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Charlie Wilson received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with collaborators like Snoop Dogg attending the ceremony honoring him.
For Charlie Wilson, the road to being an R&B legend has been a long and eventful one. Another milestone in that journey occurred on Monday (January 29) as he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The 71-year-old lead singer of The Gap Band reminisced over a moment in his past when he first arrived in Los Angeles while addressing the crowd at the ceremony.
“But I was walking in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and I was trying to put my hands in the hands on the sidewalk. I was like, ‘Wow, what if I can get this one day?’, Wilson said. “Some woman walking by said, ‘That’s not impossible.’ I said, ‘But I’m talking about me.’ She said, ‘Yeah, and I’m telling you it’s not impossible. It might be improbable, but not impossible.’ And now, here it is — so many years later, and I’m getting that star on Hollywood Boulevard.”
Snoop Dogg, a frequent collaborator of Wilson’s, praised the singer for being a vault of knowledge for him. “That’s the treasure to me. because when we get in this industry, we don’t really have people who we can count on, who we can go to. We get so far in this industry that you lose contact,” said the rapper. “So, to have somebody like you to stay in my life and to be there for me and my family means the world to me, Charlie.”
Charlie Wilson underwent the highs of fame and the lows – after the success of The Gap Band, he struggled with addiction and homelessness for most of the 1990s. That decade, however, would see him revitalized through being featured on numerous tracks by Hip-Hop artists and a solo career. He’d earn 13 Grammy Award nominations, a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Soul Train Icon award. Wilson also successfully overcame prostate cancer in 2008 and is now a Prostate Cancer Foundation spokesperson.
“I’m still here to be able to tell my story and be able to dance and sing and have a good time on the stage,” said Wilson. “All the things I’ve ever prayed for, they all came to pass. I really sort of am Superman — I’m faster than all of the speeding bullets that came after me.”
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Photo: Getty
To audience chants of “we want the funk; we gotta have that funk,” George “Dr. Funkenstein” Clinton received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
His star, the 2769th, is located at 6752 Hollywood Blvd. in front of the Musicians Institute. Speaking at the ceremony on Friday (Jan. 19) were Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and songwriter Janie Bradford.
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As the mastermind behind the legendary bands Parliament/Funkadelic, Clinton steered the way across the cosmos to such classics as “(I Wanna) Testify,” “P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up),” “Star Child (Mothership Connection),” “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk),” “Flash Light,” “Aqua Boogie,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” “(Not Just) Knee Deep” and “Atomic Dog.” Along the way, Clinton also influenced a diverse range of artists from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kendrick Lamar.
Acknowledging all the members of his bands over the years, Clinton said, “Lots of them are here, lots of them not. But for all of them I say thanks and I’m blessed to be representing a bunch of funky mothers. Thank you, Hollywood!”
Here are some additional soundbites from Clinton’s star ceremony:
Clinton: Noting to audience laughter that he was going to read his speech “because I’m so emotional and ain’t no way in hell I’m going to remember all this s—,” the newly minted Hollywood Walk of Fame inductee called it an “honor to receive a star alongside the many notables from the world of entertainment. The old fans and new fans who let the music move their souls; you all know who I’m talking about [because] I’ve always said it’s the people who make the funk. [Also] thank you to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity] brothers who adopted ‘Atomic Dog’ as their national anthem and keeping it relevant for over 40 years. Damn! 40 years. Now as we drop the star, let it be a symbol not just for George Clinton but for the power of the funk, the power of unity of one nation under a groove. This acknowledgement does not mark a destination or even a pause because we’re still going forward. I was encouraged by [artists] like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, De La Soul, 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers and all those who said funk inspired them. They used the DNA of funk and that inspired me to go on in my fight for musical rights — thank you, Ben Crump — and not just for me but for all [artists’] rights that have been mishandled.”
