Music Legend Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Multi-Platinum Global Superstar Usher to be Honored at The Apollo’s Spring Benefit in Celebration of the World-Renowned Organization’s 90th Anniversary
New York, NY–April 25 2024 – The Apollo today announced this year’s honorees for its Spring Benefit, the historic theater’s largest annual fundraising event on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, one of the most celebrated creative forces in music history, will receive the inaugural Legacy Award at the Spring Benefit and be inducted into The Apollo’s legendary Walk of Fame the day prior, on Monday, June 10. Multi-platinum global superstar and eight-time Grammy Award-winning artist USHER will be honored at the celebratory benefit concert with the Icon Award.
“I am humbled to receive the inaugural Legacy Award. For nearly a century, the theater has been a constant symbol of excellence in Black entertainment. So for The Apollo to honor my legacy feels nothing short of amazing,” said Babyface.
“It’s an honor to be receiving this award from such an iconic and historic cultural institution in New York City – one that has hosted and paved the way for so many prominent people. I’m humbled to be this year’s recipient and look forward to seeing everyone soon,” said USHER.
Marking the nonprofit organization’s 90th anniversary as a home for artists and a champion of Black culture, the evening will feature special appearances by Hip Hop legend Big Daddy Kane, with Music Direction by GRAMMY and EMMY Award-winner Adam Blackstone and more to be announced.
The Theater also announced that it will induct Babyface into its Walk of Fame on Monday, June 10 at 11:30am, the day before the Spring Benefit. Babyface joins esteemed luminaries whose influence has shaped culture for generations and have performed on the iconic Apollo stage over the last nine decades, including Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Richard Pryor, Patti Labelle, Smokey Robinson, Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie, Ella Fitzgerald, Temptations, and most recently, Mary J. Blige. Inductees are honored with a plaque on the Apollo Walk of Fame, installed under the Theater’s iconic marquee on 125th Street.
The Apollo’s 2023-2024 Season has featured signature programs, audience favorites, and exciting new works from artists pushing the boundaries of their art forms – from music and dance to theater, film, and beyond.
“The Apollo has stood as an enduring beacon in Harlem, nurturing artists, fostering education, and sparking creativity across the world,” said Michelle Ebanks, President & CEO of The Apollo. “I’m thrilled to celebrate the ongoing legacy of our organization and our commitment to arts and education at the Spring Benefit. It will be an unforgettable evening of performances and a time to honor our cultural icons.”
All proceeds will support the non-profit organization’s year-round, world-class artistic, education, and community programs, as well as its commitment to articulating and projecting the African American narrative using arts and culture, and creating a 21st century performing arts canon.
The Apollo has been a place of dynamic energy and forward motion for more than 90 years. This year, the nonprofit organization celebrates its first-ever expansion with The Apollo Stages at The Victoria at 233 West 125th Street, just down the block from its Historic theater, which will undergo restoration later this year, further solidifying the organization as a civic and economic cornerstone of Harlem and New York City.
The Spring Benefit begins with red carpet arrivals at 5:00 PM followed by the Benefit concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 PM. The evening will also include the event’s legendary afterparty designed by celebrated event designer and Apollo board member Bronson Van Wyck.
Watch for upcoming announcements as The Apollo unveils a thrilling line-up of special honorees and performers. Visit www.ApolloTheater.org for more information. To purchase benefit tickets, make a donation, or for more information, visit www.apollotheater.org/event/spring-benefit-2024.
For exclusive photos, updates and more, use hashtag #ApolloSpringBenefit and follow The Apollo:
ABOUT THE APOLLO
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, The Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world. In 2024, The Apollo opened The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater, marking the first ever expansion and renovation of The Apollo in its nearly 90-year history. The Apollo also has plans to renovate its Historic Theater. For more information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.
With music at its core, The Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend The Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.
# # #
About The Apollo
The Apollo is an American cultural treasure. It is a vibrant non-profit organization rooted in the Harlem community that engages people from around New York, the nation, and the world. Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. It has also been a catalyst for social and civic advocacy. Today, The Apollo is the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity.
The Apollo is a commissioner and presenter; catalyst for new artists, audiences, and creative workforce; and partner in the projection of the African American narrative and its role in the development of American and global culture.
The Apollo envisions a new American canon centered on contributions to the performing arts by artists of the African diaspora, in America and beyond.
