Members of the leisure trade got here collectively to have fun 50 years of Metropolis of Hope, 50 years of hip-hop and the 40-year profession of music govt Lyor Cohen on the annual Spirit of Life Gala on the Pacific Design Heart in Los Angeles Wednesday evening. Sixteen artists took to the stage throughout a particular DJ Cassidy Go the Mic Reside! section on the sold-out occasion, which counted Jay Z, Diddy, Jermaine Dupri and different A-listers amongst its 900 friends.
Metropolis of Hope’s Music, Movie and Leisure Business (MFEI) fundraising group raised greater than $4.3 million to handle racial and socioeconomic inequities in most cancers remedy and prevention on the occasion, including to the greater than $150 million MFEI has raised over Metropolis of Hope’s 50-year historical past. The concentrate on bettering most cancers outcomes for communities of colour is what moved Cohen, who began out managing artists at Def Jam Information earlier than co-founding his personal impartial label, 300 Leisure, and now serving as International Head of Music at YouTube and Google, to simply accept the invitation to be honored.
Jay-Z attends attends Metropolis of Hope Spirit of Life Gala honoring Lyor Cohen.
Lester Cohen/Getty Photos
“Just a few of my artists and colleagues began getting sick, so I felt perhaps it’s now time for me to get out of my very own means and never take a look at this as being about me, however utilizing my title and the chance to lift cash and consciousness for all the nice work that the hospital is doing,” Cohen tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I made my profession in Black music so once they informed me that they’d and are spending monumental quantities of cash and assets to shut the fairness hole between individuals of colour and white individuals — the numbers are staggering, they usually don’t must be that means.”
Auctioneer Letitia Frye served because the MC for the night which opened with remarks from MFEI Board President and President of Common Music Publishing Group Evan Lamberg. The gala got down to increase $700,000 in the direction of Metropolis of Hope’s initiative to launch cell items in healthcare deserts in Los Angeles that will enable as much as 4,000 individuals to obtain most cancers screenings. A $100,000 pledge from Coachella was matched by Diddy who began off the bidding within the room. Rapper and actor Ludacris later pledged a further $100,000.
At 9 p.m. DJ Cassidy took over the night for Go the Mic Reside!, declaring, “Tonight is a celebration of hip-hop, a celebration of life, a celebration of hope, and a celebration of affection.” The efficiency started on the origin of hip-hop with Slick Rick, Kurtis Blow, Massive Daddy Kane, and MC Serch, adopted by a journey by many years of hip-hop and R&B with Good & Easy, EPMD, Redman, Onyx, Warren G, Domino, Musiq Soulchild, Dru Hill, Ja Rule, T.I. and Swizz Beatz taking to the stage.
Sean “Diddy” Combs attends Metropolis of Hope Spirit of Life Gala honoring Lyor Cohen.
Lester Cohen/Getty Photos
Public Enemy closed out the section with a verse of “Battle the Energy” and had been joined by the opposite performers. “A number of us on this stage had been grateful to you sooner or later in our careers,” Public Enemy’s Taste Flav of Cohen.
Chuck D offered Cohen with the evening’s honor, saying, “Metropolis of Hope and what they’re speaking about is one thing that modifications the world. The truth that Lyor is related to one thing that can change the world for the higher — to have the ability to treatment and kick most cancers within the fucking ass — makes it much more necessary that this Metropolis of Hope award goes to Lyor Cohen who is aware of his accountability and duty. Lyor, this award is for you however you’re larger than this.”
Cohen — who has born in New York to Israeli immigrants — took a second to acknowledge the present conflict in Israel whereas accepting the award. “We got here right here to assist eradicate most cancers, however wouldn’t it’s nice if we might additionally eradicate hate?” he stated. “What occurred on Oct. 7 won’t ever be forgotten. The brutality, the slaughtering of harmless kids, men and women, simply because they had been Jewish. It’s an act of terrorism and barbarianism. That’s not open for debate. Many are nonetheless being held captive as we communicate. I would like them returned to their households.
“I’m so sorry to hijack this particular occasion to precise my emotions as a human simply as I expressed them when injustices occur to anybody focused due to their race or faith or sexual id. We don’t have time for what about-ism. My coronary heart goes out to all of the Palestinian individuals within the area that has needed to endure pointless lack of life. I pray for peace.”
After acknowledging his household who joined him on the gala, together with his spouse, kids, and 93-year-old mom, Cohen expressed his appreciation for what he considers a “fortunate life” and thanked the trade who has supported him by it.
“I used to be going to talk of gratitude for the lifetime of colleagues that got here to work and endured by a pushed and dedicated individual. OK, most would say I’m fully loopy, irrational, and by no means surrender,” he stated. “Thanks. Thanks all for a lifetime of tolerance and kindness and unwavering perception within the mission. I sit on the shoulders of giants.”
Following the award presentation, LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff closed the evening with a shock efficiency as executives at Metropolis of Hope turned their consideration again to the trigger at hand.
“Most cancers doesn’t cease, philanthropy doesn’t cease,” Kristin Bertell, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Metropolis of Hope,” tells THR. “After tonight, tomorrow we begin yet again.”
