State Champ Radio hip hop music
Datwon Thomas has been named to the newly created role of executive producer, talent, for Dick Clark Productions (DCP). In his role, which takes effect immediately, Thomas will be part of DCP’s in-house talent team, collaborating on talent strategy, relations, bookings and creative, leveraging his experience from his 13-year stewardship of VIBE. Thomas will work out of both the New York and Los Angeles offices.
Thomas will also assume the role of editor-at-large of VIBE, supporting big-picture strategy for the brand. In addition, he will maintain his role as PMC’s vice president, culture and media, building diversity initiatives and programs for the company.
“I am thrilled to start this new chapter in my media and entertainment career,” Thomas said in a statement. “My time as editor-in-chief of VIBE has been incredibly rewarding. I would like to thank my staff of all eras for their hard work and support. Entering this new role is a valued achievement and one I take as an honor. I have been consulting with the DCP team for years, and during that time, my love of the rush of live television has grown. I look forward to getting even more involved in all aspects of great projects with amazing talent.”
“We’re very excited to have Datwon bring his experience and unmatched expertise in hip-hop and R&B to DCP,” Jay Penske, chairman, founder and CEO, Penske Media, and CEO, Dick Clark Productions, said in a statement. “His deep relationships and innate creative sensibilities will be instrumental in shaping the future vision of DCP’s world class portfolio of shows.”
Most recently, Thomas served as VIBE’s editor-in-chief. During this time, he pioneered new initiatives for hip-hop and R&B media and created platforms to showcase and discover emerging and established artists.
Since 2019, Thomas has worked closely with the DCP team as a consulting producer for flagship programs including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.
Prior to VIBE and PMC, Thomas held positions as the editor-in-chief of hip-hop’s street authority, XXL Magazine, and founder/editorial director of XXL Presents Hip-Hop Soul, among other posts.
As Southern California braced for its first tropical storm in 84 years, Salt-N-Pepa’s Cheryl “Salt” James made history as the first female keynoter at the Guild of Music Supervisors’ (GMS) ninth annual State of Music in Media Conference (Aug. 19). Her invigorating speech fittingly kicked off the daylong event at The Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood.
In addition to a suite of panels celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the conference schedule — a collaboration between GMS and L.A. Film School — was packed with sessions ranging from “Music Clearance 101” and “The Global Craft of Music Supervision: We Are Worldwide!” to “AI and the Art of Music Supervision: Finding Harmony in the Age of Automation” and “The Ethics of Music Supervising Projects That Tell Diverse Stories.” Among the host of industry participants and guests: rap pioneer/Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, Joel C. High of Creative Control Entertainment (a GMS founder and its outgoing president), Stax Records icon/Songwriter Hall of Famer David Porter, Format Entertainment’s Julia Michels, producer Steve Schnur (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor), Singularity Songs founder/president Andre Marsh and Cue the Creatives founder Qiana Conley Akinro.
Lindsay Wolfington and Joel C. High
Khalid Farqharson
Just before the keynote speech, the ongoing challenges facing music supervisors during the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike were addressed by incoming GMS president Lindsay Wolfington and High. Speaking to the attendees, the pair referenced a page in the conference booklet featuring a list of resources for strike-impacted workers. The intro to the page said in part, “Music supervisors do not have a union and the AMPTP and Netflix continue to refuse to recognize a Music Supervisior union. We continue in our fight … and GMS fully supports this mission.”
It was also announced that Heather Guibert is the GMS board’s new vp.
Here are a few more highlights from GMS’ 2023 State of Music in Media Conference:
‘The Showstopper’
Walking onstage to rousing applause, James riffed on a phrase from the Salt-N-Pepa classic “Shoop” (“Here I go, here I go …”) then asked the audience a question. “Can we not call me the keynote speaker?” said a smiling James. “That makes me nervous. I just came here to talk to you.”
And that she did, taking the audience back to her growing up on Motown and jazz in Brooklyn. Then she heard The Sugarhill Gang on the radio in 1979. Before segueing into an impromptu audience rap-along to that group’s “Rapper’s Delight,” James said, “I fell in love even more [with the fledgling genre]. There was something about it that just grabbed me deep in my heart.”
