The Weeknd will receive the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award during the first-ever Music in Action Awards, hosted by the Black Music Action Coalition on September 23,.
The event, set to take place at 1 Hotel in West Hollywood, California, will honour musicians, music executives and music businesses that have made significant contributions to social justice, change and/or equity in the last year, according to Billboard.
The BMAC will also present the Berry Gordy Social Impact Award, Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award and Agent of Change Award to other honourees.
The inaugural Music in Action Awards are also in celebration of BMAC’s first Music Industry Action Report Card, an assessment of the music industry’s progress toward achieving racial justice and equity, which launched on June 19. A year after several companies and executives made promises to work toward eliminating racial injustice and inequalities in the music industry, the Music Industry Action Report Card holds entities accountable for their commitments and assists them in making progress. Music companies including CAA, Apple Music and Pandora are among those that have connected with BMAC.
Binta Niambi Brown (BMAC co-chairperson, artist manager and music executive) said in a statement, “BMAC promised to work with the music industry to advance racial equity, and are proud to have done everything we said we would do. Now, while we celebrate the achievements of our industry, we also look forward to continued work with every company in our industry to eliminate all forms of systemic and structural racism. We welcome conversations with all who share our commitment to justice and equality and are enthusiastic about the change we will create together.”
