LL Cool J and Usher are set to hit the red carpet at the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) Gala, where they’ll be honored for their contributions across the industry.
According to Billboard, the fourth annual bash hosted by Kenny Burns, is happening at the swanky Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on September 19, and it’s going to be a night of serious star power!
LL Cool J will snag the Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award, while Usher takes home the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award. The BET Media Group will get the BMAC Social Impact Award, with Ivy McGregor from BeyGOOD earning the BMAC Change Agent Award. Live Nation will also be celebrated with the BMAC 365 Award, making for a night packed with star-studded accolades.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate this year’s honorees who have utilized their talents, platforms and resources to create a positive and meaningful impact in social and racial justice globally,” BMAC co-founder and president/CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers said in a press statement. “This year’s gala comes at a pivotal time for our industry and country. It is more important than ever to recognize these incredible accomplishments and unite the entertainment industry to use our collective voice in inspiring imperative change.”
LL Cool J responded to receiving the prestigious Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award, emphasizing the significance of being honored in the name of the late ‘Black Godfather’ of entertainment.
“To be receiving this award from an organization that is making such big moves for racial equity and justice within the music industry is an honor. Clarence Avant was a true legend. He and I were both inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame the same year [2021] and he was a father figure to me. So it’s a full circle moment and feels truly special.”
Past BMAC Gala honorees have included a superstar lineup like H.E.R., Lil Baby, Lizzo, and The Weeknd, along with music moguls like Jon Platt and even U.S. Representative Maxine Waters.
In related news, LL Cool J recently shared a sneak peek into his long-awaited album The Force. After 11 years of anticipation, LL is finally dropping his 14th studio album and discussed its inspiration at a special listening event with ET’s Rachel Smith.
“I’m just excited for [fans] to get to experience what me and Q-Tip have been working on all this time,” he said. “I know it’s been a long time since I put out an album that moved the culture and gave people my perspective on where I think the state of the art should be. And so, rather than get out here and talk about what should be, I decided to create some music and show people what I think hip-hop can sound like in 2024, you know what I’m saying?”
Slated for release on September 6, LL Cool J’s album, The FORCE (short for “Frequencies of Real Creative Energy”), will explore a range of topics from racial division to his personal experiences of isolation during the COVID lockdown.