Back in 1971, Visionary Don Cornelius produced and broadcasted a show that would change the ideology of television. Soul Train was a show about music and dance that aired in syndication from 1971 to 2006.
This year (2021), BET and The world famous Apollo Theater partnered to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the beginning of the legendary show during the Soul Train Awards 2021 that happened on Sunday night. Premiered on BET, BET Her, MTV2, and VH1, the pre-taped award show featured a number of captivating performances from some of the best in R&B and soul music. BET’s partnership with the non-profit Apollo, which is now in its 88th year, was aimed at celebrating the excellence and culture of black entertainment with an eventful night full of unforgettable moments.
This year’s show included performances from Soul Train Music Awards’ Legend Award’ winner Maxwell, ‘Lady of Soul’ prize winner Ashanti, Silk Sonic’s Bruno Mars, and Anderson .Paak, Leon Bridges, and many more.
The Awards were hosted by close friends and actresses Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell. This dynamic duo has been friends for over thirty years and has worked on projects such as Martin and Little Shop of Horrors. Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell are now synonyms for the dreams and visions that Don Cornelius had while starting his show back in 1971.
The complete list of WINNERS at the 2021 Soul Train Awards (by Category)
Best New Artist: Yung Bleu
Certified Soul Award: Charlie Wilson
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist: Jazmine Sullivan
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist: Giveon
Best Gospel/Inspirational Award: Kirk Franklin
Song of the Year: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
Album of the Year: Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales
The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award: Leave the Door Open – Written by: Bruno Mars, Brandon Anderson, Dernst Emile Ii, Christopher Brody Brown (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic)
Best Dance Performance: Normani Feat. Cardi B – “Wild Side”
Best Collaboration: Wizkid feat. Tems – “Essence”
Video of the Year: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak (Silk Sonic) – “Leave the Door Open”
LEGEND OF SOUL AND LADY OF SOUL: MAXWELL AND ASHANTI
This year, the Soul Train Awards 2021 honored Maxwell with the Legend of Soul Award. Maxwell revolutionized soul music in 1996 when he released his critically acclaimed debut album with Columbia Music, “Maxwells Urban Hang Suite.” The album would receive Grammy nominations, double platinum status, and RIAA gold for the single Ascension. To date, Maxwell has received four platinum album certifications from the RIAA and 3 Grammy Awards.
Earlier in an interview with For(bes) The Culture, Maxwell was asked what it feels like to be a legend. This was his response;
“I don’t know. I mean, I’m sitting here as if it were going well, I guess I should understand that something is in her manual. I look at people like Dionne Warwick, and I think that’s a legend or Smokey Robinson, that’s a legend. So for me, I don’t know exactly. I can’t imagine that because so many of the people I started with are legendary. So I’m just trying to understand why someone thinks I’m like that. In the beginning, I felt like an outsider to myself. I remember being in a studio apartment and having the cassette of Urban Hang Suite. And I just wonder: Will that ever go somewhere? And will I be one of them? Will I be accepted? Will I be seen? Am I measuring? So that I can be here now. I would like to tell everyone out there, all the musicians, that it can happen to you. It can really be if you remember the past and respect the ancestors and those who came before you. I understand that I am on the shoulders of such a terrible experience. And to see how my people still get out of this terrible experience, we have experienced so much of it and to be able to make lemonade out of these lemons that were given to us. To stand here and know that I feel the full presence of all these incredible Motown artists who have paved the way so that we can make a happy noise. I am simply glad that I can be part of this tradition and heritage.”
The Lady of Soul Award was handed out to the Award-winning singer Ashanti during the 2021 Soul Train Award ceremony. Throughout her career, Ashanti has received several Soul Train Awards. She was the first woman to write billboard history by landing her first three chart entries in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, an achievement that only the Beatles had previously achieved. Ashanti solidifies as a scarf in music and will receive a star on the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2022.
With her newly attained achievement, Ashanti joins the league of so many great women from Dorothy Dandridge, Mary J, Faith, Mariah, Whitney, Patti LaBelle, and Yolanda Adams, who have opened the doors and paved the way for women in the lucrative music business. It is usually a good feeling to be part of the force that encourages women to be just as great.
TRIBUTE TO AALIYAH
One of the highlights at the 2021 Soul Train Awards was the “2021 Soul Cypher.”
August 25 marked 20 years since the shocking death of famous R&B artist Aaliyah. This year’s Soul Train Awards paid tribute to the deeply-missed songstress by bringing back the Soul Cypher and having the various artists rhyme over a flipped version of her posthumous hit “Rock the Boat.”
With assistance from DJ D-Nice, singers Musiq Soulchild, Tone Stith, Koryn Hawthorne, Jac Ross, and Elle Varner each took turns putting their vocals to the test with contrasting styles of delivery while paying tribute to the late “babygirl.”
More performances and highlights that went down at the Apollo Theatre can be found on BETNetworks YouTube page.
