The second annual “iHeartRadio’s Living Black!” celebrated Black Culture and its impact in America with performances from Lizzo, Big Sean, H.E.R., Moneybagg Yo, Ari Lennox and moreatthe iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles and several Black-owned businesses across the country on February 23.
Hosted by Donnell Rawlings, the event also featured special appearances from J. Cole, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Saweetie, Bas, Lil Nas X, Mary J. Blige, Niecy Nash, Chandler Moore and more. The special event streamed exclusively on TikTok and broadcasted on iHeartMedia’s Hip-Hop and R&B stations and the iHeartRadio app. The event will be available via iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook beginning February 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT through March 6.
The special event, produced by Emmy and Grammy award-winning producer Rikki Hughes of Magic Lemonade and a 2022 AT&T Dream in Black Future Maker, and directed by Markel Ringer, paid homage to the culture that sets the trends, creates the moments, and moves the world.
The show weaved once-in-a-lifetime performances into a powerful audio and visual celebration of the Black experience featuring artists, actors, creators, and Black leaders who have shaped culture. Many of the artists included in this year’s iHeartRadio Living Black! have made a major impact on the culture by sharing their music and perspective with the world’s most-passionate fans on TikTok.
iHeartRadio’s Living Black! included these special moments:
Big Sean shined bright at iHeartRadio Living Black! as he illuminated the room with his heartwarming performance at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles. He performed live renditions of two very inspirational songs including “Light” off his 2017 album I Decided and “Guard Your Heart,” which is a part of his 2020 album Detroit 2.
Moneybagg Yo took a different approach to performing his smash hits at the Black History month celebration. The rapper performed from a club in Memphis decked out in graffiti with his DJ and his drummer on each side of him. He opened his set with a performance of his song “Time Today,” which stems from his 2021 album A Gangsta’s Pain. Midway through his set, Moneybagg Yo slowed things down to perform his latest hit “Scorpio.”
Lizzo reminded us all of the importance of self-love and giving back at iHeartRadio’s Living Black! Celebration. She opened performance discussing humanitarianism, and how she gives back by saying “It feels so good to help others, especially now more than ever.” She continued, ”We have access to the news 24/7 and we’re seeing the state of the world.
I feel like everybody feels hopeless and helpless and wants to give back.” Lizzo gives back through her annual Juneteenth giveaway in which the singer supports small Black businesses — “Not only can I give, but hopefully I can inspire others,” she added. “Giving don’t gotta be holding a huge Juneteenth fundraiser. It can be seeing somebody who’s hungry and buying them a meal,” Lizzo continued, “That’s where the humanitarianism begins, the human part of it.
And we’re all human.” During her performance, Lizzo debuted her new self-love anthem “If You Love Me,” Lizzo also donned a pageant-style sash with the song’s title printed across it while other Black beauty queens strolled across the stage as she performed. At the end, Lizzo received her flowers and was crowned, “Miss Black and Beautiful.”
Four-time Grammy Award-winning singer–musician H.E.R. brought the vocals, a guitar, and a glistening green suit to iHeartRadio’s Living Black! Celebration – she captivated the crowd with a live performance of her 2021 sultry bop “Damage.” The song drums up nostalgia with its samples of Herb Alpert featuring Lisa Keith and Janet Jackson‘s 1987 hit “Making Love in the Rain.” H.E.R. rocked a silky green pants suit, towering heels, and a glittery version of her signature accessory: sunglasses. She slowed things down a bit with her wildly popular duet “Best Part” while playing guitar.
Soulful songstress, Ari Lennox performed her two of her smash hits, “Pressure” and “Shea Butter Baby” as part of the special occasion. She sported a luxe white fur, dazzling mini dress and fierce jet black beehive updo, during a beautiful vocal and visual performance surrounded by floral bouquets and Black beauty essentials while performing from Black woman-owned hair salon, I LOVE LULU, a real-life hair care studio located on LaBrea Avenue in Los Angeles, California.
Throughout February, iHeartRadio’s Living Black! month-long celebration spotlighted the power of Black culture – past, present and future – during Black History Month. The celebration featured conversations that educate, inspire and celebrate the Black experience through a mix of custom audio tributes from artists, influencers and thought leaders that will air across iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations in every format. iHeartMedia national and on-air personalities including “The Breakfast Club” – Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy – as well as Big Boy honored trailblazers, modern history makers and future change-makers of Black culture.
The “iHeartRadio Living Black!” Empowered by AT&T is an initiative of AT&T Dream in Black. The AT&T Dream in Black platform highlights initiatives like “iHeartRadio Living Black! that view the world and creativity through an Afro-futuristic lens that is rooted in AT&T’s technology and innovation, and connects them to greater possibilities. Additional proud sponsors of this year’s “iHeartRadio Living Black!” include Peacock.
