Video by Peter Noel (@th3shooters)
(AllHipHop Features) The Recording Academy and Clive Davis honored music executive, entrepreneur, and three-time Grammy award-winning Sean “Diddy” Combs with the coveted GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Award at Clive Davis’ and the Recording Academy’s Pre-GRAMMY Gala.
The gala is one of the most prestigious events of the music industry, and it hosted top music executives, entertainment industry leaders, politicians as well as other notable figures.
Prior to Diddy accepting his Salute To Industry Icons Award, he was tributed with a Bad Boy medley performance that included Faith Evans, Lil Kim, Ma$e, Carl Thomas, and Combs’ son, King Combs.
The energy in the room and on the stage was infectious as the artists ran through a number of Bad Boy Records’ classics.
Combs soon danced his way to the stage to accept his award. He gave a speech that thanked many execs, friends, family members, and peers that were instrumental to his success and his journey. He also shared several classic anecdotes that chronicled some of his unique music-related career experiences such as working with the Notorious B.I.G., Jodeci, and Usher.
The Pre-GRAMMY Gala saw performances from Beck, Santana, Ryan Tedder, Miguel, Chance the Rapper, Adrienne Warren, Khalid, Brandi Carlile, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Faith Evans, Ma$e, Lil’ Kim, Carl Thomas, King Combs, Andy Vargas, Wyclef Jean, and Cynthia Erivo.
Notable guests in attendance included Beyonce and Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx, Berry Gordy, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Nas, Cardi B, Offset, Timbaland, Quincy Jones, 21 Savage, Alexander Wang, Anderson .Paak, Bebe Rexha, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, Daniel Caesar, Dan Smyers, Darren Criss, Deborah Cox, Diane Warren, Dua Lipa, Ella Mai, Faith Evans, G-Eazy, Hailee Steinfeld, Nancy Pelosi, Jack Antonoff, Jessie J, Joshua Bell, Kenny G, Kygo, Lana Del Rey, Lang Lang, Luis Fonsi, Ozzy Sharon, and Kelly Osbourne, Pete Wentz, Rita Wilson, Robert Kraft, Shay Mooney, Smokey Robinson, Tamron Hall, Tommy Mottola, Tracey Ullman, Trevor Noah, Tyrese Gibson, Usher, Weird Al Yankovic, Wiz Khalifa, and more.
The Pre-GRAMMY Gala has been a longstanding illustrious event that has honored luminaries for their contributions to music through the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Award. Jay-Z, Clarence Avant, L.A. Reid, and Berry Gordy are among previous honorees.
Before all of the action, AllHipHop caught up with Anthony Hamilton to discuss his favorite Diddy moment, his top 5 favorite rappers, and his new projects.
AllHipHop: We are at the 2020 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala. Puff is being honored tonight. What’s your favorite Diddy moment, song he produced, [or] lyric?
Anthony Hamilton: You know I was signed to Uptown, so I’ve seen a lot of great Diddy moments. My favorite moment was when he introduced Jodeci to the world and Mary J. Blige. That’s [Jodeci] Charlotte, North Carolina, my hometown, so I’m excited to honor him for allowing Charlotte to be what we are now.
AllHipHop: What’s next for Anthony?
Anthony Hamilton: You know what, I just did a movie called ‘Influence’. Carl Webber is a great writer. I just put out a book called ‘Conbread, Fish’n Collard Greens’ that goes into the journey of me and behind the music, and I’m working on a new album. I just got off the phone yesterday with Neyo. So I’m excited about that. But I have some songs man from 9th Wonder and Rick Ross.
AllHipHop: Lastly, [who are your] top 5 rappers dead or alive?
Anthony Hamilton: Kendrick Lamar, Run-D.M.C, Rakim, Nas, Da Baby.
