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Juneteenth Celebration At L.A.’s Greek Theatre To Feature Miguel, Davido, Jodeci
After a successful inaugural event in 2022, “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” will return to Southern California and television on June 19 with a star-studded bill that includes singer-songwriters Miguel and Davido and R&B group Jodeci.
The unique event, produced by Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment, commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. and African American freedom, and as of June 2021, Juneteenth is recognized as a national holiday. The celebration will be held at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on June 19 at 8 p.m. EST with sounds from the African diaspora, including performances from Kirk Franklin, SWV and Coi Leray. Grammy Award-winner Adam Blackstone and The Roots co-founder Questlove, who curated the Grammy’s recent Hip-Hop 50 tribute, will also be part of the festivities as musical directors. Organizers said additional presenters and artists will be announced and promise “a historic celebration of Black culture and excellent brought to life and powered by Black creators.”
This year’s edition of “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom,” which aims to educate viewers about the holiday on its 158th anniversary, will be broadcast on CNN and OWN nationally, marking the first time the event is being simulcast on two networks.
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“Last year, we launched ‘Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom,’ and it was emotional and unforgettable for everyone involved,” Shawn Gee, president of Live Nation Urban, said in a statement. “We’ve teamed up with our partners at CNN and Jesse Collins Entertainment again and this year we are broadcasting live from the historic Los Angeles venue, the Greek Theatre. We are looking forward to educating and celebrating the Juneteenth holiday.”
All CNN platforms will broadcast the event and have exclusive pre-show content. The network broadcast last year’s special at the Hollywood Bowl and reportedly attracted the “No. 1 Black audience in all of cable and broadcast television for the 8-11 p.m. timeslot.”
“We are proud to once again partner with Live Nation Urban to broadcast this powerful Juneteenth event on our platforms,” said Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide. “We want to be a destination for people to both understand and celebrate a holiday of this magnitude.”
Johnita P. Du, executive vice president of integrity and inclusion for CNN Worldwide, also expressed her excitement, saying, “I look forward to the electricity of the 2023 show. It is meticulously crafted as an expression of the excellence and resilience of the Black community and the ongoing pursuit of equality.”
OWN will air live programming from 8 p.m. EST to 12 a.m., and network President Tina Perry said that the company is “honored to simulcast this year’s concert.”
“Juneteenth continues to be deeply important to our audience and it’s this deep significance that makes this simulcast really feel like an opportunity to be of service,” Perry added. “We are taking this day to celebrate alongside American families and reflect on this historic turning point for our nation.”
Tickets for the live show are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.