pepsi

Mary J. Blige’s Strength Of A Woman Festival Aims To Be The Next Great Cultural Fest For Black Women

by
Mary J Blige Strength of a Woman Festival 2022
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

As a cultural icon, Mary J. Blige has accomplished so much in music (hello, Time100 Most Influential People of 2022 list) and on TV (don’t forget about “Monet” on Power). Now, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul has spearheaded her own inaugural festival set to take place only in Atlanta; an idea she brought to Pepsi right after she performed at the Super Bowl this year.

“It’s the Strength Of A Woman Festival,” Mary told Uproxx in an interview. “We’re bringing all women together in Atlanta, where all the fans reside, and just sharing information and uplifting and empowering women.”

And, the experience was nothing short of spectacular. A loving sense of connectedness and warmth was present as many exciting events took place over that Mother’s Day weekend. It was a celebration that involved enriching attendees with meaningful panels during the day and, at night, live performances from the newer generation of artists like Baby Tate and City Girls and legacy acts such as 90s R&B group Xscape — and of course, Ms. Blige herself.

Everything was so well thought out, it was surprising to learn that the idea wasn’t something Mary and her team were planning for a while. According to the PepsiCo president of Multicultural Business and Equity Development and creator of Pepsi Stronger Together, Derek Lewis, they only had 10 weeks to make it happen with the goal for women “…to feel really inspired to go do greater work in whatever field they’re in personally and professionally.”

“The entertainment part obviously is tremendous, but for me — I really give a lot of credit to Mary and her team about their vision for this event — I would classify this as entertainment with a purpose,” Lewis proclaimed during our chat. “We are going to have massive engagement, entertainment, and excitement from an experience standpoint with the music, but it goes beyond that.”

“It was something that just came to us,” Blige explained. “Like, why don’t we do this? Because when we go to the Essence Festival, people are like, ‘I’m going to see Mary.’ So we’re like, ‘Hmm, well, let me just get my own festival and have everyone come to that festival every year.’”

For this to be the event’s first run, it was one of the smoothest conference-style festivals I have ever attended, while still having room to improve and expand each year. Especially with the Black-owned food trucks (shoutout to Fowl Play for holding it down with the lemon pepper wet hot wings) and empowering panels. I also loved the fact that I was able to enjoy Mother’s Day with my mom, who practically raised me on Blige’s music, while still being able to turn up to City Girls. Balance.

Mary has always been a great example of what the strength of a woman is all about. She has shown us what it means to overcome adversity while coming out on top and what it looks like embrace every enriching you want to do.

“Do not be held in a box,” she offered as advice when I asked how a person can achieve this. “Do what it is you want to do. Don’t let people tell you who you are. Know who you are and don’t be afraid of that. It takes confidence to get to the point where you’re not listening to every little word, and social media doesn’t help. Forget social media for a second. Be honest with yourself.”

Guidance like this is why being there for Mary was a no-brainer for “I Am” artist and festival performer Baby Tate.

“I think the entirety of my career has been based around the strength of women and making sure to remind women of their strength, and empower them through my music,” Tate told me after her performance. “It feels amazing to be on this lineup with so many women that I look up to, and that I am inspired by, and that empowers me when I listen to their music. It’s just great to be here.”

I also spoke for a bit with singer-songwriter Sevyn Streeter about how Mary can connect with every single emotion through her music and she named “As I Am” as the one song that uplifts her.

“I don’t care if you are a woman and you want to cry about something, or you want to go celebrate with your girls, or you want to remind yourself who you are, you want to look in the mirror and say, ‘Hello, gorgeous,’” she told me. “I think that’s just the power and the beauty of Mary J. Blige.”

Strength Of A Woman Festival is expected to return to Atlanta every spring, and it’s exciting to think of where they might go from here.

Baby Tate is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Uproxx was hosted for this event by Pepsi. However, Pepsi did not review or approve this story. You can learn more about the Uproxx Press Trip policy here.

The Super Bowl Halftime Show Will No Longer Be Sponsored By Pepsi

by
beyonce super bowl halftime show
Getty Image

Pepsi has announced that the company will no longer sponsor the NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show after 10 years as the musical partner for the show. In that time, fans have seen memorable performances from the likes of Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, The Weekend, and most recently, Dr. Dre and friends. Although the beverage company didn’t give a reason for the change, a release on Twitter thanked the 26 musical acts who played the show over the past decade.

“After 10 years of iconic Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show performances, we have decided it’s time to pass the mic,” Pepsi’s official Twitter posted. “Thank you to the amazing artists and fans who helped us create some incredible moments along the way. Now on to the next stage… ” A follow-up tweet recounted some of the Halftime Show’s accolades over the past few years. Pepsi touted, “26 musical acts representing 168 Grammys and almost 1,000 Billboard hits have rocked the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show stage over the past 10 years.”

