Written by Organization's Staff | 13 August 2012

It’s Olympic time once again. The time when the best of the best come together to represent their country and compete for the coveted hardware. Countries that have been around for centuries, honoring tradition are now taking lessons from the new kid on the block. Yes, I’m talking about the United States. Granted, the U.S. has been around for hundreds of years but that pales in comparison to China, which has been around since the B.C. times.

Yet and still, the African American influence resonates worldwide. On Sunday, the Chinese men’s national basketball team did the Soulja Boy dance to get hyped before the game against Spain. What’s the big deal? Well, let’s digress.

Along with being one of the youngest countries, the United States’ African American population is really just beginning to gain notoriety and their spending power recognized (see previous post “The Power of the Black Dollar”).

At the time that Soulja Boy’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was release, he was 16. By 2010, he ranked #18 on the Forbes list of Hip-Hop Cash Kings, earning $7 million that year. Did I mention that the single was originally self-published on the internet?

Back to the big deal. The Chinese men’s basketball team represented their country at the 2012 Olympic Games in sport but at the same time showed the World, at the largest and top venue for world, that they’re paying attention to the African American culture.

African American influence has transcended the seas and continues to influence worldwide.