Kiedis: “Welcome to the corner of Hollywood & George,” joked the RHCP shared that he first learned about George Clinton when a fellow student at Los Angeles’ Fairfax High brought Parliament’s Chocolate City album to school for show and tell. Years later in 1985, the Peppers released their Clinton-produced album Freaky Styley. “For me personally, George became an instant friend, teacher, mentor, a father figure, a co-conspirator, instigator. I love George Clinton with all my heart,” Kiedis concluded before leading the audience in a singalong of a “small spiritual hymn” as he warbled the chorus to “P. Funk”: “Make my funk the P-Funk / I wants my funk uncut …”
Crump: “Now more than ever in the world, we need music that brings us all together. And nobody’s music brings us all together quite like this brother’s brings us together — one nation under a groove. This brother got brothers and sisters all across the globe coming together through the Mothership Connection. He got people in Europe, Australia, Africa and North America walking around in daytime with a flashlight looking for the P-Funk. That’s why we celebrate the one and only, the iconic George Clinton: the father of funk music, Dr. Funkenstein himself.”
Bradford: Looking back at the ’70s heyday of Funkadelic, Bradford pointed out that Clinton “announced his retirement in 2018 and today in 2024, George [at 82] is still working [touring, readying three recording projects and painting]. “My kids think I’m cool because I know George Clinton. I think I am blessed that he is my friend and I am his. Congratulations, George!”
Gwen Stefani was honored with a much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday morning (Oct. 19), and she celebrated the honor alongside her three sons and husband Blake Shelton. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The country superstar gave a swoon-worthy speech during the ceremony, […]
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The late Chadwick Boseman will be among the group of honorees to get their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year, including the iconic producer Dr. Dre.
On Monday (June 26th), the Walk of Fame Selection Panel for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced their Class of 2024 whose members will be honored with a star on the Walk of Fame. Boseman, who succumbed to colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43, will posthumously receive that honor as part of the group nominated from the Motion Pictures category. Late musical icon Otis Redding will also get a star after being nominated for the Live Theatre/Live Performance category with actress Jane Krakowski.
Dr. Dre will also be receiving a star after being nominated from the Recording category along with Glen Ballard, Toni Braxton, Def Leppard, Charles Fox, Sammy Hagar, Brandy Norwood, Darius Rucker, and Gwen Stefani. Veteran radio host and media personality Angie Martinez will also get a star as the lone nominee from the Radio category.
“The Selection Committee which is made up of fellow Walk of Famers, carefully hand-picks a group of honorees each year that represent various genres of the entertainment world,” Walk of Fame Chair Ellen K said in the announcement statement. “The Committee did an amazing job choosing these very talented people.” There are no dates announced yet for any ceremonies.
The rest of the honorees from the film category are veteran actress and recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chris Meledandri, Chris Pine, and Christina Ricci along with Gal Gadot and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. The television category nominated Ken Jeong, Eugene Levy, Mario Lopez, Jim Nantz, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Michael Schur, Kerry Washington, and Gordo y La Flaca co-hosts Raúl De Molina and Lili Estefan. Tennis legend Billie Jean King and Carl Weathers will be honored from the Sports Entertainment category.
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Hip-Hop is about to add another name to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. It has been confirmed that 2Pac will finally receive his star.
As per HipHopDX the late great will be getting one of the most prestigious decorations an entertainer can receive. Earlier this week Variety Magazine revealed that the All Eyez On Me rapper will receive the star posthumously at a ceremony slated for Wednesday, June 7. The event will be hosted by California radio personality Big Boy and Pac’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur will receive the honor on her brother’s behalf. It will be the 2,758th star in the iconic walkway. Naturally the organization instantly received some criticism that the honor was long overdue to which they responded saying “2Pac was selected in 2013, and we have been waiting for his family/estate to set a date.”
Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in Harlem, New York City in 1971 and would get his entry into the music business as a dancer and roadie for Digital Underground. He would soon leave the group to pursue his own solo career. In 1991 he released his first album 2Pacalypse Now. Within the next five years he curated some of hist most influential works including Me Against The World and All Eyez On Me. After leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match on September 7, 1996 at the MGM Grand he was shot multiple times in a drive by shooting. His murder has never been officially solved by police.
2Pac is considered one of the genre’s most influential talents ever and is often cited as an inspiration by today’s biggest stars.
