Patti LaBelle (L) and Byron Allen attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton was a beacon of Black excellence on Saturday night as it hosted theGrio Awards‘ first-ever ceremony and gala. With help from hosts Sheryl Underwood and Taye Diggs, Allen Media Group’s Founder, Chairman and CEO Byron Allen welcomed an impressive roster of guests for the evening, including many of this year’s honorees; Queen Latifah, Patti LaBelle, Jennifer Hudson, Allyson Felix, Ben Crump, Don Peebles, and Robert F. Smith. Luminaries Nikole Hannah-Jones, Terrance Howard, Jackée Harry, Marla Gibbs, Kim Coles, and Congressman Bobby Rush also made appearances on theGrio’s red carpet—as did several of theGrio’s best-known names and faces—April Ryan, Natasha Alford, Panama Jackson, and Michael Harriot.
Patti LaBelle (L) and Byron Allen attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
“I created theGrio Awards to celebrate and amplify African-American excellence and the incredible champions from other communities who truly support us,” said Allen in a statement announcing theGrio Awards. “Celebrating and amplifying iconic individuals is something we can never do enough of, especially for our children.”
With that purpose in mind, TheGrio Awards’ first gala was a star-studded evening full of well-deserved recognition, revelry, and reunions (we see you, ladies of “Living Single” and “227”)! The Black star power continued onstage as Music Icon honoree LaBelle also graced the audience with her incredible voice, as did fellow performers Yolanda Adams, Tyrese, and Fantasia. Musical legend Greg Phillinganes served as the evening’s musical director, while DJ Kiss did double duty as D.J. and announcer.
If you weren’t on the invite list for theGrio Awards 2022, never fear. The awards ceremony will be airing on theGrio Television Network and other Allen Media Group television and digital platforms as well as broadcast television stations nationwide on a soon-to-be-announced date, so stay tuned to this and all theGrio’s platforms for updates. In the meantime, enjoy a preliminary glimpse at the celebration in our red-carpet gallery below.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Byron Allen
Byron Allen attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Taye Diggs (L) and Apryl Jones
Taye Diggs (L) and Apryl Jones attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Kim Coles
Kim Coles attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Congressman Bobby Rush
Congressman Bobby Rush attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
April Ryan
April Ryan attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Judge Lauren Lake
Judge Lauren Lake attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Ben Crump
Ben Crump attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Dr. Benjamin Chavis and guest
Dr. Benjamin Chavis and guest attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Natasha Alford
Natasha Alford attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Michael Harriot
Michael Harriot attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Purple PPL Media LLC)
Michele Ghee
Allen Media Group’s Michele Ghee attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Geraldine Moriba
Geraldine Moriba, Allen Media Group’s SVP of News, Entertainment & Empowerment attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Robert F. Smith
Robert F. Smith attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Ryan Glen
Ryan Glen attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Lisa Wu
Lisa Wu attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
KJ Smith
KJ Smith attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Luenell
Luenell attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Sheryl Underwood
Sheryl Underwood attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Jackée Harry
Jackée Harry attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Angela Gibbs (L) and Marla Gibbs
Angela Gibbs (L) and Marla Gibbs attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Brely Evans
Brely Evans attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Judge Mablean Ephriam
Judge Mablean Ephriam attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Patricia Wilson (L) and Daryl Osby
Patricia Wilson (L) and Daryl Osby attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Tyra Gabriella Morrison
Tyra Gabriella Morrison attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Tanya Winfield (L) and Dave Winfield
Tanya Winfield (L) and Dave Winfield attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Wendell James
Wendell James attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Don Peebles (L) and Katrina Peebles
Don Peebles (L) and Katrina Peebles attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Chris Malone (L) and Victoria Malone
Chris Malone (L) and Victoria Malone attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Kerry Gordy (R) and Gary Hecker
Kerry Gordy (right) and Gary Hecker attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Alena Analeigh McQuarter
Alena Analeigh McQuarter attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Flame Monroe
Flame Monroe attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Carolyn Folks
Carolyn Folks attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Clint Coley (R) and Alicia Dodd
Clint Coley (R) and Alicia Dodd attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Judge Cristina Perez
Judge Cristina Perez attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
(L-R) Eric Austin, Marc Pritchard, and Damon Jones
(L-R) Eric Austin, Marc Pritchard, and Damon Jones attend TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Damon Elliot
Damon Elliot attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Tamaira Sandifer
Tamaira Sandifer attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Queen Latifah (L) and Kim Coles
Queen Latifah and Kim Coles embrace at TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Purple PPL Media LLC)
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
Correction: Monday, October 24, 2022, at 12:40 p.m., ET: Captions in an earlier version of this article mislabeled the photo of Kerry Gordy and Gary Hecker and that of Eric Austin, Marc Pritchard, and Damon Jones. The captions have since been corrected.
Maiysha Kai is theGrio’s lifestyle editor, covering all things Black and beautiful. Her work is informed by two decades’ experience in fashion and entertainment, great books and aesthetics, and the brilliance of Black culture. She is also the editor-author of Body (Words of Change series).
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Writing Black’ with Maiysha Kai.
