In celebration of Grammy Week and the kickoff of Black History Month, BMAC presented a trio of events in the name of service and fun. Capping the organization’s week of events in Los Angeles were the BMAC x Billboard Action Awards in conjunction with an Economic Justice Summit (Feb. 2) held at United Talent Agency (UTA) in Beverly Hills.
Representative Cori Bush (D-Missouri) and Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-New Yok) were special guests. A panel discussion moderated by BMAC CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers addressed ways to use the power of music to create economic justice. The conversation featured Michael Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, Calif., Creatives Rebuild NY’s Maura Cuffie-Peterson, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s John Sykes and Billboard editorial director Hannah Karp. An exclusive clip from the forthcoming documentary It’s Basic was also screened. The film spotlights families who have been empowered by guaranteed income programs. Tubbs, who established the first guaranteed income program during his tenure as Stockton’s mayor, is the executive producer of It’s Basic.
Earlier in the week, BMAC rolled out the first of its three events with the exclusive Music Maker Dinner (Jan. 31) hosted in collaboration with Grammy-winning production/songwriting team Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Stiggers doubled as emcee for the festivities, which included presentations to the winners of the 2024 BMAC x ASCAP x Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Music Maker Grant: Mikaili Ector and Zaire Porter. Current seven-time Grammy nominee Victoria Monét was on hand as well to announce the BMAC x Victoria Monét Music Maker Grant, which will award a Black emerging artist $5,000. Among the additional industry executives and artists gathered inside nightspot Delilah were Jermaine Dupri (who DJ’d too), Babyface, Muni Long, Flavor Flav, Teedra Moses and BMAC board members.
Black-owned media and Black journalists were saluted by BMAC and BOMESI (Black Owned Media Equity & Sustainability Institute) during a media mixer (Feb. 1) at Live Nation in Beverly Hills. The event’s centerpiece was a panel discussion moderated by Stiggers that provided insights from panelists Rhonesha Byng (CEO, Her Agenda; BOMESI co-founder), James DuBose (CEO, In the Black Network), Tasha Hilton (BET senior director of marketing) and Grouchy Greg Watkins (co-founder, AllHipHop).
See all of the behind-the-scenes photos from BMAC x Billboard Action Awards below.