Big Sean and Usher Team Up to Open $1M Creative Incubator
Big Sean and Usher Team Up to Open $1M Creative Incubator for Youth
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Big Sean and Usher Are Building the Future in Detroit—One Studio at a Time
Detroit got another reason to celebrate. On Monday, hometown hero Big Sean and global superstar Usher pulled up to Good Morning America to talk about their latest investment in the city: a brand-new Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator opening Tuesday inside Michigan Central.
The $1 million facility lives within the new Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan and is designed to give Detroit youth real access to the entertainment and creative industries.
We’re talking a virtual production studio, a special effects lab, a creators’ lounge, and space built specifically for young people who want to turn ideas into careers—not just dreams.
For Usher, the vision is about connecting opportunity to place.
He’s already launched a similar innovation hub through the Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta, and bringing that same energy to Detroit felt like the right next move.
“This was about seeing an opportunity to connect Detroit,” Usher shared on the show. “To create economic mobility for young men and women here—so they can see themselves in these spaces and build something real.”
Big Sean’s connection runs even deeper.
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The Detroit rapper and philanthropist has funded four production studios at local Boys & Girls Clubs since 2018, but this project hit home in a different way.
“I used to ride past this train station every single day when it was abandoned,” Sean said. “To now be part of bringing it back to life—and turning it into something that serves the community—it’s powerful. Seeing it come to fruition means everything.”
Michigan Central, once a symbol of neglect, has become a symbol of Detroit’s comeback. And placing a youth-focused creative incubator inside that space sends a clear message: Detroit’s future belongs to its young people, especially those who’ve historically been locked out of these industries.
The project is backed by a strong lineup of partners, including Usher’s New Look foundation, the Sean Anderson Foundation, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Together, they’re blending creativity, business education, and real-world access—so kids aren’t just learning how to create, but how to own.
Usher hopes the impact goes far beyond music or film.
“My hope is that young entrepreneurs come out of this,” he said. “People who understand their value and know how to build something sustainable.”
The incubator was first announced in December, but its opening feels right on time. In a city where talent has always been abundant but resources haven’t, Big Sean and Usher are putting money, mentorship, and belief behind Detroit’s next generation—making sure the door stays open long after the ribbon is cut.
Detroit isn’t just being rebuilt. It’s being reimagined—by its own.
