culture creators
Teyana Taylor, BET’s Connie Orlando and more were honored at the eighth annual Culture Creators Innovators & Leaders Awards Brunch on Friday (June 28) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Hosted by journalist Gia Peppers, the exclusive fête brought industry icons, influencers and thought leaders together to pay tribute to extraordinary individuals who have left an indelible mark on Black culture across various sectors, including technology, business, sports, fashion, music and more.
It also benefitted The Culture Creators Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to bridging the gap between high school and college as well as college to graduation for underrepresented students in industries lacking diversity. The foundation empowers these students to thrive academically and professionally by providing resources, curriculum supplementation and membership. Funds raised during the brunch will support the 2024 Academic School Year Scholarship Program for the Campus Changemakers, the foundation’s inaugural cohort of students across 35 colleges and universities.
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Taylor was honored as Innovator of the Year with a celebratory video montage that highlighted her incredible career in entertainment, from choreographing Beyoncé‘s “Ring the Alarm” music video and signing to Pharrell Williams‘ Star Trak Entertainment when she was only 16 years old (when the world also watched her epic birthday bash on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16) to later signing to Ye‘s GOOD Music when she was 21. Since then, the multihyphenate star has earned eight gold-certified singles from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while “Gonna Love Me” from her 2018 album K.T.S.E. is certified platinum. She’s creative directed shows and tours for Usher, Latto, Summer Walker, Diddy, Glorilla, Lil Durk and Lil Baby.
She also won the video director of the year award at the 2020 and 2023 BET Awards. While Taylor’s gearing up for her directorial debut, Get Lite, she’s also had a successful run in front of the camera: Her starring role in A Thousand And One earned her the best breakthrough performance award at the 2023 National Board of Review Awards and 2023 Critics Choice Awards, and she’s set to star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest untitled feature and Tyler Perry’s Straw film.
“Teyana Taylor is a one of one. She’s a person who helps us mark time, a time in culture and different times of our lives. We’ve Googled her, we’ve celebrated her Sweet 16, we’ve watched her be our favorite baby mama next door, we’ve watched her slay rap battles (some of y’all remember that?), we’re watched her conquer choreography that would even make Janet Jackson blush,” said Emmy-winning screenwriter, producer and actress Lena Waithe while she was presenting the award to Taylor.
“She’s given us timeless music videos, unforgettable performances like the one she beautifully delivers in A Thousand And One. I’ve gotten a front row seat to her journey in becoming a serious actress. I’ve watched her break down both in front of and behind the camera. She let us watch her tears fall so others wouldn’t be afraid to cry.”
Taylor held back tears as she began her acceptance speech, which took the form of a prayer.
“Heavenly Father God, I thank you for who you are. All-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful. Let me tell you something about your favor. Father God, your favor cannot be stopped, you hear me? I know you’re hear me, so let your daughter cook. Let me cook. Lord, you told me in John 8:12 that you are the light of the world and if I followed you, I wouldn’t have to walk in darkness because you would have the light that leads to life,” she said.
“Thank you for wiping away every tear away when I thought the weight was punishment, ’cause you’ve made it very clear now that it was just preparation. Thank you for never letting my crown fall because you keep my head high. Thank you for teaching me the power of grace as I walk in it.”
She thanked her 8-year-old daughter Junie, who stood on stage beside her, for her “protection” and “being so pure. Thank you for loving me the way that you do. Thank you for teaching me how to be fearless,” Taylor said. And to her 3-year-old daughter Rue, “she knocked out in the green room,” Taylor revealed, which was met with roaring laughter. “I love you too, girl! …. One thing Rue gon’ do is never make it to the table, you hear me. My girl be knocked out like she work five jobs.”
After thanking her parents, her longtime friend and The Aunties production company co-founder Coco Gilbert, “Auntie” Natina Nimene, executive vp of promotion and artist relations at Def Jam and the rest of her team, Taylor returned to her prayer.
