category 1
ABOUT
CATEGORY 1
Music - Sports - TV/Film - Tech - Entertainment
Category 1 Entertainment is a marketing and creative firm operating at the intersection of music, sports, tv/film, tech and entertainment. We exist to empower the greatness within today’s culture defiers from artists, athletes, entertainers, brands, and institutions committed to shaping what’s next. We translate influence into cultural relevance into measurable elite performance: awareness, fandom growth, brand equity, and long-term value.
Our work blends creative and marketing strategy, cultural insight, philanthropy, and innovation to help clients engage audiences with intention. Through marketing consultancy, strategic storytelling, talent representation, impact-driven partnerships, and immersive experiences, we connect culture, community, and performance to build value to our partners that will resonate now and endure later.
SERVICES
WHAT WE DO
Strategic Marketing & Consultancy
We consult clients on their overall positioning and design marketing rollout strategies that define the narrative, cut through noise, build momentum, sustain attention and deliver measurable results. i.e. albums, tours, tv/film, product launches and major cultural events.
Talent Development
We help clients intentionally build careers, develop their roadmap, approach rebranding, build their team, and prepare them for career-defying moments at every stage of the journey, translating into relevance and long-term influence.
Content & Documentary Development
We shape culturally resonant stories into compelling content, podcasting and documentary concepts, from early ideation through development, production, and launch strategy.
Special Projects & Program Building
For new initiatives, activations, and one-off ideas in need of project management, we shape the concept, assemble the right partners, and execute custom programs end-to-end.
Brand Partnership & Sponsorship
We connect talent and brands through aligned storytelling and real cultural fit to amplify authenticity, deepen audience connection, and create long-term value.
Social Impact & PhilanthropY
We build social impact initiatives and experiences through strategic partnerships to create cultural impact. From foundations, scholarships, community engagement, camps, and give-backs, we deepen long-term connections and integrate purpose into their platform.
Culture & Corporate Advisory
We support communication success. We advise corporate leadership on navigating culture, audience behavior, talent partnerships, and inflection points with confidence and strategic foresight.It also serves as the communication layer for emerging managers working with corporate entities.
Fan Activations & Experiential Strategy
We redefine fandom. We conceptualize and execute experiential moments for fans to tell their friends about e.g. album release events, merch pop-ups, screenings, live experiences, festivals, & more.
MEET THE TEAM
YOUR PARTNERS IN WHAT'S NEXT
Sierra Lever
Founder, CEO
Specialities:
Marketing Strategy, Talent Development, Project Management, & Executive Producing
Lever is a culture-driven marketing strategist and executive with over 15 years of experience across music, sports, tech, and entertainment. Recognized by Billboard’s 40 Under 40 and known for architecting some of the most defining moments in culture, while advising brands on strategy, her work spans presenting Kendrick Lamar’s record-breaking "The Pop Out" concert, the Lil Wayne & Hot Boys Reunion, the first-ever Juice WRLD Day, Lil Durk’s Neighborhood Heroes Scholarship initiative & more. She played a strategic marketing role in the explosion of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and has led marketing efforts for artists including Chloe x Halle, The Kid LAROI, Polo G, Baby Keem, 24kGoldn and more, also major contributions to Quality Control’s culture-shifting “Flood the Streets” era.
She is a Billboard 40 Under 40 recipient, a Billboard Women in Music recipient,
a four-time R&B/Hip-Hop Power Player, an active member of the Recording Academy, and serves on the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) Executive Leadership Council. Lever is also a national music and culture commentator, including appearances on Access Daily.
Sierra specializes in building a vision and bringing it to life.
Brandy Jackson
MANAGING PARTNER
Specialities:
Media Strategy, PR, Partnerships & Sponsorship
Jackson is a dynamic partnership strategist and revenue driver with more than 15 years of experience securing millions in sponsorships across sports, advertising technology, financial services, and media. Jackson is a leader in sponsorship strategy and community engagement across sports & entertainment. She has secured nearly $25 million in sponsorship revenue and in-kind value by developing innovative, data-driven partnership solutions that position brands and talent for measurable business growth at the highest level.
With a deep understanding of evolving consumer behavior and content consumption, Brandy consistently positions organizations to move faster, work smarter, and build lasting competitive advantage.
Her work spans from shaping the business expansion of professional sports players, structuring ventures with global artists, and leading PR and digital advertising initiatives for major media conglomerates.
Brandy specializes in transforming cultural capital into sustainable enterprise growth.
PROUD TO WORK WITH
Some Incredible Clients
PAST PROJECTS
SUCCESS STORIES
Kendrick Lamar
“The Pop Out Concert” (2024)
In the midst of a public beef, a historic cultural reset that shattered records as the highest-streamed live concert in music history that reaffirmed hip-hop as a space for truth, community and unity.
Lil Weezyana Festival
Hot Boys Reunion (2024)
A once-unthinkable reunion, livestreamed for fans that turned New Orleans into the epicenter of hip-hop history reaching the world.
Erykah Badu
Juneteenth Celebration,
Dallas (2025)
A powerful performance of freedom marking Erykah Badu’s bold new chapter as an independent artist, celebrated in the originating state of Juneteenth, Texas.
Juice WRLD Day
First Anniversary of Life Concert, Chicago (2021)
A deeply emotional homecoming at the United Center honoring Juice WRLD’s life and legacy, uniting his community through live performances and an exclusive first listen since his passing to the new album, Fighting Demons.
Lil Nas X
“Old Town Road” Single
A genre-defying global phenomenon that became one of the most successful and awarded songs in music history from holding the Billboard Hot 100 record for most weeks at No. 1 (19 weeks) to achieving 15x-platinum certification by the RIAA, making it the highest-certified song in history.
Chloe x Halle
Ungodly Hour, Album
A critically acclaimed sophomore album that defined artistic growth and cultural impact during a global moment of The Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 pandemic.
Lil Durk
Neighborhood Heroes
Foundation Scholarship
An impact-driven initiative opened doors for Chicago-native high school students to attend Howard University through mentorship, access, and tuition support.
