Ray Daniels asks at Invest Fest, ‘Who owns the culture?’

Ray Daniels Ignites Invest Fest Attendees

At Invest Fest, a renowned event that brings together creative entrepreneurs, artists, content creators, and cultural influencers, the Jay Hill Podcast sat down with music executive and culture critic Ray Daniels. The conversation delved deeply into the heart of what’s truly at stake in the creative economy. Black culture isn’t just influential—it’s the engine that fuels music, fashion, podcasting, content creation, and global trends. Yet, as Daniels reminded the crowd, too often the creators of that culture are left with little more than applause, while ownership—and the real money—sits elsewhere.

The Question of Ownership

The session, hosted in the Invest Fest Vendor Marketplace, highlighted an urgent issue: Why do we still find ourselves as talent but not as owners? Daniels pushed the audience to reflect on how gatekeeping, contracts, and misplaced trust have kept too many creators on the sidelines of their own success stories.

He framed it simply: “Who owns the IP? Who owns the likeness? Who owns the bag?” More often than not, it’s not us. And until we shift from being an employee to an employer, from being hired to being the hirer, the cycle continues.

Ray Daniels’ Personal Compass

Daniels’ philosophy is deeply rooted in both faith and accountability. He shared a pivotal moment from 2004—a prayer that if God blessed him with success, he’d dedicate himself to helping others who looked like him navigate the game. It’s a promise he still carries, a commitment that continues to inspire.

Part of that commitment shows up in his transparency. Daniels has no interest in sugarcoating the reality of the business. Instead, he calls creators to face uncomfortable truths about ownership, exploitation, and the myth of waiting for someone else to “save” us.

The Wizard of Oz Analogy

One of the most powerful moments came when Daniels invoked The Wizard of Oz. For him, the story isn’t about Dorothy finding her way home but about realizing that the gifts she sought from the Wizard were already within her. In other words, the power and potential for success that creators often seek from external entities are actually inherent within them.

That analogy hit differently in a room full of entrepreneurs and creators. Daniels urged the audience to stop expecting labels, corporations, or executives to validate their worth. “The strength, the wisdom, the courage—you already got it,” he emphasized.

Virgo Energy and the Pursuit of Perfection

Adding a personal touch, Daniels joked about the curse and blessing of being a Virgo: the relentless pursuit of perfection. For him, it’s been both a challenge and a tool. While perfectionism can slow you down, it also sharpens your craft—if you learn how to balance it. His honesty about that struggle resonated with anyone striving to get it right in an unforgiving industry.

Self-Belief, Faith, and Energy

Daniels left the audience with a message that was both spiritual and practical: when you trust yourself and your God-given gifts, the right people are naturally drawn to you, and the wrong ones naturally fall away. It’s about aligning your energy, being intentional with your work, and refusing to let exploitation define your legacy. This is the power of self-belief and faith in action.

Elevating the Conversation

What Daniels and Jay Hill unlocked at Invest Fest wasn’t just a talk—it was a blueprint. The transparency around ownership, the call for self-belief, and the reminder that our culture drives the world should serve as a rallying cry.

The next step isn’t just clapping for the truth; it’s building the systems, the companies, and the contracts that ensure the culture keepers finally cash in on the culture they created.