Kore Asian Media announced today that the 15th Annual Unforgettable Gala, a celebration of Asian American trailblazers in the entertainment industry, will honor American electro-house musician/record producer, Steve Aoki, with the prestigious Music Vanguard Award. Musical performances will include Chris "Stahyl" Gatdula (The Jabbawockeez), East West Players, Eric Nam, Kina Grannis, and Boys in Groove (B.I.G). The gala, hosted by Jeannie Mai (The Real), will be held at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on December 10, 2016 and live streamed on Facebook Live (Kore Asian Media Facebook).
A global icon in the music industry, Steve Aoki is credited with creating some of the biggest records of all time. As a producer, musician, businessman and entrepreneur, he will receive the Music
Vanguard Award for his continued innovation, creativity and devotion to the music world.
Entertainment for the evening will include:
Chris "Stahyl" Gatdula is a multifaceted artist, and an industry innovator. You may not recognize him standing next to you, but once garbed in his white mask and gloves, you will know exactly who he is. Chris is one of the original members and co-owner of the iconic dance crew The Jabbawockeez. America's Best Dance Crew Season 1 champions became the first dance crew to gain worldwide recognition in the entertainment industry. Stahyl, from the original America's Best Dance Crew Season One Champions The Jabbawockeez, joined with Team FreeSTAHYL, will be guest performing this year.
East West Players, the longest-running professional theater of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to present highlights from their groundbreaking 50-year history with performances by renowned stage and screen actors, including Gedde Watanabe ("Pacific Overtures"), Parvesh Cheena ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"), Deedee Magno Hall ("Steven Universe"), Alvin Ing ("Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."), and more.
Eric Nam is a Korean American singer-songwriter, entertainer and entrepreneur active in South Korea. Following a viral YouTube cover, Eric found himself in Korea on MBC's Star Audition, a show similar to American Idol, and signed with entertainment powerhouse, C.J. E&M. A regular in Korea's music scene, Eric has promoted two mini albums and multiple singles in Korea and has charted at #1 on several occasions.
Kina Grannis, an acoustic pop artist, wrote her song "Message From Your Heart," shot a video in her bedroom, and uploaded it to YouTube in 2007. A few months later, the song won her a major label recording contract and aired during the Super Bowl in front of its 97 million viewers. Her debut album - Stairwells - debuted on Billboard's Top 200 chart (and #2 on its new artist chart) due in large part to her devoted online following. To date, Kina has amassed nearly 180 million video views, accruing nearly 1.2 million subscribers on her YouTube channel.
B.I.G, which stands for Boys In Groove, is a K-pop boy band, comprising members Benji, Gun Min, Hee Do, J-Hoon and Gook Min Pyo, that debuted in 2014 under GH Entertainment. In 2015, the group officially debuted in Japan, where they reached No. 15 on the Oricon chart with the single "TAOLA." They released their latest album, "Aphrodite," in May.
Previously announced honorees include legendary actor and activist
George Takei (Star Trek, Kubo and the Two Strings), who will receive the Icon Award. Comedian and actor Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken, The Hangover) will be honored as Actor of the Year. Wong Fu Productions will receive the Digital Influencer Award. Actor Brian Tee (Chicago Med, The Wolverine) will be honored with BMW's first-ever Ultimate Drive Award. Director and storyboard artist Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 3) will be named Director of the Year. Terrence Howard (Empire, Hustle & Flow) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, The Interview) will lead the list of presenters for the evening.
The night of celebration is hosted by Kore Asian Media, a subsidiary of London Trust Media, Inc. (LTM). London Trust Media Incorporated is a diversified business focused on the technology and media industries.
As the presenting partner of the 2016 Unforgettable Gala, BMW of North America continues its longstanding commitment to celebrating diversity. The gala is also supported by M&L Hong Foundation, Private Internet Access and Pechanga.
