Malindi Minute: Coco Gauff, The Weeknd, and AFCON

Happy Sunday! Whether you're a new subscriber or an existing subscriber, welcome back. Here are a few articles you should check out from this week!

Coco Gauff was at the top of Forbes’ 2025 list of highest-paid women in sports with about $33 million in total earnings. The 21-year-old American tennis star combined her on-court success, including a French Open title and strong Grand Slam runs, with major off-court deals. On the court, she earned approximately $8 million, with the bulk of her income coming from endorsements. Her commercial appeal is immense: she has major partnerships with brands like New Balance, Bose, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, and others, which have helped drive her endorsement earnings to around $25 million. Gauff has built a financial profile that outpaces every other woman in sport this year, showing how elite athletic performance paired with smart branding can create enormous earning power. Her achievement highlights the growing financial opportunities in women’s athletics, especially in tennis, where top players continue to dominate the highest-paid lists. Other notable names on the list of the top 20 highest paid include tennis player Naomi Osaka, WNBA All-Star Angel Reese, and track and field star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. This list shows the growing popularity of women’s sports as a whole. In years past, we wouldn’t see someone from track or basketball on this list. Social media is growing, nationally televised games, and recognizable faces are leading to an influx of both popularity and money.

Tyler, the Creator is set to appear in his first feature film, Marty Supreme, arriving in theaters on Christmas Day. Ahead of the release, Tyler’s company, Golf Wang, is dropping a collaborative merchandise collection tied to the film. The capsule stays true to Golf Wang’s DNA, anchored in the brand’s signature bright colors and playful visual language. The collection includes bowling shirts, varsity jackets, and workwear silhouettes. Several pieces feature imagery and language connected to the film, including references to lead actor Timothée Chalamet and director Josh Safdie, while drawing heavily from the film’s 1950s setting. The collaboration was released on December 19, both online and in select stores. As with most Golf Wang collaborations, demand is expected to be high. It’s notable to see Tyler finding ways to promote his new film while keeping his brand top of mind.

This week, The Weeknd entered a landmark catalogue deal with Lyric Capital Group, reportedly valued at around one billion dollars. But unlike traditional catalogue sales where artists give up ownership outright, this move is closer to a strategic partnership than a sell-off. The deal covers music released from the start of his career through 2025. The Weeknd retains ownership of his work and remains a shareholder in the entity that holds the catalogue, while Lyric Capital provides long-term capital and financial backing. His existing relationships with XO, Republic Records, and Universal Music Publishing remain intact, and future releases are excluded from the agreement. It's a glimpse at how the next generation of artists may think about ownership, wealth, and longevity. It does make us wonder if he could have received more money if he sold the whole catalog outright.

Charlamagne Tha God signed a 5-year, $200 million deal with iHeartMedia this week, which keeps him with the company long term. He has been instrumental in keeping The Breakfast Club relevant and profitable for the company, and in light of all the turmoil at Hot 97, it's clear that Power 105.1 is cementing itself as the de facto radio station for urban programming in the tristate area. This deal also includes his Black Effect Network, a stable of podcasts that are under iHeartMedia as well.

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