Making A Real Difference: The 2024 BMAC Gala Will Honor LL Cool J, Usher & More For Accomplishments In Racial Equity & Social Justice (2024)

1. LL Cool J – Clarance Avant Trailblazer Award

Source:BMAC

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Kennedy Center Honoree, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and brands in entertainment and continues to display his wide range of talents with every project.

Four decades after he first burst onto the scene, LL COOL J continues his vibrant, trailblazing career. LL COOL J helped elevate the burgeoning rap and Hip-Hop scene of the 80’s, which developed into the musical and cultural phenomenon that is Hip-Hop as we know it today. Of LL’s many contributions to the culture, he also is credited with the creation of the acronym “G.O.A.T.” – short for “Greatest of All Time.”

First introduced to the world in 1984 as a Def Jam Recordings’ flagship artist, LL is the first rap artist to amass ten consecutive platinum-plus selling albums, including his critically-acclaimed debut album, RADIO, and the international, timeless anthem and album of the same name, MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT. LL’s hit singles include “Going Back to Cali,” “Doin’ It,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Loungin’”, “Headsprung,” and Hip-Hop’s first rap ballad “I Need Love.”

Up next, this fall LL is back to make his latest artistic contribution and continue to elevate Hip-Hop culture after over a decade long hiatus with the September 6th, 2024 release of his highly anticipated new album, The FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), executive produced by Hip-Hop innovator and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Q-Tip, of A Tribe Called Quest. With this album, LL will help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the creation of Def Jam Recordings.

In December 2017, LL became the first rapper to earn the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor, which is America’s highest achievement for any performer. In addition, he received his star on the world-renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 21, 2016.

In March 2018, LL launched his own SiriusXM timeless Hip-Hop channel entitled “LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Radio,” garnering millions of daily listeners. The channel features a wide range of innovative and timeless Hip-Hop content, music, interviews, and in-depth retrospectives curated, programmed, and presented by the award-winning artist himself. Since founding the radio station, Rock The Bells has developed into a global platform that has become the preeminent voice for timeless Hip-Hop. Rock The Bells focuses on content, commerce and experiences that honor the CULTURE and the core elements of Hip-Hop – MCs, DJs, Breakers, Graffiti Artists – and more. Rock The Bells hosted its inaugural eponymous music festival in Queens, New York in August 2022, which sold out back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023, where LL headlined both festivals.

LL COOL J was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 30, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio for the 36th annual induction ceremony. Considered by most as the crowning achievement for one’s musical career, the ceremony was a celebration of LL’s lasting impact on Hip-Hop and the music industry.

In Summer 2023, LL COOL J, Rock The Bells, and Live Nation Urban kicked off his first arena tour in 30 years across North America called The F.O.R.C.E. Tour, inspired by the name of LL’s forthcoming album. Living up to the acronym for Frequencies of Real Creative Energy, the lineup for this tour was personally curated by LL COOL J. Building off their amazing performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier that year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates featured collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip.

LL hosted the GRAMMY® Awards for an unprecedented five years in a row from 2012-2016, for which he earned rave reviews. In addition, he hosted and produced the GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live Special for seven years and has also been a presenter at the Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG Awards. Most recently, at the end of 2023, LL helped produce CBS’ live concert special A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

LL has always been an avid philanthropist involved in numerous causes, including literacy for kids as well as music and arts programs in schools. Founded in 2005, LL’s charity “Jump & Ball” – which takes place every August in his hometown of Queens, New York – aims to give back to his local community by offering an athletic and team building program dedicated to bringing wholesome fun to young people.

Between being a musician, actor, philanthropist and entrepreneur, LL COOL J is the ultimate multi-hyphenate whose career continues to expand and where he remains one of the most beloved and innovative brands in entertainment. He currently resides in both New York and Los Angeles.

2. Usher – Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award

Source:BMAC

Usher’s uncommon gifts as an artist and storyteller have inspired audiences around the world, revealed truths about the human condition, and made us all feel more alive. Three decades into his record-breaking, culture-shifting career, the multifaceted superstar continues to carve new pathways in music, fashion, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and live performance. Now, at the conclusion of a record-setting three-year run on the Las Vegas strip, the musician charts a new course with the release of his much-anticipated ninth album, his first as an independent artist.

Beginning in 2021 at Caesar’s Palace, Usher’s first Las Vegas residency grossed a million dollars a night and enticed the public to return to the Strip after pandemic-forced shutdowns. In 2022, the artist launched the elevated My Way Las Vegas Residency. One hundred high-energy shows of immersive, fever-inducing theatricality set a new benchmark for artists, and, night-after-night, showcased the timeless ethos of R&B: hard-driving performance, glamour, sensuality, and velvety, pristine vocals. The run’s success is weighted with history. Usher’s forebears like Sammy Davis, Jr. and Josephine Baker performed on the strip but could not sleep in its hotels. While dazzling audiences, the show also paid homage to those who came before.

