Common, Patti LaBelle and Public Enemy are the artists who will be honored at the 2026 Black Music Action Coalition Gala, presented by Live Nation, taking place on September 24, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Executives being honored include Interscope’s Nicole Wyskoarko, who will receive the inaugural Sylvia Rhone Visionary Award; Empire’s Tina Davis will receive the BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award; the Team’s Lee Anderson, Marty Diamond, Lenore Kinder, Kevin Shivers and Mallory Smith will receive the BMAC Founders Award; and Universal Music Group’s Global Impact Team will receive the BMAC 365 Award.
Radio personality Kenny Burns returns to host the annual gala. Common will be honored with the BMAC Harry Belafonte Change Agent Award; Patti LaBelle will be honored with the BMAC Icon Award; and Public Enemy will receive the BMAC Social Impact Award.
The organization’s newest honor, 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,” according to the announcement. Rhone, a pioneering music executive who led Epic, Motown, Elektra Records and others, retired last year and was honored at the 2026 BET Awards.
