Jason Carter, a graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU), has built ONE Musicfest into one of the largest celebrations of Black music and culture in the United States. The festival, which began as small events in Atlanta, now attracts over 100,000 attendees and features artists from R&B, hip-hop, Afrobeats, and house music.
Carter credits his time at FAMU for shaping his career path. “FAMU is probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I owe a lot of my success to that decision. When I saw the campus at 15, I knew there was nowhere else on earth I was supposed to be,” said Carter.
While studying at FAMU’s School of Business and Industry, Carter joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., served as King of Orange and Green, met future film producers Rob Hardy and Will Packer, co-founded Rainforest Productions, and helped create the film “Chocolate City.”
After graduation, Carter started hosting small events in Atlanta before realizing his ability to bring people together could be developed further. “A friend asked me to throw an event at her club, and I had zero interest,” he said. “I told her if she paid for it, I’d do it, and it turned out to be wildly successful.”
He launched ONE Musicfest in 2010 with support from brands such as Heineken, Toyota, Hennessy, and Procter & Gamble. Over time the festival has grown significantly despite early skepticism about its viability. “When I looked at festivals like Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza, they’d book Black artists but it was white audiences,” Carter said. “I thought this experience is incredible but where is this space for us? That’s when I knew ONE Musicfest had to exist.”
Industry leaders doubted whether a large-scale Black music festival would succeed. “I said alright hold my hat. I’ll be back,” Carter recalled.
The event faced financial challenges during its first five years until sponsorships doubled by year six and expansion became possible nationally. Carter credited his wife for encouraging him through difficult times: “It was my wife who really threw me back in the ring,” he shared. “She told me ‘You’re not losing you’re investing.’ That mindset changed everything.”
His company now manages multiple national events including Women in Sports Conferences and HBCU Change—a fintech platform raising funds for historically Black colleges.
“It’s bigger than music,” he said. “It’s about representation and ownership creating spaces that reflect who we are and how we show up.” He also praised partners like Procter & Gamble: “When other brands backed away from DEI P&G asked how they could do more,” he said.
ONE Musicfest has facilitated collaborations between generations of artists such as Kendrick Lamar with Bilal or Jhené Aiko with Amel Larrieux. “It’s like a homecoming for artists,” Carter explained.
In recent developments a partnership with Costco allowed tickets to be sold nationwide—an unconventional strategy that drew media attention: “The algorithm makes it hard to break through online,” he noted.
Carter advises current FAMU students interested in entertainment careers to focus on innovation while understanding business fundamentals: “Technology is changing everything,” he said. “Don’t just want to be the influencer own the algorithm.”
He emphasized teamwork as well: “If you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together,” Carter shared.
Reflecting on his journey from FAMU student life to leading major cultural events across the country Carter concluded: “Our joy is not negotiable,” he said.”We deserve this—to be celebrated to connect and to see our culture shine.”