There have been no similar announcements from the official NFL or Super Bowl Twitter accounts, the latter of which hasn’t been updated since December of 2021. Meanwhile, a press statement from Pepsi says that the company’s overall partnership with the NFL will continue, introducing new programming, sports drinks, and activations for the NFL.

Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Fat Joe And More Celebrate Biggie’s 50th Birthday In NYC

by
R6A9970

The rainy weather didn’t keep Brooklyn and the rest of the New York from showing up and showing out for the exclusive, black-tie Notorious B.I.G. 50th Birthday Gala. Last weekend, the city’s biggest influencers and tastemakers were all on hand the bring in what would’ve been Biggie’s 50th born day(May 21). Sponsored by Pepsi and put on by the Christopher Wallace Estate, Manhattan’s Guastavino’s was the locale of the prestigious bday bash for the game’s most celebrated emcee, which drew celebs from all facets of urban entertainment.

Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 9.47.26 PM
Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 9.47.26 PM

B.I.G.’s real friends, family and diehard supporters were in attendance for this second annual event. Everyone impactful in his career was in attendance; from his original Brooklyn family/crew, Lil’ Kim , Lil Cease and Junior M.A.F.I.A., to his extended family in the Hip Hop community, including Fat Joe and Sway Calloway, who conducted Biggie’s last radio interview just four days before he was killed in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997.

Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.05.52 PM
Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.01.12 PM
Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.01.12 PM

The night began with an exclusive full course dinner while a live band called The Frank White Experience played some of Biggie’s most revered hits, which preceded some of his “Notorious” hits being played in digital format by none other than HOT 97’s DJ Enuff for the capacity crowd to enjoy. A large ice sculpture with the letters “B.I.G.”graced the stairs to the entrance of the upper level gala, where many of the attendees took their “I was there” pics.

Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 9.58.43 PM
Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.12.58 PM

Some of the other notables who came through to show Biggie sone Brooklyn love include Biggie’s children T’Yanna and C.J. Wallace, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Smif N’ Wessun, Caesar Emanuel of Black Ink, Karliee Redd of Love And Hip Hop ,Don Pooh, Bri Steeves, Coodie (director of Kanye West’s Jeen-Yus documentary}, Lil Kim’s business partner Alyi V, marketing guru Greg Walker, entertainment attorney/The Source Magazine owner Londell McMillian and countless others.

Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.17.06 PM

Performances included a set by Lil Kim and Junior M.A.F.I.A., including a “Quiet Storm” cameo with Kim and Havoc. The surprise of the night was watching “Lil Biggie” Christopher “C.J.” Wallace perform his one of his father’s premiere hits, “One More Chance”, as the crowd felt the spirit of Biggie through his only son.

Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.21.43 PM
Screen Shot 2022 05 23 at 10.19.47 PM

The post Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Fat Joe And More Celebrate Biggie’s 50th Birthday In NYC appeared first on The Source.

Lil Kim Teams with Pepsi and Lexus to Host the 2nd Annual ‘Biggie Dinner’ Gala Celebrating The Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday

by
R6A9834

Lil Kim paid tribute to the icon The Notorious B.I.B. in classic New York City form with a star-studded gala presented by Lexus and Pepsi. Last night, May 20th, 2022, the biggest names in hip hop gathered to commemorate Biggie’s 50th birthday. Biggie’s legacy was recognized with a star-studded black-tie gala and concert at Guastavino’s (409 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022), which featured performances of Biggie’s most iconic singles.

Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Junior M.A.F.I.A., CJ Wallace, T’yanna Wallace, Fat Joe, Havoc, Sway, Smif-N-Wessun, Tek and Steele, Prayah, Ceaser Emanuel of Black Ink Crew, and others gathered to honor the late rapper.

The event honored Biggie, who is widely regarded as the greatest rapper of all time, with performances of his most popular classics. Biggie’s impact to hip hop continues to inspire future generations. His illustrious career has left an indelible mark on mainstream culture. B.I.G. is still alive!

On Biggie Smalls and Lil’ Kim‘s official Instagram sites, as well as Lil Kim’s YouTube channel, fans can get a behind-the-scenes peek at the spectacular event. Culture Creative, a Black-owned Emmy Award-Winning firm, organized the event. Culture Creative’s mission is to link businesses with growing cultural marketing destinations through new and inventive forms of authentic storytelling.

Biggie’s and music industry giants “Don Pooh” Brooklyn Chophouse Times Square hosted the after-party. Around 230 AM, Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, and Junior M.A.F.I.A. arrived, and Brooklyn Chop House fired up the kitchen to serve Lil’ Kim and her team!

You can see images from the event below.