Usher has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling artists in music history. Since his self-titled debut in 1994, when he was just 15, the artist has been widely considered a standard bearer of R&B. His second LP, My Way, established the star as a bonafide hitmaker. Certified seven-times platinum in the United States, the album earned the artist the first of nine career number ones on the Billboard Hot 100. With his third LP, 8701 Usher won his first GRAMMY. His fourth album, Confessions, broke a record for first-week sales and topped the Billboard 200. Certified diamond in 2008, the landmark album is to date the last LP by a Black artist to reach that distinction. It also kicked off a stunning run of four consecutive number one albums. The eight-time GRAMMY winner has pioneered a musically nimble, shape-shifting approach to crafting songs, hopscotching between R&B and soul, dance, electronic, hip-hop, and more, transcending genre and blending them all into a sound that is uniquely his own.

The artist’s achievements outside of music have included critically lauded appearances on Broadway, primetime television shows like The Voice, and more than a dozen feature films, including the 2019 blockbuster Hustlers. This year marks Usher’s 25th anniversary as founding chairman of the New Look Foundation. The Atlanta-based 501 c(3) organization has encouraged more than 55,000 teens to “find their spark,” via programming in college readiness, financial literacy, and career planning. A caring mentor known for generosity with his time and advice, Usher has raised millions for various causes and received recognition for his work as a humanitarian and social activist from the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Trumpet Foundations, and Do Something. The NCAAP selected him as its 2010 Ford Freedom Award Scholar, and Morehouse College honored him with the prestigious 2014Candle Award. In 2023, Usher was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music from Berklee College of Music, an honor shared with Duke Ellington and Roberta Flack.

In 2024, Usher’s path-breaking continues. As headliner of Apple Music’s halftime show for Super Bowl LVIII, in none other than Las Vegas, the artist will deliver a thirteen-minute-long celebration of his effervescent, timeless sound. He promises that “R&B performance, R&B connection, R&B spirit” will “take the main stage.” His first new full-length LP in eight years, and his ninth overall, Coming Home, will release. A thrilling meld of traditional R&B s and contemporary production, his first release as an independent artist is infused with the sophisticated bounce of Atlanta, Usher’s hometown, as well as his trademark vulnerability, poignant storytelling, displaying an ever-deepening mastery of his craft.

3. Scott M. Mills (President and Chief Executive Officer) of BET Media Group – BMAC Social Impact Award

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Scott M. Mills is the President and Chief Executive Officer of BET Media Group, the world’s largest media company dedicated to entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture.

Mills is credited with architecting the transformation of BET from a traditional cable business into the thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international that BET is today. These platforms include:

• BET Linear, the #1 cable network for Black audiences;
• BET +, the #1 premium subscription streaming service for black audiences;
• BET Studios, an innovative studio venture providing equity ownership to Black content creators;
• BET Digital, BET’s interactive arm;
• BET Her, the first network designed exclusively for Black women;
• BET International, which operates BET around the globe;
• BET LIVE, BET’s events and experience branch; and
• VH1, a leader in multi-cultural programming and the second-largest U.S. cable network for Black audiences

Mills is responsible for bringing A-list content creators into the fold, setting new precedents for BET and, by extension, Paramount as the largest commissioner of Black premium content through groundbreaking partnerships with Tyler Perry, Kenya Barris, Lee Daniels, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, and many others.

Philanthropy has always been central to BET’s mission over its 40+ year legacy, and Mills’ demonstrated commitment to social impact has inspired company- and industry-wide change. One such example is Content for Change, a multi-pronged initiative launched by Mills that seeks to harness the power of content to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes, and all forms of hate, that was recently adopted and applied across the entire Paramount organization.

Whether investing in Black communities, discovering and fostering Black creatives, or rallying Black leaders across business, media, and entertainment to raise nearly $20M in COVID-19 relief to support Black communities hardest hit by the virus, under Mills’ leadership BET remains steadfast in its commitment to support the Black community.

Previously, Mills was tapped by Viacom leadership to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer responsible for Human Resources, Media Technology Services, Real Estate, Programming Acquisitions, Facilities, and Security.

Before joining the Viacom executive team in 2012, Mills held a variety of positions at BET, including President and Chief Operating Officer for BET Networks. In this capacity, Mills led BET’s business functions, including sales, finance, legal and business affairs, human resources, digital, research, strategic planning, business development, and administration.