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The Rose That Grew From Concrete is finally receiving his own sidewalk honor: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On June 7, legendary rapper, poet and actor Tupac Shakur will receive his star in the recording category during a public ceremony at 6212 Hollywood Blvd.
“Tupac Shakur was a rapper, actor, activist, poet, and revolutionary,” says Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “This iconic artist has continued to be part of the zeitgeist for decades after his passing and will continue to be an important cultural figure for many years to come. Surely, as one of L.A.’s own, Tupac’s star will be added to the list of most visited stars.”
Born in New York City but spending his formative years in California, Shakur is revered as a West Coast legend and a cited inspiration to artists across the globe, including Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, J. Cole, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and countless others.
At the Baltimore School for the Arts, Shakur studied acting, poetry, jazz and ballet. In his early career, Shakur was known as MC New York before taking on the moniker 2Pac during his time with rap group Digital Underground.
As a solo artist, Shakur released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991 via Interscope Records. He went on to share three more albums before his fatal shooting at age 25 — all of which charted on the Billboard 200, with All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World topping the chart. Following his death, six posthumous studio albums were released through Amaru Entertainment, started by Shakur’s mother, and Interscope Records.
Both All Eyez on Me and Shakur’s greatest-hits collection are RIAA-certified diamond, surpassing the 10-million mark. In 2017, the rap icon was the first solo hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As an actor, Shakur starred in films including Juice, Poetic Justice, Above The Rim, Gridlock’d and Gang Related.
The Walk of Fame star unveiling will be hosted by L.A. radio host Big Boy and guest speakers will include director Allen Hughes (Hulu documentary series Dear Mama), writer Jamal Joseph and Tupac’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, who will accept the star.
The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. PT and will stream live here.
Walk of Fame stars aren’t cheap.
From the website: “Due to rising costs, sponsorship fee will increase to $75,000 for all accepted nominations starting with the class of 2024.”
This represents a jump from $55,000 last year. The sponsorship fee has increased astronomically in the past 36 years.
“When I started in 1987, I think it was about $3,500,” Martinez says. “Then it went up to $5,000. It would go up every few years. The last time we had a big increase, was probably almost 10 years ago – it went from $40,000 to $50,000. Then it was $55,000. Everything is astronomical right now. Everything has gone up since we’ve been back from COVID.”
Some of the costs the sponsorship fee covers include the creation and installation of the star (they are made of terrazzo and brass); the costs associated with the star unveiling ceremony, which is free and open to the public; maintenance of the star in instances of cracking or vandalism (Donald Trump’s star was whacked more than once); and the presentation of a large floral arrangement on the day the honoree dies.
The Hollywood Historic Trust, not the city of Los Angeles, takes care of Walk of Fame repairs and the floral arrangements. “They get a portion of the sponsorship fee,” Martinez says. “The trust was formed to maintain the look of the Walk of Fame and they do other things as well. During COVID, I believe they did a $3 million repair because nobody was on [Hollywood] Blvd. so it was a perfect time to do it.”
When it is suggested that the requirement to commit to sponsor the star would put this out of reach for even most superfans, Martinez replies, “You would be surprised. When Liza Minnelli was selected, she was nominated by fans. They had movie nights at somebody’s house and they would sell baked goods. That’s how they raised the money. For Dean Stockwell, he was very much into the environment. His fans collected newspaper [for recycling; what used to be called paper drives] and got money for that. So, they have their ways. And nowadays, they have GoFundMe and things like that.”
From the website: “The Hollywood Walk of Fame does not encourage or endorse online campaigns for fundraising for a star prior to selection. Such initiatives do not impact the selection process for a star on the Walk of Fame.”
From the website: “The nominator must promise to sponsor the star presentation if it approved. Please submit completed nomination application and a commitment to sponsor the star.”
Martinez amplifies on that point. “We are a non-profit. We cannot pay for it.”
That said, the Walk of Fame brings in quite a bit of money. At the new rate of $75,000 per star presentation, and assuming 27 presentations per year (the midpoint in the 24-30 range Martinez cites), the presentations bring in $2,025,000 per year. At $250 per application, and assuming 200 applications a year, applications bring in an additional $50,000. (Note that applications buy two years of consideration, so that second figure may be more like $25,000 per year.)
