boss, a company, or a government to give us our freedom, our optionality, or determine when we can have time off to make memorable moments. Hopefully you agree and you keep reaching HIGHER...but don't you know that the devil is a liar  (Thanks to DJ Khaled, John Legend...and Rest In Peace Nipsey Hussle)

Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant