— The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) announces its fifth annual BMAC Gala, to take place September 18, 2025 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
The highly respected event will honor recording artists, executives, activists and companies who have utilized their platforms to drive social change throughout the past year. Award recipients, participants and event details will be announced in the coming weeks. Go to the official BMAC website for more information.
“As the Black Music Action Coalition approaches its fifth anniversary, our commitment to fostering equity and inclusion within the music industry remains steadfast. We will continue to hold entities accountable for their promises and to inspire action that allows this country to live up to its potential. While the work continues, it is equally as important for us to consistently recognize individuals and organizations that use their platforms to drive positive change across the nation. The BMAC GALA serves as a vital intersection of music and activism, and this year’s event will proudly continue that tradition.” — Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, Co-Founder, CEO & President, Black Music Action Coalition.
Presented by Live Nation, the gala will also highlight BMAC’s efforts to create access, equity and opportunity in music through BMAC Music Industry Pipeline Programs, BMAC Music Maker Grants and a roster of BMAC programming with a focus on social change. BMAC recently announced the return of the annual BMAC Live Accelerator Program, produced in partnership with Live Nation’s School of Live. BMAC Live will host 20 emerging music business professionals from across the U.S., with each receiving an all-expenses-paid, week-long immersive experience focused on career pathways in the live music industry. Earlier this year, BMAC moved with urgency after the 2025 LA Wildfires to create the BMAC Rebuild and Restore LA Fire Fund, an ongoing program giving direct economic relief to Altadena residents impacted by the fires. BMAC is a driving force for progress in the music industry, harnessing the power of music to advocate for policy change and mobilize collective action around key initiatives like the No Fakes Act, the Human Artistry Campaign, the Create Art Act, the RAP Act, and the Free Our Art Campaign.
BMAC is thrilled to announce the BMAC Gala will be co-hosted by 5x host and lifestyle specialist Kenny Burns, as well as Grammy-nominated country music superstar Mickey Guyton. The BMAC Board along with Rikki Hughes of Magic Lemonade and Donna Grecco of Primary Wave, will once again produce this year’s event. This year, BMAC proudly announces that the annual Change Agent Award will now be named the BMAC Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award in honor of the late, great artist and activist, Harry Belafonte, in partnership with the Belafonte Estate. The wife of the late Harry Belafonte, Pamela Belafonte, commented,
“The legacy of Harry Belafonte lives on in all those using their voice to call for justice. The Harry Belafonte Estate is proud to partner with the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) to announce the BMAC x Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award which will be presented annually at the BMAC Gala to an Artist, Executive, or Activist whose work pays honor to the iconic and legendary Harry Belafonte as a fellow warrior of justice.”
Previous BMAC honorees have included: Usher, Lil Baby, Lizzo, H.E.R. and The Weeknd for the BMAC Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award, Keke Palmer, Dr. Menna Demessie, Jesse Collins, Kevin Liles, Shawn Gee, the Recording Academy with executives Harvey Mason Jr, Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos Panay, BET with executives, Scott Mills, Louis Carr, Constance Orlando, Kimberly Paige and Amazon Music for the BMAC Social Impact Award, LL COOL J, Jon Platt, Sylvia Rhone, Tuma Basa, Ethiopia Habtemariam and Jermaine Dupri for the BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award, Ivy McGregor, Trae tha Truth, Jason Flom, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Joi Brown, Brittany K. Barnett, Dina LaPolt, Ben Crump, and Aurora James for the BMAC Change Agent Award, Live Nation and Rolling Loud co-Founders, Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif for the BMAC 365 Award, and Congresswoman Maxine Waters for the BMAC Icon Award.