(Los Angeles, CA) – April 14, 2021– UPTOWN Ventures Group, the parent company of UPTOWN Magazine, with title sponsor, Lexus, had a virtual night of excellence with their annual event, Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood: Music Edition. The one thing that unites us and has remained consistent over the past year is music. The evening’s honorees included legendary Roots group member Questlove, academy award nominee Kris Bowers, critically acclaimed composer Kathryn Bostic and music supervisor Morgan Rhodes with Jimmy Jam, Ava DuVernay, Yvette Lee Bowser and Gil Robertson as presenters. The night of excellence was hosted by Tai Beauchamp and Chris Spencer.
The evening kicked off with a virtual red carpet and a celebrity line-up which included, Emmy award winning actress Niecy Nash and wife Jessica Betts, Grammy nominated artist MAJOR., music artists TJ Jackson and Kenny Lattimore, and former America’s Next Top Model judge & fashion guru Miss J. Alexander. The virtual red carpet was hosted by Derrial Christon and Kita Williams and was sponsored by ReserveBar with featured brands for the evening, Uncle Nearest and DuNord.
This year the feeling of community and being connected was the main centerpiece for Lexus UPTOWN Honors Hollywood. Since ensuring everyone’s health and safety was top of mind, the event was held virtually, but the atmosphere was filled with the same level of lavishness, opulence and elegance as past celebrations. The evening had a special performance with powerful and poignant narratives given about each honoree by poet Prentice Powell.
Highlights from the show include:
Jimmy Jam presented Questlove his award. He called him:“A Renaissance man and a master of all trades who does not know how great he really is because he is rooted in the legendary soul of hip hop culture.”
Ava DuVernay presented to Kris Bowers, Academy Award nominated composer and pianist. She shared:“His distinct sound actually breathes life into characters, he captured and added distinct musical vision to my movie, When They See Us.”
Yvette Lee Bowser presented music supervisor, Morgan Rhodes with her award. She shared: “Morgan is a mastermind who perfectly creates a soundtrack to our lives from Dear White People, Queen Sugar and Space Jam: New Legacy.”
Gil Robertson presented to honoree Kathryn Bostic. He shared:“She is an architect in music and her versatility and work stands alone as an award-winning composer with Clemency and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am.”
“Our goal this year was to continue to raise the bar for the culture by celebrating our best by honoring exceptional talent and trailblazers in the music industry who are leading the way and contributing to Black excellence,” says Len Burnett, Co-Founder of UPTOWN Ventures Group.
“Lexus has a longstanding commitment to give the community the spotlight it deserves by recognizing its dynamic and incredible talent. Our partnership with UPTOWN has helped us expand that commitment and together we will strive to continue providing a platform for more diverse voices to be heard,” says Mia Phillips, Senior Manager of Lexus Advertising and Media.
