Music is the main thread of interest for Global 14 members but topics of conversation include automobiles, sneakers, art, fashion, and relationships. In addition, Dupri’s social network has become a destination for individuals looking to hear and share independent music within the hip-hop community.
G Jamz is a sharing service that houses music from independent Global 14 artists who Dupri has donned as having the “cool factor.†Visitors will be able to purchase music releases from G Jamz on the site, notes Dupri, on the joint venture between him and participating artists. He’s involved the Global 14 community in this project, allowing group members to vote on songs that should or shouldn’t make it into G Jamz via the “Pump it!! Or Dump it!!†section.
Dupri also wanted a site where advertising wasn’t disruptive to users. As a result, Global 14 currently does not have advertising. Like Facebook, in its early days, Dupri has decided to build a strong community first and he is working with iCrossing, a digital marketing agency, to determine the best way to monetize the site in the future.
“We have advertisers that are always trying to connect with very specific audiences. They want to understand that audience and give content that is meaningful, not just commercials pushed to a mass audience,†says Adam Lavelle, chief strategy officer at iCrossing.com, a subsidiary of Hearst Magazines. “Global 14 provides a glimpse into the future of what social [networking] holds. It is a very robust community. It has a very particular world view and shared values.â€
In the future, if his community reaches 50,000 members, Dupri hopes to host a Global 14 convention.
Visit BlackEnterprise.com’s technology section throughout the week for more Social Media Week 2012 coverage.