Insecure star Yvonne Orji will host Friday’s (Sept. 25) “Community Concert & Conversation” event featuring performances and appearances by Nelly, StaySolidRocky, 24kGoldn, Rileyy Lanez and Cochise. The virtual gathering — a collaboration between Columbia Records and the National Urban League — is described as a platform created to advocate for the “economic and social justice of Black Americans and other minority communities and to raise awareness of the disproportionate rate at which COVID-19 continues to impact these communities.”
It will stream live on Columbia Records’ YouTube page at 8:30 p.m. ET, building on the label’s existing social justice efforts to foster equal rights and take action against discrimination. “Artists, particularly musical artists, have played a vital role in shaping social justice and civil rights since our nation’s founding,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League in a statement. “We’re honored to join Sony and Columbia Records in upholding this distinguished legacy, and grateful to Visa for its ongoing support. We look forward to a dynamic and productive dialogue.”
The gathering is sponsored by Visa, which in June announced a $10 million investment in a Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program, double matching employee donations up to $1 million to racial justice organizations.
“Columbia Records is a family — from our colleagues, to our artists, and their families. We are continuously striving for peace, harmony and equality across our endeavors as music plays an extraordinary role in healing and bringing people together,” said Jennifer Frommer, Senior Vice President, Brand Partnerships at Columbia Records in the statement.
“We devised ‘Community Concert & Conversation’ to not only elicit thoughtful and helpful conversation surrounding the impact of COVID 19 on the African American community, but to lean into Columbia Record’s legacy in supporting social change through music. We are grateful to our partners, The National Urban League and VISA for their brave support and vision.”
