Big Sean & Usher Bet on Detroit’s Future With a $1 Million Investment in Young Creators

Detroit has always been a city that builds things that change the world, and Big Sean and Usher are making sure the next generation has the tools to keep that tradition alive. The two global superstars are investing $1 million in the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator, a new space designed to help young creatives turn their ideas into real opportunities right at home in the Motor City, Revolt reports.

Set to open in February 2026 inside the Michigan Central Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, the incubator will serve teens and young adults ages 14 to 24. According to ClickOn Detroit, the state-of-the-art facility will include a virtual production studio, a special effects lab, and a creators’ lounge, offering hands-on access to music, film, and cutting-edge technology. The goal is simple and powerful. Give Detroit youth the resources, mentorship, and networks they need to pursue creative careers without having to leave their city to succeed.

The project brings together Usher’s New Look nonprofit, which has been serving under-resourced youth for more than two decades, and the Sean Anderson Foundation, along with partners such as Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, sees the incubator as a continuation of Detroit’s long legacy of innovation.

“Detroit has always been the blueprint for innovation, from the assembly line to Motown. This collaboration — especially with two heavy-hitter alumni — extends that legacy by proving the creative economy can be a pathway to ownership and equity,” Wilson said in a statement. “We’re transforming talent into capital and creativity into generational wealth.”

For Big Sean, whose full name is Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, this investment is deeply personal. The Detroit native has consistently shown up for his city, from opening the Sean Anderson Studio of Infinite Possibilities at his alma mater, Cass Technical High School, to supporting Boys and Girls Club programs that have already reached more than 10,000 youth. This new incubator marks the fifth major contribution from the Sean Anderson Foundation to the organization since 2018.

Sean made it clear that this initiative is about access and belief. He shared that his “mission has always been to make sure 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.”

Usher Raymond IV echoed that same sense of purpose, focusing on the long-term impact this space can have on young lives. “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 … 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,” he said.

Beyond creative studios, the incubator will prepare participants for careers in film, television, music production, AI, immersive technologies, and special effects. Young people will also have opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials through Emory’s Goizueta Business School and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, receive mentorship from leading executives and creators, and access seed funding to launch their own ventures.

Located within Michigan Central’s 30-acre innovation district, the new Boys and Girls Club facility will also include an autonomous training center and an innovation lab, connecting youth to emerging industries such as mobility, advanced manufacturing, and AI. For Detroit, this is about more than a building. It is about planting seeds for a future where creativity, technology, and community come together.

Together, Big Sean and Usher are doing more than writing checks. They are creating a blueprint for what it looks like when artists reinvest their success into the communities that shaped them. By opening doors to technology, creativity, and real opportunity, they are helping ensure Detroit’s next generation of innovators can dream boldly, build locally, and thrive for years to come.

Cover photo: Big Sean & Usher Bet on Detroit’s Future With a $1 Million Investment in Young Creators/Photo credit: Lewis Howes/NBC