Rockstar Energy, Atlanta’s Blueprint Group Launching Space for Local Black Creative Community

Rockstar Culture Labs at the Atlanta University Center will open in April 2022 bringing resources, an internship program and a new platform for the City’s next generation of artists.
Rockstar Energy And Blueprint Group Announce Launch Of Rockstar Culture Labs, A New Space For Atlanta's Black Creative Community
(L-R) VP/CMO Pepsi Beverages North America (South Division), Chauncey Hamlett, CEO of The Blueprint Group and artist manager, Cortez Bryant, Founder- The Ayars Agency, Ashaunna Ayars and CMO/Partner at BPG Records and Blueprint/Maverick Artist Management, Al Branch join Rockstar Energy and Blueprint Group as they announce launch of 'Rockstar Culture Labs', a new space for Atlanta's Black Creative Community on February 25, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for Rockstar )

Rockstar Energy Monday announced it has teamed up with Cortez Bryant, long-time talent manager who has worked with stars like Drake and Nicki Minaj and co-CEO of the record label Blueprint Group, to launch Atlanta’s newest space for Black artists, Rockstar Culture Labs.

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Given Atlanta’s status as an epicenter of hip-hop and “Mecca” for music, entertainment, and creative communities, the launch is set to empower the next generation of local Black artists with direction from other key figures including Al Branch, CMO/Partner at BPG Records and Blueprint/Maverick Artist Management and Ashaunna Ayars, Founder of The Ayars Agency and Chair of the Advisory Board for Rockstar Culture Labs, according to the announcement.

“We’re proud to be launching The Rockstar Culture Labs, to provide space and resources that empower Black artists here in one of the country’s epicenters of creative culture,” Chauncey Hamlett, VP/CMO Pepsi Beverages North America (South Division), said. “With this platform, we want to highlight and elevate the ‘Real Rockstars’ of Atlanta, those who are hustling and putting in the work to pursue their dreams.”

Funded by Rockstar Energy, the co-branded space will open in a four-story building located in the Atlanta University Center in April 2022, providing:

  • A platform and resources including fully equipped music production studios and sound stages, event and co-working spaces, and ongoing networking opportunities
  • The Rockstar Internship Program, a joint effort that builds on Blueprint Group’s history of developing education platforms and Rockstar Energy’s goal of driving purpose around creativity in youth culture
  • Event programming curated by Rockstar Energy including showcases, fireside chats, podcasts and more

“The Rockstar Culture Labs is an exciting next step for Blueprint Group, which has been dedicated to educating, supporting, and amplifying the next generation of creative artists,” Cortez Bryant, co-CEO of Blueprint Group, said. “Partnering with Rockstar Energy to open this space in one of the country’s most happening music communities gives us another platform to create incredible opportunities for Atlanta’s Black artists.”

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CMO/Partner at BPG Records and Blueprint/Maverick Artist Management, Al Branch joins Rockstar Energy and Blueprint Group as they announce launch of ‘Rockstar Culture Labs’, a new space for Atlanta’s Black Creative Community on February 25, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for Rockstar )
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(L-R) CEO of The Blueprint Group and artist manager, Cortez Bryant, CMO/Partner at BPG Records and Blueprint/Maverick Artist Management, Al Branch, Founder- The Ayars Agency, Ashaunna Ayars and VP/CMO Pepsi Beverages North America (South Division), Chauncey Hamlett join Rockstar Energy and Blueprint Group as they announce launch of ‘Rockstar Culture Labs’, a new space for Atlanta’s Black Creative Community on February 25, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for Rockstar )

17 Responses

  1. according to the map this is going in Midtown Promenade? not to be Dark Cloud Carol but tourists swarming that area will be, um, complicated. I didn’t see a mention in the piece about where proposed site will be, unless I missed it.

    1. The location and timing for the property were not disclosed and reps for UMUSIC Hotels on Monday did not immediately respond to What Now Atlanta’s request for comment.

  2. Who would build a hotel based around packing huge crowds into tight spaces right now. I like another venue for Atlanta but seriously this is a terrible investment.

    1. Who? Donald Trump. It looks like the perfect venue for a super-spreader rally.

      Seriously though, I think there are some people that think once we develop a successful vaccine, and have C-19 behind us, we won’t need to worry about another pandemic.

      1. … once we […] have C-19 behind us, we won’t need to worry about another pandemic

        Not that it’s necessarily the smart move, but historically that is exactly what happens. We’ve been through pandemics and gone back to the same behaviors afterwards. People crave social interaction (I’ve never understood why it’s not included along with food, water, and shelter as a basic need). If we do make significant changes to how we live and design spaces after Covid, we need to weigh the pros and cons carefully. A permanently socially-distanced world sounds like a cold and lonely place.

        1. You know, once the initial shock wore off, I don’t find social distancing etc all that unbearable.

          Granted I’m not in the bar/concert demographic, but I’ve been able to adapt pretty well.
          Even my younger friends have formed bubbles with their besties/families, and still
          socialize (within their circle).

          Some people are more adaptable than others. And also, a lot of us are thinking about the safety of everybody, and not just thinking of ourselves.

          Hopefully we can learn from this experience, and it can have a lasting positive impact–maybe we become more intimately connected with those that are important to us (for example).

          I certainly don’t want to live my life in a bubble, and I really want to travel again. But I think we can take some basic ideals away from this C-19 experience– hand washing, don’t touch your face, cough into your arm, wear a mask during flu season, etc.

          However I feel very betrayed by how this has been, and is, being handled in the USA.
          There is absolutely no reason this pandemic should have been politicized and mocked!

          215K– RIP.

          1. I’m in your shoes. I’m settled. Social distancing has actually been kinda… nice. But I think we’re in the minority. It’s also hitting younger folks harder. Those still in the stage of life where frequent social interactions are necessary for building friendships, relationships, finding employment, etc.

      2. Yea lets worry about pandemics for the rest of our lives.. good idea, lets live with fear permanently even when C-19 is behind us.. Pandemics come and go, and we move on. People will always want to gather and be social, and developments around gathering together such as concert venues will continue.

        1. Hey, it’s not my money building this venue– so build baby, build.
          But when the next 6-12 month shutdown happens, I don’t want my tax dollars paying to bail them out because they can’t generate revenue.

        2. Very much agree. Covid hopefully will not change human nature and the desire to give a hug, shake a hand or share in special moments with a group of friends. Hopefully humans will continue to be human.

    2. It’s not opening now! It’s not even built. Probably won’t open until 2022 or later. Hopefully, vaccines will be in play by then.

    3. The project would not be completed for about 3 years. I imagine we would be well past this and people would go back to normal. I think many people forget the day before Covid and how we had functioned for our entire life times.

  3. From the rendering, it looks like they could just buy CNN center after WarnerMedia finally gets done with its 5,000th round of layoffs and pulls out of Atlanta. Wouldn’t even need a new building.

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