Category: Market Watch

Fat Money a “Wolf” in These Streets: A Review of CincoDeMoney Wolf, Part 1

Community, Culture News, Economics, Entertainment, Hip Hop, Culture, and Political Tricks, Lifestyle, Market Watch, Personal Perspectives, What's Good?

Chicago-Ty Money, better known as Fat Money, returns with new music: 13 tracks in his signature style for this year’s CincoDeMoney installment, Wolf, Part 1.

This project is one I anticipate annually. Not just out of loyalty , but because the series consistently reflects authenticity and growth. Each year feels like a continuation, not a repetition.

Money still slaps the same way he did the first time I pressed play years ago. And I still spin the older records too. That consistency matters.

Beyond affiliation, because yes, this is family, the work stands on its own. The quality is there. The storytelling is structured. The themes are grounded in everyday Chicagoland life. There’s intention in the sequencing and delivery that many artists today struggle to maintain.

It’s narrative and a vibe.

The project was mixed by Rio Mac and Fat Money, with features from Rio Mac and Kris Lofton, adding texture without disrupting the tone.

Favorite Tracks

In no particular order:

  • Nunyaa
  • Dust Off
  • Easter Sunday
  • Purest Form
  • Dorthy
  • Miami Calling My Name
  • IDFWY
  • Honorable Mention:
    Wolf of Y’all Street

A personal highlight for me is the recurring nod to my family’s restaurant legacy.

My uncle, Chuck “Woo Woo’s” Higgins, built something lasting from Washington Heights (99th & Halsted) to Lynwood, Calumet City, Dolton, Chicago Heights, and now:

1721 E. Sauk Trail in Sauk Village.

When artistry intersects with legacy, it hits different.

Wolf, Part 1 feels like a reminder: evolution doesn’t mean abandoning your roots. It means sharpening them.

Ta’Rhonda Jones explores identity and transformation in the upcoming project “Breaking Character.”

Businessology, Community, Culture News, Economics, Entertainment, Hip Hop, Culture, and Political Tricks, Lifestyle, Market Watch, What's Good?

CHICAGO — Actress and recording artist Ta’Rhonda Jones is expanding her creative work into music with Breaking Character, a project centered on identity, perception and personal transformation.

The project includes tracks such as “Favor on My Soul” and “Villain,” which explore contrasting emotional perspectives, one rooted in alignment and affirmation, the other in perception and misunderstanding.

“Breaking character is really about stepping outside of what people expect from you,” Jones said. “It’s personal.”

Jones, known for her role as Porsha Taylor on the television series Empire, is using music to expand her storytelling beyond the screen.

“I choose to be present. I choose to be 100% me,” she said. “No more performing. No more people pleasing. I’m no longer who society wants me to be.”

The duality presented in “Favor on My Soul” and “Villain” reflects a broader theme of balance within the project.

“I wanted to show that balance is necessary,” Jones said. “I can be both soft and firm. Soft says I understand you, and firm says I still choose what’s best for me.”

Production for “Favor on My Soul” is underway, with visuals emphasizing tone, reflection and transformation. The project’s visual direction aligns with its themes, focusing on mood-driven storytelling and emotional depth.

“There are moments where you’re misunderstood for growing,” Jones said. “That’s where ‘Villain’ comes from.”

Jones also described the creative process as liberating, noting that each phase of development has expanded her perspective.

“Every time I create, I discover new freedom,” she said. “It feels like a phoenix rising, like I’ve unlocked a new level of consciousness.”

A release date for Breaking Character has been confirmed for June 6. The project marks Jones’ continued expansion into music and visual storytelling, positioning it as a personal and creative evolution.

Follow her on IG!
Ta’Rhonda Jones | IMDb
Ta’Rhonda at 48th NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet
Ta’Rhonda at the 2016 Essence Festival Presented by Coca-Cola
Ta’Rhonda at The 47th NAACP Image Awards Presented by TV One, Red Carpet
Ta’Rhonda | The Broad Host West Coast Debut of “Soul of a Nation”

a’honda Jones

-Ta’Rhonda Jones

Queen Key Expands Her Empire with Kolors Boutique Grand Opening in Chicago

Businessology, Culture News, Economics, Entertainment, Inspiration, Market Watch

There comes a point in every artist’s journey where the brand outgrows the medium. For Queen Key, that moment is now.

Queen Key | Spotify

Known for her unapologetic voice, bold personality, and cultural influence rooted in Chicago, Queen Key is stepping beyond music and into something more tangible; retail, ownership, and curated lifestyle. Just like a big stepper should.

With the announcement of her boutique, Kolors, grand opening, Sunday, April 19, at 2144 W. 95th Street from 5 PM-9 PM, she’s not just inviting people to an event…she’s inviting them to her next chapter of evolution and introducing them to a special space in her life.

From Music to Market: A Strategic Evolution

Queen Key, born Ke’Asha McClure, has never followed a traditional blueprint, at all. I love 🥰 that for those of us looking 👀 to be inspired by originality.

From viral tracks to building a loyal audience, her career has been defined by authenticity and independence. But this latest move signals something deeper:

Ownership of experience.

A boutique isn’t just a store.

It’s:

  • A reflection of personal style
  • A direct-to-consumer brand channel
  • A physical extension of {brand} identity

And for an artist like Queen Key, whose image and presence have always been just as impactful as her music, this move feels less like a pivot and more like a natural progression.

Queen Key | Global Grind

More Than a Grand Opening

This isn’t just about racks of clothing or a new address on a flyer.

Her Grand Opening represents:

  • A new level of entrepreneurship
  • A claim to a bigger physical space in the culture
  • A deeper connection between artist and audience, in marketing and advertising.

This is where supporters become customers.
Where followers become community.

