Celebrate Easter Sunday with "Black
Girls Rock! Tm" Premiering
Sunday, April 5, 2015 @ 7P/6C
Will Makes a Surprise Appearance to Present His Wife, Jada Pinkett
Smith, with the ‘Star Power Award'
#BlackGirlsRock
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 7P/6C, tune in to BET Networks as it returns
with the fifth annual "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" paying tribute to six groundbreaking women in the
areas of entertainment, education, philanthropy, and health. Hosts
Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King return to the show for
their fourth year along with honorees Jada Pinkett Smith (Star
Power Award), Ava DuVernay (Shot Caller Award), Cicely Tyson
(Living Legend Award), Erykah Badu (Rock Star Award), Nadia
Lopez (Change Agent Award) and Dr. Helene D. Gayle (Social
Humanitarian Award) as well as 2015's P&G sponsored M.A.D. Girls Chental-Song
Bembry, Gabrielle Jordan and Kaya Thomas.
(L-R) Dr. Helene Gayle, Erykah Badu, Nadia Lopez, Michelle Obama, Regina King, Tracee Ellis Ross, Beverly Bond, Debra Lee, Ava DuVernay, and Cicely Tyson pose onstage during "Black Girls Rock!" 2015 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center on March 28, 2015 in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)
First Lady Michelle Obama stole the show with an empowering speech on
the importance of education, proclaiming that Black girls do indeed
rock! The show displayed vivacious vocals and memorable performances
from Ciara, Estelle, Jill Scott, Fantasia, Sheila
E, Lalah Hathaway, Cheryl Lynn, Alicia Myers,
and Kathy Sledge, who ended the night with a surprise throwback
medley including "Got To Be Real," "I Want to Thank You," and "We Are
Family".
Fans excitedly welcomed Will Smith who presented his wife Jada Pinkett
Smith with the ‘Star Power Award,' sponsored by Chevrolet® and shared a
steamy kiss on-stage. Afterward, Cicely Tyson, who was presented with
the ‘Living Legend Award,' shared inspiring tales of both triumph and
tribulation from her beginnings as an actress.
Chevrolet and My Black is Beautiful co-sponsored the award show that
will air on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 7PM EDT/ 6PM CDT.
For more information on "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™", visit http://www.bet.com/shows/black-girls-rock.html.
Viewers can also find series updates on Facebook by liking the fan pages
at http://www.facebook.com/BET.
Also, join the conversation about the special on Twitter by using the
hashtag, #BlackGirlsRock. Follow the show for all updates & special
surprises @BET and @BLACKGIRLSROCK.
The televised special, "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" is a BET Networks and B.G.R. Enterprises Inc.
production. The executive producers of "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK™!" are Beverly Bond, CEO, Founder and Creator
of BLACK GIRLS ROCK; Stephen Hill, President of Programming,
BET Networks; Connie Orlando, SVP Original Programming, BET Networks;
and Jane Mun, Showrunner.
ABOUT BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™:
Founded by celebrity DJ and philanthropist, Beverly Bond, BLACK GIRLS
ROCK! ™ is a multifaceted movement dedicated to shifting the culture of
media images and empowering women and girls. BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Inc., is
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been committed to enriching
girls through leadership, education, and positive identity development
programs since 2006. BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™ Inc. builds the self-esteem and
self-worth of young women of color by changing their outlook on life,
broadening their horizons and providing tools for self-empowerment and
efficacy. For additional information on BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™, visit http://www.blackgirlsrock.org.
ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIA.B), is the
nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and
public affairs television programming for the African-American audience.
The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can
be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom
and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer
brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading
Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news;
CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to
54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel
and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment
tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings
for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event
Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with
festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides
ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET
International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the
extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
ABOUT NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark,
New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United
States. It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of
New Jersey -- where great performances and events enhance and transform
lives every day. As New Jersey's Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse
communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's
and the world's best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the
revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education
programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts
enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted over seven million visitors (including
more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and
nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its
constituents. Visit http://www.njpac.org or
call 1-888-GO-NJPAC for more information.
Follow us @BET_PR
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150403005019/en/
BET
Marcy Polanco, 212-975-4048
Marcy.Polanco@bet.net
or
LeToya
Glenn-Bacon, 212-205-3158
Letoya.Glenn@bet.net
or
Byron
Edwards, 212-975-5633
Byron.Edwards@bet.net
Source: BET
News Provided by Acquire Media