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress


R6A0027


R6A8583


R6A9903


R6A9970


R6A0112


R6A0150


R6A8537


R6A8566


R6A0070


R6A0095


R6A0101


R6A8724


R6A8697


R6A8711


R6A8717


R6A8646


R6A8669


R6A8682


R6A8609


R6A8870


R6A8950


R6A9101


R6A8778


R6A8827


R6A8862


R6A9454


R6A9633


R6A9706


R6A9111


R6A9209


R6A9305


R6A9894


R6A9750


R6A9834


R6A9837

The post Lil Kim Teams with Pepsi and Lexus to Host the 2nd Annual ‘Biggie Dinner’ Gala Celebrating The Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday appeared first on The Source.

Mary J. Blige Teams with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban for “Strength of a Woman” Festival & Summit

by
MJB Photo

In collaboration with Live Nation Urban, Mary J. Blige and Pepsi proudly announce the inaugural “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit.” Between May 6th and 8th, 2022, the festival will take place in the lively metropolis of Atlanta, GA, with three days dedicated to music, comedy, and community development. The presale begins at 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, and the general on-sale begin at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 10th.

The festival is designed for and by women on Mother’s Day weekend in Atlanta, GA, a hub for creativity and culture. Mary J Blige has dedicated the majority of her career to magnify, empower, and give voice to BIPOC women via the art of music and truth-telling. She is a 9-time Grammy Award-Winning Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Producer, Philanthropist, and Global Superstar. The progression of her life’s mission and purpose is this multi-touchpoint event, which focuses on Music, Wellness, Technology, Beauty, and Financial Literacy.

“The idea for the festival came to us after early listening sessions of my latest album with my family and friends and women in the industry. Each time, the people in the room would share a story, oftentimes of heartbreak or pain, but they always ended with joy and love and how their girlfriends or mom or sister helped them find their voice and strength. We felt like after two years of being inside and having to endure so much, that this was the type of experience that people, especially women, deserved,” said Blige. “I’m so grateful to all of the performers, vendors, and participants for committing themselves to our inaugural event and I am so excited to do this in a city that has been rocking with me since the very beginning of my career. I am proud to create this with my sisters and I look forward to an undeniably beautiful and special experience.”

Blige and her colleagues Nicole Jackson, Vice President of MJB Inc., and Marketing Maven Ashaunna Ayars of The Ayars Agency created the festival. They’ve put together a team of women to run every aspect of the festival, from production to communications, in an attempt that reflects the festival’s mission and vision.

Ayars says, “This festival and summit were created for our friends, mothers, sisters, and the countless women who walk unapologetically in their truth and strength. Being able to bring an experience like this to fruition, especially with a dynamic team of Black women at the helm, is a dream come true. I’ve lived in Atlanta for several years and am thrilled that we’ll be able to give back to a city that has nurtured, supported, and amplified to the global stage so many Black artists and entrepreneurs. We are so grateful for Pepsi’s support in celebrating and honoring women, but also with their commitment via grants for the larger Atlanta creative & entrepreneurial community.”

Due to its reputation as a hotspot for young Black creatives and entrepreneurs, Blige and her collaborators chose Atlanta as the setting for this inaugural event. To ensure participants have the greatest experience possible, the festival has partnered with dozens of local, minority, and female-owned companies and vendors. The festival’s involvement in the local entrepreneurial community, as well as the performers and hosts for the numerous events during the weekend, demonstrate the festival’s affection for Atlanta.

You can see the full lineup for the festival below and learn about all of the events of the weekend here.

SOAW Art Final Main Admat Main Admat v2 01

The post Mary J. Blige Teams with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban for “Strength of a Woman” Festival & Summit appeared first on The Source.

Doja Cat Covers The ‘Grease’ Classic ‘You’re The One I Want’ In A New Pepsi Ad

by

Maybe it was the popularity of the Silhouette Challenge that planted the seed for Pepsi’s newest campaign with its sample of ’50s star Paul Anka alongside the sultry vocals of modern pop phenom Doja Cat. In the new ad, which promotes the brand’s new “soda shop” line of flavors, Doja Cat again takes on a retro classic, but this time adds another layer of meta flair with a cover of Olivia Newton-John’s Grease showstopper “You’re The One I Want.”

Recreating a handful of scenes from the ’70s film with the ’50s aesthetic, the new ad puts a modern spin on both, updating the rock-and-roll style music with glittering contemporary pop and utilizing a multicultural cast of greasers and preps. Meanwhile, despite taking on the role of Sandy, it turns out Doja’s mission isn’t so much hooking up with Danny, but getting her well-manicured hands on his can of Pepsi.

In an interview with Billboard about the new campaign, the MTV VMA host admitted having trouble locking down the vocal approach on the classic. “I sing, but I feel like I have a lot of trouble singing certain things, even my own songs,” she said. “This was one of those songs where I had to really push and find different parts of my singing ability to make it happen.”

“Back then, music was so different and so carefully done. It wasn’t just loops and beats, which is why I feel like this was a bit harder for me. I can’t believe I was able to kind of hit some of those notes because it’s a very difficult song to sing. I’m happy about it.”

Watch Doja Cat cover “You’re The One I Want” for Pepsi above.