“I want to thank you for having me in this room full of amazing, talented innovators and leaders. Thank you for using me as an affirmation to everybody and every hardworking person in this room today that we are here because we belong here in this moment, it was already written in the palm of your hand…. And thank you for telling us ‘yes’ when naysayers told us ‘no.’ In Jesus’ name, Amen.” But right before she left the stage, Junie took the microphone for a precious scene-stealing moment. “And I love my mom! I love my mom!” she exclaimed.
Former BET Networks CEO/chairman Debra Lee presented presented an award to her former colleague Orlando, BET’s EVP specials, music programming & music strategy.
“I don’t think anyone in this room would disagree with the statement that everybody loves Connie,” said Lee, who collected proof in the form of a four-page document filled with responses from Orlando’s friends and business contacts about why everyone loves her. “Jesse Collins, her producing partner on many BET specials, says, ‘Words that describe Connie: integrity, her word is her bond; patience, in a world of folks seeking instant gratification with very little effort, she stands out as someone who puts in the work in order to make sure whatever she is working on is perfect; style, just look at her; love, Connie is love. Her heart is always open for anyone that needs it. And that is probably her greatest talent because, please know, she is not to be taken lightly or toyed with and will gladly let you see the girl from Queens if she has to. But after she pops out and shows you, she will always send you on your way with a hug and a smile. And you gotta give her credit for the BET Awards and all the moments she creates.’”
After Lee continued singing her praises, Orlando took the stage and choked back tears while crediting Lee as the reason why she was there in the first place.
“I’m honored to accept this year’s Culture Creator Award and to receive your generous recognition of my contributions to the world of television and film. I stand before you filled with so much gratitude. It is a blessing to do the work that I love,” she said while addressing Culture Creators founder Joi Brown and the Culture Creators Advisory Council. “Working in the mediums of television and film, I am keenly aware of how much time the average person spends watching the screen of some kind, at any given moment. With billions of people consuming content everyday, there lies a unique opportunity to foster meaningful discussions, to create pathways of understanding, to uplift and to educate countless numbers of viewers. Though entertainment is at the core of what we do, we can use the power of media to speak life into our audiences, to tell authentic stories and ignite a light in the darkness that exists in our world today.”
CAA account executive Lorrie Bartlett — whose client roster includes Andra Day, Fantasia, Regina King, Rachel Zegler, Michael Keaton, Travis Kelce, Jeymes Samuel and more — received the Icon Award for her commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the entertainment industry, while spearheading initiatives promoting equity within Hollywood. Additional honorees included Reign Venture Capital’s co-founder Monique Idlett; Brown Girl Jane CBO and media personality Tai Beauchamp; FashionBombDaily CEO/founder Claire Sulmers; social impact and brand engagement strategist Alencia Johnson; WME Sports agent and executive Cecil White; celebrity stylist duo Wayman + Micah; AI innovator and immersive technology expert Alton Glass; and The Doux haircare brand creators Maya and Brian Smith.
Busta Rhymes, MC Lyte, Chloe x Halle and more were honored at the seventh annual Culture Creators Innovators & Leaders Awards Brunch on Saturday (June 24) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Hosted by journalist Gia Peppers, the Culture Creators Brunch not only celebrated the achievements of Black leaders in the entertainment industry but also commemorated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. And there was no better way to kick off the event than by honoring MC Lyte as the first icon award recipient. Kash Doll and Lady London gave the veteran MC her flowers, commending her for how she “paved the way, broke barriers and shattered glass ceilings” for women in hip-hop in a “male-dominant music industry,” Doll said, and explaining the the metaphor “light as a rock.”
“It’s explaining how heavy your impact has been in my life and in my career,” London said. But when Lyte got up on stage and accepted her award, she caused the audience to roar with laughter when she commented on how “heavy” it was and passed it back to London.
“Thank you for the sisterhood and the friendship, it really means a lot to me,” she told the ladies who introduced her. “Thank you to this wonderful community of hip-hop for me, made up of artists, producers, videographers, dancers, DJs who break records, who have pushed the limits to get the genre where it stands today. Someone asked me, ‘Did I think hip-hop would make it this far?’ No, but here we are.”
