Memphis rapper K. Carbon instills entrepreneurship opportunity to Black business owners with pop shop event
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As a way to inspire the youth to pursue entrepreneurship, Memphis native and rapper K. Carbon put together a pop-up shop in Parkway Village. She told ABC24 this event was aimed to promote Black owned businesses and bring the community together.
However, shortly after ABC24 spoke to a fight broke out. Details about the incident have not been disclosed, but we were notified Carbon is ok.
The Memphis rapper said Saturday’s event was meant to bring a positive change for people in her community.
“They don’t understand that sometimes coming together is gonna help us get out quicker than anything,” Carbon said.
Carbon said a pop-up event was something rare she heard of growing up in Memphis. She said that’s what sparked the idea. Carbon told ABC24 she never had the chance to see her culture come together for a good cause.
Carbon said before her music career kicked off, she sold hair at 17-years-old. She empathized how important putting together this event was despite her busy schedule.
“I put this together in the middle of dropping an EP and everything, so it was so difficult. So just seeing one, how much my hard work did matter and how much it matter in the lives of these entrepreneurs,” she said. “Seeing how much that it matters to them, it’s all that matters to me.”
Danyale Brunton, owner of Spoiled Lifestyle Beauty Bar said the pop-up shop event was opportunity that wouldn’t be possible is Carbon didn’t use her platform for something good.
“Anybody can be as big as her because I know she started by selling bundles at one point too,” Brunton said. “That’s what a lot of us do, especially in the Black community as well.”
Brunton told ABC24 her community needs to do a better job with bridging the success gap.
“This is my livelihood, so to be able to come out here and show what I love to other people,” she said. “It shows that as a Black community we don’t have to be jealous or envious of the next person.”
Carbon said she’s considering having a pop-up shop become an annual event. She said for the next one she wants to bring other business owners from out of state.
