Russell Simmons Is Creating His Own Movie-Award Show and Will Honor Will Smith

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is doing something that black Americans have been talking about doing for some time, especially recently, in light of the #OscarsSoWhite issue: not paying the mainstream award shows any mind and continuing to support and create our own platforms to honor black artists.

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According to Page Six, Simmons has created the All Def Movie Awards, to take place Feb. 24, four days before the Academy Awards. It will be hosted by Tony Rock, Chris Rock’s younger comedian brother. 

The event will honor Will Smith with a Lifetime Achievement Award and TV producer and social activist Norman Lear with a Vanguard Award. 

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Diana Ozemebhoya Eromosele is a staff writer at The Root and the founder and executive producer of Lectures to Beats, a Web series that features video interviews with scarily insightful people. Follow Lectures to Beats on Facebook and Twitter.

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