Big Sean And Usher Collaborate To Invest $1 Million In A Creative Hub For Youth In Detroit

Big Sean and Usher are collaborating to invest in the youth of Detroit. The rapper and R&B artist have joined forces to support a local Boys & Girls Club with ambitious plans.

On Thursday, they announced the creation of the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator. Usher’s New Look Foundation is partnering with Big Sean’s Sean Anderson Foundation, along with Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

One of their initial efforts is a $1 million investment to establish the incubator, which will be located in the Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan. The facility is set to include a virtual production studio, special effects lab, creators’ lounge, and more, with an opening planned for February 2026. The objective is to provide mentorship and guidance to youth in various fields, including film, AI, special effects, and music production.

“I’ve always been a true believer in igniting a spark in the next generation to be better and have access to things we didn’t,” Usher stated. “This new spark lab in Detroit with my friend and fellow Boys & Girls Club alum Big Sean will not only minimize the access gap for the youth but also prepare them for greatness. It takes just one person to believe in your success, and I’m honored to be one of many in this partnership to help make that happen.”

Both Usher and Big Sean are alumni of the Boys & Girls Club, and the latter emphasizes the significance of his local roots. “Detroit is where my creativity was born,” Big Sean remarked. “From freestyling in my mom’s basement to performing on the biggest stages in the world. My mission has always been to ensure the next generation of dreamers and innovators from my city have the access, tools and mentorship to do the same. The Innovation Incubator is about showing young people that they don’t have to leave Detroit to chase opportunity; they can build it right here.”

This initiative highlights the efforts of prominent figures contributing to their community.