In February, back before the pandemic upended life and George Floyd’s death ignited a national referendum on racism, advertising executive Steve Stoute traveled to Los Angeles for the type of whirlwind visit that had long ago become routine.
Stoute’s day started at Staples Center with an emotional memorial for his friend Kobe Bryant, whom he once signed to a record deal.
Then he was off to a meeting at Disney,the fruits of which wouldn’t be revealed until late August, when the entertainment giant announced a strategic partnership with Stoute’s marketing firm, Translation.
By late afternoon — when I met Stoute at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills — he was huddled on the hotel’s restaurant patio with a group that included LeBron James, his.
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