After sharing milestones that the Grammy Award-winning group has achieved during its barrier-breaking 38-year career, starting with 1986 debut single “The Showstopper,” James noted, “I remember the question journalists used to ask in the beginning, ‘Will hip-hop last?’ Now we’re here 50 years later, growing from a novelty genre into a whole entire culture. Hip-hop started a whole movement from fashion, movies, politics and beyond to becoming the music of a generation. I would go so far as to say it’s actually shaping generations.”
Drawing a through line between hip-hop’s evolution and that of music supervision, James concluded her keynote by adding, “I know we all can relate to having good intentions and then possibly becoming jaded in our different vocations or callings. But when something is our calling and it gets hard, we have to just put one foot in front of the other and keep going because this is what we’re called to do.”
The Next 50
“The Global Impact of Hip-Hop: Passing the Torch for the Next 50 Years” was the first in the day’s quartet of sessions dedicated to the genre and the fact — as noted in the conference booklet — that “hip-hop has proven itself to be a soundscape for any genre of music and can be used to tell any story.” Kobalt Music Publishing’s senior vp of global creative Chris Lakey moderated this panel, orchestrating a conversation between artist Igmar Thomas, Peermusic Publishing vp of A&R Tuff Morgan, En Homage artist/producer Camille “Ill Camille” Davis and artist/educator Medusa aka The Gangsta Goddess.
Lakey questioned the panelists on a variety of subjects from their first inkling of hip-hop’s international reach beyond its Bronx birth to trends/hybrid sounds they’re seeing on the horizon. Asked to share some of the hottest areas they’re most excited about in terms of hip-hop’s evolving sound, the panelists shouted out locales such as Ghana, Nigeria, Johannesburg, London, Mexico City and Jamaica. “Every single piece of music that’s out today has undertones of hip-hop,” said Morgan. “It’s influenced every genre at this point.”
Global Impact of Hip Hop
Jay Farber
Medusa and Davis also advocated for more female presence in the hip-hop arena. “I definitely want there to be more reverence for female producers and MCs,” said Davis. “I want more women to experiment with the music. There are women that I revere, the same way that I revere [late hip-hop producer] J Dilla, who are constantly making music but you don’t hear about them. I would like more women to make DJ and MC collectives. I just want more of that energy where we take more ownership, and autonomy over the sound, the brand, the look; you feel us and see us in everything. I want more women in hip-hop to put their flag down.”
Lorrie Boula, Chuck D and Carol Dunn
Jay Farber
Rounding out the day’s quartet of hip-hop sessions: “Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World” featuring Channel Zero.net co-founders Chuck D and Lorrie Boula with Human Worldwide’s Carol Dunn as moderator; “The Origins of Hip-Hop” featuring James, Berklee College of Music’s John Paul McGee, artist/Likwit Radio’s King T, Salamani Music’s Amani “Burt Blackarach” Smith and composer Jae Deal; and “The Golden Age of Hip-Hop: A Cultural Phenomena” with moderator/Moonbaby Media’s Angela “Moonbaby” Jollivette, television host/activist Ananda Lewis, veteran A&R executive Dante Ross, Universal Hip-Hop Museum OM/curator SenYon Kelly, DJESQ’s Paul Stewart and Rich + Tone Productions’ Rich & Tone Talauega.
Close-Up on Daisy Jones
One of the afternoon’s popular offerings was the session spotlighting the hit television series Daisy Jones & the Six, adapted from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel of the same name about a ‘70s band. The session centered on what’s involved in “preparing for successful on-camera performances” as outlined in the conference program. Moderator/music supervisor Amanda Krieg Thomas of Yay Team Inc. was joined by Daisy Jones’ music supervisor Frankie Pine of Whirly Girl Music and Lauren Neustadter, president of film & TV for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company. Among the show’s nine 2023 Emmy Awards nominations are nods for outstanding limited or anthology series, outstanding music supervision and outstanding sound mixing.
Neustadter spoke first about the show’s origin and the challenge of doing on-camera performances. “My husband read the book and created the show. But we had no idea really of how to do a project that was music driven in the way that this is. But we also knew that we had carte blanche from Taylor. She said, ‘I’m excited for you guys to work with experts in the music field to actually bring the soundtrack and the different albums in the book to life on screen.”
