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Roberta Flack Performs Alicia Key's Song At 2002 Essence Awards
06/04/2002 7:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Jerry Armor
(6/4/02, 7 a.m. ET) -- Roberta Flack helped present Alicia Keys with the rising star award at the 2002 Essence Awards Friday (May 31) by performing Keys's song "A Woman's Worth." The program, which also honored Halle Berry, Janet Jackson, and India.Arie, airs on Thursday (June 6) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.
India.Arie received the musical message award, the evening's first presentation, which included an impromptu jam session with Stevie Wonder and introduction by Melissa Etheridge. Berry received the excellence in television, film, and theater honor; Jackson took home the reader's choice for entertainer of the year trophy; and legendary songwriter and producer Kenneth Gamble received the founder's award.
Other award honorees included James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis, Radio One owner Cathy Hughes, and author Terry McMillan.
Arie, who said words could not describe how it felt to play with Wonder on stage, explained the reaction to her Essence Award. "It's so cool, and what it says, which is private, is really cool, really cool. I love Essence because they do things right. I love it though. You should see it," she said.
Gamble, who with Leon Huff formed the popular songwriting and production team Gamble and Huff, said he was impressed with his tribute, which included performances of their songs "Me And Mrs. Jones," "Backstabbers," "If You Don't Know By Now," and "Love Train" by newer acts Jaheim, 112, Kelly Price, and Glenn Lewis.
"It felt good to see those young guys singing those songs. I mentioned that Jaheim, I like the way he did 'Me And Mrs. Jones' because he sorta did it his way," Gamble said. "You know, I like that in an artist when they are stylists. 112 and Kelly Price, I think she's fantastic, by the way. And she makes me want to write a song for her. Kelly Price and I think it was Glenn Lewis. I think they all were great. It's an honor for us to have them do those songs because many of those songs are a lot older than even those artists that were singing them. So it's good to see the songs lasting for such a long time."
The night included several other notable celebrity appearances as well. Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine, and Phylis Stickney, who all appeared in the film Waiting To Exhale, based on McMillan's book of the same name, presented the author with the excellence in literature award. Samuel L. Jackson presented Berry's award, professional wrestler the Rock presented Jackson's award, and Jackson presented Harris and Lewis their award. Hughes received her award from 2002 Essence Awards host Steve Harvey.
Additionally, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Bow Wow, Ashanti, Kenny Lattimore, Chante Moore, and others provided musical entertainment.
The following is a list of all of the night's honorees:
MUSICAL MESSAGE
India.Arie
EXCELLENCE IN TELEVISION, FILM, AND THEATER
Halle Berry
FOUNDER'S AWARD
Kenneth Gamble
EXCELLENCE IN MEDIA
Cathy Hughes
READER'S CHOICE FOR ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Janet Jackson
EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC
James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis
RISING STAR
Alicia Keys
EXCELLENCE IN LITERATURE
Terry McMillan
-- Billy Johnson Jr., Los Angeles
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