Prior to his appointment to Chief Operating Officer, Mills was Chief Financial Officer and President of Digital Media for BET Networks. As CFO, Mills was responsible for the company’s finance functions, including accounting, reporting, financial planning, tax, treasury, and controls, as well as corporate research, strategic planning, and business development. As President of Digital Media, Mills launched BET Mobile and BET’s digital video distribution operations. Before becoming CFO, Mills was Executive Vice President and COO of BET Interactive, overseeing the launch of BET.com and leading the property to become a leading online destination for the Black community.

After working in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and serving as Deputy Treasurer of the City of Philadelphia, Mills joined BET as Senior Vice President of Business Development in 1997. A native of New York, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mills currently serves as the Lead Director of Principal Financial Group Inc. and numerous not-for-profit boards, such as The Wharton School and Lincoln Center Theater. Throughout his career, Mills has been recognized for his inspiring leadership and humanitarianism through numerous awards and accolades, including the National Action Network’s Cultural Impact Award; The New York Urban League’s Frederick Douglass Award; Riverside Hawks Honoree; Excellence in Leadership Award presented by INROADS, and more.

4. Louis Carr (President, Media Sales) of BET Media Group – BMAC Social Impact Award

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Louis Carr, President of Media Sales, at Black Entertainment Television (BET) Networks, is one of the most influential and prominent African Americans in both media and marketing industries. He has been responsible for more advertising dollars targeted towards the African-American consumer markets, than any other professional or company. In 2016, he celebrated his 30^thyear anniversary with BET. In the same year, he earned the Diversity Award from the Hyatt Corporation and another Lifetime Achievement Award from the Patricia Martin Legacy celebration honoring his work around diversity from both personal and professional standpoints. Carr has also been listed on NAMIC’s Most Influential African Americans list in the cable industry several times.

Utilizing his B.A. in Journalism from Drake University, Louis Carr has become a compelling author, writing two books titledDirty Little SecretsandThe Little Black Book: Daily Motivations for Business and Personal Growth. His engaging books share anecdotes from his captivating success story. These nuggets of wisdom were written with the intent of paying it forward and telling his individual story. Throughout childhood and along his career path, Carr acknowledges the encouragement and help received by others who deemed him “special” even before he believed it himself. Undoubtedly, Carr openly lays out his own roadmap to greatness with sure fire tips to aid students, business professionals and those in pursuit of self-purpose to get to the next level. He most recently became a TEDx Speaker, emphasizing “The Necessity of Being Uncomfortable”.

He has served on boards of the Ad Council; International Radio and Television Society (IRTS); American Advertising Federation (AAF); and the Video Advertising Board (VAB), formerly the CAB. He currently serves on the board of the Boys Hope Girls Hope and the United States Track and Field Foundation.

He is a dedicated mentor and benevolent philanthropist. Devoted to diversity, Mr. Carr has hired more people of color than any other executive or company within the media industry. Additionally, for more than fourteen years, the Louis Carr Internship Foundation (LCIF) has dedicated its efforts to improve diversity in corporate America. By placing undergraduate students of color in paid summer internships, Louis further demonstrates his commitment to helping others gain exposure and experience.

5. Constance M. Orlando (Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy) of BET Media Group – BMAC Social Impact Award

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6. KImberly Paige (Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer) of BET Media Group – BMAC Social Impact Award

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Kimberly Paige is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of general management, strategy, innovation, and brand marketing experience with a proven track record of building billion-dollar Fortune 500 brands.

Paige is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for BET Networks. Paige is responsible for managing and implementing brand strategy across all platforms, including the BET and BET Her linear networks, BET+, BET Digital, BET Social and BET Experience. Paige also leads BET’s awarding-winning Brand Creative Team, best-in-class Consumer Insights & Analytics Team and all Media Planning. In addition, she stewards BET’s Live Events business. Paige reports to Scott Mills, President of BET Networks.

Most recently, Paige was the Chief Operating and Brand-Building Officer at Sundial Brands, a leading skincare and haircare manufacturer renowned for its innovative use of high-quality, culturally authentic natural ingredients, and maker of SheaMoisture, Nubian Heritage, Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture, and nyakio™. Paige managed the overall strategic direction of the company and led the business planning for continued growth, including the existing product portfolio, new and innovative products and line extensions, and built the business in existing and new channels. She was responsible for operations, which included end-to-end supply chain, marketing and sales, and continually assessed the organization and infrastructure for company growth.

She joined Sundial from her previous role as Chief Marketing Officer of Coty, Inc. where she stewarded the repositioning of several flagship brands.

