Ade Coker has a vision. He has a plan. He has a goal. The first-year graduate student in Magazine, Newspaper, Online journalism at Syracuse University isn’t shy about it either. He wants to build something special.
“Check out my website,” he said. “Active Music. I’ve got a post on there about Amy Winehouse. She’s the Comeback Artist of the Year.”
Active Music isn’t just a blog about pop-culture. Its a business. Coker started the idea during his undergraduate days at Duke University. It’s a hip-hop music based website. Part “hip-hop-tionary” and part music review magazine. Recent articles cover the best hip hop producers today and also under-represented musicians, like Syracuse’s Jordan Foster and Andra Kenner – a.k.a.Jay Foss and Diverze.
“I think that it’s always nice to get exposure outside of home,” Foss said. “I’m from Syracuse, so I’ve been here my whole life. I’ve been performing here for a few years now.”
Diverze agrees.
“I feel like it’s extra exposure for us,” he said. “Every time I get an opportunity to get my name out there, I do it.”
The site also allows the online and local community to get involved. Coker says, the idea is simple.
“It’s not about me,” Coker, looking at Foss and Diverze, said “It’s about you.”
Coker is building a community where artists are recognized – not himself.
“I’m trying to build a business that responds to what the community wants,” he said. “If they want a particular artist or style of show, we’ll put it on for them.”
Leave a Reply