Patti LaBelle, Common, Public Enemy Honored at Black Music Action Coalition Gala 2026

The Black Music Action Coalition held its sixth annual gala on Thursday night at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, bringing together a crowd that honored artists and industry figures who have used their influence to push for social change. Honorees included Patti LaBelle, Common, and Public Enemy, and BMAC president and CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers took the opportunity to spotlight the organization’s mission and recent accomplishments. Kenny Burns returned as host for the sixth consecutive year, while the house band 1500 or Nothin provided live music throughout the evening.

LaBelle, a Philadelphia-born legend who first rose to prominence in the 1960s with Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles before building an acclaimed solo career, was given the BMAC Icon Award. Chanté Moore honored her with a performance of “Love, Need and Want You,” and Le’Andria Johnson followed with a gospel-inflected “You Are My Friend,” stepping into the audience to share a duet moment with LaBelle. Director Lee Daniels, known for films such as Precious and The Butler, presented the award and spoke openly about how LaBelle’s presence helped him overcome addiction. “Your voice is healing. Your voice is power, your voice is soul,” Daniels said, recalling that he was 22 when he first heard her music. “It changed my life, and I knew I wanted to be an artist.” Accepting the honor at 82, LaBelle thanked BMAC and told the room, “Music is medicine. We all need that medicine, especially now that we’re going through all these trying times. Music is my life, and music will heal us all. And thank God we’re all here and that we all woke up this morning.”

An especially emotional moment came when Dr. Mahalia Hines introduced her son, Common, who received the Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award. Hines praised his activism, noting his willingness to perform for and speak with incarcerated people across the country. Common, a Grammy-winning rapper and Academy Award winner for “Glory” from the film Selma, recalled advice from Ambassador Andrew Young on the set of that movie: “‘What are you willing to die for? Live for that.’” He said the words pushed him to rethink his own commitment. “I went home thinking I’ve been doing activist work, but I ain’t doing any of that. Am I living for it each and every day? That made me want to improve, grow, learn and figure out ways I can improve our communities in ways that I never thought of.”

Other honorees included Public Enemy, the pioneering hip-hop group behind albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, who took home the Social Impact Award from Big Daddy Kane. The Team’s Lee Anderson, Marty Diamond, Lenore Kinder, Kevin Shivers, and Mallory Smith received the BMAC Founders Award from Tennessee State University alumna Jamea Kollie. Nicole Wyskoarko accepted the inaugural Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award from Rhone herself, the Universal Music Group Global Impact team was given the BMAC 365 Award by R&B group Flo, and Tina Davis received the BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award from Montell Jordan.