So the next move was to bring in showrunner Will Graham. “We chose him for a bunch of reasons,” said Neustadter. “But one of them was he had worked on Mozart in the Jungle, so he knew how to do a show that had a huge music component. And the first person that Will introduced us to was Frankie.”
Picking up the story, Pine said, “The first thing that I did was put together a list of executive music producers that I thought would be right for the time period; to be able to give us that ‘70s vibe, but also not pigeonhole us too much into that world where these songs [can] kind of live outside of the ‘70s. After reading the book, the one thing I wanted … was for this to feel organic and real. I wanted everybody that watched it to think literally in their minds, ‘This band was in the ‘70s? I swear I missed this band.’”
Pine also shared a major lesson from her experience. “The sooner you can get [started] with an on-camera project the better. Because that gives you all kinds of time to curate and work not only on the music but to also take your time in assembling the right music team and giving your actors [enough] time. That really is the key to a successful run.”
Hired in March 2019, Pine initially wanted to spend four months with the actors. Then she and Neustadter received an unexpected extension when their April 2020 shoot start was delayed by the pandemic. So music lessons were done instead over Zoom. In addition to explaining the genesis of the on-camera performances in two show clips that were shown, Pine and Neustadter touched on several other topics such as Pine collaborating in the casting and writing process as well, mic tips and why trust is an important factor.
“What we witnessed was these actors becoming musicians and these musicians becoming a band,” said Neustadter. “It was totally awesome.” She also noted that Pine will be working with Hello Sunshine on two more productions, one of which is Run, Rose, Run. Starring Dolly Parton, the upcoming show is an adaption of the same-titled book by Parton and James Patterson. Parton also released a companion album to the book in 2022.
Chuck D, legendary rapper and leader of Public Enemy, will headline the Guild of Music Supervisors’ ninth annual State of Music in Media conference. The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19 at the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood, Calif.
Cheryl “Salt” James (Salt of Salt-N-Pepa) will keynote the event, which will celebrate 50 years of hip-hop.
Other speakers include Lorrie Boula, King Tee, Igmar Thomas, Dante Ross, Ananda Lewis, Gustavo Santaolalla, Joel C High, Frankie Pine, Julia Michels and Chris Lennertz, and the music team from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. There will also be a surprise, pop-up hip hop performance.
The conference is offering 15-minute, one-on-one sessions for aspiring music supervisors to meet successful people working in the field. This opportunity is open to aspiring music supervisors only. (Music pitching is not allowed.)
Members of the Guild of Music Supervisors and Friends of the Guild will receive a discount on their ticket purchases. Tickets are available to the public at full price and come with a complimentary one-year subscription as a Friend of the Guild. Students and military personnel will also receive a discount to attend.
To purchase tickets to attend the conference, visit the ticketing page here.
The event is presented in collaboration with The Los Angeles Film School.
The Guild of Music Supervisors is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010. For more information, visit their website here.
Programming highlights include:
Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World
Summary: This is a narrative of struggle, triumph and resistance brought to life through the lens of an art form that has chronicled the emotions and experiences of Black and brown communities. In the aftermath of America’s racial and political reckoning in 2020, the perspectives and stories shared in hip-hop are key to understanding injustice in the U.S. over the last half-century.
Panelists: Chuck D & Lorrie Boula
The Origins of Hip-Hop
Summary: This will deep-dive into the inception of hip-hop in the early ’70s and how its unique sound was influenced by jazz and rhythm & blues.
Moderator: John Paul McGee, assistant chair of Piano Department – Berklee College of Music
Panelists: Amani “Burt Blackarach” Smith, music supervisor, Salamani Music; King Tee, West Coast rapper; Cheryl “SALT” James aka Salt of Salt-n-Pepa.
The Golden Age of Hip-Hop
Summary: Hip-hop’s influence on the ’80s & ’90s is undeniable with socially-conscious music in tandem with some of the most iconic photography and fashion of the 21st century. Hip-hop makes an indelible mark on the world with style, swag, and grace while concurrently illuminating often sinister elements of being Black in America.
Panelists: Dante Ross, A&R/producer/author, Stimulated; Ananda Lewis, mom, TV host, health activist, carpenter; Senyon Kelly, operations manager, archives, curatorial, Universal Hip Hop Museum.
