Jon Platt, Chairman and CEO of Warner/Chappell Music, today announced that Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter will be joining him in L.A. for the Oct. 11 City of Hope gala supporting the acclaimed nonprofit clinical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. The visionary music mogul and twenty-one-time Grammy Award-winning rapper, producer, and Warner/Chappell songwriter will present the prestigious Spirit of Life® award to Platt. It was recently announced that Pharrell Williams will host the star-studded event.
Platt said, “It’s no secret that I don’t like being the center of attention, that’s for the songwriters, but when I accept the Spirit of Life award this fall, I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have presenting it to me. Jay is unquestionably one of the most giving and genuine people I know, not to mention one of the greatest songwriters on the planet. I feel lucky to call him my brother. October 11 is going to be a really special, unforgettable night.”
JAY-Z will have just returned from the On the Run II Tour with Beyoncé, which began just as The Carters surprise-dropped their first joint album, Everything is Love. With the record for most Billboard No.1 albums by a solo artist, including last year’s 4:44, JAY-Z boasts more than 100 million album sales worldwide. Last year he was the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an award which Platt accepted on JAY-Z’s behalf. This past weekend, JAY-Z held his annual Made in America music festival in Philadelphia, featuring top hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill, and Post Malone.
Each year City of Hope recognizes a philanthropic leader whose work has fundamentally impacted music, film or entertainment. The coveted Spirit of Life® award is its highest honor, having been given to such noted figures as Quincy Jones, Mo Ostin, Clive Davis, Frances W. Preston, Shelli and Irving Azoff, Doug Morris, and Sir Lucian Grainge.
