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Sheen speaks to the owner of Cartridge ATL about the rise of gaming in black culture.

What is your lead role in the company and how did Cartridge ATL come about?

I am the founder/co-owner of CartridgeATL along with my business partner Willie who goes by havn. Cartridge came about somewhat as a post Co-vid baby although the roots were set years before. I’ve been gaming all my life and I missed the connections of sitting next to and talking trash to the people I game with, so Havn and I grabbed our consoles and TVs from home and started hosting gaming tournaments with live DJs and producers.

How did Cartridge team up with Revolt/Mountain Dew?

Funny story- my brother asked if we were doing Revolt and I said “No, why?” He said they had a gaming section. Just a few days later (three days before Revolt) a close friend called and asked if we wanted to help as tournament admins.

Over the years, what has Cartridge done for you? For the community?

Cartridge has been an outlet for me and everyone who comes out to connect to a community of; nerds, gamers, cosplayers, and music. It’s a wholesome group of people with no drama, no judgment, just chill vibes, outside of the trash talk. Outside of the adult events, we do seminars/events for kids K-12.

What are your end-of-year plans/2024 business goals?

Our end-of-the-year plan is to celebrate 3 years and what we’ve accomplished… And then replace all the controllers that have been broken from the chicken wing and taco sauce. 2024 we plan to grow exponentially more through sponsorships and endorsements.

In your personal opinion, what would you like to see more of entertainment-wise in Atlanta?

I love Atlanta and the entertainment world that resides here, Havn and I have been involved in event productions for years outside of Cartridge. I would like to see more events that focus on engagement being out in a city and being able to approach people and find new friends can be intimidating. So I think more events where people can interact comfortably and feel safe is a great way to keep the entertainment industry going.

FOLLOW THEM @CARTRIDGEATL ON INSTAGRAM