YouTube Reinforces Support For Africa’s Creators And The Creative Economy With #YouTubeBlack Voices Cohorts
40 Creators, 4 Music Artists, and 2 Producers From Africa Enrol In The Creator, Music And Songwriters/ Producer Classes Of 2023
YouTube today has announced the expansion of efforts to support creators and the creative economy in Africa through the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts.
Now in its third year, the initiative from YouTube is a followup to a global, multi-year commitment made in 2020 to uplift and grow Black creators, artists, songwriters, and producers on the platform.
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Forty creators from Sub-Saharan Africa will be part of the 135 #YouTubeBlack Voices Creators selected globally who are enrolled into the cohort. Among the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices Artists selected for the programme are African fast-rising musical artists, Gyakie from Ghana, Kamo Mphela from South Africa, Asake from Nigeria, and BNXN from Nigeria.
The cohort will also include Hip Hop producer MashBeatz from South Africa and Nairobi-based producer Ukweli, who will be joining 17 #YouTubeBlack Voices Songwriters and Producers globally.
As support from YouTube, grantees will receive $20,000 and $50,000 as seed funding, dedicated partner support for six months and have the opportunity to participate in programmes including bespoke training, workshops and networking programmes spread out across the year.
Alex Okosi, MD, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA stated:
We are excited about the creators, musical artists and producers from Africa joining others from across the world in the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund. The initiative is dedicated to equipping up-and-coming Black creators and artists with the resources to succeed on our platform.
The artists, songwriters, and producers joining the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2023 will be required to set goals, develop content strategy, and engage with their fans on YouTube, with the assistance of a YouTube partner manager. There will be networking opportunities with other artists, songwriters, and producers included in the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, and a chance to maximise the impact of their channels as they provide catalogue-development opportunities.
Okosi added:
We are seriously interested in the growth of the creative community in Africa. For the creators, artists, songwriters and producers that will be joining this third cohort, we will go beyond the initial training to measure our success with them over a long-term period, thereby ensuring that they achieve sustained success.
Over the next few years, YouTube will be directly investing in more than 500 creators and artists from across the world to support, grow, and fund their channels and content development through the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.
Below is Africa’s full list of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Creator Class of 2023 (in alphabetical order per country).
YOUTUBE CHANNEL |
CREATOR |
COUNTRY |
Egbor Osereme |
Nigeria |
|
Oluwafemi Olaniyan |
Nigeria |
|
Latifat Kilani |
Nigeria |
|
Korty EO |
Nigeria |
|
Dennis Akpan |
Nigeria |
|
Louis Ihuefo |
Nigeria |
|
Oluebube Belonwu |
Nigeria |
|
Olatunbosun Gbenga |
Nigeria |
|
Tokoni Iderima |
Nigeria |
|
Kelechi Anyanwu |
Nigeria |
|
Ifeyinwa Mogekwu |
Nigeria |
|
Segun Oladapo-Ogunsanya |
Nigeria |
|
Izzi Boye |
Nigeria |
|
Maryam Apaokagi |
Nigeria |
|
Gina Ehikodi-Ojo |
Nigeria |
|
Perseverance Maremeni |
South Africa |
|
Muzikayifani Sambo |
South Africa |
|
|
Reginald Mohlabi |
South Africa |
Solina Naidoo |
South Africa |
|
Matlala Mokgehle |
South Africa |
|
Tsoanelo Moyo |
South Africa |
|
Thulile Dlamuka |
South Africa |
|
Banele Ndaba |
South Africa |
|
Seithati Letsipa |
South Africa |
|
Clalissa Magunde |
South Africa |
|
Oyisa Matebese |
South Africa |
|
Mzwandile and Siza Ndlovu |
South Africa |
|
Innocent and Millicent, Sadiki and Mashile |
South Africa |
|
Sinikiwe Kademaunga |
South Africa |
|
Tumelo Moliko |
South Africa |
|
CALEB OREM |
Kenya |
|
Martin Kihara |
Kenya |
|
Agatha Nkirote |
Kenya |
|
Susan Muriithi |
Kenya |
|
Sebastian Ngida |
Kenya |
|
Joanne Wanja |
Kenya |
|
Wongel Zelalem |
Kenya |
|
Juliet Kane |
Kenya |
|
Olive Nkirote |
Kenya |
|
Kate Kendy Wanjiku |
Kenya |