If you still want to go through with this, visit the Walk Of Fame Nomination Dashboard.
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Source: VALERIE MACON / Getty / Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan has been the talk of the internet, but this latest news has nothing to do with a debate about him being “corny,” looking at you, Joe Budden.
Easily one of Hollywood’s hottest actors, Michael B. Jordan now has a star on the Walk of Fame, one of Hollywood’s most significant accomplishments, on Wednesday, March 1
The honor was first announced by The Hollywood Walk of Fame selection panel in 2021, and Jordan’s name was on a list that included television mogul Byron Allen and the late Hip-Hop star Nipsey Hussle.
His friend and frequent collaborator, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and his new buddy and Creed III co-star Jonathan Majors were on hand to deliver kind words about Jordan before he was given his star and plaque.
This latest accomplishment in his career came ahead of Creed III’s release, which Jordan directed, and critics are raving is the best film in the boxing movie franchise.
This is probably one of the most unforgettable weeks I’ve had,” Jordan said at the ceremony. “I’m extremely humbled and grateful to be here … I know it’s not a small achievement. It’s not lost on me how special this moment is and what this represents to our community, so from the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you.”
Jonathan Majors & Ryan Coogler Came With The Glowing Words For Michael B. Jordan
Ryan Coogler and Jordan are now a formidable Hollywood 1,2 punch since Fruitvale Station. Coogler spoke on their history and recalling meeting a young Jordan in Starbucks by Universal Studios to discuss him possibly starring in the film.
The rest is history after that, with Jordan and Coogler working on other films like the first Creed film and Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
For his speech, Jonathan Majors had nothing but kind words about his buddy pointing to the long days on the Creed III set and how Jordan’s determination. “Today, brother, you go from man to god,” Majors said.
“You sit among Olympians. I honor you, I love you, and we are all so proud to call you our son, our brother, but chiefly, I am extremely honored to call you my friend. No man on the planet I know deserves it more. I love you to the moon and back,” Majors continued.
Congratulations to Michael B. Jordan, and see Creed III immediately. It’s fire.
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Photo: VALERIE MACON / Getty
Ice-T will be honored with the 2,747th on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 17.
“Ice-T is a cultural icon and a success both in the music and television industries. His fans will be very excited to see their favorite performer placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a press statement.
Since its orgin in the 1950s, millions of tourists walk the popular attraction daily to get a photo of their favorite celebrities’ five-pointed honor. The stretch of pink terrazzo and brass stars along Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, and its adjacent streets, are full of more than 2,500 celebrities who have contributed to film, music, television, theater and radio.
Out of the thousands of Walk of Fame stars, did you know Ice-T is only the eleventh rapper in history to receive the honor? The number isn’t too shocking, since the process to get a star is pretty laborious. Each celebrity must be nominated, apply for the star with a written statement and raise the required amount of money to receive the honor.
See below for the 11 rappers who have received the ultimate Hollywood “street cred.”
Sophie Turner is gushing with pride over her husband, Joe Jonas, and the Jonas Brothers‘ latest career milestone.
The Game of Thrones actress was present Monday when Joe, Kevin and Nick received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and she took to Instagram on Tuesday (Jan. 31) to express just how proud she is of her family.
“To see the hard work and love and light you boys bring to your music… it’s an honor just to watch from the sidelines,” Turner captioned a photo from the event, in which she, Joe and her famous in-laws posed for commemorative photos.
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“After almost 20 years of hard work, you boys are so deserving of this. I’m so lucky to count you as family. I’m proud of you every day,” she added, placing a shining star and red heart emoji at the end of her post.
The Jonas Brothers were equally excited to become Walk of Famers — so much so that during the ceremony, the brothers celebrated the achievement by announcing that their new project, The Album, is arriving on May 5.
“It’s nice to reflect on this nearly 20-year journey and to commemorate it here today, but we’re looking towards the future and what’s coming next,” Nick said during the ceremony. “So with that, I think that we should make a quick announcement. We are excited to announce today that our new album, The Album, will be coming out May 5th, and we can’t wait to see you on tour later this year.”
See Turner’s Instagram post here.