Ryan Press, president of North America at Warner Chappell Music, presented the technology award to Troy Carter, whom he hailed as a “visionary, connector, entrepreneur, father, husband and friend” who “has made it his mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the music business and amplify the voices of creators and indie artists.” Before becoming co-founder and CEO of music and tech company Q&A, Carter was CEO/chairman of Atom Factory, the multi-dimensional branding, entertainment and artist management company. He also previously managed Eve, Lady Gaga, John Legend and more and was Spotify’s global head of creator services.
“It’s very, very special just being in this room of people who have really moved the needle, people who actually bended and shaped culture in so many crazy ways,” Carter said in his acceptance speech. He went on to specifically thank “my big brother Will Smith who taught me to always show up and to never let anyone box you into what they think you are,” “to the great Clarence Avant who taught me about fighting for the next generation and being gracious with my time and generous with my knowledge,” “to Russell Simmons who showed us that hip-hop could transcend television, fashion and finance,” “to the late Chris Lighty who encouraged me to stay in the game,” “to Eve who taught me about betting on potential,” “to the incredible Lady Gaga who taught me about endless possibilities” and “to Daniel Ek who always pushed me to think bigger when I thought I was thinking big.”
Culture Creators founder Joi Brown had the honor of awarding Chloe x Halle with the innovators of the year trophy, applauding them for “capturing our hearts and our minds with their fearless, fierce artistry” and becoming “symbols of strength and role models for young women, knocking down barriers and proving that dreams can be realized.” Chloe accepted on behalf of the duo because Halle’s flight from Paris was canceled.
“For us as little girls singing covers on YouTube and performing around our hometown of Atlanta, we were just doing what we loved. And that turned into Chloe x Halle, which over the past years has evolved into this whole thing. I remember we would discuss, ‘OK, are we going to go as Chloe x Halle, or are we going to come up with some group name or The Bailey Sisters?’ We couldn’t decide, but now, we’re Chloe x Halle,” she explained, later delving into how they’ve expanded the boundaries of their artistry “with me releasing my solo album, touring the country as a solo artist, and my sister inspiring young girls everywhere as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. But we know that whenever we’re together as Chloe x Halle, it’s special. One of our favorite quotes is ‘Individually we are a drop, but together we are an ocean.’ Whether we’re doing our solo music or acting projects on our own, we are forever Chloe x Halle because our sisterhood is a forever thing.”
But Busta touched the entire ballroom when it was finally time for him to receive the second icon award, just 24 hours before he would receive the lifetime achievement award at the 2023 BET Awards on Sunday. After Big Daddy Kane and Mona Scott-Young praised him for having “the greatest flow in hip-hop” and being “the man, they myth, the dragon,” they said respectively, the lighting-fast rhymer was at a loss for words.
“I get a lot of love because I’m a giver of love…. But I don’t get awards … not in this form. So it’s a little overwhelming for me because, Mona would know, a lot of times I would ask, ‘How much longer I gotta wait?’” he said while growing emotional and finding the words to describe the indelible impact of Black people across every industry. “We are the founders of civilization, the makers and the owners of the planet, the gods of the universe. Our culture is the greatest. And with that being said, even when they gave us nothing, we created every culture.”
Busta also revealed he was releasing a new album “in the next eight weeks,” which would mark his first album in three years since 2020’s Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. He also shouted out his new Hitmaka-produced single “Beach Ball,” featuring Bia, but rather than continuing to “plug and promote” his own music, he preached about the modern-day music industry’s dependence on social media algorithms, follower counts and other numbers dictating the art.
“Don’t get me wrong, I get it and I understand ’cause we all gotta be swift and changeable in order be remainable. But don’t allow that to dictate the soul,” he said while being met with a round of applause. “What I want is for the execs to come back to being a human first. Yea, we gon’ capitalize off the algorithm. But how many Biggies, Tupacs, Nas and Busta Rhymes is y’all gon’ miss if their algorithm ain’t jumping? The people dictated what the culture did, not the computer. Let’s get back to that y’all. ‘Cause I’m always going to be there to give you the friendly reminder that the computer can’t dictate sh– Busta Rhymes got goin’ on. I’mma bust its a– regardless!”
Other honorees included Karl Kani, Candace Rodney, Flau’jae Johnson, Stephen Hill, Laurieann Gibson and Chris Robinson.
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