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AL GREEN & QUINCY JONES HONORED BY BET: Music legends receive achievement and humanitarian awards.
With stellar performances and awarded guests, top music legends were honored at this year’s show. The incomparable soul star Rev. Al Green and the legendary music maestro Quincy Jones were given the BET lifetime achievement award and the humanitarian award, respectively.
After stirring performances from Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, and Maxwell, the 2008 BET lifetime achievement award was bestowed on the good Reverend Green, who even did a performance of his own, sounding just as great as ever on his hits “Let’s Stay together” and “Love and Happiness,” though he apologized for the performance backstage.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t sing as well as I should,” the veteran crooner modestly told reporters. “I was scared. I got nervous.”
The R&B star also had just a few words in regard to the numerous years and creative impressions he’s made on music that brought him to be given the award.
“It took 25 years,” he said.
And of his music’s longevity, he simply explained that the work he’s done has been about love – in more ways than one – and that has made it all the more treasured.
“It’s longevity. It’s a lot of making babies,” he said. “The music is what it is. It’s about love and compassion. It’s about affections; it’s about family.”
Green’s new CD, “Lay It Down,” was released earlier this summer. The disc offers up 11 more tracks abounding with love of music. The disc was produced by ?uestlove, but also features a bevy of young soul talent.
“Lay it down, let it go, fall in love. That’s what our new CD is. That’s what I want to do,” he said. “We wanted to cut an R&B secular record. I contacted Corinne Bailey Rae and John Legend and Anthony Hamilton. We got in the studio and got the work done.”
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Quincy Jones
The humanitarian award presentation to Quincy Jones rounded out the award night. Queen Latifah introduced Jones, calling him "an international artist, an innovator, and a leader."
Jones told reporters that receiving the honor from an assembly of young-bucks was important.
“All of the dudes in hip-hop are my little brothers,” he said. “I go all the way back to the Sugar Hill Gang and people like Reggie Hudlin. He just said he had no idea that we’d see him direct ‘Boomerang’ in New York and he’d be an executive one day. That’s the way God does it. Those are the paths you go through. It’s an honor to be the recipient of a tribute of all the young dogs. All this tied together would be BET.”
In referencing his humanitarian award, Jones said that it’s for the whole world to share.
“Every child in this world deserves a chance, an education, and food,” he said. “There are organizations training 18 years olds, mentored by their mayors to run their own cities in 2020. That’s the kind of out-of-the-box stuff I’m addicted to.”
Ever the activist, Jones is on a mission of making music an important issue in the States.
“One of the first things, after we get Obama [elected], is to get a Secretary of the Arts,” he charged. “This country's music is replicated by every country in the world. We’re the only major country in the world that doesn’t have a Minister of Culture. We’ve got to get it into our school systems. I’ve talked to a couple of the young kids who don’t know who Duke Ellington or Charlie Parker were.”
Well, until the country steps up to create such a post as a cultural attaché, Jones as our honored music ambassador will have to suffice.
For more on the legends Al Green and Quincy Jones, visit their websites at www.algreenmusic.com and www.quincyjones.com.
SPECIAL MEDIA LEGEND & TRAILBLAZER AWARDS!!
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Friday, August 1st from 5 - 9 pm Lee Bailey presents
The 2008 EURweb Media Awards at the Los Angeles
Convention Center West Hall-511AB, ADMISSION IS FREE
-- RSVPs accepted. Pre-red carpet concert 5 - 6pm; red
carpet arrivals 6 - 7pm, and the awards show is 7 -9pm.
Comedian/actress Luenell host and Grammy Award nominee
Shanice performs. For more information or to RSVP call
toll free 866-366-2160 or email eurwebawards@eurweb.com.
After the EURweb Media Expo. www.eurweb.com/mediaawards
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