A number of celebrities and entertainers attended The Apollo Theater’s 2025 Spring Profit on Wednesday evening.
The theater honored singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, choreographer, and Harlem native Teyana Taylor with the Innovator Award, and document government Clive Davis with the Legacy Award. Davis was additionally inducted into The Apollo’s Stroll of Fame.
This yr’s profit marked The Apollo’s last earlier than the theater closes for full-scale renovations.
Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO of The Apollo, kicked off the present by highlighting the upcoming renovations. She was joined by Charles Phillips, Chair of The Apollo Board of Administrators, to announce a $2.5 million contribution from Bloomberg Philanthropies in help of the theater’s ongoing group and training initiatives.
“We’re extremely excited for this subsequent transformational part,” Ebanks stated. “There can be new orchestra seats, enhanced acoustics, absolutely modernized lighting and sound techniques, and—for the performers—enhanced dressing rooms and state-of-the-art backstage amenities. And lastly, the renovations embrace a full restoration of our iconic Apollo Theater marquee.”
Comic and actress Kym Whitley served as host for the night.
Photographs by Shahar Azran/Ivan Piedra/Denise Stephanie for The Apollo
Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Martha Redbone, and Avery Sunshine opened this yr’s profit. Deborah Cox, Busta Rhymes, Technique Man, and Adam Blackstone—who additionally served as musical director—carried out, together with The Baylor Challenge and Shoshana Bean.
Trend icon and designer Dapper Dan joined Sherri Shepherd on stage to current Taylor with the inaugural Innovator Award. Throughout her acceptance speech, Taylor described the glory as a full-circle second, recalling her first efficiency at The Apollo when she was eight years outdated.
“Thanks for the village you’ve got positioned in my life. I’m stuffed with a lot gratitude,” she stated.
Singer-songwriter and producer Babyface joined singer Monica to current Davis with the Legacy Award. In his acceptance speech, Davis mirrored on his decades-long profession working with legendary artists together with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Miles Davis, and Gil Scott-Heron.
Photographs by Shahar Azran/Ivan Piedra/Denise Stephanie for The Apollo
“Receiving the Legacy Award and being inducted into the Stroll of Fame is a real cultural treasure,” Davis stated. “Black music is a vital a part of American tradition. I’m so proud to have performed a job in serving to convey beforehand unheard voices to the world.”
Rev. Al Sharpton additionally supplied remarks in reminiscence of shut pal Richard Parsons, who served as Chairman of The Apollo’s Board of Administrators from 1999 to 2020. Parsons, who additionally served as Chairman of Citigroup and Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, handed away in 2024 on the age of 76.
Following the live performance, visitors attended an after-party that includes music by DJ D-Good in a specifically designed tent by Apollo board member Bronson van Wyck, positioned on the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Workplace Constructing Plaza. There have been shock performances by Deborah Cox, Black Sheep, Meli’sa Morgan, and Jean Norris-Baylor of Zhané.
