Stirring the melting pot for creativity, while serving up a generous amount of music and entertainment marinated in Black excellence, The Urban One Honors is broadcasting during Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 17, 2022, at 8/7c on TV ONE and Cleo TV, presented by T Mobile.
The Urban One Honors was created by Urban One Founder and Chairwoman Cathy Hughes. The powerhouse put out shows in the past that highlight ingenuity through the arts/entertainment, media, education and community for and by Black people.
The event airing this year is a little different than others that pale in comparison, emphasizing being Black in America, and prevalence-- The need to overcome boldly and aggressively through songs— To become love against the odds. It’s a message about brusque scars inflicted, past resistance, hemorrhaging struggles of Black and Brown people, defiance, that’s resurfaced publicly within the last few years through orchestrated channels of racism. Even with trauma, setback after setback, and error, Black is powerful. Black is both mollifying and fierce. Black is more than a color. It’s adoration, affection, distress, and peace. It is the mashup of sounds that portray all those things in art, entertainment Funk, R&B, Pop, and Gospel music. Black is high like a blaring marching band, and muted low. It’s mental, spiritual, often misunderstood, but consciously free…
Singer, songwriter, actor, and producer Ne-Yo is hosting the event. Radio Personality, and TV host, Eva Marcille is hosting interviews backstage with honorees.
Honorees Include super producers, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis, Timbaland, Gamble & Huff; singers Jennifer Hudson and the stunning Tasha Cobbs. The feature icons include Timbaland, Jermain Dupri, D-Nice, Vashaewn Mitchell, H.E.R., Tasha cobbs, Johnny Gill & Ralph Tresvant, Kelly Price, Tank, Missy Elliott, Jennifer Hudson, and Marlon Wayans.
TV One hosted a press conference on January 12, 2022, moderated by actor, comedian and radio personality, Ryan Cameron. He opened discussions wifh TV ONE and CLEO TV President Michell Rice; Executive producer in Charge of Productions Susan Henry; Singer, songwriter/producer, Ne-Yo, and Urban One honors Executive Producer, Marilyn Gill. They talked about the canvas “Black America” as the inspiring selection for the 2022 ceremony.
Michelle Rice said that Urban One Honors was founded by Cathy Hughes four decades ago at one station in Washington DC. The show has since grown to become a multimedia company with radio affiliates, media and digital networks. “It has been our mission since day one to uplift our community, by showcasing and honoring our culture, our stories and our people,” Michelle says. “This year’s Urban One Honors does all that and more, by honoring artist who have been instrumental in creating the music that has become the soundtrack of Black America. It is our privilege to honor some of the industry’s most prolific music artist...”
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Video credit: TV One
Susan Henry says it took a year, a lot of work and hard planning through the Pandemic to put the TV One Honors together.
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Video credit: TV One
Ne-Yo said that it was especially important to do the show for TV One although he never hosted before... “As far as just the honor that it is to be part of a show celebrating these people, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, without them, in a lot of ways there would no Ne-Yo,” he remarks candidly.
Video credit: TV One
URBAN ONE HONORS is presented by TV One and Radio One's Washington D.C. market's cluster of radio stations: Majic 102.3 and 92.7, WKYS 93.9, Praise 104.1, WOL 1450, Spirit 1340, and The Team 980 and 95.9. The televised event heralds the accomplishments of individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in entertainment, media, music, education, and the community.
URBAN ONE HONORS is Executive Produced by Eric Tomosunas and Robert A. Boyd, II of Swirl Films. Marilyn Gill is the show's Executive Producer. Kim Burse serves as Musical Director. Kashon Powell is the Vice President of Programming for Radio One and Susan Henry is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production for TV One.