It’s one of the oldest tricks in the game. You take someone with a sibilance of notoriety to global acclaim the opportunity to glow up and blow up as a star in the world of motion picture just might be the ultimate aspiration in show business. While it occasionally occurs for athletes, by far the biggest influx of talent making that transition has come from the world of music. Some artists in fact have scaled such heights that their fan bases never knew they once touched a mic. It’s to the point now that garnering an uptick in popularity and the financial gains that come with it is no longer the aim; now it’s acclaim and legacy that are the endgame. Case in point: Will Smith is nominated for a Best Actor at the 52nd annual Academy Awards. Will “THE FRESH PRINCE” Smith is nominated for an OSCAR in one of the biggest awards in the business. Let that soak in. While we do that, let’s also peep what just occurred on Feb. 26th at the BET-presented 2022 “NAACP Image Awards.” Will Smith emerged as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, but Jennifer Hudson was the night’s top winner, taking both the coveted Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture awards. It’s winners in a few of the other categories that shed some light on the initial premise however:
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Mary J. Blige – “Power Book II: Ghost”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Cliff “Method Man” Smith – “Power Book II: Ghost”
Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series): “Wild ‘N Out”
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special: Abdul Williams – “Salt-N-Pepa”
Is this an anomaly or upward trajectory? Time will tell, but the ride will be interesting.
A partial listing of winners from both televised and non-televised portions of the 2022 Image Awards are as follows:
Outstanding motion picture: “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Outstanding comedy series: “Insecure” (HBO)
Outstanding actor in a comedy series: Anthony Anderson – “black-ish”
Outstanding actress in a comedy series: Issa Rae – “Insecure”
Outstanding actor in a drama series: Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us”
Outstanding actress in a drama series: Angela Bassett – “9-1-1”
Outstanding new artist Sweet
Outstanding male artist Anthony Hamilton
Outstanding female artist Jazmine Sullivan
Outstanding album “Heaux Tales,” Jazmine Sullivan
Outstanding Soul/R&B Song “Pick Up Your Feelings”- Jazmine Sullivan
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional): Silk Sonic- “Leave the Door Open”
Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song Fye Fye – Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary): Tobe Nwigwe Feat. Fat Nwigwe-
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: “The Harder They Fall” (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) – JAY-Z & Jeymes Samuel
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song: “Help Me” – Tamela Mann feat. The Fellas
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album: “Overcomer” – Tamela Mann
Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental: “Sounds from the Ancestors” – Kenny Garrett
Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal: “Generations” – The Baylor Project
Outstanding International Song: “Essence” – Wizkid featuring Tems & Justin Bieber
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album: “Essence” – Wizkid featuring Tems
Outstanding News and Information Podcast: “Blindspot: Tulsa Burning”
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction: “Long Division” – Kiese Laymon
Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction: “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” – Nikole Hannah-Jones
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author: “Just as I Am” – Cicely Tyson
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography: “Will” – Will Smith
Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast: “Two Funny Mamas,” Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley
Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast: “Jemele Hill Is Unbothered”
Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast: “Jemele Hill Is Unbothered”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Courtney B. Vance – “Genius: Aretha”
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Taraji P. Henson – “Annie Live!”
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Kevin Hart – “True Story”
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
“Colin in Black & White”
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Angel Kristi Williams – “Colin in Black & White”
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)
Miles Brown – “black-ish”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Natasha Rothwell – “Insecure”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Deon Cole – “black-ish”
Outstanding Drama Series “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Documentary “Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Regina King – “The Harder They Fall”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Daniel Kaluuya – “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Outstanding Talk Series: “Red Table Talk”
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – “Red Table Talk”
Adding a social component to the ceremonies were the following special awards:
Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award: Members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas House Democratic Caucus, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus
NAACP Humanitarian of the Year: Darnella Frazier (The young sister who recorded and presented the criminal act committed on George Floyd)
NAACP Activist of the Year: Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches and a member of the NAACP national board of directors
Youth Activist of the Year: Channing Hill, NAACP chapter president, Howard University.
Over and out. Holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.