Miguel to Perform at “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” Concert

Miguel is celebrating Freedom Day in a special way…

The 37-year-old half-Mexican American R&B singer/songwriter is set to perform at this year’s Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom, set to take place at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre.

MiguelIn addition to Miguel, the event – produced by Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment – will feature Kirk FranklinSWV, DavidoCoi Leray and Jodeci.

Other performers and presenters will be announced in the near future.

The show will air live worldwide across all CNN platforms & nationally on the OWN network in a dual simulcast on Monday, June 19 at 8:00 pm EST.

“We are proud to once again partner with Live Nation Urban to broadcast this powerful Juneteenth event on our platforms,” says Chris Licht, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide. “We want to be a destination for people to both understand and celebrate a holiday of this magnitude.”

The shows musical directors will include Grammy and Emmywinner Adam Blackstone and The Roots co-founder Questlove, who both also contributed to the Grammys’ Hip-Hop 50 dedication.

“OWN is honored to simulcast this year’s concert. Juneteenth continues to be deeply important to our audience and it’s this deep significance that makes this simulcast really feel like an opportunity to be of service,” said Tina Perry, president, OWN TV Network & OWN OTT Streaming. “We are taking this day to celebrate alongside American families and reflect on this historic turning point for our nation.”

Throughout the concert, CNN and OWN will air programming to “uplift and educate viewers about Juneteenth on its 158th anniversary.”

Last year’s celebration included an array of artists across genres, like Yolanda Adams, Billy Porter, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jhené Aiko, Lucky Daye, Robert Glasper, and The Roots.

Kid Cudi to Perform at Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival

There’s something in the water for Kid Cudi

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer will take part in Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival.

Kid CudiSponsored by AirBnB and Walmart, the three-day soiree taking place in Virginia Beach, Va., between April 28 and April 30.

Other artists set to participate include Lil Wayne, The Clipse, Summer Walker, Grace Jones, Lil Uzi Vert, Kehlani and more.

Last year, the festival took place in Washington, D.C., after Pharrell voiced his disappointment in his hometown’s handling of his cousin’s death the year before. His letter, written in October 2021, discussed the decision to move the festival due to what he called a “toxic” environment.

“I was disappointed with how the local municipal government handled the loss of my cousin’s life,” he told Billboard ahead of last year’s festival. “It is one thing for the officer to make a mistake, but it is another to follow up the way they did. I did not feel there was enough love, respect and reverence for his life. Him being a fellow Virginian, his life and the loss of his life should have been treated like anybody else’s. When we start seeing situations handled differently, not only with African Americans but with minorities in general handled differently, then coming back is something we can think about doing again.”

Along with a bevy of performances, Pharrell’s team-up with Walmart will look to impact communities in Virginia. “Strengthening local communities is core to Walmart’s DNA,” said Cedric Clark, executive vice president of store operations for Walmart U.S., in a press release. “By investing in our associates and in the communities we serve, we help build a foundation where people can live their full potential every day. We’re excited to team up with Something in the Water, returning to a special place to Walmart, Virginia’s Hampton Roads, to help celebrate and empower this community we’re so proud to be a part of.”

Fans will see a mixed bag of talent, including revered legacy acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Mumford & Sons and SWV, to burgeoning stars including Kid Laroi, Lil Durk and Latto.

Ashanti to Receive Lady of Soul Honor at This Month’s Soul Train Awards

Ashanti is the (Soul) Lady of the moment…

The 41-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress will receive the Lady of Soul honor at this year’s Soul Train Awards.

Ashanti

“I’m honored to be recognized as this year’s Lady of Soul honoree,” Ashanti said. “This is a full circle moment for me because I received the Aretha Franklin entertainer of the year award at the Lady of Soul Awards in 2002. As we commemorate 50 years of Soul Train, I’m proud to be a part of this legacy and to return to the Apollo to celebrate.”

Previous Lady of Soul honorees include Jill Scott (2015), Brandy (2016), SWV (2017), Faith Evans (2018), Yolanda Adams (2019) and Monica (2020).

Maxwell will receive the Legend award, which has gone in recent years to Babyface (2015), Teddy Riley (2016), Toni Braxton (2017), Erykah Badu (2018) and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (2019).

“It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” said the half-Puerto Rican R&B singer in a statement. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.”

BET Soul plans to dedicate a full hour to music videos by Maxwell and Ashanti, starting Wednesday (Nov. 3) at 10:00 a.m. ET. Check local listings.

The Soul Train Awards, which recognizes the best in soul and R&B, will be taped at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on November 20. It will premiere on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her. As previously announced, Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold will co-host the show for the fourth consecutive year.