By: Jahleah Santiago
Global business strategist Unik Ernest transformed the event landscape at Cannes Lions with ‘The Culturin Afterparty Series,’ a celebration of talent from various industries, hosted at Elva Cannes. Through cultural diplomacy and vibrant nightlife, Ernest redefines diversity and entertainment with gatsby worthy celebrations and star studded guest lists. Over two decades, Unik Ernest has been a pioneer in the industry, curating show-stopping events for iconic brands like Nike and NBC Universal. His reputation for innovation uniting an eclectic array of notable figures like NBA stars Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, music executive Kevin Liles, and designer Jason Rembert. Now, The Culturin Afterparty Series aims to further his philanthropic mission.
The Culturin Afterparty Series kicked off with the Cannes Lions Welcome Party, hosted by UnitedMasters CEO Steve Stoute. “When Steve reached out to me in 2022 to collaborate on an event for Nas, it was a huge success. Following that, we organized another event for Post Malone, which was also well attended. I took the initiative in 2024 to create an exclusive five-night event series. I reached out to Steve and invited him to collaborate on the first evening, which was the Cannes Lions Welcome Party,” Ernest shared. The series boasted a star-studded guest list, including Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Anthony Anderson, Will.i.am, Shaun White, Gabrielle Union, Jared Leto, and many more.
The varied event schedule included a nostalgic Hip Hop Throwback Party with DJ Spider and attendees like Janelle Monáe, Melanie Fiona, and DeAndre Hopkins. “It was unique because Cannes typically doesn’t feature many cultural events. We wanted to create a space to enjoy music from the 90s and 2000s hip-hop era, a walk down memory lane,” Ernest noted. Next up was an Afrobeat and Amapiano Experience, headlined by Wyclef Jean. “Desiber and celebrity stylist Jason Rembert had to leave early, so it ended up becoming a Wyclef Jean party. When he found out about the event, he decided to come. This was the highlight of the week for me,” Ernest shared. Despite Africa’s creative industry gaining traction with mainstream artists like Tyla, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, “Africa is still underrepresented in the mainstream space. I wanted to create this night to showcase the culture. The event was so successful that people were asking when the next one would be. So, on August 22, we’re going to recreate this event in London as The Prelude to Notting Hill Carnival,” Ernest shared.
As the sun set over the Mediterranean on June 20th, the Culturin Afterparty hosted its first annual Rosé Day, a quintessential Cannes experience. “If you look at Cannes Lions, there are no nightclubs or late-night venues serving rosé besides the Carlton and Martinez hotels. We were the only ones offering rosé to our guests that day, making it a unique experience. We incorporated rosé because it’s gaining a lot of traction in the US and Canada, so it made sense to create an environment that our guests from these regions would appreciate. This focus on rosé set Rose Day apart from the other events in the series,” Ernest explained.
The series concluded with the Annual Fête de la Musique and Ernest’s special birthday celebration on June 21st. “I usually love celebrating my birthday in New York, but I wanted to do something special in Cannes because I have so many friends there too. I prefer my birthday to be a time for giving back to charity. Instead of bringing presents, guests could make donations to charity,” Ernest reflected. This exclusive party series showcased what Ernest and his team offers to the world of entertainment and culture. A formal launch for The Culturing Afterparty series will take place in New York City this fall to coincide with New York Fashion Week. “The world needs more beautiful stories, and Culturing will harness the power of storytelling, technology, and cultural insights to amplify local cultures on a global stage,” said Ernest.
Published By: Aize Perez
