Entertainment

Meet Dren Starr: Our featured guest Feb 22

Published

3 years ago

February 3, 2022

Before the internet became a popular source of entertainment, Dren Starr was among those leading the hip-hop scene primarily through FM radio. Today, 44-year-old Dren Starr, a native of the Lower East Side Manhattan, is making strides in the music and digital marketing industries. He is associated with Roc Nation, D’ussé Cognac, Rolling Loud, and other hip-hop festivals and tours.

Starr, who has three decades of experience in the entertainment industry, can be described as a Music Mogul who has worn many hats as DJ, promoter, producer, recording engineer, plus a tour and artist manager.

He began his entertainment career at age 14 as a deejay. Then at 18, he started his own hip hop radio station in New York City called WBAD Radio 91.9 FM. This was to be a competitor for Hot 97, New York’s long-standing and top-rated radio station, and give many upcoming artists a platform. He captured his audience’s attention and successfully grew his listening. However, his radio station was later shut down by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Starr then went on to open Pirate Recording Studio, one of the first official studios on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He went on to start more recording studios around the city, where his role included producer and engineer.

He has worked with top names in the industry, including South Bronx rapper, Big Punisher also called Big Pun. He did an interesting interview with Pun before he passed away in 2000. This interview can be found on YouTube.

Starr also had the opportunity to manage hip hop artists like Terror Squad’s Cuban Link, Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, and Kinetic 9 of Killarmy, a group affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He also produced controversial mixtapes for rapper Tru Life.

His music career continued to gain momentum as he collaborated and created within the hip-hop industry. But he experienced a slight pause when he served a five-and-a-half-year sentence in the New York State prison for gun possession.

This was enough to set back anyone’s career. But because of Starr’s hard work over the years, many people were willing to work with him when he was released.

He says, “Do good business, never burn any bridges, stay true to yourself and be humble! People can learn from me that as long as your grind is real and your heart is pure, you will always be good and have a good name in this industry.”

After his release, he was faced with adapting to the music industry in the digital age. However, through his willingness to learn and his perseverance, he is mastering the sector where it is today. He uses his social media presence to continue his work in music and marketing. He can be seen on Instagram associating with artists like Fabolous and Meek Mill.

Starr hopes to continue creating opportunities for himself and his family. He is currently committed to developing his brand – LES – and put the community of Lower East Side on the map.

For even more information or to collaborate with Dren Starr, visit his Instagram, www.instagram.com/drenstarr or his official website www.drenstarr.com

Entertainment

Going Public: The Groundbreaking Series Transforming How Americans Invest

Published

2 months ago

May 16, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

In a media landscape saturated with reality TV and startup showcases, Going Public stands apart, not just as a show but as a movement. Now in its third season, the interactive series invites viewers to do more than just watch entrepreneurs chase success. It gives them the tools and the opportunity to invest in startups in real time, democratizing access to early-stage funding and reshaping how ordinary Americans engage with entrepreneurship and wealth-building.

Launched by Todd M. Goldberg, a former MedTech executive who hit a frustrating wall while preparing his company for a Nasdaq IPO, Going Public was born from a moment of personal disillusionment.

“When I brought a list of interested friends and colleagues to the Chairman of the Board,” Goldberg recalls, “he explained that all the IPO shares were reserved for institutional investors. That was my epiphany. I just knew that was wrong. Regular people should have a chance to invest in IPOs, but it needed to go even further.”

That insight became the foundation for Going Public, a hybrid of entrepreneurial storytelling and financial access that offers retail investors a seat at the table usually reserved for venture capitalists and insiders. The show brings audiences inside the capital-raising journey of startups, often before they go public, and leverages a powerful innovation: its “Click-to-Invest” feature.

“The bottom line with Click-to-Invest is that it’s seamless,” says Goldberg. “Viewers can go from watching the show to literally clicking a button. It feels more like a Shopify or Amazon checkout than a traditional investment process.”

This accessibility is central to the show’s mission: to educate, inspire, and empower everyday people to participate in early-stage investing. Unlike financial news channels that target seasoned traders, Going Public merges entertainment with financial literacy, using real startup stories to highlight the risks, rewards, and realities of entrepreneurship. It’s financial content with emotional stakes, real people, and tangible outcomes.

Season 3 reflects how far the show has come and where it’s going. With more celebrity involvement, including gaming icon Ninja backing the cashew milk startup Nutcase, and a strategic partnership with the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Going Public has widened its reach while deepening its cultural relevance.

“How do you make this mainstream?” Goldberg says. “The concept was The Apprentice meets Shark Tank meets IPO, but with a twist. Viewers aren’t just spectators, they’re stakeholders.”

The show’s selection of featured companies is another defining element. Startups are chosen not just for their growth potential but also for their mission, relatability, and cultural resonance. In Season 3, that includes everything from disruptive wellness brands to tech-enabled platforms, each paired with guidance from top-tier venture capitalists and Silicon Valley mentors.

This season also introduces a livestream finale, a format innovation designed to create a real-time, high-stakes environment where viewers can watch, decide, and invest together. It adds urgency and community to the investing experience, aligning with the show’s values of transparency and participation.

One of the most surprising and meaningful outcomes has been the personal stories from viewers who never imagined themselves as investors. “We’ve heard from teachers, nurses, and even students who said this was their first time investing and they felt confident doing it because the show made it accessible,” Goldberg shares. “It’s not just about money, it’s about empowerment.”

Looking ahead, Goldberg and his team have ambitious plans. They aim to expand the format to new platforms, explore international adaptations, and build out educational tools so viewers not only invest but understand what they’re investing in. The goal isn’t just more participation. It’s smarter participation.

In a world where capital often feels distant, technical, and exclusionary, Going Public brings the financial journey down to earth and into the hands of the people. It’s not just a show. It’s a redefinition of how business stories are told and how wealth can be created and shared.