The Global Impact of Hip-Hop: Passing the Torch for the Next 50 Years
Summary: Fifty years later, hip-hop is undeniably one of the most celebrated art forms in the music industry, having survived such hurdles as hate, ridicule and censorship. The result has been an augmented global community that has adopted this music as their own, bringing with it a herculean amount of history, context, struggle and joy.
Moderator: Chris Lakey, SVP, global creative synch, Kobalt Music Publishing
Panelist: Igmar Thomas, trumpeter, composer, arranger, bandleader
‘The Last of Us’ (Part II)
Summary: Journey of a soundtrack from video game to Max series.
Panelists: Scott Hanau, score director/music producer, Sony Interactive Entertainment; Phil Kovats, MPSE, senior director of sound, PlayStation Studios; Craig Mazin, showrunner, writer (streaming series); Gustavo Santaolalla – composer (game and streaming series)
‘Daisy Jones and the Six’: Music Supervisor Frankie Pine on Preparing for Successful On-Camera Performances
Summary: An in-depth overview of a music supervisor’s role in pre-production on an intensive on-camera project, and how to set up for success in production and post-production.
Moderator: Amanda Krieg Thomas, music supervisor, Yay Team Inc.
Panelist: Frankie Pine, music supervisor, Whirly Girl Music
Reinventing The Soundtrack of a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Summary: How do you create new music for the most iconic franchise in entertainment history? For Jedi Survivor, you throw away the rule book and deliver two new soundtracks that stand proudly on their own within the classic Star Wars canon. This session will break down the entire process – from concept and development through recording and release – with the composers and key players behind the acclaimed new Jedi Survivor score and Sounds for the Galactic Skylanes, the first-ever album of original songs from a Star Wars title.
Panelists: Douglas Reilly, vice president, games, Lucasfilm, Ltd.; Steve Schnur, producer, Jedi Survivor & Sounds for the Galactic Skylanes; Gordy Haab, co-composer, Jedi Survivor; Stephen Barton, co-composer, Jedi Survivor; Nick Laviers – audio director, Respawn Entertainment
The Real Deal
Summary: How to score an unscripted series. A conversation with music supervisors and synch reps about how to craft memorable music moments for reality TV on a shoestring budget.
Moderator: Adam Brodsky, owner, Woolly Music
Panelists: Joe O’Riordan, freelance music supervisor; Deja Siegler, CEO/music supervisor, Alooma Inc; Rochelle Holguin Cappello, senior vice president, creative music strategy at Paramount.
Music for the Masses
Summary: Trends, tropes, and techniques for effective advertising music; a conversation about the power of music in advertising, exploring timeless techniques and creative approaches that make for effective campaigns.
Moderator: Jeff Kling, founder, CCO at Das Favorite
Panelists: Josh Marcy, director of music, Media Arts Lab; Ben Dorenfeld, director of music, Anomaly; Jarred Causly, senior music supervisor, Saatchi & Saatchi; Beliansh Assefa, music producer, Townhouse/Grey.
The Music, the Paperwork, and Everything in Between: A Dialogue with Supervisors and Composers on Best Practices and Allyship
Summary: This conversation will explore the relationship between music supervisors and composers. It will highlight each individual role as well as the collaborative effort that is telling stories through music, particularly in film.
Moderator: Sami Posner, music supervisor, Blue Lily and Creative Control
Panelists: Chris Lennertz, composer; Dara Taylor, composer; Julia Michels, music supervisor, Format Entertainment; Joel C. High, music supervisor, Creative Control
Music Clearance 101
Summary: The basics of music clearance and licensing are explained in an easy-to-understand and practical way.
Panelist: Linda Osher, president, LJO Music Consulting
Music Clearance 201
Summary: Advanced topics and strategies in music clearance.
Moderator: Lindsay Wolfington, music supervisor, Lone Wolf Music Supervision
Panelists: Matt Lilley, president, MCL Music Services, Inc.; Karen Falzone, owner, Mostly Music
Walt “Baby” Love, a 2022 inductee into the Radio Hall of Fame, will receive another honor in October as he’s one of eight individuals slated to be recognized by the Living Legends Foundation at its annual awards dinner and gala. Love will receive the Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s event.
