ESSENCE AWARDS 2002 -- June 6th
 

For the last 15 years Essence Magazine has honored our stars -- the celebrities and the everyday women and men whose courage, art and activism have transformed our communities. To mark its 15th anniversary, the Essence Awards celebrates "Excellence in Entertainment and the Arts." Steve Harvey returns to host the ceremony on May 31 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Honorees include Halle Berry, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, James "Jimmy Jam" Harris & Terry Lewis, Terry McMillan, Kenny Gamble and Cathy Hughes. And Janet Jackson will be honored with the first-ever "Entertainer of the Year Award," chosen by more than 35,000 readers of ESSENCE magazine through a national reader's poll conducted on Essence.com.

The show will air on Fox TV on June 6.

Some thoughts
 

Someone on a listserve just said in regards to Alicia and India being honored: Why?? I just don't feel that they have contributed that much in music that they should be honoured already. Get a second album first, then we'll talk.

My reply to that:
I figure they are probably being honored this early in their career for any of the following

*fresh young talent

*record number of nominations/wins

*instrumentation from both artists

*positive messages in music

*"role model" to women of all ages, but especially our young ladies

I agree that they have not done much to be awarded. We have not even tested their "staying power" but maybe this will serve as motivation to India because if I were her, I would be feeling kind of sh*tty to get so many nominations but no award to show for it although her name got mad publicity in the awards circuit.

I am surprised at the number of musicians being honored this year. In the past what has made it special for me was that they honored people who were doing ordinary things to make a difference, I.e. the doctors who were brothers, the ministers, etc. This year with Alicia, India, Jimmy and Terry, Janet -- there is an overabundance of music. Where are the literary accolades and teaching accolades. I need them to recognize my coworker (Kappa Alpha Psi) for all that he does with the Black males especially but all students overall.

What do you all think?

Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Janet Jackson and Halle Berry will be the
top honorees at this year's Essence Awards, which will be taped on
May 31st at the Universal Amphitheatre in L.A. The show will air a
week later, June 6, on Fox. This will be sort of a double honor for
India.Arie ? she?ll be featured on the cover of Essence during the
time that the awards show is being taped! Grammy-winning producers
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, author Terry McMillan and businesswoman
Cathy Hughes will also be recognized. A special award will go to
Kenny Gamble, one-half of the 1970s songwriting/ producing duo of
Gamble & Huff. But, Gamble won?t be honored for his work in music;
Essence is recognizing Gamble for his efforts to build affordable
housing and launch businesses in inner-city communities.

Re: Some thoughts
 

shuuuuuuuckkkkkkkks, not even a SECOND album. Establish a track record for longevity, puhleeeeessssseeeeee. :rolleyes:

This is a slap in the face to many, many of our enteratiners who have been "swept away" those who have been in the business for at least 10, 20 years or so...NOT 10 MONTHS.

India and Alicia have time.
What about those serious "Old School" artists? :mad:

My Thoughts so far
 

While I loved what Susan Taylor said about Griots and us having a voice. . . her outfit left a bad taste in my mouth. :o Also is it me or does she have hairline baldness. Her braids are further back than last year.


I enjoyed India's speech a lot. Her outfit also made me a bit umm reminiscent of Pepto Bismol but God love her, she has positive music. WHEN IS JILL going to get hers? :mad:

Go Steve represent!! Did y'all see the Rock do his thang? :cool:

**EDITED** Kelly Price had too much going on with her outfit, her umm milk machine, her bling, her dust ruffle shirt.

112 DO YO THANG!! Glenn really sounds tooo much like Stevie. I know Stevie is like :eek: :eek: -- is he my son?!!?!

I am surprised they did not have Patti sing to Kenny and the other guy since they are from Philly together as well as Jill and Jaguar.

***EDITED ONE MO GIN***
When did Terry Lewis and Karyn White get a divorce? I miss Karyn.

To JIMMY JAM: http://www.plaudersmilies.de/rough/fal.gif to that TAIL you are still sporting in 2k2. :eek: :mad:

To JOHNNY GILL: My My My I wanna http://www.plaudersmilies.de/knuddel.gif with you. :o

No comment on Angela Bassett's dress.

