Tayyaba
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) is recognizing Keke Palmer, Jermaine Dupri, and the late Clarence Avant at its 2023 gala. The event will be held to honor individuals, organizations, and legends who have made significant contributions to the Black music community and beyond on Sept. 21.
What is the Black Music Action Coalition yearly gala?
The celebration, sponsored by Live Nation, annually honors individuals and organizations in Black music who have exhibited positivity and advanced equity in the community. The coalition was founded in 2020 to combat systemic racism in the music industry on the behalf of Black artists, producers, lawyers, and numerous other professionals in the industry.
“The BMAC Gala has come to be regarded as a night where our music industry family isn’t celebrating the standard accolades: the number of streams on a hit song, or how many tickets have sold on a world tour, or who has the most No. 1s. The BMAC Gala has become synonymous with the importance of centering awareness on equality and equity. It’s an evening where we come together to shine a light on the incredible contributions of the honorees and to celebrate the impact they’ve made on the journey towards social justice.”
BMAC co-founder Caron Veazey
Keke Palmer, Jermaine Dupri and Clarence Avant: BMAC Honorees:
Industry veteran, Clarence Avant, who was known by the title “The Godfather of Black Music,” will be honored with a special tribute from the Black Music Action Coalition at the gala. Avant was also a member of the BMAC board alongside Quincy Jones and Irving Azoff, among others. Other than that, music producer Jermaine Dupri will receive the “Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award,” which is named after the music executive to pay tribute to him, for her contributions in the industry.
In addition to the previously mentioned honorees, this year’s BMAC recipients include Nope actress Keke Palmer who will be honored with the BMAC Social Impact Award, rapper Trae The Truth who will be presented with the BMAC Change Agent Award, and Rolling Loud co-founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler who will receive the 365 Award. Previous recipients of the coalition’s honors have also included H.E.R., Lil’ Baby, The Weeknd, Rep. Maxine Waters, and the Recording Academy.