Love has hosted three long-running radio programs — The Countdown with Walt “Baby” Love, Gospel Traxx and The Urban AC Countdown. For 21 years, Love worked at Radio & Records as its urban radio and music editor while simultaneously hosting his syndicated radio shows.
Nelson George, who likewise first made his mark in music trade journalism before broadening his focus, will also be honored. George, who wrote for Billboard in the 1980s before becoming a noted author and filmmaker, will receive the Media Icon Award.
The other honorees are Ed Lover, star of The Ed Lover Show with Monie Love (Jerry Boulding Radio Award); Lionel Ridenour, founder/CEO of Anchor Promotions (Music Executive Award); Tracey Jordan, partner of Lazin/Jordan Productions (Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award); Rocky Bucano, executive director of the Universal Hip Hop Museum (Hip Hop Visionary Award); Vernon Brown, Esq., founder of V. Brown & Company (Entertainment Advocate Award); and Shanti Das, former music executive and founder of Silence The Shame (A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award).
“This year is particularly special because, in addition to our annual awards ceremony, we are also celebrating 50 years of hip-hop,” said Living Legends Foundation chairman David C. Linton in a statement. “We are the first generation of music executives to help break and recognize hip-hop as a global music art form. Most of our board and advisory members were responsible for signing many of today’s hip-hop legends and icons to recording contracts and record label imprint deals, ultimately creating the phenomenon known to the world as ‘hip-hop culture.’ Additionally, for the past three to four decades, many of our board members have guided the careers of these legends and icons via management, marketing, radio promotions, publicity, sales, and A&R.”
This year’s awards dinner and gala will be held on Friday, Oct. 6 at Taglyan Cultural Complex, 1201 N. Vine Street, Hollywood. The red carpet and cocktail reception begin at 6:30 p.m. with the awards dinner starting at 7:30 p.m.
This year’s dinner chairs are Skip Dillard, brand manager and program director for Audacy’s WXBK/94.7, the Block, New York City; and Lady B, on-air personality at Classix 107.9 in Philadelphia.
Founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1992, the Living Legends Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization and has been funded primarily by corporate contributions and individual donations. The organization has expanded its mission to assist those who have served the music industry and who have what it calls “a confirmable need.”
Over the past 30 years, the foundation has honored more than 100 leaders in the areas of broadcasting, film, recorded music, media, publishing, radio, publicity and marketing.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Angela Bassett and Beyoncé were the top individual winners at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday (Feb. 25), with three awards each. Bassett took the top award — entertainer of the year — and opened her speech by having a little bit of fun with Ariana DeBose’s much-maligned rap at last weekend’s BAFTAs, where the young star rapped, “Angela Bassett did the thing.”
“I guess Angela Bassett did the thing,” Bassett said, to much laughter. This marked the first time all five entertainer of the year nominees were women. The other nominees were Mary J. Blige, Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis and Zendaya.
Bassett also won outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and outstanding actress in a drama [TV] series for 9-1-1 on FOX.
All three of Beyoncé’s categories were presented prior to Saturday and she wasn’t present on the telecast. She took outstanding album for Renaissance, outstanding soul/R&B song for “Cuff It” and outstanding female artist.
Chris Brown, Brunson, Ryan Coogler and Davis each won two awards. (Some of their shows also won awards; this counts only awards presented to individuals.)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever won outstanding motion picture, just as the original Black Panther did four years ago. This marks the second time in three years that a franchise film has won in this category. Two years ago, the award went to Bad Boys for Life, the third film in that franchise.
In television awards, ABC’s Abbott Elementary won outstanding comedy series, while Starz’s P-Valley took outstanding drama series.
The 54th annual NAACP Image Awards were presented in nightly ceremonies last week, culminating in a live broadcast on Saturday from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. The show, hosted by Queen Latifah, aired on BET and was also simulcast across a dozen Paramount Global networks including CBS, MTV, VH1 and CMT.