My Review
 

First BOOOOOOO LOSER to the President for interrupting the ESSENCE Awards. DUBYA we ALL no you f'd up!!!!

Ok, I was LMAO on Steve Harvey and Stevie Wonder singing back and forth!!! Steve Harvey I love ya BRUH but for a hot second I thought you were going to go there about Stevie Wonder having the STD gonarehha (sp. I know, but ya'll know I am talking about BURNING :D ) since he went a tad over board with the blind joke IMO.

HC everytime one of Frogger's people oops I mean Jermaine Dupree's peeps perform he feels he needs to add his 2 teeth darn it I mean his two cents. Jermaine we ALL know you produce a majority of the hot tracks we do NOT have to see you EVERY performance.


LIL BOW WOW or BOW WOW whatever you name is THANK you for NOT doing that dance I think my niece called it the Harlam Shake or something making you look like you are about to dislocate you whole entire body.

ESSENCE...Thank you Thank you Thank you for recognizing one of my favorite authors Terry McMillian. Thank you for having the actresses from Waiting to Exhale act a parts.

In the past, what made the awards most enjoyable for me was the recognition of ORDINARY people doing EXTRAORDINARY things that benefited someone, kids mainly.

While I am a fan of Alicia Keys, I still do not get why she received an award if only to hear her tell people don't give up. I was NOT impressed with Roberta's coverage of A Woman's Worth.

I was more respecting of India Arie being honored because her songs give people hope and honor the "less than beautiful" people from all walks of life.

I enjoyed Steve and Stevie's "Sing-a-long." It was nice to see him outside of his music.

I enjoyed the presentation to Terry McMillan. It is long overdue for her. She did revitalize Black readers, young and old. She got Black folks talking about books, family, love, etc.

I was not feeling the show overall but I still supported. Please ESSENCE next year go back to celebrating the common man who does uncommon things. Celebrate those who give back through their time and not just writing a check.

I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw Roberta Flack at that piano... I was like, OH NO, they do NOT have the LEGENDARY Roberta Flack singing "A Woman's Worth"!! What in the heck is Roberta doing serenading a potential one-hit-album wonder like Alicia Keys??? Okay, "Fallin", and "A Woman's Worth" - I ain't gonna count "How Come You Don't Call Me", cuz THAT'S PRINCE'S HIT, NOT HERS (I ain't givin' Stephanie Mills credit for it either). Yeah, she got a stack of Grammys, but India.Arie deserved one or two of those awards anyway, so I ain't givin' her all that credit. AND SHE COULD HAVE AT LEAST SHOWN SOME RESPECT TO ESSENCE BY PUTTING ON A DRESS FOR THE OCCASION!!!

INDIA.ARIE didn't deserve to be honored either. Video is cool, but shoot, if that were the case, JILL SCOTT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE AWARD when her album blew up. I'll put "He Loves Me" up against "Video" any day, for inspiration and such. Has Lauryn Hill ever received an Essence Award??? How are Alicia and India gon' get an award when Jill Scott ain't got one? Who's next...Ashanti? Trina?

I think it was DISRESPECTFUL TO JANET JACKSON, who has put in work for YEARS to be honored the same time as two chicks who haven't even come CLOSE to releasing their sophomore albums.

RIDICULOUS.

The "Stevie/Steve" duet was really cute, the highlight of the show to me.

Ditto to what CT4 said about Terry McMillan. Long overdue. And she still got her groove I see, that young husband of hers was sitting there beaming.

Where was my man Eric Benet? Awww Halle, I want her to have a healthy relationship with no drama...what's going on???

SOROR GUUUUUUUUUURL!!!
 

I promise when I get rich one day:rolleyes: :o I am going to have my own awards that truly recognize class acts.

Re: SOROR GUUUUUUUUUURL!!!
 

Hmmm...

THE CRISMON TIDE AWARD does have a certain savoirfaire to it :D