The Recording Academyannounced that 12-time GRAMMY-winning artist John Legend will receive the first-ever Recording Academy Global Impact Award!
John Legend will be honored at the inaugural Black Music Collective event at Resorts World Las Vegas ahead of the Grammys on Saturday, April 2, 2022. Multi-platinum singer/songwriter Summer Walker will perform, and D-Nice will be spinning music throughout the night, with MC Lyte hosting. “It is our distinct honor to celebrate John Legend as the inaugural recipient of the Recording Academy Honors’ Global Impact Award,” said Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Co-President of the Recording Academy. “John is one of the most important artists of our time, someone who leads by example and pushes important boundaries consistently across music, philanthropy, and activism. His contributions and impact to music and our culture are unparalleled.” “On behalf of the Black Music Collective, we are honored to bring together some of the most influential creatives of our time to celebrate John Legend ahead of Music’s Biggest Night,” said Riggs Morales, Chair of the Black Music Collective. “This event is a reflection of our continued work as we strive to celebrate the greatest and brightest in Black music who transcend beyond race and genre.”
Along with 12 GRAMMY wins, John Legend is a singer, songwriter, producer, and philanthropist, the first Black man to achieve an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award), and of course, a major chart-topping artist. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with a multitude of artists including Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Rick Ross, Raphael Saadiq, Juanes, Sebastián Yatra, Chance the Rapper, Common, André 3000, The Roots, Tony Bennett, Jhené Aiko, Estelle, Esperanza Spalding, and Ariana Grande. As a philanthropist, he has performed at many benefit concerts to raise awareness and money for issues and is founder of the FREEAMERICA campaign. He is also currently a part of the Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees and is an Honorary Chair of the Black Music Collective. We’re so excited to see John Legend honored for being…well, a legend. His influence on music and the world is definitely one to emulate and strive for.