Iconic New York radio station WBLS will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary with DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! through a historic one-night-only musical experience showcasing five decades of definitive R&B and Hip Hop artists. This event, powered by SJ Presents, in collaboration with the Black Promoters Collective, will take place on Friday, November 8, 2024 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, uniting a legendary list of icons spanning generations.
Celebrating WBLS’s rich legacy as a beacon of culture and music, the fifty-year milestone event will deliver bespoke performances, one-of-a-kind collaborative moments, and surprise appearances from special guests, all honoring the generations of music that have graced WBLS’ airwaves.
The momentous lineup will feature superstars Charlie Wilson, Chaka Khan, Bobby Brown, SWV, Keyshia Cole, Jaheim, Anthony Hamilton, Hezekiah Walker, and others to be announced in the coming weeks. The roster will also feature The Furious Five, Roxanne Shante, Nice & Smooth, Black Sheep, Full Force, Shannon, Meli’sa Morgan, Fonda Rae, and Taana Gardner, all of whose profound cultural influence represents the station’s impact on both radio and New York, at large. Legendary DJs Marley Marl, Kool DJ Red Alert, and Chuck Chillout will also appear.
“We’re excited to be throwing the party of the year on November 8th,” said Program Director Cynthia Smith. “For 29 years, I’ve been part of this brand, watching the station grow, engage with the community, celebrate cultural moments, and launch the careers of dozens of R&B artists. I’ve been looking forward to this event since we started planning it!”
“Working with WBLS for over twenty years has been an incredible honor and privilege,” says Shelby Joyner, President of The Black Promoters Collective. “WBLS has been more than just a radio station; it has been a cultural institution, a voice for the community, and a bridge between generations of music lovers. Their dedication to uplifting Black music and artistry has been unmatched and celebrating their 50th anniversary with this monumental event is truly special.”
“As an aspiring ten-year-old deejay growing up in New York City, WBLS was a foundational inspiration – my daily source of Hip Hop and R&B, my guide to all that was classic, and my blueprint for all that was cutting edge,” says DJ Cassidy. “I revered station icons Frankie Crocker and Mr. Magic, innovators who transformed the airwaves with a melting pot of pivotal music that transcended genre, breaking records of the day into anthems of today. Decades later, the station’s influence still rings loud across the city and even the globe. It will be my utmost honor to Pass The Mic Live to over twenty of my Hip Hop and R&B heroes to celebrate fifty years of WBLS, an undisputed cultural institution.”
Tickets will be available for purchase via Ticketmaster and blackpromoterscollective.com, this Friday, September 13th.
