Inaugural ‘The Grio Awards’ kick off its one-of-a-kind Soiree in Beverly Hills.

The Grio Awards’ first gala was a star-studded evening and a power filled room that took place on October 22nd, 2022. The event was created to amplify deserving Icons, legends and leaders. The Black star power converged to honor well-deserved recipients of the inaugural awards. Music Icons such as Jennifer Hudson, Yolonda Adams, Tyrese, Fantasia and the legend herself Patti LaBelle also graced the audience with her incredible voice, as did fellow musical legend Greg Phillinganes serving as the evening’s musical director. Announcer DJ Kiss provided the rest of the good vibes with her skills on the 1s and 2s.

The inaugural honorees who took home the prestigious award listed below.

• Tyler Perry – Icon Award
• Norman Lear – Champion Award
• Patti LaBelle – Music Icon Award
• Kenan Thompson – Comedy Icon Award
• Ben Crump – Justice Icon Award
• Alena Analeigh McQuarter – Young Icon Award
• Robert F. Smith – Philanthropy Award
• Allyson Felix – Sports Icon Award
• Don Peebles – Business Icon Award
• Queen Latifah – Television Icon Award
• Dave Chappelle – Cultural Icon Award
• Jennifer Hudson – Trailblazer Icon Award

Other esteemed guest who stunned the red carpet included luminaries Marla Gibbs, Kim Coles, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Terrance Howard, Jackée Harry, and Congressman Bobby Rush, April Ryan, Natasha Alford, Panama Jackson, host Taye Diggs, Sheryl Underwood, Michael Harriot and several others made appearances on theGrio’s red carpet. Our Managing partner and Hollywood insider William Andre Buchanan was graced enough to be on the invite list giving us at RIDEPLAY tv and inside look.

Executive producers of this amazing event included Byron Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Jeff Atlas and Michelle Willrich. The event will be broadcast on Saturday, November 5th on broadcast on theGrio network and other Allen Media Group television and digital platforms as well as broadcast television stations nationwide on a soon-to-be-announced.