Here’s the complete list of winners for the 54th NAACP Image Awards:
Entertainer of the Year
Angela Bassett
Recording Categories
Outstanding New Artist: Coco Jones – “ICU” (Def Jam Recordings)
Outstanding Male Artist: Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Outstanding Female Artist: Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/ Parkwood Entertainment)
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album: Kingdom Book One – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin (Tribl Records, Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Inspiration)
Outstanding International Song: “No Woman No Cry” – Tems (Def Jam Recordings)
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album: “Lift Me Up” – Rihanna (Roc Nation/Def Jam Recordings)
Outstanding Album: Renaissance – Beyoncé (Parkwood/Columbia Records)
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan (Def Jam Recordings/Hollywood Records)
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song: “Positive” – Erica Campbell (My Block Inc.)
Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental: JID014 (Jazz is Dead) – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge
Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal: The Evening: Live at Apparatus – The Baylor Project (Be A Light)
Outstanding Soul/R&B Song: “Cuff It” – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/ Parkwood Entertainment)
Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song: “Hotel Lobby” – Quavo, Takeoff (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional): Silk Sonic – “Love’s Train” (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary): Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – “Call Me Every Day” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Motion Picture: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Will Smith – Emancipation (Apple)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture: The Inspection (A24)
Outstanding International Motion Picture: Bantú Mama (ARRAY)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture: Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture: Wendell & Wild (Netflix)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture: Keke Palmer – Lightyear (Walt Disney Studios)
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action): Dear Mama… (Film Independent)
Outstanding Short Form (Animated): More Than I Want to Remember (MTV Entertainment Studios)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture): Ericka Nicole Malone – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)
Television + Streaming Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series: Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series: Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Drama Series: P-Valley (Starz)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special): ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)
Outstanding Talk Series: Sherri (Syndicated)
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series): Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special): The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Children’s Program: Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series): Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble: Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble: Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
Outstanding Guest Performance: Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Outstanding Animated Series: The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television): Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama: Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Short Form Series – Reality/Nonfiction: Daring Simone Biles (Snap)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television): Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special: Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Writing Categories
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – “Student Transfer” (ABC)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Marissa Jo Cerar – Women of the Movement – “Episode 101” (ABC)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special: Scott Mescudi (Story By), Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – Entergalactic (Netflix)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Directing Categories
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Angela Barnes – Atlanta – “The Homeliest Little Horse” (FX)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul – “Axe and Grind” (AMC)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special: Anton Cropper – Fantasy Football (Paramount+)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture: Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture): Reginald Hudlin – Sidney (Apple TV+)
Documentary Categories
Outstanding Documentary (Film): Civil (Netflix)
Outstanding Documentary (Television): Everything’s Gonna be All White (Showtime)
Literary Categories
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction: Take My Hand – Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Penguin Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction: Finding Me – Viola Davis (HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author: Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen – George McCalman (HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography: Scenes from My Life – Michael K. Williams, Jon Sternfeld (Penguin Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional: Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration – Tracey Lewis-Giggetts (Gallery/Simon and Schuster)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry: To the Realization of Perfect Helplessness – Robin Coste Lewis (Alfred A. Knopf)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children: Stacey’s Remarkable Books – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas (HarperCollins – Balzer + Bray)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens: Cookies & Milk – Shawn Amos (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Podcast Categories
Outstanding News and Information Podcast: Beyond the Scenes – The Daily Show (Central Productions, LLC)
Outstanding Lifestyle / Self-Help Podcast: Therapy for Black Girls (Therapy for Black Girls)
Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast: LeVar Burton Reads (SiriusXM’s Stitcher Studios)
Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast: Two Funny Mamas (Mocha Podcasts Network)
Costume Design, Make-Up & Hairstyling Categories
Outstanding Costume Design (Television or Film): Ruth Carter – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Outstanding Make-up (Television or Film): Debi Young, Sandra Linn, Ngozi Olandu Young, Gina Bateman – We Own This City (HBO Max)
Outstanding Hairstyling (Television or Film): Camille Friend – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Social Media Category
Outstanding Social Media Personality: @KevOnStage – Kevin Fredericks
Special Awards
Jackie Robinson Sports Award: Serena Williams
Chairman’s Award: Congressman Bennie Thompson.
Youth Activist of the Year: Bradley Ross Jackson
Activist of the Year: Derrick Lee Forward
Social Justice Impact Award: Benjamin Crump
President’s Awards: Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade
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