Prior to Coty, Paige spent 17 years at The Coca Cola Company where she led several businesses to unparalleled revenue growth while driving brand loyalty for brands including Sprite, Fanta, SmartWater and more. In addition to multiple brand leadership roles, she was Vice President & CMO of Coca-Cola’s Ventures & Emerging Brands, where she led innovation and marketing support for emerging and recently acquired brands. Prior to that, Paige co-founded and was President of Kickoff Marketing, a strategic planning and brand consulting firm where she drove profitable growth and assessed new business venture opportunities for a variety of consumer brands and non-profit organizations. Paige began her career at Procter and Gamble, where she worked in brand management and drove results for the largest division of the company (formerly Package Soap and Detergent).

7. Ivy McGregor (Executive Director of BeyGOOD) – BMAC Change Agent Award

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Ms. Ivy McGregor, Chief Executive Officer at BeyGOOD, the public charity founded by Mrs. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in 2013, has been at the forefront of some of culture’s biggest moments. For over a decade, Ms. McGregor has been a trusted visionary whose strategic approaches to community-building have reshaped the world of philanthropy. While she continues to use her platform to highlight global issues, it is her unrelenting work behind the scenes that has had the most influence within the realm of social impact.

As an integral part of the foundation’s inception, Ms. McGregor has contributed to BeyGOOD’s ability to grow from embodying Mrs. Knowles-Carter’s initial mission of creating equitable opportunities for the underserved to become one of the leading foundations globally. Her indelible expertise, gained through over two decades of being a sought-after executive and speaker across industries, has positioned her at the helm of corralling communities and influential individuals. By coming together with a shared vision to promote economic prosperity through transformative initiatives, she remains rooted in fostering equitable opportunities within entrepreneurship and education.

Ms. McGregor’s exemplary reputation for executing momentous fundraising initiatives can be seen through the frameworks she spearheads to support BeyGOOD’s three pillars to support educational scholarships, small business grants, and community-based organizations. Her financial acumen and deep knowledge of non-profit federal and state requirements and operational regulations have propelled her to an expert within the field of fundraising. With her invaluable insight, she continues to successfully devise strategic models that support under-resourced programs and directly address inequities that persistently and overwhelmingly impact marginalized groups. Her tireless work during 2020 saw Ms. McGregor raise $6M to support individuals and small business owners during the unprecedented strains of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strenuous years that followed. More recently, her determination to contribute to eliminating the impacts of economic inequalities led to her raising nearly $4M in 2023 alone.

With an ability to remain conversant with the topics shaping cultures and communities, locally and abroad, Ms. McGregor has a unique perspective extending far beyond the boardroom. Over the years, Ms. McGregor’s prodigious approach to overseeing board governance activities has made her a trusted and recognized collaborator for many of society’s most distinguished groups. Beyond this, however, it is her human-led approach to service that enables her to be a dedicated mentor to the diverse employees and consultants under her heart-driven leadership. With no intentions of letting up, she remains devoted to empowering and inspiring those across demographics and generations to take action toward creating more instances of GOOD.

From Harvard University to the Rockefeller Family Office as a keynote speaker, and with an
honorary doctorate from Bethune-Cookman University, Dr. Ivy McGregor is undeniably one of the
most respected voices in modern philanthropy.

8. Chef Deborah Van Trece

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Chef Deborah VanTrece is one of the South’s most high-profile culinary personalities. In addition to penning the best-selling Twisted Soul Cookbook, running two award-winning restaurants, a catering company and curating the menu for American Express Atlanta Centurion Lounge, she has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, The Michelin Guide and Yelp’s Best New Restaurants… all in the last year alone. In her spare time, she managed to create the most buzzed-about menu, honoring Whitney Houston, for the 2023 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles and on September 2nd, she will premiere her first cooking show dedicated to her take on global cuisine.

Prior to embarking on her culinary career over 20 years ago, Chef VanTrece was a flight attendant for American Airlines, where her travels took her to destinations throughout Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Her experience had a profound influence on her unique culinary style, which she describes as, “modern, global soul.” While her dishes celebrate the profound influence that the African Diaspora has had on contemporary American Cuisine, they also explore different cultures with the understanding that “Every culture has its own version of soul food.”

Deborah is a tireless advocate for Georgia farm families, whom she regularly promotes through her menus and special community events. She is also a leading voice for the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable agriculture. As a female African American business owner, and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Chef VanTrece is a passionate advocate for social justice, especially on issues that impact marginalized and vulnerable populations. She was honored by Good Morning America and the Coca-Cola Company for her selfless community work during the COVID-19 pandemic.