MUSIC
Jabari Johnson first made a name for himself on YouTube interviewing then-emerging stars like Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, and Macklemore. Inspired by watching them grow their shows, he realized he wanted to get in on the action – but not as an artist.
Instead, he began curating small hip-hop parties. One night, he asked the crowd if they’d come to an R&B-only show, and their “crazy” response sparked what happened next.
R&B ONLY is now the flagship brand of Jabari's company, COLORS Worldwide. Founded in 2014, it amplifies under-served genres through live events, merchandise, and content creation.
"We wanted to create an environment that wasn't artist-dependent,” Jabari says of the show and festival series. “We can play R&B from past to present, curate it in a unique way, add production value, storytelling – all that stuff.”
For Jabari, it's all about giving fans a memorable experience. “I love when somebody comes to one of our shows and they get something they did not expect, like a special guest performance, or even a special effect we've meticulously timed,” he says.
What started with 200 to 300 people per show has scaled dramatically and they are now in 54 cities, ranging from venues that hold a thousand people on the low end, to 20,000-capacity arenas.
“It's really been like a crazy rollercoaster over the past few years,” laughs Jabari, whose work now also involves helping artists market their tours.
He’s got big plans for the future too, teasing new experiences beyond music and nightlife events.
Hinting at a potential pop-up museum, he adds: “The next brands we launch are going to be very surprising…”
