Steve Stoute — who has managed artists like Mary J. Blige and Nas and crafted groundbreaking ad campaigns like Beyonce’s Samsung partnership and Dr. Dre’s Beats advertisements — has built a career by understanding the interplay of culture, music and capitalism and translating these dynamics for corporate America.

Companies from Meta to McDonald’s (Stoute came up with the famous “I’m Lovin’ It” slogan) rely on him as a go-to advisor, while power players like Jay-Z and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call for advice. 5

In fact, Stoute was key in creating excitement around The Nets’ move from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012, which gave the borough its first major sports team in 55 years. His “Hello Brooklyn” campaign rallied the borough to view the team as its own.

“One of the things that

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