Oct 3, 2025, 2:19 AM ETFireside Chat, Interview

A Conversation with Saweetie: Harnessing Philanthropy to Build Financial Futures | Asia Summit 2025

Sweetie (Diamante Chiava Valentin Harper) is a multi-platinum rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur with hits including "My Type" and "Best Friend."
Her achievements include Grammy nominations, BET Awards, Billboard chart success, and inclusion on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
She attributes her success to a "manifesting queen" mentality, where she viewed her personal lifestyle and consistent execution as a brand.
Sweetie identifies four distinct levels of personal success: graduating from the University of Southern California, securing a record label deal, achieving Billboard success, and establishing her own "Icy" brand empire.

The "Icy" brand originated from a jewelry line featuring chains with the word "icy," which sold globally and validated her business potential.
Prior to the "Icy" era, she launched "Money-Making Mommies," a clothing line created while working four jobs simultaneously (office assistant, coding, waitressing, and Nike promotion) in college.
Her first entrepreneurial experience was baking goods (cookies, chocolate cakes, strawberry cupcakes) to sell at her church.
Sweetie has secured high-profile brand partnerships with McDonald's, Calvin Klein, Crocs, Hidden Valley Ranch, and MAC Cosmetics.
She prioritizes authenticity in brand deals, stating she will not promote products she does not genuinely love or use, citing past mistakes where she accepted deals solely for money.
Her collaboration with McDonald's centered on her viral "Saweetie and Sour" concoctions, while the Crocs and Hidden Valley Ranch deal stemmed from her habit of putting ranch on spaghetti.
She describes her leadership style as that of a teacher rather than a boss, emphasizing mentorship and team empowerment over direct command.

Sweetie founded the I See Baby Foundation to redefine financial literacy for the next generation, driven by her grandmother's advice to learn from financial mistakes.
The foundation targets children aged 8–12, teaching wealth acquisition and maintenance to underrepresented communities.
She views her own past financial errors as a pedagogical tool to help others avoid costly mistakes.
The foundation's mission is inspired by her grandmother, Roxanne Harper, a former real estate agent and preacher who advocates for "seven streams of income" to ensure financial stability.
Sweetie identifies informed decision-making, debt awareness, and professional projections as the core components of financial literacy.

Sweetie was raised primarily by her grandmothers, who were ambitious role models that worked daily to support the family, including her grandmother Roxanne.
Her mother, an immigrant from the Philippines who was a video vixen (appearing in Nelly and DMX videos), instilled a love for the entertainment industry and the value of hard work.
Her father encouraged her musical ambitions by advising her to create mixtapes, contrasting with her mother's initial desire for her to pursue law.
She is of mixed heritage (Filipino, Chinese, and Black) and views her background as a "bridge" to teach respect for duality and different cultural values.
Her grandmother, known as "Didi," inspired her stage name and emphasized the importance of balancing professional ambitions with family and faith.

Sweetie plans to build a brand over the next decade that focuses on creating infrastructure to teach people how to live easier, more educated lives.
She views her success as a choice to remain happy and positive, actively choosing emotions based on self-help principles.
Her core team consists of women from diverse backgrounds to ensure a variety of perspectives and teachings are integrated into her business.
She defines her key business and personal terminology: "Icy girl" (ambitious and fabulous), "Money-Making Mommies" (the leader/teacher figure), and "Tap in" (joining the conversation).