Brandy, Pharrell Williams, & Kirk Franklin To Be Honored by the Recording Academy

The Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective (BMC) will host the fourth annual Recording Academy Honors, celebrating the careers of Pharrell Williams, Brandy and Kirk Franklin on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. The GRAMMY Week event will take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza, just days before Music’s Biggest Night.

Williams will be presented with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, recognizing his musical achievements along with his entrepreneurial innovation, philanthropic efforts and far-reaching cultural influence worldwide. Brandy will receive the Black Music Icon Award, recognizing Black music creators whose artistry, innovation and service have shaped the industry and inspired generations around the world. Franklin will also receive the Black Music Icon Award.

Since its inception, the BMC has remained dedicated to championing and empowering Black music creators and industry leaders. Past honorees include Alicia Keys, Dr. Dre, JAY-Z, John Legend, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Wayne, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, and Sylvia Rhone. In further support of its mission to cultivate the next generation of Black leaders in music, the BMC awarded $85,000 in scholarship grants last year to Black college students and HBCU music programs.

“Pharrell, Brandy and Kirk are true visionaries and masters of their craft. Each has built a legacy that transcends genre, defies convention and shapes culture. Their artistry continues to inspire generations of artists around the world. I’m thrilled to join the Black Music Collective in honoring three of music’s brightest stars in January and celebrating their immeasurable contributions to the industry,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.

Williams is a 13-time GRAMMY Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated musician, filmmaker, philanthropist, and the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton, with over 10 billion combined global music streams to date. This year, Williams produced Let God Sort Em Out, the highly anticipated return from Clipse, which earned five GRAMMY nominations, including Album Of The Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album, and Best Music Video. In 2024, Pharrell released his critically acclaimed animated biopic PIECE BY PIECE, directed by Morgan Neville in partnership with Focus Features and LEGO.

Multi-platinum, GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and actress Brandy is one of the most influential artists in pop music history. She first rose to fame in the ‘90s with her quadruple-platinum self-titled debut album, her starring role in the hit sitcom Moesha and her performance in Disney’s television adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Franklin is a 20-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter and producer whose innovative fusion of gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and pop has redefined contemporary gospel music for more than three decades. His critically acclaimed 2023 album Father’s Day featured the No. 1 single “All Things,” earning him his 20th GRAMMY Award, followed by the uplifting 2025 release “Do It Again.” 

Franklin was initially set to be honored during the 2025 event before the Recording Academy decided to condense GRAMMY Week programming to prioritize the Los Angeles wildfire response. See here for Franklin’s initial announcement as the Black Music Icon Award honoree.