Jay-Z has teamed up with Jack Dorsey to launch a free bitcoin education academy in the Brooklyn public housing complex where the rapper grew up.
The programme “aims to provide education, and empower the community with knowledge,” says the academy website, removing some of the barriers to accessing knowledge about bitcoin and finance more generally.
Lamar Wilson from Black Bitcoin Billionaire and Najah J Roberts from Crypto Blockchain Plug have been brought in as the course instructors.
Jay-Z and Dorsey are funding the academy via personal grants. Both are long-time crypto enthusiasts and teamed up last year on a 500 BTC investment aimed at developing bitcoin’s popularity in India and Africa.
In a tweet, Jay-Z says the goal is to “provide people tools to build independence for themselves and then the community around them”.
However, the initiative has faced blowback on social media, with many questioning the wisdom of encouraging people to embrace a currency infamous for its volatility and scams.
