GOSSIP & ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

As promised EBONY highlighted the outstanding achievements of African-Americans across various industries varying from business, sports, media, and activism to music and entertainment.

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

The EBONY Power 100 gala took place Saturday at the famed Beverly Hilton and it brought out a bevy of celebs ready to celebrate Black Excellence.

Seen on the scene was host Wayne Brady…

Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty

Justine Skye…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Karrueche…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Big Freedia…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Jemele Hill…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Tamron Hall…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Cynthia Bailey…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Tia Mowry…

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

EBONY CEO Michele Ghee…

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MC Lyte…

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and Shantel Jackson.

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Als on hand was EBONY’s Editor-in-Chief & Senior Vice President, Programming, Marielle Bobo who gave BOSSIP insight into this year’s ceremony that included a reveal of the HBCU Campus Queens and the “Power Creators” winners for EBONY and Sprite’s “Who’s Got Next!” correspondent competition.

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

“This is our first in-person event since relaunching and obviously, in the time of COVID, the event is going to look very different than it has in the past. We have Wayne Brady who’s hosting and he also has some very special performances planned for the event. So we’re excited about that. We have performances from Justine Skye, Erica Campbell, and Lucky Daye and we have some special awards that are given out.”

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

“Another element that I should add that we’ll be incorporating is that we launched this competition with Sprite and the winner will be announced and the person who wins the competition will get to be on the red carpet as an EBONY correspondent and talk to all the guests. So excited about that! And we’re bringing back the HBCU Campus Queens initiative, it has a different spin and it’s focused on STEM. We’re highlighting girls that are specifically in STEM programs and they are going to get to fly out and come to the event. They’ll have a moment on the red carpet on stage, and then these girls will actually be featured in EBONY’s first print edition that we’ll be launching next year.”

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

As previously reported this year’s EBONY 100 includes Hollywood phenom Storm Reid (Rising Star Award); lead scientist of the Vaccine Research Center’s coronavirus team at the National Institutes of Health Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, (Innovator of the Year); Hip hop icon and entrepreneur MC Lyte (Trailblazer Award); NFL Hall of Famer and head football coach for Jackson State University Deion Sanders (Game Changer of the Year); Red Table Talk creators Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris (Entertainer of the Year Award) and P&G Executives Marc Pritchard, Damon Jones and Stephanie Headley (Corporate Citizen Award).

Source: Robin L Marshall/WireImage / Getty

Check out the full EBONY Power 100 list below and more photos from thee gala.

Breakthrough Creators: Nae Nae Twins, Coodie & Chike, Brandice Daniel, Chad Easterling, Imani Ellis, Brandon Pankey, Demetria Lucas, Patrick “Fresh” Henry, Law Roach, and Misha Green

Ceiling Breaker: Thasunda Brown Duckett, Rosetta Bryson, Rashida Jones, Harvey Mason Jr., Fawn Weaver, Miriam Vales, Karine Jean-Pierre, Letitia “Tish” James, and Melanie Boulden

Community Builder: Regina Jackson, Trae the Truth, Missionary Ellen K. Clark, Eunique Jones Gibson, Emil Wilbekin, Alice Marie Johnson, Dr. Kendell Jasper, and Kainon Jasper, Brandon McEachern, Darryl Perkins, and Marcus Allen and Deon T. Jones

Entertainment Powerhouse: Andra Day, Regé-Jean Page, Anthony Mackie, MJ Rodriguez, Liesl Tommy, Tessa Thompson, and John David Washington

Excellence In Journalism: Don Lemon, Abby Phillip, Charles Blow, Tamron Hall, W. Kamau Bell, Tomi Adeyemi, Ebro Darden and Nischelle Turner

Game Changer: Shaquille O’ Neal, Francis Ngannou, Lewis Hamilton, Sydney McLaughlin, Stephen A. Smith, Brehanna Daniels, and Maya Moore

Innovation Leader: Beatrice Dixon, Songe LaRon, and Dave Salvant, Isaac Hayes III, Joy Buolamwini, MC Hammer, Dr. Patrice A. Harris, Dr. Angela D. Reddix, Tanya Van Court, and Arlan Hamilton

Music Impact: Big Freedia, Erica Campbell, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Derrick “D- Nice” Jones, Lil Baby, Questlove, Joi Brown, Jeanine McLean-Williams, Rapsody, Anderson .Paak and Travis Scott

NextGen: Nicolas Johnson, Noah Harris, Nia DaCosta, Cheick Camara, Chloe & Halle Bailey Jon Moody, Ermias Tadesse, Zaila Avant-garde, and Amanda Gorman

Social Justice Champion: Rep. Cori Bush, the CROWN Coalition (Kelli Richardson Lawson, Esi Eggleston Bracey, Orlena Nwokah Blanchard, Adjoah B. Asamoah, and Senator Holly J. Mitchell), Erica Ford, Darnella Frazier, Nikole Hannah- Jones, Shaun King, Keith Meadows, Brittany Packnett and Senator Raphael Warnock