Prominent music mogul, executive to hold fundraiser in Atlanta for internship programs

ATLANTA — Two Atlanta-based internship pipeline programs are joining together for a fundraiser to help raise funds to build a new facility for students.

New Orleans native Cortez Bryant, who is a prominent music mogul, executive and philanthropist, helped to create Go Dark years ago. Go Dark is an Atlanta-based music internship pipeline program that focuses on providing students with the knowledge, support, skillset and resources they need to thrive in the music and entertainment business.

Joffre Lester, a prominent Atlanta community advocate, Board of Director and Marketing Consultant at the Creative Academy, says one of his main goals is to help provide a safe place for at-risk youth in the city of Atlanta and introduce them to different opportunities in creative arts industries.

Both Bryant and Lester are excited about the students and everyone involved in their respective programs. They hope to teach more people about not only the music and entertainment businesses, but to provide better resources and opportunities for students.

The Creative Academy is an Atlanta-based program that is dedicated to teaching, engaging and preparing at-risk youth in the creative arts industries which includes music production, photography, and video production.

“We introduce the creative arts to students who don’t necessarily have access to it in their schools,” Lester said. “We teach them audio engineering, video production, photography, and then we slide in community activism through those principles.”

Lester said the Creative Academy was previously located at Genesis Atlanta, close to the Beltline. The building shut down in late 2023. When word about the Creative Academy spread and more and more students joined, Lester knew he had to find a new facility for students.

“Right now, we’re looking to expand into a larger space and that is where the fundraiser is coming from,” Lester said. “We are really looking to raise money to build another facility for the students.”

In the past for years since the program’s inception, Lester says the Creative Academy has reached between 150-200 students depending on the specific cohort during the year. The Creative Academy visits schools in the Atlanta area and teaches students about the music business. On weekends, Lester says the Creative Academy has independent programs that has more than 230 students.

“A lot of times we build partnerships with the schools,” Lester said. “Drew Charter School is one of our big partners. We do lunch and learns there and meet the parents and some of the students to get them involved, get them excited and to see what we’re doing. “We have different type of cohort programs that we do during the year.”

“Go Dark is a music industry pipeline program born out of me understanding around five years ago the country was divided. I was looking for things to do to equal the playing field,” said Bryant. “I understood hip-hop was the largest genre in music in the world. In the world Craig. So, 95 percent of our talent is Black, but a lot of our gatekeepers didn’t look like us.”

Bryant said some kids in his old neighborhood in New Orleans thought that in order to get into the music industry, you had to rap, sing or make beats.

“I took it on my heart and on my spirit to pay it forward and try to fix that wrong. I realized we just weren’t exposed to it. I went back to my old neighborhood in New Orleans talked to kids about the music industry,” Bryant said.

Throughout the Go Dark program, students are given a two-week masterclass on different areas of the business. Bryant says he has reached out to some of his friends and peers in Atlanta and let them know about the program and they are able to get real valuable experience at different companies.

“I’m excited about this cohort,” said Bryant. “I’m so happy about the growth. We’ve got 14 great students, extraordinary students. They’re just great and the talent is growing.”

Photo of student in a recording booth. ( Imani Crumpton)

Bryant went to Eleanor McMain Secondary School in New Orleans, where he met global hip-hop icon Lil Wayne when he was in the 10th grade and Lil Wayne was in the seventh grade. Bryant says current Young Money President Mack Maine and rapper Currency also went to school together.

“Wayne always knew his journey and my journey took me to the Jackson State University Marching Band,” Bryant said. “I had a job at CNN. I was a Mass Communications major so I had an entry level position.”

In January 2004, Bryant received a phone call from Lil Wayne that eventually changed his life.

“During my senior year of college, Wayne called me because he never had a manager,” Bryant said. “He saw something in me. We just took a leap of faith. I had no clue about the music business and just had to figure it out. We figured it out together.”

Bryant worked as Lil Wayne’s manager for 16 years between 2004-2020. During that duration of time, he helped Lil Wayne to build the successful record label Young Money.

“I started my career managing my best friend Lil Wayne. The next person who asked me to help him become a star was Drake. Nicki Minaj, a lot of artists during the last 20 years,” said Bryant. “Definitely helped to build the foundation. I’ve been very blessed over the last two decades.”

Young Money is well known as one of the most successful, influential and dominant music record labels in the world. Superstars such as Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga have sold millions of records, have hundreds of hit songs, mixtapes and albums, and they have billions of streams collectively.

Bryant has also taught a music course at his alma mater Jackson State University.

“This year, we’re doing a more play with a purpose idea. We’re going to Top Golf to compete. I don’t think there is anyone out there who can beat the TCA team at Top Golf,” Lester said jokingly. “You have the opportunity to win $10,000.”