For far too long, musically gifted creatives like Jay Z, Russell Simmons, and Diddy hustled their way into the executive ranks by creating their own lane into music industry through trial and error, learning as they go. Well, those days are coming to an end as music industry training courses are starting to spring up in major cities across the U.S. The latest 'mogul prep’ program comes courtesy of Big Sean and his mother, Myra Anderson.

The two partnered to launch the national educational program that will help students navigate the entertainment industry. The course of study piloted successfully in Detroit in 2015 with 300 students enrolling in the program. The curriculum, developed by veterans of the entertainment industry, meets Common Core standards to provide students with business skills that translate to any profession.

In an interview with Billboard, Ms. Anderson, an educator, reveals that her motive for starting the program is two-fold. "I think it's going to be very successful because I want kids to want to be in school. In Detroit, we have a graduation rate of about 60 percent. That's because kids don't want to come to school. They don't see the relevance. My goal is to get them excited about coming to school — that'll keep them off the streets and out of trouble." Big Sean can definitely relate to being a student with dreams of succeeding in the music industry. "All I wanted to do was be a rapper since I was 11 years old. That was something that I knew was gonna happen. I just didn't know how, but I could just feel it. I knew it was near for me. I didn't really want to be anything else too much. I didn't really like school," he said.

To promote the program, Big Sean is taking the show on the road with Mogul Prep Tour Dates as follows:

April 1– Detroit, Ml (Fox Theater)
April 8– Silver Spring, MD (The Filmore)
April 18 – Atlanta, GA (Tabernacle)
April 20 – Miami, FL (The Fillmore)

Kudos to Big Sean and his mother for providing another path toward #blackexcellence.

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Myra Anderson

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