Public Enemy, Andra Day, Anthony Hamilton Perform at Black Music Action Coalition’s Restore & Rebuild LA Fundraiser

Though many of the Grammy week events were canceled due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Black Music Action Coalition saw an opportunity to shift gears and give back to the community. “Not only was it important for us to keep the spirit moving,” Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, BMAC’s co-founder, president and CEO, told the crowd at West Hollywood’s Delilah. “This event was always rooted in purpose. We never just threw a party.”

Such was the case for BMAC’s ReStore & ReBuild LA Fundraiser, held in partnership with legendary production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The third annual Music Maker Dinner was a party, for sure, with performances from Public Enemy, Andra Day and Anthony Hamilton. But the focus centered on supporting those who have been affected by the fires that ravaged the city over the past few weeks, and coming together as a community to give back in a time of need.

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Prophet served as the master of ceremonies on behalf of BMAC, which was founded in 2020 to address systemic racism in the music business. He spoke of visiting areas of Altadena where homes had been burned to ash with Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav, and commended donations from Primary Wave and SheaMoisture to uplift the local community in its time of need.

Throughout the evening, donations poured in from partygoers, whether directly to the cause or to individuals in need. Chuck and Flav were on hand to award $5,000 to Terica Roberts and her 10-year-old son Grayson who lost their home in Altadena. Grayson, who is visually impaired, offered a beacon of hope, performing on the drums to an impromptu jam of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” Lou Taylor, the head of Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, upped the ante with a $20,000 donation to the Grayson family later in the evening.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were on hand to give Music Maker Grants to two young women, Najaya and Sapphyre Bardot. Jimmy and Terry established the grants in 2023 in honor of their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to provide opportunities to musicians including financial support and opportunities to work in the studio with established artists. Last year’s recipients, for example, got the chance to have a session with Victoria Monét.

“A lot of parties canceled for good reasons, but we thought that we do is important,” Lewis told the crowd, “because as we this year lose people like Quincy Jones and we begin to lose some of the greats that I call the angels that are here on earth, and we lose them to above, we that are still here on earth, we need to grow our wings a little bit bigger and we need to flap them a little bit harder. We got to keep things sane down here and music is the thing that will do that. Music is the divine art.”

But, of course, a BMAC party isn’t a party without entertainment, and as the night went on, 1500 or Nothin’ assembled on stage as a live backing band for a handful of performers. Public Enemy gave an impassioned rendition of “Fight the Power,” while Anthony Hamilton sang “Best of Me” and Andra Day enlivened the crowd with “Rise Up.” In between sets, Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett voiced her support for Los Angeles.

Other attendees at the BMAC ReStore & ReBuild LA event included Stephen Hill, Chanté Moore, Trae the Truth, Caron Veazy, Phylicia Fant and more.

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