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YouTube reinforces support for Africa’s creators and the creative economy with #YouTubeBlack Voices cohorts

#YouTubeBlack Voices cohort 2023

40 creators, 4 music artists, and 2 producers from Africa enrol in the Creator, Music and Songwriters/ Producer classes of 2023

YouTube 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.

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.

“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,” says Alex Okosi, MD, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA.

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. 

“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,” Okosi adds.

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 CHANNELCREATOR COUNTRY
StylebyremeEgbor OseremeNigeria
Femi OlaniyanOluwafemi OlaniyanNigeria
Pot of FlavoursLatifat KilaniNigeria
Korty eoKorty EONigeria
Denixx KreativesDennis AkpanNigeria
Louis ihuefoLouis IhuefoNigeria
Bof gamesOluebube BelonwuNigeria
234driveOlatunbosun GbengaNigeria
Football Fans TribeTokoni IderimaNigeria
Chantel AnyanwuKelechi AnyanwuNigeria
IFY’S KITCHENIfeyinwa MogekwuNigeria
KaganSegun Oladapo-OgunsanyaNigeria
Izzi BoyeIzzi BoyeNigeria
TAAOOMA’s CabinMaryam ApaokagiNigeria
Foodies And SpiceGina Ehikodi-OjoNigeria
Madam SpeakerPerseverance MaremeniSouth Africa
Muzi SamboMuzikayifani SamboSouth Africa
Reggie MohlabiReginald MohlabiSouth Africa
Perima’s KitchenSolina NaidooSouth Africa
ZillewizzyMatlala MokgehleSouth Africa
TsoanieskitsTsoanelo MoyoSouth Africa
Thuli MadlamukaThulile DlamukaSouth Africa
MoghelingzBanele NdabaSouth Africa
Seithati LetsipaSeithati LetsipaSouth Africa
coffeenomilkClalissa MagundeSouth Africa
OhSmallstuffOyisa MatebeseSouth Africa
Mzwandile & SizaMzwandile and Siza NdlovuSouth Africa
Centtwinz TVInnocent and Millicent, Sadiki and MashileSouth Africa
Sinikiwe KademaungaSinikiwe KademaungaSouth Africa
Tumi MolikoTumelo MolikoSouth Africa
RUTHLESS FOCUSCALEB OREMKenya
African Real EstateMartin KiharaKenya
Agatha NkiroteAgatha NkiroteKenya
SuzyshomesteadSusan MuriithiKenya
Kenyan EntrepreneurSebastian NgidaKenya
Diy with JojoJoanne WanjaKenya
Wongel ZelalemWongel ZelalemKenya
Kane’s Kitchen AffairJuliet KaneKenya
ONROlive NkiroteKenya
Kate KendyKate Kendy WanjikuKenya
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