The Apollo
Last week, the Apollo theater in Harlem was selected as the first venue to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. The Apollo will receive a special award as an iconic American institution, right alongside the four individuals who are being honored — Bonnie Raitt; Grateful Dead; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.
The prestigious honors will be presented on Dec. 8 at a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. CBS will broadcast the two-hour program on Dec. 23.
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“The Apollo, one of the most consequential, influential institutions in history, has elevated the voices of Black entertainment in New York City, nationally, and around the world, and launched the careers of legions of artists,” Kennedy Center chairman David M. Rubenstein said in a statement announcing the surprise selection.
This is a rare occasion that the Kennedy Center Honors has veered from its usual practice of honoring individuals. Six years ago, the program honored four key creators of the Broadway sensation Hamilton: An American Musical (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler). Five years ago, it honored the legendary children’s TV program Sesame Street (the award was presented to the show’s creators, Lloyd Morrisett and Joan Ganz Cooney).
It’s easy to see why the Kennedy Center chose the Apollo to receive this honor. For 90 years, The Apollo has been a beacon of the Harlem community; a platform for artists from the worlds of jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Artists who have played The Apollo’s famed Amateur Night include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Miri Ben-Ari.
Now that The Apollo has gotten the nod, what other venues would you like the Kennedy Center Honors to consider for recognition? Here are 20 choices, in alphabetical order:
Which venue should the Kennedy Center Honors consider for recognition next?
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Source: Sarah Stier / Getty Images for Netflix
Iron Mike Tyson is returning to the ring, and pay-per-view won’t be needed since it’s going down on Netflix. The boxing icon will be squaring up with YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul in July, but they held their first press conference on Monday, May 13 in Harlem to promote the fight.
Source: Sarah Stier / Getty Images for Netflix
Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) and Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) came face to face at The Apollo Theater in Harlem for a lighthearted press conference hosted by combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani. The two friends, who have been calling each other out for years, traded relatively tame shots, but Tyson was clear that once they enter that ring, they are not homies. “Once he’s in that ring, he has to fight like his life depends on it, because it will be,” said Iron Mike, who also drew laughs when he admitted he felt terrible and was “sore” from training.
With Mike pushing 60, Paul is no slouch, and is plenty confident. “I’m going to show the world that I can outbox Mike Tyson, prove everyone wrong, and show that I will be the one doing the killing,” said Paul.
Good luck with that.
Paul and Tyson are scheduled to go eight, two-minute round for their pro bout. The fight will be streaming live globally on Netflix on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from the home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Also in attendance was the top tier “undercard” match up of super lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) and Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs), the unified featherweight world champion. In this rematch, Taylor will be defending her undisputed title in a scheduled 10, two-minute rounds.
Check out photos from the event in the gallery.
1. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Katie Taylor, Mike Tyson, Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano
2. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Katie Taylor, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano
3. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Mike Tyson, Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul
4. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Mike Tyson
5. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul
6. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Mike Tyson, Ariel Helwani, Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul
7. Mike Tyson x Jake Paul Presser
Source:Getty Images for Netflix
Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano
A pair of R&B legends, Babyface and Usher, will be honored by The Apollo Theater in Harlem at its annual Spring Benefit on Tuesday, June 11. Babyface will receive the inaugural Legacy Award. Usher will receive the Icon Award.
“I am humbled to receive the inaugural Legacy Award,” Babyface said in a statement. “For nearly a century, the theater has been a constant symbol of excellence in Black entertainment. So, for The Apollo to honor my legacy feels nothing short of amazing.”
“It’s an honor to be receiving this award from such an iconic and historic cultural institution in New York City – one that has hosted and paved the way for so many prominent people,” Usher said. “I’m humbled to be this year’s recipient and look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
The event, which marks the Apollo’s 90th anniversary, will feature a special appearance by Big Daddy Kane, with more stars to be announced. Adam Blackstone will serve as musical director.
All proceeds will support the non-profit organization’s year-round artistic, education, and community programs.
The Spring Benefit begins with red carpet arrivals at 5:00 p.m. followed by the benefit concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 p.m. The event will also include an afterparty designed by event designer and Apollo board member Bronson Van Wyck.
In addition, Babyface will be inducted into The Apollo’s Walk of Fame the previous day, Monday, June 10 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Inductees are honored with a plaque which is installed under the theater’s iconic marquee on 125th Street.
Previous inductees into The Apollo’s Walk of Fame include Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Richard Pryor, Patti Labelle, Smokey Robinson, Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie, Ella Fitzgerald, Temptations and Mary J. Blige.
Babyface and Usher have won a combined 20 Grammy Awards – 12 for Babyface, eight for Usher. In addition, Babyface received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 2021. Big Daddy Kane won a Grammy in 1991 for his role on Quincy Jones’ celebrated Back on the Block album.
Blackstone won a Primetime Emmy in 2022 as music director of The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent. Usher headlined the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, which drew the largest audience in the event’s history. This year’s Primetime Emmy nods, where Usher’s halftime show is a likely contender, will be announced on July 17.
Visit www.ApolloTheater.org for more information. To purchase benefit tickets, make a donation, or for more information, visit www.apollotheater.org/event/spring-benefit-2024.
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Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty
Over the weekend, the King of The North, Drake, galloped down to the city of dreams and had social media buzzing after putting on two historic shows at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
It all began Saturday night (Jan. 21) when Drake performed at the historic theater. Drizzy performed classic hit after classic hit such as “Best I Ever Had,” “Say Something” and “Marvin’s Room” much to the delight of the crowd. Looking to wow the crowd, Drizzy treated fans and celebrities in attendance to some surprise performances. He brought out special guests such as Dip Set and 21 Savage to join him on stage.
Decked out in baggy clothes, chunky ice and pink attire, you would’ve thought Drake was a part of the 2000’s Diplomats forreal forreal. They could’ve used a singer/rapper back then too. Aside from performing the music catalogue that helped propel him to superstardom, The Grio is reporting that new music is on the way just months after dropping his latest project with 21 Savage, Her Loss. Drake even revealed he’d be hitting the road for a new tour this year.
“I thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time, none of those things are stopping making music for you,” Drake told the doting crowd. “I hope I can strike up some more emotions for you, maybe this year — I might get bored and make another one.”
Noting this was his first show in about five years and later stating “I’ll be out and about on the road a lot this year,” Spotify’s most-streamed artist in the U.S. last year told his captivated audience the show was about gratefulness.
“I wanted to make this a show about gratitude,” Drake said. “This is a little story we put together: my deep love for my family, for my dear friends and each and every one of you that have been supporting me for a long time.”
With the way Drake had the internet talking with his weekend performances at The Apollo, you know Drizzy bout to clean up with that tour money in 2023.
Were you able to catch any of Drake’s shows at The Apollo Theater over the weekend? Let us know in the comments section below.
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