Black Music Honors to Pay Homage to Missy Elliot, SWV

Photos courtesy Central City Productions

Hip-hop icon Missy Elliott and the women of one of the best-selling R&B groups of the '90s, SWV, will be among the honorees at this year's Black Music Honors.

The annual event, dedicated to celebrating the achievements and contributions of urban music, will launch its producer, Central City Productions, Stellar Network television channel with its eighth edition, and there will be plenty of star power to shed light on the endeavor.

In addition to Elliott, who has won five Grammy Awards and sold over 30 million records, and SWV, short for Sisters With Voices and consisting of Cheryl "Coko" Gamble, Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George, and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons, the event will also pay homage to disco superstar vocalist, songwriter, record producer, and all-around performer Evelyn "Champagne" King, widely-respected R&B crooner Jeffrey Osborne, and legendary gospel trailblazers The Hawkins Family.

Founder and Executive Producer Don Jackson expressed his excitement for the honorees in a statement, saying, "Black music is the heartbeat of our culture, and the honorees for this year's Black Music Honors represent the soul of American music. We pay homage to the musical innovators who have paved the way for future generations. Our tribute performances not only celebrate the honorees of yesterday but also showcase the influence and impact of their iconic sounds and styles on today's artists with a beautiful symbiosis of past and present."

LeToya Luckett, a founding member of Destiny's Child, and comedic actor DeRay Davis will co-host the event, which will be held on May 19 at Atlanta's Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

The televised special will premiere on the Stellar Network on June 3 and air in national broadcast syndication from Saturday, June 10, to Sunday, July 2, in tribute to Black Music Month. The show will also air on Bounce TV on June 19.

Tickets for the live-taping event will be available for purchase on Friday at www.blackmusichonors.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Erykah Badu and Yasiin Bey Join Forces for 'Unfollow Me' Tour

Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Erykah Badu is set to return to touring after a nearly two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The soulful artist, known for her sultry voice and genre-bending sound, has announced the "Unfollow Me Tour," which will feature her performing across North America alongside rapper, actor and activist Yasiin Bey, also known as Mos Def.

Badu has captivated audiences for over two decades with her ethereal vocals and powerful lyrics. She has released five studio albums to critical acclaim, including her most recent work, the 2015 mixtape "But You Caint Use My Phone," which showcases her signature blend of soul, funk, and hip-hop influences.

Bey, best known for his socially conscious lyrics, has released several critically acclaimed albums since his debut in the late 1990s. He and Badu have collaborated on several tracks over the years, including "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" and "The Blast."

Badu's return to touring is particularly special as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of her third album, "Worldwide Underground." Produced by independent promoter Outback Presents, the 25-city tour will begin in San Antonio, Texas, on June 11, with stops in Denver, Boston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Nashville and other cities before culminating on July 23 in her hometown of Dallas.

Last year, Badu performed at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! event at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park. However, the Unfollow Me Tour will be her first North American trek since 2019, when she performed in several theaters around the country.

Pre-sales for the tour begin on April 20 through Ticketmaster. See the full list of tour dates below.

Hip-hop Legend LL Cool J's Platform, Rock the Bells, Secures $15M in Funding

Rock the Bells, the hip-hop platform founded by rap legend LL Cool J, announced on Monday a $15 million funding round anchored by a multi-year collaboration with media giant Paramount Global.

The deal includes a first-look agreement for unscripted and scripted content, feature films and co-branded merchandise opportunities.

Additionally, the two companies will collaborate on marketing support for Rock the Bells experiences and activations, including the opportunity to livestream the upcoming 2023 Rock The Bells Festival that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop.

LL Cool J expressed his excitement about the partnership in a statement, saying that hip-hop is an art form that "continues to rise to higher heights," and that Rock the Bells is at the forefront of bridging generations.

"I'm excited about all the amazing things we have planned for the community, fans, and brands! This is just the beginning," he added.

Founded in 2018 by LL Cool J, Rock the Bells has become a prominent platform for celebrating and preserving hip-hop culture. With a focus on the art form and its icons, Rock the Bells has gained a loyal following and attracted major brands as partners.

The partnership with Paramount Global is expected to open up new opportunities for Rock the Bells to showcase hip-hop culture and its icons while continuing to honor its legacy.

"Paramount is thrilled to expand our deep relationship with LL COOL J with our investment in Rock The Bells," said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events at Paramount. "We look forward to working with him to shine a spotlight on Hip-Hop culture and icons through music, events, and diverse content."

Other companies that participated in the Series B funding round, a type of investment round where a company seeks to raise capital to scale and expand its business operations, were Raine Ventures and Irving Azoff of Iconic Artists Group, with participation from Amex Ventures, Wildcat Capital Management and Capstar Ventures. The company also received additional investment from ASK Capital, North Island (Glenn Hutchins), AME Cloud Ventures and XO Capital.