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Nas Joins Google To Invest $20M In African Mobile Games Publisher

The South African-based company, Carry1st, is notably known for their game ‘SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.’

Rapper Nas is putting the big bucks behind his latest gaming publisher investment and partnered with mega-tech company Google to get the ball rolling.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 48-year-old teamed with League of Legends developer Riot Games, American venture capital firm Andreesen Horowitz and Google to raise $20 million in funding for the South African gaming company Carry 1st.

All earnings will be used to expand Carry 1st’s product/engineering teams and content portfolio to grow its users.

“We’re excited to partner with this world-class group of investors who, in addition to capital, bring expertise across gaming, fintech, and web3,” said Cordel Robbin-Coker, co-founder and CEO of Carry1st. “In 2021, we launched multiple games and digital commerce solutions achieving really strong growth. Together we can accelerate this growth and achieve our goal of becoming the leading consumer internet company in the region.”

RELATED: Here's Why Nas Isn’t Done Yet

Games under the publishing umbrella include SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, from the studio Tilting Point. Other games include Mine Rescue, Match League, and Football Clash.

Nas’ investment portfolio has quite the roster after the King’s Disease II artist created his venture capital firm Queensbridge Venture Partners in 2014. The Grammy-winning rapper and entrepreneur has funded brands like Lyft, Robinhood, Dropbox and Coinbase.

In a 2014 interview with Fast Company, the hip hop icon gave a little insight on why investing is so important.

“You invest your time, you can invest money, and it was just a matter of time before it all fell into place for me. That’s one of the things that I thought a lot about as a young kid — the guys behind the scenes who make things happen, help build people up, make dreams come true.”

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