(AllHipHop News) The Weeknd has teamed with bank bosses to launch the new entrepreneurship initiative Black Hxouse.
The “Starboy” hitmaker and executives at his skills incubator brand Hxouse, based in Toronto, Canada, have teamed with chiefs at the TD Bank Group for the venture, which aims to aid BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) individuals with mentorship, business tools, and networking opportunities.
“TD has a long-standing commitment to supporting both innovation and diversity and we are excited to collaborate with Black Hxouse as part of our continued investment in our customers, colleagues and communities,” says Claudette McGowan, Global Executive Officer, Cybersecurity, TD in a statement. “We want to help build an economy where everyone can advance their careers and thrive professionally and in their personal lives. With Black Hxouse, we will explore opportunities to elevate and empower people to succeed and grow and focus on building an even more inclusive bank and society.”
The news follows the singer’s performance and major wins at the MTV VMAs on Sunday night and a hard-hitting statement he made upon taking home the honors amid continued racial unrest in the U.S.
“It’s really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment, so I’m just going to say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor,” he said during the live broadcast, referencing the African-American man shot seven times in the back and reportedly left paralyzed in Wisconsin last week and the Kentucky woman who was killed in a bungled police raid in June.
The star’s latest offering comes after his efforts to highlight social justice issues took in over $2.15 million for various charities including Black Lives Matter, the Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative, National Bail Out, and TikTok’s Equal Justice Initiative.
The Weeknd started Hxouse in 2018.