Charlamagne Tha God, Cash Money CEOs Honored by Living Legends Foundation – Billboard

“The only thing I want to do is create platforms for people who have something to say.”

So famous Charlamagne Tha God whereas accepting the Living Legends Foundation’s Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award. The co-host of WWPR (Power 105) New York’s syndicated present The Breakfast Club, multimedia entrepreneur and best-selling creator was the primary of eight honorees saluted on the basis’s 30^th anniversary awards gala, held Friday night (Oct. 7) on the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.

Crediting numerous mentors in his profession, corresponding to iHeartMedia’s Thea Mitchem and Bob Pittman, Frankie Crocker and Tom Joyner, plus his spouse (“Strong men are secure enough to get out of the way and let strong women lead” he mentioned, adopted by hearty applause), Charlamagne implored the viewers to “ask yourself every day who have you helped or empowered to help people be the best versions of themselves.” That sentiment echoed all through the three-hour ceremony that noticed Cash Money Records co-founders/co-CEOs Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams introduced with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Before the presentation, producer Polow da Don paid homage to the brothers: “They represent and give voice to people in the trenches.” In a taped message, Baby and Slim thanked their numerous mentors as nicely, together with former Universal Records GM/exec. vp Jean Riggins, who gave Cash Money its begin. “She took a liking to us, stuck with us and taught us how to work the system,” associated Baby. “Our long journey is still going. We’re going to keep pushing because we like to change lives.”

One of the night’s extra emotional moments occurred when Sharon Heyward obtained the A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award for a groundbreaking profession, whose highlights embrace tenures as Virgin Records’ head of city promotion and later senior vp/GM of its city division, president of manufacturing duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ Perspective Records and founding father of advertising/consulting agency Sharon Heyward Enterprises (SHE).

Her longtime business colleagues and buddies David C. Linton and Ray Harris, LLF’s president and chairman emeritus, respectively, introduced the award to Heyward, who at the moment owns and operates business mentorship agency The Solutionist LLC. “I’m a hard-nosed, straight-no-chaser girl,” mentioned a visibly emotional Heyward as she accepted the night’s final award. “One of the biggest legacies of my career are the mentees and others telling me how much I’ve helped in their careers.” She additionally took naysayers to process for dismissing the business’s older era as “dusty.”

“That shows no respect for the legacy that’s been given to you,” she added. “We need to have respect for each other; to reach back and bring forward.” Joined onstage by her daughter Monique, who additionally works within the music business, Heyward performed snippets of the Impressions’ hits “Keep on Pushing” and “I’m So Proud” earlier than concluding, “The record business is no joke for women. I didn’t want my daughter Monique in this but I’m so proud of her … and [to the audience] thank you for letting me be a mentor to some of you.”

The LLF additionally paid tribute to 5 extra honorees:

Media Icon Award – Curtis Symonds, founding companion/president & CEO of 24-hour streaming community HBCUGO TV

Music Executive Award – Geo Bivins, business veteran (Jive Records, Capitol and RCA); now president/founding father of file label consulting agency Port Perry Entertainment

Digital Executive Award – Tuma Basa, director of Black music & tradition, YouTube

Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award – Johnnie Walker, first feminine senior vp/promotion for Def Jam Recordings; now founder/CEO of the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment Inc. (NABFEME)

Founders Award – Henry “Hank” Caldwell, veteran business senior government (WEA, Cotillion, Atlantic, SOLAR Records, Epic and Death Row Records)

Hosted by syndicated radio persona DeDe McGuire (DeDe within the Morning) with musical interludes helmed by DJ Battlecat, the night marked the Living Legends Foundation’s first in-person awards ceremony in three years owing to the pandemic. Among the distinguished visitors and presenters available for what in the end transitioned into an enormous business household reunion had been Epic Records chairwoman/CEO Sylvia Rhone, artists P.J. Morton and Johnny Gill (Caldwell’s presenter) and discuss present host/creator Tavis Smiley.

“We are stronger when we all work together,” mentioned LLF’s Linton throughout his opening remarks following the invocation by Rev. Marilyn Batchelor. “Our mission is to keep moving the culture forward. Tonight is your night!”