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What's up: Notes from the VIBE Awards It's November 20, 2002 and it's a starry and fresh night
in Santa Monica. I'm standing on the extended-version remixed red
carpet, in front of the VIBE Awards/UPN/Flavor Unit Television/Phat
Farm/Baby Phat/Motorola "step and repeat" (the sponsor logo-ed
wallpaper backdrop), next to my VIBE publicist Leah Watkins. P. Diddy
laced in a black ten-piece suit with the exquisite Kim Porter strutting
in a black Dolce & Gabbana slip dress stop and pose behind me. Ahead
of me, Damon Dash hawking Armadale Vodka (seriously he clutched a bottle
in one hand) and a DVD version of America, his new mag (in the other
hand). Over my shoulder, Billy Malillo and Quohnos Mitchell (two of my
best friends) had my back and were holding it down (and my radio and
headset).
If you haven't seen the VIBE Awards:
Beats, Style, Flavor hosted by Queen Latifah yet, be sure to check it
out on MTV2 on Sunday, Dec. 7 (7-9 PM EST).
Flash! "Emil, over here. " Pop!
"Over here, Emil." Leah leads me to the railing. "So what
makes the VIBE Awards different from other awards?" asked one
reporter. "The categories are great. Who came up with those? I mean
"Hottest Hook," laughing. Everything starts to swirl like hot
fudge sundae. What the hell is going on? I think to myself. After
interview after interview, I realize it's time to get this party
started. A quick stop to check in with the ab fab Farnsworth Bentley and
VIBE Fashion Advertising Director Beverly SmithÑworking the red rug for
Weekend VIBEÑfor a critique of my cream, pinstripe Tom Ford for Yves
Saint Laurent suit, belt and shoes. "You always look fabulous Mr.
Wilbekin," snapped the bespoken Bentley. "Work it out for
Momma," Bevy cooed.
The clock was ticking and it was 6:05 p.m. and my life was about to
change forever. There was no turning back. It was the jump off for the
next phase of my life. I walked into the Santa Monica Civic Center,
put on my headset, adjusted the volume on the transmitter, and gazed
into the main room. The auditorium that I had been in for the last four
days of set building, production planning, and rehearsal after rehearsal
was filled with stars, suited executives, hogties, homies,
trend-setters, and fans. The beautiful people. "The beautiful
ones," according to Prince. The lavender tables dotted the floors
and the center pieces (the illuminated glass cylinders supporting glass
bowls filled with water and floating orchids and tea candles) lit-up the
room. I snaked my way through the tables, hollered at Andre Harrell,
waved at VIBE owner Bob Miller, and took three deep breaths.
After a mere ten weeks, a promotion to Editorial Director/VP of Brand
Development, a birthday (complete with Biz Markie spun bash at Taj in
Manhattan), crazy gossip mentions in WWD, The Daily News, and
The New York Post, a spread on my apartment in New York
magazine, and a fierce case of bronchitis, I had managed (along with the
help of many, many, many people including the entire VIBE staff,
Flavor Unit Television, Josh Katz, White Cherry Productions, Keith
Dagle, June Ambrose, Funk Master Flex, Fatima Robinson, Daniel Peddle,
MAC, Aveda, the record industry notably Interscope, Arista, Def Jam,
Captiol, J Records, TVT, and Jive, and fashion houses Phat Farm, Baby
Phat, Ecko, Enyce, and Sean John, Delinah Vaz, Benny Medina, and Ron
Gillyard) to conceptualize and execute a debut, prime-time, highly
rated, televised Award show on UPN. Whew! Between the cross-country
flights, the asthma attacks, and the dirty Martinis, I managed. And I
loved every minute of it. To produce the VIBE 10th Anniversary
Issue and executive produce the VIBE Awards in one year
wasÑoverwhelming, challenging and off-the-hook! I am truly blessed!
Next installment. Crazy, Sexy, Cool. To check out
photos from Emil Wilbekin's personal VIBE Awards photo diary, click here!
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