BUFFALO ROOTS BEHIND THE
NEXT GEN COLLECTIVE Growing up, Christian Wade knew that he wanted both music and sports to be a part of his life. Since the age of two, Christian has been playing the drums alongside his brother. As he grew older, his talents in rugby turned into a passion for football. Christian moved from London to join the Buffalo Bills in 2019, and he recently finished his third season in the NFL. As his career in professional football continues to develop, Christian doesn’t have any plans to stop being involved in the NFL and the Buffalo community. In fact, Christian’s talents in both music and sports, as well as his interest in the City of Buffalo, have stirred a new dream. Over the years, Christian has noticed a disconnect between the new and old music industries. With the development of new technology like streaming services and the use of drum machines instead of live bands, the music industry today is much different than in the past. Artists are having a difficult time demonstrating their talents. They’re even being noticed by the wrong people.
That’s when Christian had a vision for the City of Buffalo and all of the talented people within it. Buffalo has a rich history of producing musical talents such as Rick James, Grover Washington Jr., Brian McKnight, and the Goo Goo Dolls. However, Christian noticed that there weren’t many opportunities or resources for creatives, artists, and musicians in Buffalo to learn, practice, rehearse, and record their craft. As a musician himself, Christian understands just how hard it can be to find opportunities to be recognized. This opportunity gap inspired Christian, with the help of his brother and friends, to form the Next Gen Collective. The Next Gen Collective provides a headquarters in Buffalo where artists can come together, share their talents, and perform in front of big names in both the music and sports industries. With the right people in attendance, more talented Buffalo natives can be discovered and make professional careers out of their musical talent and creative hobbies!
BY RILEY SMITH
38 THEHOMEPUBLICATIONS.COM | Buffalo
