Atlanta’s leading innovators, creatives, and cultural tastemakers convened for an invitation-only launch that spotlighted a Black-owned Spades app that’s seismically shifting the masses by teaching them how to play the card game that’s a Black culture mainstay.
Dubbed BLVCKER: Privé Noir, the spirited celebration held on the Rosé & Rye rooftop inside Hotel Colee merged culture with community, and code as attendees learned more about the Blvcker app that prioritizes authentic rules, premium visuals, and social connection.
Presented by Blvck Haven Studio founder E. Mackey, the stylish soirée flowed with D’USSÉ cocktails, alongside connection and conversation, featuring hosting duties by Atlanta socialite Arrianna Marie and remarks from Mackey himself.
The evening also featured an intimate live violin serenade by six-time Grammy-nominated artist The Mad Violinist, on-site photography by world-renowned photographer Chris Parsons, exclusive Blvck Spades gifts, and curated prizes.
Aside from being a party, the evening presented Blvcker to the masses, reaffirming its purpose to be community-centered gameplay that doesn’t come at the expense of authenticity.
During the launch, Mackey noted how Spades is far from just a simple pastime and is actually a social staple in Black culture.
“Ever since the Great Migration, when Black people were moving from the South up to the North to find jobs and have a better life, Spades has been ingrained in our culture,” the Florida native said. “It’s been a way of life. It’s been how we live, how we play, how we relate.”
He also traced the roots of card playing even further back, pointing to enslavement as a formative chapter in that history. While Black people were barred from reading and writing, Mackey noted, they were taught how to count in order to manage crops and inventory…