BMAC Gala to Honor Common, Patti LaBelle, Public Enemy & More
Nicole Wyskoarko will receive the inaugural Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award at the Beverly Hills ceremony.
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) announced the inaugural 'Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award' along with the full slate of honorees of the 6th Annual BMAC Gala, presented by Live Nation, taking place on September 24, 2026, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
The Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award will be presented to Nicole Wyskoarko. Additionally, BMAC announced that Common will receive the BMAC Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award; Patti LaBelle will be honored with the BMAC Icon Award; Public Enemy will receive the BMAC Social Impact Award; Lee Anderson, Marty Diamond, Lenore Kinder, Kevin Shivers and Mallory Smith of The Team will receive the BMAC Founders Award; Tina Davis will receive the BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award; and Universal Music Group's Global Impact Team will receive the BMAC 365 Award.
Created in honor of the legendary Sylvia Rhone, the Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award will recognize exceptional leaders for their innovation, mentorship, influence, and commitment to creating opportunities for artists and their indelible contributions to the music industry.
'The BMAC Gala is more than a celebration, it's a call to action. BMAC brings together some of the most powerful people in music to recognize those leading with purpose and to remind our industry of the responsibility that comes with influence. Six years in, BMAC is focused on turning that influence into real opportunity, real investment and lasting change,' said Willie 'Prophet' Stiggers, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the Black Music Action Coalition. 'This year, the 6th Annual BMAC Gala is especially meaningful as we introduce the inaugural Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award, honoring a woman whose career has shattered ceilings and expanded what Black leadership can look like at the highest levels of music. The award joins a distinguished roster of BMAC honors celebrating some of the most influential figures and organizations in music and culture. BMAC is proud to once again salute those shaping the future of the music industry.'
'Success isn't measured solely by sales, but by the lives we touch, the doors we open, and the legacies we build. Nicole Wyskoarko embodies that truth every day — a legal mastermind with an artist's heart, who champions creators, protects creativity, and sees potential in people and ideas that might otherwise go unrecognized. I've had the joy of watching Nicole rise through our business with grace, grit, and an unshakable sense of purpose,' said Sylvia Rhone. 'At every step of the climb, she has lifted others alongside her. As Nicole continues to shape the sound, the business, and the future of Black music, I can't imagine a more deserving first recipient of the BMAC Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award — or anyone better suited to define what this honor will come to represent. Nicole sets the standard for every visionary who will follow.'
Radio personality, lifestyle specialist, and entrepreneur Kenny Burns returns to host the annual gala, which has become one of the music industry's most influential events, bringing together artists, executives, entrepreneurs, advocates, athletes, policymakers, and cultural leaders committed to advancing equity, accountability, access, and opportunity throughout the entertainment industry.
Honors to be presented
The inaugural BMAC Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award will be presented to Nicole Wyskoarko.
The BMAC Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award will be presented to Common.
The BMAC Icon Award will be presented to Patti LaBelle.
The BMAC Founders Award will be presented to Lee Anderson, Marty Diamond, Lenore Kinder, Kevin Shivers and Mallory Smith of The Team.
The BMAC Social Impact Award will be presented to Public Enemy.
The BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award will be presented to Tina Davis.
The BMAC 365 Award will be presented to the Universal Music Group's Global Impact Team.
The BMAC Gala will also bring the recipes of the incomparable Patti LaBelle to the table with a special Patti's Good Life inspired menu. With recipes from Patti's own kitchen, the evening will feature Hot and Sassy Gazpacho, Caesar Salad, Short Ribs in Brown Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Blackened Savory Salmon, Sumptuous String Beans, and Vegan Jambalaya, a menu filled with the warmth, flavor, and soul that have made Patti's cooking beloved. Guests will finish the evening with LaBelle's iconic Sweet Potato Pies, bringing one of her most celebrated recipes to the gala.
The 6th annual BMAC Gala is more than a celebration, it is a night to empower guests, artists, and industry executives to create meaningful change and to move with purpose alongside BMAC. The BMAC Gala is a reminder that investing in Black talent and aspiring Black artists is essential to the future of the music industry. The funds raised during the gala support BMAC's ongoing programming, initiatives, and grants, including BMAC Voices of Tomorrow, a nationwide effort designed to identify, develop, and elevate the next generation of creators while exploring the role music has played in shaping the American story; BMAC Music Maker Grants aimed at empowering emerging music talent with grants and mentorship support, and are done in partnership with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Victoria Monét, and the Luther Vandross Foundation; and music business pipeline programs designed to create direct pathways into the live entertainment industry including BMAC Live at Live Nation Los Angeles, BMAC Live R&B Tour Edition, and BMAC Music Business Accelerator Programs at Tennessee State University and Clark Atlanta University.
Funds raised at the 6th annual BMAC Gala will also benefit BMAC's work in local communities through programs like the Gunna x BMAC 30349, Guaranteed Income Program, and the BMAC Restore & Rebuild LA Program, giving direct monthly support to Altadena residents impacted by the Eaton Fires.
The event will be designed and produced by Rikki Hughes and the Magic Lemonade team, alongside Donna Grecco of Primary Wave and members of the BMAC Board of Directors. Rance and Dammo of 1500 or Nothin' will serve as the evening's musical directors.
Previous honorees for the annual BMAC gala include John Legend, LL Cool J, Usher, Keke Palmer, The Weekend, Lizzo, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Kai Cenat, Trae tha Truth, Lil Baby, Sylvia Rhone, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Scott Mills, Louis Carr, Constance Orlando, Kimberly Paige, Irving Azoff, Ivy McGregor, Dr. Menna Demessie, Jesse Collins, Tariq Cherif, Matt Zingler, Jon 'Big Jon' Platt, Kevin Liles, Amazon Music's Tim Hinshaw, Rochelle Balogun, Josh Beas and Sierra Lever, The Recording Academy's Harvey Mason Jr., Valeisha Butterfield and Panos Panay, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Brittany K. Barnett, Joi Brown, David Ali, Shirley Halperin, Gail Mitchell, Ethiopia Habtermariam, Tuma Basa, Ben Crump, Dina LaPolt, Aurora James, Shawn Gee, Sherrese Clarke / HarbourView Equity Partners, Live Nation, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Primary Wave Music, and others.
Additional announcements regarding additional honorees, presenters, performers, and special guests will be made in the coming weeks.
About BMAC
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) is a unified force of racial equity and justice within the music industry, using the power of its collective voice to strengthen communities and drive systemic change.
The Coalition advocates on behalf of artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, executives, and lawyers to create and expand access, equity, and opportunity through Music Maker Grants and Mentorship, Music Business Accelerator and Pathway Programs, Economic Assistance and Mentorship, as well as Convenings, Summits, and Cultural Moments.
BMAC drives music industry reform through groundbreaking research and public accountability reports and advances policy change focused on social and racial justice and the protection of artists, with particular emphasis on issues that directly impact Black people and Black communities. Regarding AI, BMAC advocates for a network of music managers, entertainment attorneys, and creatives. In its ongoing fight for economic justice, AI remains a central priority.
To learn more, visit: www.bmacoalition.org.
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