Gala will be Co-Hosted by Coco Jones & Kenny Burns on Thursday, September 22
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) has announced additional honorees for its second annual Music in Action Awards Gala, which celebrates artists, executives, businesses, entrepreneurs, activists, and companies that have utilized their platforms to effect social change over the past year. Lil Baby will be honored with the coveted Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award and music manager David Ali will receive the inaugural BMAC BLACK: Future. Now. Award. Additionally, Variety’s Executive Editor of Music Shirley Halperin and Billboard’s Executive Director, R&B/Hip-Hop, Gail Mitchell will each be honored with the BMAC 365 Award, an award given to a person, company or organization that has consistently supported social change throughout the year.
The 2022 Music in Action Awards Gala will be co-hosted by singer and Bel Air actress Coco Jones and entertainment/lifestyle/culture figure, Kenny Burns on Thursday, September 22 at The Beverly Hilton. WanMor, R&B recording artists and the sons of singer Wanyá Morris of Boyz II Men, will do a special performance of the Black national anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing. The BMAC festivities will kick off on Sunday, September 18 with an inaugural BLACK: Future. Now. Brunch. Hosted by The Revels Group, together with Amazon Music, Patrón and BMAC, the brunch will honor young Black executives, creatives and artists who are paving the way for generations to come.
“The BMAC Music In Action Awards are the only awards of its kind in the music industry. It is a feel-GREAT event where we come together not to celebrate our own individual accomplishments, but to celebrate what the Honorees have given to, and done for, others. The road we have all been driving on toward racial and social justice has been long, it’s been uphill, and it definitely has not been easy. So to take an evening out to shine a light on those who have given of themselves to make a way for someone else, is a welcome rest stop on the freeway to Equality,” said Black Music Action Coalition Co-Founder & Co-Chair, Caron Veazey.
Lil Baby will be honored with the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award for his contribution to racial and social justice inside and outside of the music industry. The GRAMMY® Award-winning rapper has smashed records, made history, and impacted the course of modern hip-hop with his instantly identifiable and inimitable style, and has also used his platform to give back to his community. Recently, Lil Baby hosted his third annual “Back to School Fest” at Atlanta’s West End Mall. In partnership with Goodr, the event provided over 3,000 local children with music, games, carnival rides, food, backpacks, school supplies, and haircuts. Additionally, Lil Baby worked with Atlanta restaurateur Lemont Bradley to offer 100 jobs to young adults, and established the $150,000 “My Turn” scholarship program for students at his former high school. Previous recipients of this award include The Weeknd and H.E.R. who both received the award at the inaugural Music in Action Awards Gala in 2021.
As previously announced, BMAC will honor Jon “Big Jon” Platt, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing, with the Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award. Kevin Liles, CEO of 300 Entertainment, along with Amazon Music and the Recording Academy will be honored with the BMAC Social Impact Award. Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, attorney and author Brittany K. Barnett, and Culture Creators’ Joi Brown will receive the BMAC Change Agent Award. And finally, Congresswoman Maxine Waters will receive the inaugural BMAC Icon Award.
The 2022 BMAC Music in Action Awards Gala will once again celebrate the organization’s accomplishments over the last year and highlight upcoming initiatives. BMAC has been instrumental in addressing systemic racism within the music business and advocating on behalf of Black artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, executives, lawyers and other impassioned industry professionals. This year’s sponsors include Primary Wave, Live Nation, AEG Presents, Spotify, Amazon Music, Saban Music Group and Rémy Martin.
