Lil Durk is strengthening his foothold in entertainment and tech while paving the way for the next generation of creatives and entrepreneurs who want to follow in his footsteps. It’s no wonder he’s been christened “The Voice.”
On top of being at the forefront of hip hop, the Chicago native prioritizes philanthropy and ownership in the Black community. Less than two weeks ago, the proud father announced the Durk Banks Scholarship Fund to provide two students enrolling at Howard University $50,000 toward their freshman tuition. Prior to that, Durk revealed a portion of the royalties from his forthcoming effort “Bedtime” will go to his Neighborhood Heroes Foundation, which will in turn fuel efforts to assist and uplift underserved communities. Fans will also be able to buy shares of the song as a part of his partnership with Exceed Talent Capital. “Where I’m from, few own anything, so I’m always looking for ways to give back to my people,” the businessman said emphatically at the time. Indeed, the list of his efforts to give back goes on endlessly.
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In addition to merging music and philanthropy, the “Rich Off Pain” lyricist recently announced his foray into the tech space through fashion and his co-founded phygital sneaker collection, NXTG3NZ. An exclusive experience for sneaker collectors and fans, those interested can only get their hands on a pair by purchasing the NFT. From music to the metaverse, Lil Durk is showing his peers and followers alike how to stay one step ahead of the game – all while remaining devoted to those who have supported his career since the very beginning.
REVOLT caught up with The Voice for a quick chat about NXTG3NZ, his interest in fashion and NFTs, and how to get started with chasing your dreams if you want to be a true boss.
See what he had to say in the Financial Literacy Month exclusive below.
What sparked your interest in phygital fashion and NFTs?
I’ve always loved fashion and now it’s technology, so it just made sense to combine them two. It’s a new wave and we’re leading with NXTG3NZ. Doing it the right way — we built this for two years now.
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What are your favorite components of the NXTG3NZ sneaker collection? What’s the most exciting part for you to share with your fans?
Have you seen the “7220”?! The quality is crazy, and I really was part of every move until we got it right. I’m excited about the whole thing… this NXTG3NZ.
For anyone who wants to go into business for themselves, how would you suggest they get started, and how do you decide which industries are worth investing your time and money into?
My advice is to just go for it. You gotta believe in yourself and make sure you’re reading or learning every day and follow your passions. Do what you love. If you don’t love it, it won’t work.
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What is the most difficult part of becoming an entrepreneur? What should up-and-coming bosses expect to deal with?
The grind, man. It’s not easy building something from scratch, but it’s worth it. Up-and-coming bosses gotta be ready to put in that work and make sacrifices to make their dreams a reality.
What have you learned from mentor and billionaire Adam Weitsman, who was gifted the first pair of physical sneakers from the collection?
Adam is a big brother and a mentor to me. He’s taught me a lot about business and life in general. He was the first one to get a pair of sneakers from the collection, and he loved them. It means a lot.