Hitting the Books: Meet the man who helped Microsoft break into the entertainment business

Some of us are destined to lead successful lives thanks to the circumstances of our birth. Some of us, like attorney Bruce Jackson, are destined to lead such lives in spite them. Raised in New York's Amsterdam housing projects and subjected to the daily brutalities of growing up a black man in America, Jackson's story is ultimately one of tempered success. Sure he went on to study at Georgetown Law before representing some of the biggest names in hip hop — LL Cool J, Heavy D, the Lost Boyz and Mr. Cheeks, SWV, Busta Rhymes — and working 15 years as Microsoft's associate general counsel. But at the end of the day, he is still a black man living in America, with all the baggage that comes with it.In his autobiography, Never Far from Home (out now from Atria), Jackson recounts the challenges he has faced in life, of which there are no shortage: from being falsely accused of robbery at age 10 to witnessing the murder of his friend at 15 to spending a night in lockup as an adult for the crime of driving his own car; the shock of navigating Microsoft's lillywhite workforce following years spent in the entertainment industry, and the end of a loving marriage brought low by his demanding work. While Jackson's story is ultimately one of triumph, Never Far from Home reveals a hollowness, a betrayal, of the American Dream that people of Bill Gates' (and this writer's) complexion will likely never have to experience. In the excerpt below, Jackson recalls his decision to leave a... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2023-02-19 15:30:33 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Hitting the Books: Meet the man who helped Microsoft break into the entertainment business"


Bustle Digital Group Acquires Tech and Science Site Inverse

Bryan Goldberg is making additional moves in digital media. Goldberg's Bustle Digital Group has acquired Inverse, a tech- and science-focused website, the company said today. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. The acquisition represents yet another for Goldberg and BDG, which... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-07-23 17:51:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Sports media is going direct to consumer—and Copa90 wants to be the Glossier of soccer

Digital media company Copa90 created clubhouses in Paris and Lyon to give its brand a boost IRL just like physical retail helps D2C startups grow. As the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ada Hegerberg is the best female soccer player on the planet. But the Norwegian star, who plays professionally in... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-07-20 07:00:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Every New Streaming Service Has ‘Plus’ in Its Name. That Could Be a Minus

Streaming services love pluses. Just take a look at the number of companies that have tacked the "+" sign onto the ends of their new OTT services. There's Apple, which in March announced Apple TV+, an ad-free subscription add-on to its digital media player Apple TV that will have original... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-07-16 12:00:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Introducing Charlotte Inno, an increased focus on local startups and innovation

The Charlotte Business Journal has a new partner in our coverage of startups and innovation. Charlotte Inno officially launched this week. Charlotte Inno is the 13th market launched by American Inno, a division of the Charlotte Business Journal's parent company American City Business... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2019-07-12 16:05:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Another brutal week for American journalism

Between January and May this year, approximately 3,000 people working in the news industry were laid off or offered a buyout. That’s according to figures compiled by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.—a Chicago-based firm that helps workers find new employment—and reported yesterday in a... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2019-07-02 12:07:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Reuters Names IDG Exec as New CMO | People on the Move

[caption id="attachment_160867" align="alignright" width="150"] Josh London[/caption] Reuters named Josh London as its new chief marketing officer, effective immediately. Most recently the CMO at IDG Communications, London will now be responsible for all aspects of marketing at the company,... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2019-06-26 15:38:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Ro’s vp of growth Will Flaherty: ‘There’s no silver bullet for attribution’

As Ro, the parent company of telemedicine brands Ro, Rory and Zero, looks to diversify its marketing mix, the company is looking to partner more with institutions that its target audience already trusts. Earlier this month, Roman, its men's focused brand which sells generic hair loss and... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2019-06-26 04:00:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Whose ad spending is up? The big FANG theory

When it comes to ad spending, the FANG gang has developed some serious teeth. For the first time, all four FANG companies—Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google parent Alphabet—rank among the top 100 spenders in Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2019. FANG—Wall Street lingo for these internet... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-06-25 07:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Beats names new CMO

As it strengthens its in-house team, Beats by Dr. Dre has tapped a new top marketer. Chris Thorne, a veteran with stints at the Honest Co. and health care company Forward, joined the Apple-owned brand as chief marketing officer on Monday. Beats President Luke Wood noted in a statement that... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-06-24 19:50:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this


BuzzFeed News Is Part of a Union Wave at Digital Media Outlets

The site’s journalists took part in an IRL protest after a series of tweets criticized the company’s refusal to recognize their affiliation with the News Guild. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2019-06-18 22:31:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bud Light brings back ‘Real Men of Genius’ with new twist for digital age

Bud Light’s “Real Men of Genius” campaign--which set a new standard for funny radio ads--is being resurrected for the social media age. The brew is rebranding the campaign “Internet Heroes of Genius” and running them exclusively on digital, including on streaming audio services Spotify and... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-06-18 10:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Airhead by Emily Maitlis review – up close with Trump and the Dalai Lama

The chief presenter of BBC Newsnight vividly chronicles the pains and perils of news televisionEmily Maitlis’s book isn’t an autobiography. By the end we are none the wiser about what she was like as a child, her personal relationships or the pivotal moments that led to her becoming arguably the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Clinton, Patterson and King make CrimeFest shortlist

Bill Clinton, James Patterson and Stephen King are on the CrimeFest Awards shortlist, which this year features a mix of established names and new talent. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Every report on past presidential scandal was a warning. Why didn’t we listen?

Robert Mueller’s predecessors investigated Watergate, Iran-contra and Bill Clinton. They warned that checks and balances aren’t enough. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-03-22 14:40:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Graphic Novel and Picture Book Series from Kids Can Press to Launch on TV

Canadian children’s book publisher Kids Can Press will see two of its book properties transformed into television shows next fall: Ashley Spires’ graphic novels about Binky the Space Cat and a picture-book series by Geneviève Côté. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @porter_anderson... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Twitter tweaks Facebook with new issue ads policy that exempts publishers

The policy requires advertisers to get certified to run ads that refer to an election or candidate, or advocate for big issues including abortion, civil rights and guns. The post Twitter tweaks Facebook with new issue ads policy that exempts publishers appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


'Extraordinary' Eyewear contracts 'interfere with poets' civil rights'

Independent press Eyewear Publishing has drawn criticism from the Society of Authors over its treatment of poets, including contracts “constituting an unwarranted interference with their civil rights”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Book to Film Deals, Week of July 9, 2018

Among the titles optioned this week are a Stephen King short story from the 1970s and a biography of the notorious commodities trader and tax dodger Marc Rich, who was pardoned by Bill Clinton. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


iBooks Bestsellers: Hilderbrand Passes Clinton, Patterson

After two weeks at the top of Apple's iBooks store, Bill Clinton and James Patterson have been dethroned. 'The Perfect Couple' by Elin Hildebrand took the top slot, while 'The President Is Missing' dropped to #2 on the list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


iBooks Bestsellers: Clinton, Patterson Remain #1

James Patterson and Bill Clinton kept their #1 slot in Apple's iBooks Store last week with 'The President Is Missing.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this