Chinedu Echeruo On Hotlist of Black America's Most Powerful Achievers Under 40

26 Nov 2007 20:06 Africa/Lagos BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine Unveils Its 2007 Hot List: America's Most Powerful Players Under 40 December issue hits newsstands with five exclusive, consecutive covers: LeBron James, Chris Brown and Kirk Franklin, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean and John Legend, and Venus Williams NEW YORK, Nov. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- BLACK ENTERPRISE (BE) today unveiled its 2007 HOT LIST: America's Most Powerful Players Under 40 as featured in the December issue. High Resolution Photograph: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071126/NYM106 For the very first time, BE hits newsstands with five exclusive, consecutive covers, a first in the magazine's 37-year history. The groundbreaking covers feature NBA superstar LeBron James, Pop/R&B phenomenon Chris Brown with gospel powerhouse Kirk Franklin, hip-hop star/entrepreneur Queen Latifah, platinum chart-toppers Wyclef Jean and John Legend, and tennis ace turned fashionista Venus Williams. The BE Hot List is comprised of ultimate achievers under the age of 40 in media, music, entertainment, and sports. "These celebrities have shrewdly leveraged their fame to build multimillion-dollar empires that will sustain them beyond their careers in sports and entertainment," says be Editor-at- Large Carolyn Brown. "Plus, this year's list goes outside the box to include business executives, top-ranked money managers, and medical researchers whose impact on our world is undeniable." The 2007 HOT LIST: America's Most Powerful Players Under 40: DeAnna Allen, 39, Partner, Dickstein Shapiro L.L.P. Tyra Banks, 34, TV Producer, Bankable Productions Mary J. Blige, 36, Singer Chris Brown, 18, Singer, Actor Nana Boateng, 30, Designer Kawanna Brown, 34, Chief Operating Officer, Magic Johnson Cos. Nick Cannon, 27, Actor, TV Producer Edwidge Danticat, 38, Author, Brother I'm Dying Adrian M. Fenty, 37, Mayor, District of Columbia Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, 37, Rapper, President & CEO, Def Jam Susan Chapman, 39, Global Head of Operations, Citi Realty Services Sean "Diddy" Combs, 37, Rapper, CEO, Music/TV Producer, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group T. Troy Dixon, 36, Managing Director, Deutsche Bank Securities Rosalyn Durant, 31, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN Chinedu You. Echeruo, 34, Founder, CEO, Hopstop.com Lisa Ellis, 37, Executive Vice President, Sony Music Label Group Kirk Franklin, 37, Singer Amy Ellis-Simon, 35, Managing Director, Head, Multiproduct Sales & Emerging Client Coverage, Merrill Lynch Njema Frazier, 37, Physicist, National Nuclear Security Administration Sean "The Pen" Garrett, 29, Songwriter, Music Producer Magnus Greaves, 33, Founder, Doubledown Media Richard C. Gay, 39, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Operations, VH1 & CMT Tracy Green, 36, Associate Executive Director, Finance Department, Bellevue Hospital Center Thierry Henry, 30, Professional Athlete Floyd Nathaniel "Danja" Hills, 26, Music Producer Lewis Hamilton, 22, Professional Athlete, Formula One race driver Mellody Hobson, 38, President, Ariel Capital Management L.L.C. Barrington Irving, 24, Aviator Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, 32, Rapper Paulianda Jones, M.D., 28, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Alicia Keys, 26, Singer, Songwriter, Actress Melanie Kinchen, M.D., 38, Medical Director, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Spine Center Ronald Holt, Jr., 39, President & CEO, Hansberger Global Investors Inc. Charles King, 38, Senior Vice President, Agent, William Morris Agency Beyonce Knowles, 26, Singer, Actress Kimora Lee Simmons, 32, Creative Director, Phat Fashions L.L.C. Phil Ivey, 31, Professional Poker Player Kevin Liles, 39, Executive Vice President, Warner Music Group Treena Livingston Arinzeh, 37, Biomedical Engineer, New Jersey Institute of Technology Vanessa Morrison, 38, President, Twentieth Century Fox Animation LeBron James, 22, Professional Athlete, Cleveland Cavaliers Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, 36, Music Producer Andrea Nelson Meigs, 39, Talent Agent, International Creative Management Wyclef Jean, 35, Rapper, Music Producer Will Packer, 33, and Rob Hardy, 35, Film Producers; Director, Rainforest Films Steve Pamon, 37, Senior Vice President, Digital Distribution & Strategic Partnerships, Home Box Office Brian Parker, 32, Vice President of Emerging Markets & New Business Development, Choice Hotels International Tyler Perry, 38, Playwright, Actor, Screenwriter, CEO, Tyler Perry Studios John Legend, 29, Singer Dana "Queen Latifah" Owens, 37, Singer, Actress Lisa Pickrum, 37, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, RLJ Cos. Usher Raymond IV, 29, Singer, Actor Shonda Rhimes, 37, TV Producer, Writer, Director, Grey's Anatomy Marcus Samuelsson, 37, Co-Owner, Aquavit Will Smith, 39, Actor, Film Producer Window Snyder, 32, "Chief Security Something or Other," Mozilla Steve Stoute, 37, Founder, Chairman, Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging LaDainian Tomlinson, 28, Professional Athlete, San Diego Chargers Kara Walker, 38, Artist, Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love Shane and Shawn Ward, 34, President & Co-Founder; Creative Director & Co- Founder, Detny footwear by SHANE&SHAWN Kanye West, 30, Music Producer, Rapper Stevie Williams, 28, Professional Athlete, Skateboarding Venus Williams, 27, Professional Athlete, Tennis Kehinde Wiley, 30, Artist, Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, 32, Professional Athlete, Golf BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source for wealth creation, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 3.9 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces radio and television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071126/NYM106 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: BLACK ENTERPRISE CONTACT: Andrew Wadium of BLACK ENTERPRISE, +1-212-886-9598, wadiuma@blackenterprise.com Web site: http://www.blackenterprise.com/ Photo: BLACK ENTERPRISE MAGAZINE UNVEILS ITS 2007 HOT LIST: AMERICA'S MOST POWERFUL PLAYERS UNDER 40. December issue hits newsstands with five exclusive, consecutive covers: LeBron James (shown), Chris Brown and Kirk Franklin, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean and John Legend, and Venus Williams.