Connect with us

We Speak Events

Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock and more announce joint tour

Published

on

Hip-Hop Powerhouse Top Dawg Entertainment Announces First Ever Full Label Tour With Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock And More

Along With Ab-Soul, SiR And Lance Skiiiwalker Slated To Perform On The Highly Anticipated Group Tour!

Tickets On Sale To General Public Starting Friday, January 26 at Ticketmaster.com

Today, Top Dawg Entertainment announces “TDE: THE CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR” complete with the label’s all-star roster including Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, SiR, Lance Skiiiwalker and more to be announced. The North American tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off May 4 in Vancouver, BC and make stops across Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, New York and more, before wrapping June 16 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, January 26 at 12pm local time at Ticketmaster.com. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public for select cities beginning Tuesday, January 23 at 10am local time through Thursday, January 25 at 12pm local time.*

Top Dawg Entertainment’s impressive roster of artists dominated hip-hop in 2017 from Kendrick Lamar’s release of the critically-acclaimed and seven time-GRAMMY nominated album “DAMN.” and subsequently massive “The DAMN. Tour” to SZA’s long-awaited debut album “Ctrl” earning five GRAMMY nominations. Both albums were also included in top rankings on several year-end lists in 2017 including The New York TimesRolling StoneUSA Today and more. The Los Angeles-based label shows no signs of slowing down in 2018 with the recent announcement that Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith will curate and produce Marvel Studios’ Black Panthersoundtrack. The label is also releasing newcomer SiR’s debut album “November” today, following the release of his hit collaboration with label-mate ScHoolboy Q, “Something Foreign.”

TDE 2018 TOUR DATES HERE.

We Speak Entertainment

BET MEDIA GROUP HONORED BLACK LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZER WITH A POWERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

FROM BOB THE DRAG QUEEN’S GROUNDBREAKING RECOGNITION TO HOPE GISELLES’S INSPIRING REMARKS– THE 3RD ANNUAL BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE HIGHLIGHTED THE BRILLIANCE AND IMPACT OF BLACK LGBTQ+ LEADERS

Published

on

(New York, NY)– May 28, 2025 – The 3rd Annual BET Black + Iconic Soirée made its Washington, D.C debut with inspiring evening celebrating the past, present, and future of black LGBTQ+ excellence. The 2025 theme, “Excellence Ascending,” paid tribute to cultural change makers leading with authenticity, courage and purpose.

Hosted by entertainment journalist and Access Hollywood anchor Scott Evans, the Soirée gathered trailblazers across activism, arts, business, and media for a powerful evening of storytelling , performance, and legacy-building.

Highlights from the BET Black + Iconic Soriée Included:
  • Ashlee Davis, J.D. received the Executive Realness Award for her trailblazing work in civil rights leadership, including her legacy of impact across government and corporate sectors.
  • Hope Giselle, a powerful advocate and author was named Emerging leader for her unrelenting work championing visibility and inclusion for Black trans communities.
  • Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, was honored as Active Advocate for her decades of leadership advancing reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
  • Ashlee Marie Preston, a nationally recognized activist and media strategist, accepted the Creative Visionary Award, saluted for using her voice to shift narratives and build intergenerational coalitions.
  • Bob the Drag Queen, Emmy-winning entertainer and global icon, received the Culture Trailblazer Award, closing the evening with a heartfelt speech about identity, freedom, legacy.
  • The Center for Black Equity and the Take Resource Center each received $5,000 through the BET Thrive Fund Recognition, honored for their work advancing Black LGBTQ+ wellness, equity and community organizing.

The night also featured a soul-stirring medley performance by Broadway powerhouse Avery Wilson, fresh off stage from The Wiz revival. Presenters included Eva Marcille (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Carter The Body (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Bryan Terrell Clark (Diarra from Detroit, BET+), and Arrington Foster (The Family Business, BET+), each bringing star power and heartfelt tributes to the evening’s honorees.

“From the very beginning, we knew this couldn’t be just another event,” said Tiyale Hayes, EVP of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics and Co-Lead of Social Impact at BET, During his opening remarks. “It had to an intentional space to uplift stories too often silenced and celebrate contributions that have shaped the world in powerful ways.”

The evening also spotlighted Gilead Sciences, a long standing partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Gilead’s Rashad Burgess, Vice President of U.S. Advocacy and Health Equity, emphasized and the importance of equitable healthcare access, visibility, and long-term impact for Black LGBTQ+ communities.

Additionally, the event welcomed Truth Initiative as a new partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Dr. Kendrick Dartis, Vice president of Outreach and Engagement, addressed the urgent issue of tobacco use in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and emphasized the need for culturally relevant cessation support. He also announced a $5,000 BET Thrive Fund donation, sponsored by Truth Initiative, to Us Helping Us– a D.C.- based non profit dedicated to advancing health equity.

BET Black + Iconic Soirée stands as defining moment in the 45th anniversary year of the media group– underscoring its mission to center Black culture, honor its LGBTQ+ communities, and drive meaningful, measurable impact.

Join the conversation using #BlackAndIconic and relieve the nights most powerful moments on BET’s official social channels. The Televised premiere date and time will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP

The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ:PARAA;PARA), is the worlds largest media company dedicated too entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Back audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET news announcements visit bet pressroom.com.

Continue Reading

Trending