HiiiWAV Fest Overcomes City Budget Deficit to Launch Oakland’s 1st Music and Tech Festival June 8th
"HiiiWAV Fest is a movement toward redefining the cultural and technological narrative of Oakland," said Bosko Kante. HiiiWAV, a nonprofit creative incubator for Black artist-led music and tech startups, has announced its 1st Music and Tech Festival in Oakland, set to take place on June 8th at 2781 Telegraph Avenue. The event combines AI & VR technology with live performances and a celebration of Black creativity and innovation. However, the City of Oakland delayed the festival's funding by 26 days due to a $170M budget deficit, leading to a call for support from HiiiWVA's sponsors, including the East Bay Community Foundation, Kapor Center, and Tides Foundation. HiiiWAAV's annual AFRO AI MVP incubator will showcase the top Black artist led AI music tech startup, with the winner of the $10,000 grant to be announced on stage.
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"HiiiWAV Fest is a movement toward redefining the cultural and technological narrative of Oakland," said Bosko Kante.
HiiiWAV, a nonprofit creative incubator for Black artist-led music and tech startups, proudly announces HiiiWAV FEST. Taking place on June 8th at 2781 Telegraph Avenue, this free outdoor event merges AI & VR technology with dynamic musical performances in a celebration of Black creativity and innovation.
Just 26 days before the event, the City of Oakland informed HiiiWAV that a city grant promised in support of the festival would be delayed indefinitely due to the city’s $170M budget deficit. HiiiWAV immediately sent out a call for support. Within 48-hours of the viral post, Selena Wilson (EOYDC), Lynne Hoey (Kataly), & Zoo Labs answered the call with assistance and connections to sponsors East Bay Community Foundation, Kapor Center, and Tides Foundation, who together with Meta, Kaiser Permanente, & Community Bank of the Bay, ensured the event could go on. You can join in to support HiiiWAV Fest via hiiiwav.org/donate.
HiiiWAV Fest also serves as the culmination of HiiiWAV’s annual AFRO AI MVP incubator, with the winner of the $10,000 grant awarded to the top Black artist-led AI music tech startup to be announced on stage.
About HiiiWAV:
Bosko Kante, a songwriter/performer on Grammy-winning albums by Kanye West and Dua Lipa, and a music producer/talkbox artist for E-40 and J. Cole, founded HiiiWAV. Also a tech innovator and co-founder of the music tech startup ElectroSpit Inc., Bosko has led HiiiWAV to significant growth since its creation in 2020. Initiatives include the AFRO AI Incubator for musicians and the purchase of 2781 Telegraph in 2023. HiiiWAV's founding team—Maya Kante, Miles Dotson, and Bosko—are committed to empowering Black artist-preneurs with cutting-edge tech, entrepreneurship education, capital, performance opportunities, and growth mindset coaching.
• Live Performances: Legendary hip-hop act The Pharcyde, joins Sol Development, Dame Drummer, The Prospect Band, and Honey Gold, all set to electrify the audience with their performances.
• Startup Showcase: The AFRO AI MVP program will spotlight startups such as Kev Choice's Choice Scores, RyanNicole's Worth.AI, Meaghan Maples' 1763 Co., Nocturnal Summer, and GooRoo, demonstrating new human-centered AI Music technology.
• Tech Showcases: Meta will provide attendees with a glimpse into the future of 3D interactive experiences with demos of the Meta Quest 3 VR headset and Ray Ban Meta smart glasses.
• Educational Workshops: Tech experts Lance Coleman, Hidden Genius, and UC Berkeley Professor Nassirah Nelson will lead sessions on AI and music production technologies.
Event operators Solid Grounds and Grand Nationxl were selected through a competitive RFP process to ensure a dynamic event.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
HiiiWAV is actively seeking event sponsors interested in supporting innovation and diversity in tech and art.
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