And where brand becomes infrastructure.

The Power of Physical Space in Communications

In a digital-first world, creating a physical location is a power move.

It says:
“I’m not just visible, I’m established.”

For Chicago especially spaces like this matter because we’re an international city and market.

We are a hub for:

  • Local fashion influence
  • Cultural expression
  • Community engagement

And when someone like Queen Key opens that door, it doesn’t just create opportunity for herself, it creates a ripple effect and opportunities for others.

What to Expect

While details are still unfolding, one thing is clear:

This won’t be a passive shopping experience.

Expect:

  • Energy
  • Personality
  • A crowd that reflects her audience
  • And a space that feels like an extension of her brand, and for the fly & danty ladies.

Because if there’s one thing Queen Key understands, it’s how to make people feel something.

Why This Moment Matters

Her boutique launch 🚀 is a signal.

A signal that artists, especially women in hip-hop, are continuing to expand beyond industry limitations and step fully into ownership, business, and legacy-building.

Queen Key | The Fader

And Queen Key is doing it her way.

Unfiltered.
Unapologetic.
Intentional.

A Word For The Birds 🦅

Not every artist makes this transition successfully.

But the ones who do?

They understand that influence isn’t just about attention, it’s about what you build with it.

Triple B:✨ Transformational Branding: More Than Just Marketing ✨

Businessology, Community, Culture News, Economics, Inspiration, Investing, Lifestyle, Market Watch, Scholarly Works

In today’s world, it’s not enough to blend in and play it safe. The secret to standing out isn’t in chasing trends or shouting louder than everyone else, it’s in being unapologetically authentic.

As a transformational branding consultant, I specialize in helping businesses and professionals unlock their unique voice and energy to create authentic initiatives, messages, and content that don’t feel like ads but still get results. It’s about crafting experiences that resonate deeply with your audience, building trust, and creating lasting connections.

Chris Do of The Futur with a a strategy that will transform your business this 2025!

Here’s what I believe:


💡 Authenticity automatically sets you apart. When you embrace who you truly are: your values, your purpose, your vision; you don’t need to force attention. Your uniqueness is your advantage.


💡 Strategy beats energy leaks. Stop scattering your efforts across trends that don’t align with your goals. Instead, channel your energy strategically to amplify your strengths, attract the right opportunities, and build sustainable momentum. (Note to self!)


💡 Purposeful messaging over flashy ads. Consumers can spot insincerity a mile away. I help my clients design branding initiatives that not only feel real but are real, not forced, aligning every word, visual, and action with the heart of their brand.

If you’re ready to break free from the noise, create authentic impact, and build a brand that speaks for itself, let’s connect. Together, we’ll transform your brand into a bold, strategic, and authentic reflection of your purpose.

Shein Facing New Lawsuit for Copyright and Racketeering Charges

Businessology, Culture News, Economics, Market Watch

NEW YORK, July 13– A complaint has been filed, on July 11, by Krista Perry, Larissa Martinez, and Jay Baron against Shein Distribution Corporation and its collective business associates (Roadget Business Pte. Ltd, Zoetop Business Company, Limited, and et.al) for racketeering and corrupt business practices as an organization. David Erickson is an Interested Party in the suit. They have been accused of infringing on the designs and artwork of creators to produce, distribute, sell, and copy the works of the plaintiffs. They allege that it is part of the organization’s DNA and process to algorithmically use designs in their corrupt business practices on a large and systematic scale, according to The Fashion Law.

When Shein copies a small or independent designer, the most likely outcome (without brand protection specialists and specialized software on the lookout) is that the infringement will go unnoticed

Plaintiffs

Shein is a Chinese retail agency and titan in modern fashion for everyday folks in the fashion industry to everyday people in the hood. It’s impossible to say how Shein manufactures its items without an investigation. They have been issued other complaints in the past to cease and desist behavior by other suits related to copyright and trademark cases relying heavily on the coat being clear to reorder and sell in small quantities in the event that they are hit with infringing.

Barron’s “Make It Fun” artwork (left) & a Shein print (right) Source: The Fashion Law

“Under those circumstances, Shein reaps all the benefits of stealing and featuring the design that its technology had identified as valuable enough to take: it makes sales and keeps it customers’ eyes glued to the Shein site and app for that much longer. And if customer demand justifies it, the item is reordered, and more are sold (now that the coast has been determined to be clear).”

Plaintiffs
Shein Named in Copyright, Racketeering Lawsuit Over Alleged Infringement Scheme
Source: The Fashion Law

They also made a claim that the distribution organization is made up of a multiplicity of entities with an outwardly decentralized structure which helps them in avoiding liability for intellectual infringement by placing the blame on an independent company unrelated to them when in reality they are connected to Shein.

The Future of Race, Finance, and the Future of Digital Slavery: Every Entrepreneur, Business Owner, and Active Citizen (or Un-active) Should Watch and Share

Community, Culture News, Economics, Lifestyle, Market Watch, Political Perspectives, Scholarly Works, What's Good?

I appreciate Zakiya and her work as a press person and educator, using her space to inform ones who may not be aware of what is happening around them. This presentation is just about 3 hours long but it’s worth the watch. If you can watch a movie that’s just as long or participate in any other media activity, you can watch this shit because your life depends on it. I’ll be back to update this post later and add another supporting piece of research to add to your collection of knowledge.

Feel free to drop a comment, contact me, or hit me up on one of my accounts to share your thoughts on this information. Critical autonomy is key.

Other Supporting Videos

This artifact speaks about Block-chain & Cryptocurrencies, and what that means for you.
Catherine Austin Fitts fills us in on technocracy and their real estate acquisition
Russel Brand shares some commentary and artifacts of us possibly being transitioned to a surveillance state of being and living.