EBONY CELEBRATES 2026 POWER 100 EVENT HONORING JAY-Z, MEGAN THEE STALLION, ALICIA KEYS, SWIZZ BEATZ, NAOMI OSAKA, JALEN BRUNSON, KEKE PALMER AND MORE

The show opened up with a live musical performance from 20x Grammy-winning artist Kirk Franklin who took to the stage with smash hit "Revolution."

The evening unfolded inside "La Cour," the gala's immersive creative world, which reimagines the grand royal courts of history with Black excellence at their center. EBONY's Power 100 Court included Brandy (GRAMMY-winning singer and actress), Byron Allen (Allen Media Group founder), Flau'Jae Johnson (Seattle Storm WNBA player), Keith Lee (Digital influencer and culinary tastemaker), Lena Waithe (EMMY award-winning writer, producer and actor) and Victor Glover (NASA Astronaut Emeritus) who took to the stage to receive their award during the evening's program.

• Coco Jones presented GRAMMY award-winning singer and actress Brandy onstage
  • Coco paid tribute singing some of Brandy's most iconic hits
  • Brandy reflected on her personal struggles with self-image, grief and pain while growing up, as well as the journey behind her memoir, "Phases."
  • Brandy closed with a powerful reflection: "Tonight I can feel the weight of what I've accomplished without making myself feel smaller."
• Former NASA scientist and Blue Origin Astronaut Aisha Bowe presented NASA Astronaut Emeritus Victor Glover onstage.
  • Victor paid tribute to his wife and recognized the trailblazers who paved the way for him, emphasizing the importance of opening doors wider to enhance diversity in science, technology and innovation.
• Singer Tyrese surprised fans with a special musical performance of classic hit, "Signs of Love Makin'" bringing guests to their feet. The artist had the room dancing with other electrifying performances of "Sweet Lady" and "How You Gonna Act Like That."
• Kia J Brooks surprised fans with a special mother-daughter moment onstage as she presented Seattle Storm WNBA player and artist Flau'Jae Johnson.
  • Flau'Jae brought her younger brother Adin to the stage for a full family moment
  • In her speech, Flau'Jae described her dream of playing in a WNBA game inside the same stadium that would also hold her sold out shows on the same night.
• EBONY CEO Eden Bridgeman took to the stage to present media mogul and Allen Media Group Founder, Chairman and CEO Byron Allen - one of this year's Junior Bridgeman Business Vanguard award recipients
  • Byron recalls nostalgic memories with Junior Bridgeman himself, who he described as his good friend and close mentor.
  • Byron also recalled early memories of joining his mother at work when she couldn't afford childcare, serving as the impetus for his business career.
  • Byron detailed his work in multiple high-stakes lawsuits under the Civil Rights Act, winning $50 billion from major corporations and described his desire for economic inclusion for Black America
• A Different World actor Cornell Young presented EBONY's People's Choice Award to fellow co-star Maleah Joi Moon.
  • Maleah Joi Moon's introspective speech called EBONY "a movement." She also reflected on her recent streaming success, A Different World as a project that was made to "inspire hope."
• Cleo's Southern Cuisine chef, Kristen Harper surprised Keith Lee as she presented the digital influencer and culinary tastemaker's award onstage
• Director Gina Prince-Bythewood presented EMMY award-winning writer, producer and actor Lena Waithe onstage.
  • Gina humorously recalled Lena's early days as her assistant, joking about her showing up to her home in a flower blouse and slacks, an outfit that hardly captured Lena's bold, outspoken personality.
  • Gina reflected on witnessing Lena's journey firsthand, including making history in 2017 as the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Master of None.
  • The two shared a heartfelt embrace onstage, with Lena telling Gina, "There is no me without you."
• Singer Monica welcomed CEO Eden Bridgeman back to the stage for a heartfelt closing speech
  • Drawing on the words of Martin Luther King Jr. ("I Have a Dream"), Maya Angelou ("Still I Rise") and the spirit of "Yes We Can," Eden underscored the collective power and possibility represented in the room.
  • Eden emphasized that EBONY Power 100 represents more than 100 powerful individuals - it represents what is possible when that collective power comes together.

EBONY held special moments during the ceremony as it called on honorees to stand in celebration of the Artist in Residence, Community Crusaders, Entertainment Powerhouses, Generation NEXT, Influential Creators, Leaders in Sports, Music Innovators, and STEM Trailblazers categories. Host Tisha Campbell also highlighted the Media Mavens category, poking fun at Jason Lee.

Grammy-winning rapper, entrepreneur and member of this year's Music Innovators class, T.I. closed out the show with an electrifying performance of recent 2026 Pharrell–produced track, "Let 'Em Know" before diving into 2008 throwback, "Whatever You Like." The rap artist finished with "Pistol on the Dance Floor," going a cappella for the final verse as guests cheered along.

Reflecting on the evening, EBONY CEO Eden Bridgeman said, "Celebrating the Black leaders moving our culture forward is central to EBONY's mission, and last night was a true reflection of that mission. We are honored to have such an influential class of individuals in one room to share their stories and celebrate such incredible achievements."

The evening drew a full venue of notable celebrities and culture leaders, including Angel McCoughtry, Brandon Blackwood, Carlos King, DDG, Dex Robinson, Debbie Allen, Eni Popoola, cast members from A Different World (Cornell Young, Kennedi Reece, Maleah Joi Moon and Renee Harrison), showrunner Felicia Pride, Love Island stars (Aniya Harvey, Chelley Bissainthe, Ja'Na Craig, Kayda Bosse, KC Chandler, Kordell Beckham, Serena Page, Tierra Davis and Trinity Tatum), Jackie Aina, Jacquees, Janelle James, Jeremiah Brown, Jerrie Johnson, Jonathan Peter, Kandi Burruss, Karen Huger, Karen Pittman, Kendra G, Kyla Pratt, Lauren Speed, Marsai Martin, Matt Barnes, Miguel, Muni Long, Natalia Bryant, Rick Ross, Scott Evans, Taylor Rooks, Tiffany Haddish, Tia Mowry, Wale and more.

This year's ceremony commemorated the theme "The Stories We Shape," which is centered around narrative ownership and the overarching mission to keep Black people at the center of storytelling and defining our collective future.

The event was produced in partnership with Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE), the Emmy-winning production company behind the BET Awards, the Emmy Awards and the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The complete list of 2026 EBONY Power 100 honorees is available at EBONY.com/Power100. Follow EBONY on social media for additional Power 100 updates: @EBONYMagazine on Instagram, @ebony_magazine on TikTok, and @EBONY on X and Facebook.

About EBONY 
For more than 80 years, EBONY has served as a leading voice of the Black American experience and a global authority on Black culture. Through its commitment to storytelling, cultural coverage, entertainment, lifestyle, commerce, and community, EBONY continues to illuminate the Black perspective and celebrate the people, ideas, and movements shaping the past, present, and future of the Black experience. EBONY Media Group is a division of 1145 Holdings, LLC.

About Jesse Collins Entertainment 
Founded in 2012, Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service, Emmy-winning production company behind many of television's most memorable moments, including the Emmy Awards, the BET Awards, the Soul Train Awards, and multiple Super Bowl Halftime Shows. Emmy Award winner Jesse Collins is Founder and CEO; Emmy winner Dionne Harmon is President.

For red carpet images, please see HERE 
(Photo Credit: Arnold Turner, Getty Images)

For inside event images, please see HERE 
(Photo Credit: Jason Sean Weiss, BFA)

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SOURCE EBONY Media Group